Spring is finally springing (it tends to arrive a little later than in other parts of the world) and we couldn’t be more excited. The grass is getting greener, buds are blossoming, and the sun is shining. Well, when it’s not raining at least.
Speaking of the sun, as we get closer to the summer solstice in June, the days are getting longer and longer. By the end of May, there won’t really be a night to speak of, just a few hours of dusk. It’s what makes summer in Iceland so magical, the long summer evenings where sleep doesn’t seem necessary at all. While we do recommend sleeping, even during a vacation in Iceland, it often feels like you need a lot less off it during an Icelandic summer. The bright nights give you energy and waking up to a sunny morning makes it a lot easier to get up and head out to explore nature.
Despite spring’s arrival, it’s still important to consider the weather forecast when travelling in Iceland, especially if hiking is on the programme. Icelandic weather can famously change at the drop of a hat, especially in higher altitudes. During this time of year, rivers have more water due to snowmelt and the country’s flora is at its most delicate. It’s therefore especially important to stay on paths by natural wonders. Also note that while summer has arrived in the city, it’s still winter in the highland. Many roads are still closed and it can get pretty cold.
Enjoy your time in Iceland. Explore nature, have fun, and stay safe!
WHAT’S ON — VOLUME 41 — ISSUE 5
Published by: MD Reykjavík ehf.
Laugavegur 5, 101 Reykjavik. Tel.: 551-3600
Contact us: info@whatson.is
Publisher: Kjartan Þorbjörnsson
Distribution: nora@whatson.is
Tel.: 830-3629
Map of Reykjavík: Friðrik Bjarnason
Editor: Gréta Sigríður Einarsdóttir, greta@whatson.is
Content writers: The What’s On Team
Ad sales: Sigurþór Marteinn, sm@whatson.is
Printing: Kroonpress Ltd.
WHAT‘S ON IN REYKJAVÍK is published monthly, covering events and happenings in and around Reykjavík. Opinions expressed in WHAT‘S ON IN REYKJAVÍK are those of the individual authors. While every effort has been made to ensure the information presented is accurate, prices, times, dates and other information may be subject to change.
A visit to Iceland in May is full of opportunities. The days are getting longer and (slightly) warmer, tulips and crocuses are poking up through the soil, and the beloved puffin is back on our fair shores. Add to that DesignMarch kicking off Reykjavík’s summer festival lineup, and you’ll soon be wondering how any month could beat this one.
Here are What’s On’s tips for this month:
Ride an Icelandic horse. May 1 is the International Day of the Icelandic Horse.
Check out the best of Icelandic design at the DesignMarch festival.
Get on a boat to see some puffins. Those loveable seabirds return to Iceland this month.
While you’re on a boat, go whale watching.
Take a road trip. The days are long, giving you lots of time to explore.
Stop to smell the flowers while walking through the Reykjavík Botanical Garden.
Soak up some culture by visiting local museums and galleries.
See a glacier along Iceland’s south coast!
While you’re checking things off the list, snap some photos and tag #whatsonrvk on Instagram.
So you’re in Iceland, taking in the sights and everything else this magnificent country has to offer. Why not share it with the world?
Tag your photos #WhatsOnRvk and you might be featured in our magazine next month! Browse the entire What’s On catalogue at www.whatson.is.
Our first piece of advice if you have just one day to spend in Iceland is to change your flight and stay for at least a week. If that’s not an option, here’s what we suggest to get the most out of this unique destination in such a short time.
The Golden Circle is the most popular day tour from Reykjavík – and it’s easy to see why. The classic route includes three stops that also happen to be three of the most captivating natural wonders in Iceland. Tour operators may add their own twists, but you’re sure to stop at Þingvellir, a national park straddling the rift between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates; Gullfoss, an awe-inspiring waterfall that lends its name to the Golden Circle (gull translates to gold); and the Geysir geothermal area, with an erupting hot spring guaranteed to impress. You can complete the Golden Circle in half a day (depending on the tour you book), leaving you time to squeeze more into your short stay.
The Reykjanes peninsula reminds us for the second year running why Iceland is known as the Land of Fire and Ice. The Meradalir eruption began on August 3rd and lasted until around August 22, 2022. The site of the eruption is an hour’s drive south of the capital and accessible to anyone that can handle a four to five-hour hike. There is also of course the birds-eye view option by helicopter or light aircraft. While the eruption is over, you can still marvel at the
youngest lava field in Iceland and admire nature’s fury first-hand. But please don’t walk on the young lava fields! Lava takes years to fully cool, so there may be molten lava just beneath the seemingly solid surface. Check out the what’s on Iceland website, www.whatson.is for up-to-date info.
There’s no better way to get a feel for the latter half of Iceland’s “Land of Fire and Ice” moniker than to go on a glacier hike. Glacier hikes are relatively easy and accessible for most, especially because professional gear is provided. You get to walk on a glacier with guides who know everything there is to know about glaciers and Iceland in general. What’s cooler than that?
What’s better than a spa day? Visiting a geothermal spa fed by Europe’s most powerful hot spring, Deildartunguhver. At Krauma Natural Geothermal Baths, the water from the hot spring is mixed with cool glacial water for a perfect temperature. It has five hot tubs and one cold bath, plus a relaxation room, two steam baths and an infrared sauna. Alternatively, if you don’t want to leave the capital area, book the seven-step “Ritual” at the Sky Lagoon for a luxurious afternoon of soaking, steaming, scrubbing and other soothing activities.
Are you looking for a thrill? Go on a buggy ride. A buggy is a fast, sturdy and stable ATV, perfect for anyone who loves to get their blood pumping in the great outdoors – and who doesn’t mind getting a little dirty in the process. Driving a buggy through rough Icelandic terrain, over mud puddles, dirt roads or snow, makes for an exhilarating day.
Marine life abounds in the water around Iceland, and you can see everything from harbour porpoises and white-beaked dolphins to minke and humpback whales on a whale watching tour. Tour boats depart Reykjavík’s old harbour throughout the day, cruising to the spots where sightings are most likely. Nothing beats the thrill of seeing a massive whale breach or watching one slap its enormous flukes on the water’s surface. If you have a few hours to spare before or after the cruise (or if you get seasick and a cruise is out of the question), check out the Whales of Iceland exhibition to learn more about these gentle giants.
