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Reykjavík is the capital of Iceland and the northernmost capital of any sovereign state in the world.
Despite a small population (approximately 120,000, with just over 200,000 in the Greater Reykjavík area), it is a vibrant city that draws an ever increasing number of visitors every year. It is the financial, cultural and political centre of Iceland, and has a reputation of being one of the cleanest and safest cities in the world.
Geography
The city of Reykjavík is located in southwest Iceland by Faxaflói Bay. Throughout the ages, the landscape has been shaped by glaciers, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and the area is geothermal; after all, its name translates to ‘Smoky Bay’.
Much of the current city area was subglacial during the Ice Age, with the glacier reaching as far as the Álftanes peninsula, while other areas lay under the sea. After the end of the Ice Age, the land rose as the glaciers drifted away, and it began to take on its present form.
The coastline of Reykjavík is set with peninsulas, coves, straits and islands, most notably the island of Viðey, and seabirds and whales frequent the shores. The mountain ring as seen from the shore is particularly beautiful.
Mount Esjan is the highest mountain in the vicinity of Reykjavík and the most distinctive feature of the coastline. This majestic summit is also highly popular amongst hikers and climbers. Other notable mountains that can be seen from the seaside are Akrafjall and Skarðsheiði.
On clear days, one may even see as far to the legendary Snæfellsjökull glacier, at the end of the Snæfellsnes peninsula.
The largest river to run through the city is Elliðaá in Elliðaárdalur valley, which is also one of Iceland’s best rivers for salmon fishing.
Transportation
There are no trains or trams in Iceland, but most people travel by car. The city also operates a bus system. There are two major harbours in town, the old harbour in the centre and Sundahöfn in the east.
The domestic Reykjavík Airport is located at Vatnsmýrin, not far from the city centre and close to the hill Öskjuhlíð and the restaurant, vantage point and exhibition centre Perlan. The international Keflavík Airport at Miðnesheiði heath then lies around 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the city.
Cars, jeeps and bicycles can be readily rented in the city and many organized tours are also being offered. It is, however, quite easy to walk between the major sites.
What to See & Do in Reykjavik
The local arts scene is strong in Iceland, with annual events and festivals, many of artists from which have hit the international stage.
Major events taking place in Reykjavík include Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavík Pride, RIFF (The Reykjavík International Film Festival), The Reykjavík Literature Festival, Culture Night, the Reykjavík Arts Festival, Food & Fun, the Reykjavík Fashion Festival and the Sónar music festival.
Amongst the famous people from Reykjavík are musicians like Björk Guðmundsdóttir and Sigur Rós, and writers Halldór Laxness (born on the main street, Laugavegur) and Arnaldur Indriðason.
Those eager to soak up the local culture should visit the city’s many museums, exhibitions and galleries, and check out live music at the cafés, bars, and concert venues dotted around. You could look at the programmes of what’s on at the Harpa music hall or the theatres, or else plan a few hours at the lighthouse at Grótta, the shopping street of Laugavegur, or the old harbour and the flea market.
You could even book a bird- and whale watching tour or a visit to Viðey island. There are a lot of things to do and the possibilities are endless.
Make sure to visit the public square of Austurvöllur, one of the city’s most popular gathering places, where you’ll also find the national parliament, the Alþingi, as well as the state church, a statue of independence hero Jón Sigurðsson, cafés, bars and restaurants.
Austurvöllur was central in the protests following the banking collapse of 2008, along with Lækjargata, home to the House of Government. You are also not likely to miss the great church of Hallgrímskirkja that towers over the city from the hill of Skólavörðuholt, from which you’ll get a great view of the city.
Try a walk by the city pond, Tjörnin, to greet the many birds that frequent the area and to visit the city hall, stationed by its banks. A beautiful park lies by the pond, ideal for a nice walk, and sometimes concerts get held there.
Further off is the campus of the University of Iceland, the Nordic house and the Vatnsmýrin wetland, a particularly pleasant place, but be mindful to not disturb the wildlife there by keeping to the pathways.
For a nice swim on a warm day, we particularly recommend Nauthólsvík beach, which is heated with geothermal water. Those who love a dip should also visit the Laugardalur valley, home to one of the city’s best swimming pools, which sits a short walk away from Ásmundarsafn gallery, a beautiful botanical garden and a domestic zoo.
