Travel Iceland with Iceland Travel Travel in and around Reykjavík Reykjavík, the northernmost capital of the world, is by far the largest municipality in Iceland and the capital area is home to nearly two-thirds of the country’s population of around 350.000 people. Ingólfur Arnarson, Iceland’s first settler, built his farm on the peninsula where Reykjavík stands today. The town got its name – meaning ‘smoky bay’ – after columns of steam rising from hot springs in the area were mistaken for smoke. But it is the man dubbed the ‘Father of Reykjavík’, Skúli Magnússon, who is credited with triggering urban development in Reykjavík after he established wool workshops there in the 18th century, as part of an attempt to modernise the Icelandic economy. Reykjavík received its town charter in 1786. Modern Reykjavik boasts a wide array of exciting activities and attractions. The city is pure, clean and vibrant – the perfect setting for a relaxing, refreshing vacation. It features a multitude of top-class restaurants, outstanding cafés, sparkling nightlife and amazing attractions and activities within easy reach. This section presents some key highlights of the Greater Reykjavík Area, but it would be easy to write volumes on all the things to see and do, so we suggest calling our service desk for a more comprehensive listing. There we can assist you with information about bike rental, organised walking
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tours of Reykjavík, bus excursions of the Reykjavík area (including flexible hopon-hop-off tours) and aerialsightseeing tours. If we had to pick five essentials for Reykjavík from everything listed below, they would be: visit Laugardalslaug swimming pool, or any one of the many swimming pools in Reykjavík, immerse yourself in Icelandic history at the Saga Museum, pop into the Reykjavík City Hall to see Iceland’s geographical features in perspective on the 3-D relief map of Iceland, and wander around the old city center to make your own discovery of a unique shop, gallery, museum, or café.
Downtown Reykjavík – walking distance Hallgrímskirkja church is the biggest and tallest (74.5 m. / 244 ft.) church in Iceland, and a handy point of reference if ever you’re lost in the downtown area. It was designed by the architect TRAVEL IN AND AROUND REYKJAVÍK