Stop by the What’s On information centre, or send us an email, info@whatson.is , and ask the staff to help you plan an unforgettable vacation.
With a subarctic climate and a tiny population, Iceland is a little different from other popular travel destinations. Desolate landscapes, extreme weather, mountain roads, geothermal areas, and the ocean can all catch the unprepared off-guard. Keep the following six safety guidelines in mind when planning your trip to Iceland.
The emergency number in Iceland is 112. You can dial it free of charge to reach emergency services like ambulances, rescue teams, and the police, and there is also a 112 app that can send your information to emergency services at the press of a button.
2. Follow updates on Safetravel.is
Icelandic weather is infamously fickle, and extreme weather is not uncommon. In wintertime, high wind speeds and snow can frequently limit visibility. Safetravel.is offers up-to-date road condition maps, weather alerts, and plenty of helpful tips and information on the best and safest way to travel around the country. There’s an app for that, too. It’s well worth downloading and checking regularly throughout your travels.
The water in geothermal areas can reach temperatures upward of 100°C. Falling in or slipping can result in severe burns. Safe paths are clearly marked, so stick to them, and never walk on ground that is steaming.
4. Keep a safe distance from the ocean
Sneaker waves – disproportionally large waves that encroach farther onto shore than regular waves – are frequent occurrences at the Reynisfjara and Kirkjufjara beaches in South Iceland. Sneaker waves are more powerful than people expect, and accidents have proven fatal in the past. Keep a safe distance from the water and observe nearby signs.
5. Stay on the path
Whether visiting a waterfall, a geothermal area, or hiking in the mountains, staying on the marked footpath is imperative. Respect when paths are closed and heed all signs. It’s closed for a reason, either to protect you or fragile nature.
6. Let someone know where you’re going
If you’re planning on hiking or hitchhiking, let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back. You can also upload your travel plan to www.safetravel.is.
world class exhibition on volcanoes and earthquakes surrounded by active volcanoes
The Lava Centre is situated at Hvolsvöllur on the South Coast of Iceland, surrounded by active volcanoes. It truly acts as the gateway to Iceland’s most active volcanic area.
The Lava Centre just received two Red Dot Awards, which cement its position as a world class exhibition.
LAVA Centre is the best place to learn about the new Fagradalsfjall eruption, with new exhibits explaining the eruption and new film footage in the volcano cinema.
of puffin in the world. Holding court in the Pacific Ocean are the stunningly quaffed Tufted Puffin and the Horned Puffin, which look very similar to their Atlantic cousin save for a black horn of skin above the eyes of the adults.
The three puffins are auks, birds that are excellent swimmers but far less skilled on land. As auks, puffins are related to the great auk, which went extinct in 1844 when the last two birds were hunted on Eldey, a rocky island off the coast of Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula.
Specifically, the Atlantic, horned and tufted puffin are of the genus Fratercula, Latin for “little brother.” The name refers to the bird’s black and white plumage, making them appear to be wearing monastic robes.
We’ll focus on the Atlantic puffin from here on.
The Atlantic puffin nests in colonies each summer on the shores of Iceland, Norway, Greenland, Atlantic Canada, and the Faroe Islands, but they spend their winters at sea.
Not much is actually known about what puffins do at sea all winter, though it is known they can drink seawater and dive for fish to eat. While adult puffins return to their nesting sites every spring, younger puffins spend a couple of years out at sea before coming ashore to find a mate.
The birds’ colouring is ideal for avoiding predators while at sea. When viewed from the air, their black backsides blend in with the dark ocean, while their white stomachs look like the sky shimmering through the water’s surface to any larger sea creatures looking for food.
While wintering at sea, puffins moult their feathers (to the point of making them unable to fly for a few months) and the colourful portions of their beaks. Their beaks, as a result, are far less bright and less broad, and they also lose the black colouring around their eyes during the winter months.
All that being the case, wintering puffins look pretty different from the colourful creatures we love seeing in Iceland each summer.
Take a puffin tour from Reykjavík harbour, and you might be surprised by how quickly puffins flap their wings. If you can’t count fast enough, it’s a lightning-quick 400 beats per minute. They often fly close to the water’s surface, reaching speeds of up to 88 km/hr.
What’s more, they use those very capable wings to propel themselves under the water. Puffins dive to 60 metres to catch sand eels, which they bring back to their burrow for their mate and puffling.
While they’re fast flyers and deep divers, what puffins are less adept at is landing. If you do take a puffin tour, you’re sure to get a chuckle out of watching them belly-flop onto the water or crash into the waves. They’re similarly clumsy on land, which, in addition to their colourful features, earn them the nickname “clowns of the sea.”
When young puffins are nearing the age when they should be able to leave the nest and fend for themselves, puffin parents give them a push by stopping bringing food home for them. Once the hunger sets in, the young puffins leave their burrows with the intention of hitting the sea and diving for fish. Unfortunately, that journey doesn’t always go off without a hitch.
Many young puffins leaving home for the first time on the Westman Islands get distracted by the lights in the nearby village and fly toward them instead of the sea. It’s such a common occurrence that it’s a tradition for the children of the Westman Islands to roam the streets throughout August and September, looking for young puffins who got lost in town. They scoop up the birds and give them a cosy box to spend the night in, finally setting them free when the sun rises the following day.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorized the Atlantic Puffin as a vulnerable species in 2018. It is estimated that there are approximately 10,000 pairs nesting in Iceland each year. Still, climate change threatens that population by lessening their food supply and hunting, which remains permitted in Iceland.
A vulnerable classification by the IUCN means the Atlantic Puffin is at risk of becoming endangered if the conditions making them vulnerable aren’t improved. Food for thought if you spot puffin on the menu.
One of the first things you’ll discover upon visiting Reykjavík is that it’s very walkable. The majority of the city’s restaurants and shops are located along two streets – Skólavörðustígur and Laugavegur. If you want to explore the city beyond the confines of these well-trod roads, we have a few suggestions. Stretch your legs on these three walks in and around Reykjavík.