A walk by the Ægissíða beach, with its old fishing sheds, in the west part of Reykjavík also holds a particular charm. From there, you can see all the way to president’s house at Bessastaðir, which is also a historical site in its own right, having been the educational centre of Iceland for centuries.
Another place that offers one of the city’s best views is Perlan, up on Öskjuhlíð hill. The hill itself is a popular place to spend a few hours, with over 176,000 trees and great opportunities for walking and cycling. Perlan also has and observation deck with great views, a café and an exhibition centre.
Furthermore, the city is a short drive from many of Iceland’s major attractions, most famously the Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon. In close vicinity you’ll also find the Heiðmörk preservation area, a favourite local site of the people of Reykjavík, as well as the Blue Mountains, one of Iceland’s best skiing venues.
Finally, we’d like to stress that these are only some suggestions of the many things you might check out in Reykjavík. Whatever you choose to do, we hope you’ll be able to make the most of your visit and we wish you a pleasant stay in our capital.
Wikimedia, Creative Commons, Photo Credit: Udm
Hafnarfjörður is Iceland’s third most populous city, and located in the Greater Reykjavík Area. It has a population of 28,200, and is located to Reykjavík’s South.
Economy of Hafnarfjörður
Populated in the 14th Century at the latest, Hafnarfjörður was primarily a fishing and trading port in its origins, due to its excellent harbour and the fertile waters of Faxaflói Bay. While these industries are still going strong, Hafnafjörður has competing economies in tourism and heavy industry.
Tourism flourishes in Hafnarfjörður due to its proximity to Keflavík International Airport, the Blue Lagoon, the Reykjanes Peninsula and Reykjavík, as well as its natural beauty along its coast, and its wealth of services. Many tour operators will pick guests up from Hafnarfjörður, so if you would prefer to be away from the bustle of the capital, it is a great location to base yourself.
Hafnarfjörður also has a wealth of folklore that draws guests, no doubt due to the strange lava formations found in and around the town. These rocks are, according to Icelandic legend, the homes of the Hidden Folk, a mysterious elven people known for their mysterious, ethereal and often evil behaviour.
For such an urban centre, a surprising amount of locals still believe in the hidden folk. For this reason, people from Hafnarfjörður are often used as the butt of jokes by other Icelanders, in the same fashion of a ‘blonde joke’ in English. Of course, these jokes are not usually appreciated by those from Hafnarfjörður, who boast high levels of literacy and education.
The heavy industry in Hafnarfjörður revolves around its controversial aluminium smelter. While Iceland does not have its own deposits of aluminium, it has huge amounts of geothermal activity beneath its surface, making the processing of it incredibly cost-effective.
It was built to protests in 1969, and continues to face them today, for polluting the surrounding environment with fluoride, sullying Iceland’s environmental reputation, and being a general eyesore. Locals voted against its extension in 2006.
That being said, it is a large local employer and has brought prosperity to the city.
History of Hafnarfjörður
Hafnarfjörður has a history dating back to the 14th Century, where it is mentioned in early Icelandic literature. It was the site of the nation’s first Lutheran church, raised in 1553, and Lutheranism continues to be, by an enormous margin, the country’s dominant religion.
During the Danish Mononpoly, a period in which Iceland’s ruler, Denmark, controlled all the country’s trade, Hafnarfjörður was its busiest port. It was thus one of the earliest cities to get a town charter, in 1908.
As such a major trading port, Hafnarfjörður has seen some unusual milestones for the country, such as the arrival of its first car in 1913.
Culture in Hafnarfjörður
Hafnarfjörður is often called the “rock ‘n’ roll capital” of Iceland, as many of Iceland’s most popular rock bands can trace their roots here, such as HAM, Sign, Jet Black Joe, Jakobinarina and Ulpa.
Wikimedia, Creative Commons, Photo by Philipp Weigell
Hafravatn is a lake on the outskirts of Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavík, in the west of the country.
Geography of Hafravatn
Hafravatn is a relatively small lake. It is just over a kilometre squared, its deepest point is 28 metres (92 feet), and it sits 76 metres (249 feet) above sea level. It is, however, larger than its neighbouring lake, Langavatn, which sits to the southwest.
The lake is filled with water coming from the Seljadalsá river, which runs into its eastern side, and the river Úlfarsfellsá flows out of it. This river is named after the adjacent mountain Úlfarsfell, and the lake itself is named after another, Hafrafell.