Smack-dab in the middle of town, you’ll find Tjörnin, Reykjavík’s central pond. We recommend starting this walk at the north end of the pond, where the ducks congregate and take a clockwise route.
You can start with greeting the ducks. If you have a snack for them (heed the signs about when it is and isn’t allowed to feed the ducks), a few may even swim alongside you on the first stretch of your walk. Take the lower sidewalk and cross over Skothúsvegur to leave the roadside and enter Hljómskalagarður park.
While looping around the southern end of the pond, you’ll see the octagonal Hljómskálinn pavilion, the first structure in Reykjavík built for music events; a statue of beloved poet Jónas Hallgrímsson, and a sculpture garden showcasing the works of some of Iceland’s most renowned female sculptors.
Once you’ve crossed back over Skothúsvegur on your way back to City Hall, you’re at the spot with the best views over Tjörnin. Along this stretch of the walk, you’ll find the statue Úr Álögum, one of Einar Jónsson’s phenomenal statues decorating the
city. This one depicts the tale of Saint George and the Dragon. There’s also a park bench at this point in the walk with a bronze likeness of poet Tómas Guðmundsson and a QR code you can use to listen to a reading of his poem “Hotel Earth”.
Finish your walk with a visit to Reykjavík City Hall, where a massive topographic map of Iceland is often on display. Finally, exit City Hall via its long footbridge over the end of the pond, snap a picture with the Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat and head off to your next adventure.
Distance: 1.5 km
The coastal path running east from the Harpa Concert Hall is named the Sculpture and Shore Walk. While it is dotted with some lovely art, it’s also an excellent path to walk, jog or cycle to get that fresh sea air in your lungs and sweeping views of Esja forever imprinted on your soul – it’s a stunning mountain.
But let’s talk about the art. The walk starts at the Harpa, as mentioned above, so it should be pointed out that it is a work of art in its own right. Its iconic glass facade is the creation of Icelandic-Danish artist Ólafur Elíasson. Explore the interior and be sure to look up for a complete immersion in the majesty of the building.
On with the walk. The first sculpture you’ll encounter is the beloved Sólfar, or the Sun Voyager. While it’s often mistaken for a Viking ship, artist Jón Gunnar Árnason created it as a sun ship, meant to convey a dream of hope, progress and freedom. It was unveiled on August 18, 1990, to commemorate Reykjavík’s 200th birthday.
Walking along, you’ll encounter Pétur Bjarnason’s sculpture Partnership, which has a twin in Miami, U.S. The sculptures were made to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Iceland and the United States. Further along is Jóhann Eyfells’ Íslandsvarðan sculpture, which was completed in 2006 by pouring liquid metal into moulds the artist dug in the earth.
A personal favourite sculpture of this writer is Shore Piece by Sigurður Guðmundsson. It’s the largest piece displayed along this route, so you shouldn’t miss it.
Continue to the bright yellow Höfði lighthouse, and cross over Sæbraut to see Höfði House, where former Russian and U.S. presidents Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan met in 1986 to discuss the end of the Cold War.
From here, either retrace your steps or cut up
Katrínartún to Laugavegur and hang a right to meander back to the city centre.
Distance: 1.5 km from Harpa to Höfði House
If your idea of a walk means venturing off paved paths, head to Öskjuhlíð. Perlan tops the wooded hill on the outskirts of the city centre, and it is a lovely forest to wander through. It’s crisscrossed with rough paths, mountain bike ramps and massive rocks that are undoubtedly the remains of poor trolls that got caught out in the sun.
Öskjuhlíð was used as a lookout by British and American soldiers during the Second World War, so you may come across some abandoned bunkers during your walk. Signs have been erected explaining the history of the bunkers.
Spend an hour wandering among the birch and pine trees, or continue down to Nauthólsvík geothermal area and follow the path due west to follow the seaside around the Reykjavík airport, heading back into the city centre when the path joins up with Suðurgata.
Distance: Varies
The DIY approach is all fine and good, but sometimes you want someone to guide you and regale you with fascinating trivia while you walk. If that’s more your speed, check out Reykjavík walking tours on WhatsOn.is. Happy walking!
The 1783-4 eruption of Laki was the biggest eruption in recorded history. An estimated 42 billion tonnes of poisonous gases and dust darkened the skies. Haze from the eruption floated east as far away as India, disrupting the monsoon season and leading to drought and crop failures. The famine that hit Egypt in 1784, was a result of the eruption, and killed roughly one-sixth of its population. Back in Iceland, an estimated 20–25% of the population died from famine, and over half the livestock was poisoned or killed by giant hailstones. Food shortages contributed to social unrest across Europe and contributed to the French Revolution of 1789 that gave birth to western democracy.
Iceland was also the site of the second biggest emission in recorded history: the 2014 eruption of Bárðarbunga. In just 6 months, Bárðarbunga produced enough lava to cover the island of Manhattan - 85km2
In Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth, the heroes climb down a crater on the Snæfellsnes peninsula to find vast oceans filled with extinct prehistoric creatures. While an encounter with a herd of mastodons is unlikely, a trip to Þríhnúkagígur (Thrihnukagigur) still feels pretty Jules Verne.
Þríhnúkagígur is the only volcano in the world
where you can descend into the magma chamber. Discovered in 1974 and opened to the public in 2012.
Surtsey, Iceland’s most southern point was formed by a volcanic eruption at the bottom of the ocean and emerged from the water on November 14, 1963. It was immediately granted protection by law, and to this day, only scientists are allowed to go there, and even they have to get special permission. This means that we have been able to monitor how life settles on a brand-new land from the beginning, which has, of course, been invaluable to scientists.
Iceland has a third of the world’s fresh lava. ‘Fresh’ is a relative term that may need defining. When discussing Arctic Char, it’s best measured in hours. In geological time fresh lava means lava that’s less than five hundred years old. Iceland is full of these ‘Here’s one I prepared earlier’ landscapes offering snapshots of geological time and processes.
Due to changes in on the tectonic level of the earth, Iceland’s volcanoes are actually moving east. Veeeeeeeery slowly. If you visited Iceland 20 million years ago, the volcanoes would all have been situated in the West Fjords. Fifty million years ago, during the Eocene epoch, you would find our volcanoes living happily in Greenland, and 70
million years ago, our volcanoes would have been terrorising dinosaurs somewhere in Canada.
The island has somewhere between 150-200 volcanoes, split into different volcanic systems. About 30 different systems are still considered “active” in Iceland, and 13 of them have erupted since the Viking Settlement in 874. The most recent eruptions were in Fagradalsfjall valley in 2021, which lasted 6 months, and nearby in Meradalir in 2022, which lasted only 3 weeks. These short-lived eruptions were the first on the Reykjanes peninsula in over 700 years!
Starts with a shot of the infarmous Icelandic spirit Brennivín
Followed by 7 delicious tapas
• Smoked puffin with blueberry “brennivín” sauce
• Icelandic arctic char with candy beets salad, asparagus and elderflower-hollandaise
• Lobster tails baked in garlic
• Pan-fried blue ling with lobster sauce
• Grilled Icelandic lamb tenderloin with beer-butterscotch sauce
• Minke Whale with sweet potato mash and malt sauce
Our kitchen is open until 23:00 on weekdays and 24:00 on weekends
And for dessert:
• White chocolate "Skyr" mousse with passion coulis
10.900 kr.
area. However, 101 has gained some deep-rooted cultural connotations over the years. It’s a way of life. In the eternal struggle between city life and country life, 101 Reykjavík has become synonymous with the intellectual, artistic type who sips lattés and wears scarves.
Well, the centre of Reykjavík has a history of being home to people that like to think they know more than the rest of Iceland. Not only have the rulers of Reykjavík and Iceland always lived and worked there, but some of Iceland’s oldest and most respected schools are also there, including the University of Iceland. Hallgrímur Helgason’s book 101 Reykjavík (and the movie based on the book) also helped to solidify the reputation of 101-dwellers as hopeless dreamers that never do an honest day’s work and spend their nights partying. You’ll have to decide if that’s a negative or positive stereotype.
As the heart of the Icelandic capital, 101 has plenty of things to see, do, eat, and drink. It’s also ripe with historical buildings, museums, galleries, shops, and restaurants and boasts the highest café-to-building ratio in all of Iceland. If you’re staying in Reykjavík, you must visit 101 Reykjavík. In fact, you could have a perfectly nice vacation (or a life) never leaving 101 Reykjavík at all.
Hot springs, saunas, plunge pools and steam rooms have been part of Icelandic culture in one way or another for centuries. If you’re hiking, there’s no better way to soothe tired muscles and achy joints than a relaxing soak. But where to soak?
Krauma is a natural geothermal spa next to Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring. It’s located in West Iceland, in the valley of Reykholtsdalur. Krauma has five hot tubs and one cold bath, a relaxation room and two steam baths. The perfect water temperature is reached by mixing glacial water with water from the hot spring. When you’re in the pool, you can order drinks that are brought to you straight in the hot tubs. If you’re longing for a bite to eat after bathing, there’s also a restaurant. Krauma is open every day 11 AM – 9 PM.
Just fifteen minutes from downtown Reykjavík, the Sky Lagoon was constructed in an impressive 15 months during the pandemic. The vibe is stylishly luxurious and expensive, and as the only bathing lagoon within the city limits, it’s the one that’s
easiest to access. A traditional herringbone turf facade gives way to Bond villain aesthetic within and a great sea view from the sauna through the biggest window in all of Iceland. ‘Norse bathing culture fused with modern Nordic design’ says Vogue. The spa’s experience is built around a seven-step ritual after which there’s a cafe, bar and restaurant should the spirit move you. Booking in advance is advised.
The wildly popular and photogenic Blue Lagoon is located 50 minutes west of Reykjavík and 20 minutes from Keflavik airport. It all started in 1981 when people started bathing in the curious turquoise-coloured run-off pools of the Svartsengi geothermal power station. In 2017 the attraction recorded a whopping 1.3 million visitors and a turnover of over a hundred million euros annually. The Blue Lagoon is located on an 800-year-old lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula and is so popular reservations are required. The water, a combination of fresh and seawater from the nearby geothermal plant, is about 36 degrees, slightly cooler than your average hot tub. There are grottoes, steam rooms and an on-site restaurant, so spending at least a half-day at the lagoon is recommended. If you are travelling with your family, you can easily spend a full day at the Blue Lagoon with your kids.
Hvammsvík is a family-owned estate consisting of 1200 acres of land, situated in the middle of Hvalfjörður, a historic fjord in the southwest of Iceland. The bathing spot is right on the water, rustic pools overlooking the surrounding farmland and the sea. Mentioned in the Book of Settlements as an early settlement, it also became an important location during the Second World War when the Allies occupied Iceland. Hvammsvík is only a 45-minute drive from Reykjavík city centre and an easy drive to many of Iceland‘s biggest attractions, such as The Golden Circle, Glymur, Þingvellir, Esjan, and many more. The spa offers 8 geothermal pools built into the sea. They are open 10 AM – 9 PM year-round. You will also find a bistro and accommodation, and there is a direct bus transfer that can take you from Reykjvík to Hvammsvík.
Located in the middle of the Golden Circle, Laugarvatn Fontana Geothermal Baths offers several hot pools, a steam room, and more. Locals have been enjoying the healing power of the natural
steam baths by Lake Laugarvatn since 1921. You will find three pools – Lauga, Sæla, and Viska – that are connected outdoor mineral baths that vary in temperature, depth, and size. Around the pools is the playful stone artwork by Icelandic artist Erla Þorarinsdóttir. Fontana also has an authentic, Finnish-style sauna, perfect for relaxing after a long day of hiking and sightseeing. For a truly Icelandic experience, you can move between the hot pools and the icy waters of Lake Laugarvatn, as the cold temperature is believed to have beneficial health effects. Next to the spa, there is a geothermal bakery where they bake their bread using the natural heat from the earth! Laugarvatn Fontana is open every day year-round, 11 AM – 9 PM.