As is the case in many of Iceland’s serene locations, there are several holiday homes surrounding Hafravatn, where locals retreat to get close to the nature in summer. Until the seventies, there was a farm on site, as can be noted by the abandoned sheep pen against the lake’s shores.
Activities at Hafravatn
Due to its proximity to Reykjavík, Hafravatn is seen or featured on many tours and activities from the city. Of particular note are the many buggy and all-terrain vehicle excursions that leave the capital, which ascend the aforementioned mountains of Úlfarsfell and Hafrafell after circling the lake.
By Hafravatn is a launching site for paragliders, allowing guests to achieve incredible views of west Iceland, that include the capital, Faxaflói bay, Mount Esjan, and the Snæfellsnes and Reykjanes Peninsulas, without ascending a mountain.
Finally, the lake is renowned for its fishing opportunities. Hafravatn is pregnant with many small arctic char, a delicacy in Iceland, and also home to the larger brown trout, which are caught on occasion.
Salmon have also been known to enter the lake from the river, but the area is not considered to be particularly good for salmon fishing compared to some other parts of the country.
Hafrafell is a mountain in south-west Iceland, located about twelve kilometres (seven miles) from the capital city.
More specifically, Hafrafell sits beside the town of Mosfellsbӕr, which is part of the Greater Reykjavík Area.
Hafrafell is a popular place to hike, as well as take tours such as quad-biking. There are several routes to the top, from which visitors are blessed with incredible sights.
In clear weather, it is possible to see both the Reykjanes and the Snӕfellsnes Peninsulas, the Blue Mountains, Faxaflói Bay, Mount Esjan and, of course, the capital of Reykjavík.
Hafrafell is near to the Heiðmörk recreational area, one of the most popular places for a day out in the country. As such, visits to it can be combined with visits to other landmarks in the area, most notably Ulsarfell Mountain and Lake Elliðavatn.
Due to its proximity to the capital of Iceland, many transport routes connect them together, and it is no problem to reach by car or bus.
Wikimedia, Creative Commons, Photo Credit: OddurBen
Mosfellsbær, colloquially known as “The Green Town”, is a town in southwest Iceland, 15 minutes drive away from the island’s capital, Reykjavík.
Mosfellsbær has a population of about 9,000 inhabitants. As its nickname suggests, the town has a reputation for beauty, vegetation and greenhouses.
Culture
The town has a long history of literature and writers. The Viking warrior poet, Egil Skallagrimsson, is supposedly buried near the town of Mosfellsbær, along with a horde of silver treasure.
A man of violence, literature and rune magic, it is claimed that in a final act of brutality, Egil murdered the man who assisted in his silver’s burial. After his farmstead was renovated to a Christian chapel, it is told that Egil’s son exhumed his body, burying him close in an undisclosed location.
To this day, treasure hunters around the world still ponder as to the whereabouts of Egil’s silver, though no one is any closer to finding it.
Talking of poetry, the town was a lifelong home to Iceland’s only Nobel Laureate, Halldór Laxness, “the undisputed master of contemporary Icelandic fiction”.
Laxness wrote widely on his experiences and observations living in the Mosfellsbær area - 62 books in 68 years - but was particularly detailed in the memoir Home in the Hayfield. Laxness’ home, Gljúfrasteinn, was built as a family residence in the Mosfellsdalur Valley and has since been renovated as a museum dedicated to the author’s life, work and cultural legacy.
Paintings and eccentric furniture are still positioned as they were in the author’s life. Even his 1968 Jaguar is still parked out the front of the house.
Things to Do in Mosfellsbær
Due to its proximity to Reykjavík, all the sites of the capital can be explored from Mosfellsbær. A full guide of to what to do in the capital can be found on this site, although there is much to do in the town itself.
Over recent years, there has been systematic development in furthering outdoor recreation and leisure activities in the area. Hills surrounding the town, such as Mosfell, Grímannsfell, Helgafell and Úlfarsfell, provide incredible vistas of the southwest coastal area, as well as offering fantastic opportunities for walking, horseriding, hiking and fishing for trout and Arctic char.
With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that Mosfellsbær residents are known to be nature lovers, even by the high standards of the Icelandic people. Mosfellsbær borders the ocean in Leirvogsá, where three rivers - Leirvogsá, Kaldakvísl and Varmá - all open to the sea.
Thermal activity in the area has also provided the capital with hot water for heating and hot pools since 1933, making it an important site for the country, both in culture and practice.
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