Created in 1891, Secret Lagoon – known in Icelandic as Gamla Laugin (the old pool) – is one of the oldest swimming pools in Iceland. It was abandoned for years but was renovated and reopened in 2014 with brand-new showers and changing rooms. The pool is a comfortable 38-40 C (100-104 F) and may not be as much of a secret as it once was. Located next to a spouting geyser, the Secret Lagoon is a much quieter, simpler (and cheaper) alternative to the Blue and other spa-style lagoons. Nearby is a geyser, bistro, and a beautiful geothermal area. The Secret Lagoon is typically open 10 AM – 7 PM, but it will be closed May 15 – 26 for renovations.
Rekjavík’s annual celebration of progressive design and innovation is back for the 15th year with a lineup of events, exhibitions and happenings to inspire the masses.
Organised by Iceland Design and Architecture, this year’s DesignMarch festival takes place May 3-7, featuring more than 100 events or exhibitions showcasing the latest innovations in architectural design, fashion design, industrial and product design and more. And leafing through this year’s program makes it abundantly clear that all forms of design will be alive and well in 2023 Iceland.
As its name suggests, DesignMarch was originally held each year in March – adding some much-needed colour and levity to the lull between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, and Reykjavík’s traditionally eventful summer festival season. However, when COVID-19 became a household name, the festival shifted to May, and there it has remained.
The outward grace of that initial shift is a testament to the genius of design, as the festival showcased the pandemic-themed creations of some participants, including hand sanitiser made from fruit and vegetable scraps. Further proof that
design is ubiquitous, even if you’re not always aware of it.
The theme of the festival this year is What now? After the uncertainty of the pandemic and the pressing issue of environmental crisis and climate change, the speakers, artists, and participants are looking forward to try and understand where we go from here. But DesignMarch is less doom and gloom and more about solutions and optimism. The exhibitions look to inspire, as we all consider a more sustainable future.
In addition to exhibitions and pop-up events, DesignMarch is an opportunity for the public to engage in discussion about design and the importance of innovation and sustainability with designers from Iceland and around the world.
The Design Diplomacy series, a concept of Helsinki Design Week adopted by DesignMarch, invites the public into the private residences of ambassadors in Reykjavík for candid conversations about design.
Also on the agenda is DesignTalks, the signature conference of DesignMarch. This year‘s conference asks What Now? DesignTalks addresses the challenges the world is facing and highlights the importance of design and architecture in societal and global change. Humanity is facing the eleventh hour and the call for more sustainable solutions has never been louder. Faced with somewhat failed global collaborations on cutting emissions, political instability, and repercussions after the pandemic, we ask: what now?
This year 100+ exhibitions and events are happening in nearly as many locations throughout the city. Check the full program on DesignMarch.is and plan to take in the abundance of innovation and inspiration on display this May.
The Icelandic Architect Association and GreenBuilding Council Iceland are hosting a seminar to discuss the future of housing in Iceland, how to prioritise people and the environment in providing housing, and asking how the government can actually help to create affordable housing.
May 5 - 1 PM - Gróska
Artist Eva Thora was born in Iceland and raised in New York City. In Light and Color, she exhibits handmade sculptures that highlight her love for the exploration of colour. Using resin as a main ingredient, these small sculptures are inspired by Iceland but created in New York.
May 3 - 5 PM - STEiNUNN
Object designer Bettina Nelson from Sweden will discuss her time spent in Argentina, where she engaged with various female weaving cooperations in the North Andes, as well as local artisans and craftswomen in Buenos Aires. On display in this exhibition are some of the results of these collaborations, such as the chair Lola and the weaving project Elena.
May 4 - 5 PM - The Nordic House ÞYKJÓ
ÞYKJÓ is an interdisciplinary design collective aimed at children and their families. Founded in 2019 by Sigríður Sunna Reynisdóttir, ÞYKJÓ is a group of diverse designers who apply different fields of expertise. The exhibition at Gerðarsafn will showcase everything from costumes to furnitureall experimental designs for children.
May 6 - 11 AM - Gerðarsafn (Kópavogur)
Two of Iceland’s high-end clothes designers will show off their collections with 2 runway shows. There will be drinks, music, and fashion - what else do you need?
May 5 - 7:30 PM - Hafnarhús
03.07.05.23
When art and business meet, some of the creative aspects can become muddled in capitalism. At this event, some of the top CEOs of design companies will be discussing funding, investing, and the design world from the finance perspective.
May 4 - 4:30 PM - Landsbankinn
This exhibition by Hæ/Hi: Designing Friendship features objects and experiences that encourage us to interact, work, play, or relax together. With the shared objective of creating dialogues between their respective creative communities, Hæ/Hi: Designing Friendship is a collaborative platform for studios located in Reykjavík and Seattle, WA. The studios will also offer talks and workshops throughout the festival.
May 3 - 8 PM - Ásmundarsalur
For a completely different perspective on architecture in Reykjavík, the Architect Association of Iceland will guide you through the diverse and complex environment of the city on a run! Lace up your running shoes and experience architectural design at a faster pace.
May 7 - 11 AM - Gróska
Hanna Dís Whitehead shows a new collection of work with an emphasis on materials - mainly wool and straw - sourced in a 3 km radius of her studio in Hornafjörður. The exhibition will feature hand-dyed oat straw used in marquetry, felted wool used in furniture in place of wood, and other experiments. Hanna will also be hosting a couple of workshops throughout the festival.
May 3 - 6 PM - Gallery Port
See the full program and exhibition times at DesignMarch.is.
As of this writing, a single adult ticket costs ISK 550. Children 11 years and younger are free, the disabled pay ISK 165, and seniors and children 12-17 pay ISK 275.
You can buy a ticket on the bus, but only if you have the exact amount in cash (the drivers don‘t have change).Paper tickets used to be available at local stores and swimming pools, but STRÆTÓ has discontinued these as of March 2022.
You can pay for your fare through the awardwinning app, KLAPPIÐ. Using only your smartphone, you can pay for one-time fares for individual rides, purchase Klapp 10 (10 tickets), or buy a one-month or a one-year pass. It should be noted that you will need to use data or WiFi to make this transaction
Unlike the city buses, the regional buses taking you north, south or west accept card payments. You can also pay by cash, but again, only if you have the exact amount. Prices vary depending on your destination.
If you are staying in or travelling to the countryside via STRÆTÓ , the Klapp app won’t work. STRÆTÓ only recently began using Klapp. Previously, there was the much-loved Strætó app. The way to get around this, you will have to visit their website or download the old STRÆTÓ app onto your phone.
NOTE: This app is no longer usable in the city!
For instance, if you want to take the bus from the capital to Akureyri, you will have to pay through Klappið to take bus 15 to Mosfellsbær. But from there, you will need to pay through the older STRÆTÓ app or by card to take bus 57 to Akureyri.
The timetables can be found on the STRÆTÓ website, and each bus stop has the departure times for the buses that stop there. The STRÆTÓ app also has the departure times and will calculate your route for you. Generally, the buses start running before 7 am on weekdays (slightly later on weekends, but still before 10 am) and run until around midnight, depending on routes.
When deciding which bus to take, get the route number and the terminus. While you’re waiting for
the bus, check to make sure you’re waiting on the right side of the street. On a little sign right next to the bus stop you’ll find the timetable for your route. Above the timetable, you’ll find the names of the bus stops on the way (the one you’re on is specially marked) with the terminus at the end of the line, make sure it matches the one you’re supposed to take.
If it doesn’t, cross the street. When the bus arrives it will also be clearly marked with the route number and the terminus. Occasionally the bus drivers forget to change it at the end of the line, so just in case, it doesn’t hurt to ask the driver. They can also help you figure out when to step off the bus.
If you need to change routes or get on a different bus for the full journey, you can reuse your Klappið ticket for 75 minutes. If you paid by cash, just ask for a “transfer ticket” when you enter the bus. The ticket is valid for 75 minutes, and you can show it to the bus driver when you enter the next bus.
If using the Klapp app, you will also have 75 minutes to use your ticket. Simply scan the same ticket on the bus you are getting on, and it will work exactly the same.
If you had a different question about strætó, let us know! There’s also more information on the STRÆTÓ website and on the Klapp website!
Gljúfrasteinn was the home of writer Halldór Laxness (the winner of The Nobel Prize in Literature 1955) and his family for more than half a century. The house is now a museum, where the author’s home is preserved just as it was when he lived and worked there.
The museum is open on Tuesdays to Sundays from 10:00–16:00.
Audio guides of the house are available in Icelandic, English, German, Swedish, and Danish, as well as an illustrated guide in French.
Gljúfrasteinn-Laxness museum is located in the valley of Mosfellsdalur on the way to Þingvellir National Park, only a 20-minute drive from Reykjavík.
For more information, go to www.gljufrasteinn.is.
When in Iceland, soft serve is the name of the game and mixing your favourite toppings requires serious thought. A swirl of ice cream in a cone dipped in a chocolate shell is a classic, but most parlours also serve up milkshakes and bragðarefur, which are cups of soft serve blended with mix-ins of your choice, from fresh fruits to nuts, liquorice or chunks of chocolate bars.
Spend a day lazing about at Austurvöllur square
On sunny days, everyone who is anyone heads to Austurvöllur. The square in front of the Parliament building quickly fills up with picnickers enjoying a beer or ice cream or simply relaxing in the sun. The cafés surrounding the square fill up even faster, and the hunt for a table can get brutal during mealtimes!
What’s the best thing Icelanders do with their abundant geothermal reserves? Heating their swimming pools, of course. Iceland’s public swimming pools are a beloved luxury that Icelanders put to good use. On any given day, you’ll find kids splashing about or flying down waterslides,
teenagers discussing pressing matters of life and love in a quiet spot and adults getting their laps in. The most important part of the swimming pool is the hot tub, where people from all walks of life gather to discuss society, the latest political scandals and the weather.
Catch a bus or take a short drive out of the city and go hiking! Be sure to wear some good boots and warm layered clothing whenever hiking in Iceland. The weather is fickle, and forecasts can’t always be trusted! If you don’t feel like going out of the city – or don’t have the time – there are plenty of great hiking trails right in the city. Try the paths around Öskjuhlíð, Grótta, Elliðaá or Rauðavatn. They’re all accessible by bus.
You may be in the far north, and the thermometer may not be displaying the sweltering summer temperatures you’re used to, but you can still get a sunburn in Iceland. So be sure to slather on the SPF before soaking up the Icelandic sun.
swimming pools Saunas, steambaths
Hot tubs and jacuzzi
Admission Adults 1.100 isk. Children 175 isk.
Free entry for children 0-5 years old and senior citizens aged 67 and over
Thermal pools and baths in Reykjavik are a source of health, relaxation and pureness.
All of the city´s swimming pools have several hot tubs with temperatures ranging from 37˚ to 42˚C (98˚–111˚F). The pools are kept at an average temperature of 29˚ C (84˚ F)
Reykjavík is a great city, and we wholeheartedly recommend spending some time there, just not all your time. Iceland is at its very best during these short summer months, and you simply need to leave the city for a while and take it all in.
There are a few ways to get out of town, depending on your preferences. If you’re unfamiliar with the country and want to learn more, taking a guided tour might suit your needs. Reykjavík tourism companies offer tours almost all over the country, some short enough to fit into your afternoon, others longer, so just figure out where you want to go and book your trip.
If you prefer a little more freedom to explore on your own, renting a car is a comfortable option, allowing you to travel at your own pace. Just be careful: conditions in Iceland might be different from what you are used to, even in summer. Be sure to check out Icelandic driving regulations and check the weather forecast before you set off.
If driving on your own feels a little too risky, you can always take the bus. The city bus company, Strætó, will take you to some of the larger towns around the country. Other bus companies will take you to great hiking spots or all the way around Iceland.
Almost wherever you go, you’ll find natural wonders, lovely little towns and all the untamed Icelandic nature you can imagine. Certain regions do have their specific charm, however, so depending on your needs and preferences, here are some destination suggestions.
One of the most popular destinations in Iceland is the south coast . This stretch of land between the coast and the mountains is an exercise in contrasts. Verdant farming communities meet jet-black sand beaches, towering glaciers cover imposing volcanoes, and still and clear lakes reside next to thundering waterfalls and erupting geysers.
If you don’t have the time to stray too far from the city, exploring the Reykjanes peninsula might be just up your alley. Just a short drive away from the city, this area has still lakes, lava fields, and colourful geothermal areas as well as charming little fishing villages.
The Snæfellsnes peninsula is often described as a microcosm of Iceland. Black beaches, hot springs, charming fishing villages, and the majestic Snæfellsjökull glacier overlooking it all are sights that are not to be missed!
If you have the time (at least four to five days), you can even drive all the way around the country. Route 1, or the Ring Road follows most of the coastline of Iceland and connects most of the major towns.
If you have a car, you might just want to find a town to stay in and explore the surrounding region. During the summer season, many towns host festivals that are well worth checking out. Some of the big festivals include Fishermen’s Day at the beginning of June and Icelandic National Day on June 17.
If you’re feeling active, go hiking in Iceland at the end of June. Not only is there a chance of good weather, but popular hiking trails in the highlands are only open in summer. The most popular multiday hike is the Laugavegur hiking trail, which usually opens in late June, but if you can’t wait that long, hiking up Mt. Esja or the hot spring-filled Reykjadalur valley are great day trips close to Reykjavík.
If you’re simply keen to explore the nature and landscapes of Iceland, driving around the country, stopping for hikes and picnics, is a great way to spend your days. Look for the sign with a square with looped corners indicating interesting spots ahead.
If you want to be prepared for your trip, contact the What’s On office on Laugavegur and get some advice!
> Lamb & Flatbread
> Arctic Charr & Blini
> Icelandic Platter
> The Lamb Burger
Fjallkonan is a lively restaurant & pub in the heart of Reykjavík offering a selection of Icelandic and international dishes from local ingredients.
Casual and cosy atmosphere with a fun and festive vibe. Stop by for snacks & drinks, lunch or dinner.
> Skyr Eton Mess Cheesecake FJALLKONAN WELCOMES YOU!
16-18 million years BC: The formation of Iceland. Volcanic eruptions formed the landmass known as Iceland.
871 AD: The settlement. Ingólfur Arnarson killed a man in Norway and fled to Iceland.
930 AD: Alþingi (the Icelandic Parliament) was established. It’s the oldest still existing parliamentary institution in the world.
1000 AD: Conversion to Christianity, the discovery of America. Parliament decided everyone would be Christian or at least pretend to be. Leifur “the Lucky” Eiríksson got lost and found America, didn’t like it, and came home.
1262 AD: Iceland submits to Norway. Civil war between powerful clans was finally resolved by forfeiting independence and submitting to Norwegian rule, before winding up under Danish rule
1550 AD: Reformation. A violent conflict between Catholics and Lutherans ended with the beheading of Catholic bishop Jón Arason.
1602 AD: Monopoly (not the fun kind). The king of Denmark decided Icelanders could only trade with particular Danes, resulting in economic stagnation
until the monopoly was abolished in 1786.
The 1750s: The Enlightenment and the birth of Reykjavík. Industrialisation and modernisation started when “Sheriff” Skúli Magnússon started wool manufacturing at Aðalstræti 10.
1944 AD: Independence. Iceland declared independence while Denmark was too busy being invaded by Germany to protest.
1955 AD: Nobel Prize. Halldór Laxness was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
1980 AD: First female president. The world’s first democratically elected female head of state, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, took office.
2008 AD : Crash and miraculous recovery. Iceland’s banking system went spectacularly bankrupt. Since then, things have picked up surprisingly well.
2009 AD: First openly gay prime minister. The world’s first openly lesbian head of government, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, took office.
2010 AD: Volcano. International air traffic was delayed for weeks after the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption.
Iceland’s favorite softdrink since 1955
Reykjavík is an amazing place to travel with kids at any time of year. It’s bursting with colourful houses, squares and parkettes, and interactive museums that encourage young (and old) imaginations to flourish.
Here are a few of our favourite things to do with kids in Reykjavík.
We’re of the opinion that you’re never too young for museums. Reykjavík has a lot to choose from, but those that we’ve found to be most kid-approved have an interactive element or two.
The Maritime Museum will teach the whole family about Iceland’s fishing tradition from the olden days up to modern times, while allowing kids to dress up like fishermen, go on a scavenger hunt through the exhibit, and try their hand stacking crates of fish with a forklift.
The Settlement Exhibition Reykjavík 871±2 is another family favourite. Built around the remains of a Viking longhouse excavated smackdab in the middle of Reykjavík, the museum tells the story of Reyjavík’s settlement (in the year 871, give or take
a couple years) with interactive screens to learn more about the rocky remains. There’s also a room where kids can dress as Viking settlers and play old games.
Also great for families travelling with younger members are the Árbær Open Air Museum, with its turf houses and olden-day charm, and the National Museum of Iceland, which has a room for families to enjoy.
Reykjavík’s central pond, Tjörnin, is home to a healthy population of ducks, geese and swans, in part thanks to its proximity to Vatnsmýri, a protected wetland and bird sanctuary, to the south. A stroll around the pond is a great way to spot the pairs of ducks floating around and doing their thing.
Feeding bread to the ducks is frowned upon – and not allowed at all over the summer when ducklings arrive – but if you happen to have frozen peas or birdseed in your pocket, feel free to toss that for your new beaked buddies.
Expect to see mallards, gadwall, greater scaup, tufted ducks and teal, plus greylag geese and
swans. There’s also a sign on the north end of the pond (by City Hall) with descriptions of some birds you might spot in the area.
Iceland’s thermal pools are good for swimming laps and lounging around in, but they’re also tons of fun for kids. Many locations have kids’ pools, with fountains and slides for the littlest ones, and bigger kids will get a thrill out of the bigger slides with their twists and turns.
Just remember: shower with soap before suiting up and jumping in.
Even if you’re not a family of avid equestrians, you can enjoy a day on horseback in Iceland. Icelandic horses are known for their calm and friendly nature, making them perfect for inexperienced adults or children to ride – plus they’re shorter than horses you find in other parts of the world, so climbing into the saddle is less intimidating an experience. Always check the minimum age requirements before booking a riding tour, but some will welcome kids as young as 7-years old. It’ll be an unforgettable experience for kids of all ages.
Introduce your kids to whales while in Iceland. A number of whale watching tours depart from Reykjavík’s old harbour year-round, taking you out on Faxaflói Bay for a chance to spot humpback whales, minke whales, white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises.
There’s a real thrill in the hunt, and the excitement onboard goes through the roof at the sight of a humpback’s mighty fluke slapping the water. Go later in the spring or during the summer to also see puffins, which are not the most graceful of birds –kids and adults will get a laugh as they crash-land on the water’s surface.
Kids that don’t have the patience (or the stomach) for a three-hour tour might opt for a visit to Whales of Iceland, where they can come face to face with the true scale of the gentle giants of the sea, learn about whales and play on the orca-themed climbing structure.
For an activity that your kids will be ooh-ing and ahh-in over long after you’ve departed Iceland, take them inside a glacier. A tour atop Langjökull glacier and into a man-made tunnel dug into it a few years back is a suitable adventure for the whole family. Those travelling with adventurous kids 6-years or older are also able to take a tour of the natural ice cave in Katlajökull glacial tongue, part of the glacier covering the mighty Katla volcano.
Don’t feel like schlepping to a real glacier? Perlan has brought the ice cave experience to Reykjavík. Just catch a shuttle to the glass-domed building on Öskjuhlíð to visit Perlan’s Ice Cave and Glacier Exploratorium, the world’s first indoor ice cave. There’s also an ice cream parlour and cafe at Perlan, which you definitely won’t find atop a real glacier.
If it’s a nice day to spend outdoors, there are few better places to be than in Reykjavík’s Laugardalur neighbourhood. Take the kids to the Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo to meet Icelandic farm animals, plus foxes, seals and reindeer. Let them run wild and jump on the air trampoline in the park’s expansive play area, and then wind down with a stroll through Reykjavík’s Botanic Garden. It’ll be a day well spent just outside the city centre.
If you’re spending a day or two exploring Reykjavík’s museums and swimming pools, consider buying the Reykjavík City Card. Available for 24hr, 48hr, and 72hr periods for kids and adults, it gives you access to museums, swimming pools, public transport, and more at one low price.
Do you want to have a whale of a time? Then go on a whale safari while you’re in Iceland! The waters around Iceland are the natural habitat of these gentle giants, so this is the perfect place to spot them. Baleen whales are a migratory species, and most travel long distances to tropical waters in winter and back to polar regions in summer. The best season for whale watching in Iceland is, therefore, between April and October. Going on a whale watching tour and actively searching for whales is an exciting and unique experience!
You don’t have to travel far to go on a whale safari, as Reykjavík offers good options for whale watching. Different whale watching companies have regular departures from the Old Harbour area. White-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises are seen year-round in Faxaflói bay, a large bay next to Reykjavík, stretching from Reykjanes to Snæfellsnes. In the summertime, there are regular sightings of humpback whales and minke whales. You can choose to go on a bigger boat with a refreshment bar, or on a small RIB. The bigger boats have snug inside areas that offer shelter from bad weather, but the small boats have the advantage that you can get very close to oceanic wildlife. At the ticket offices, you can ask for complimentary
motion sickness pills, but don’t worry, tours are cancelled if the waves are too high.
You can also see whales outside of the Capital Area. In wintertime, the fishing town Grundarfjörður is where it’s all at. The bay is filled with herring feeding on phytoplankton. Now, seeing breaching herring is probably not the reason why you travelled to Iceland. However, this herring aggregation attracts all kinds of cetaceans, like dolphins, porpoises, and most importantly, killer whales! Can you think of anything more spectacular than seeing a pack of killer whales swim by? There are also excellent whale watching opportunities in North Iceland. The town Húsavík is also known as the whale watching capital of Iceland, because of the many whales in its bay, Skjálfandi bay. Humpback whales, blue whales, minke whales, pilot whales, and sperm whales are often sighted. Because of the deep waters in the bay, there is also a higher chance of seeing rare species like the basking shark, the northern bottlenose whale, and the beluga!
In summer, puffin colonies are found all around Iceland. The first small flocks arrive in April, and the last ones leave in September, but the best months to see puffins are between May and August. Most whale watching companies offer whale and puffin combination tours. For puffin spotting, it’s best to be on a small boat and to bring binoculars. Puffins are tiny, and the closer you can get to them, the better the experience will be! These puffin tours are possible from Reykjavík. Just off the coast of the city, puffins breed each year on three small islands. Next to puffins and whales, common sights during these tours include arctic terns and the great skua.
Whales of Iceland is an exhibition in the Grandi area of Reykjavík. It showcases 23 man-made life-size models of whale species that occur in Icelandic waters, like a 25m long blue whale and a full-size sperm whale. It offers a great opportunity to see the actual sizes of these whales (they are even bigger than you think!) and to learn interesting facts about each whale at the same time by reading plaques and watching videos. Educational and fun!
Minke whale: a small baleen whale measuring 7m to 8m in length, weighing between 5 to 10 tonnes. It’s black and grey, has a dorsal fin, and will live for 30 to 50 years. It’s not likely to breach, so look for its back and dorsal fin during a tour. Also called “stinky minkes” because they smell of rotten fish.
Humpback whale: a large baleen whale measuring 12m to 16m in length and weighing about 36 tonnes. It has long pectoral fins, a stubby dorsal fin, and a knobbly head. They are known for breaching, their high spouts of water, and for showing off their flukes as they go for deeper dives!
White-beaked dolphin: the most common dolphin in Icelandic waters. It is 2.5m to 3m in length and weighs up to 350kg. They are often spotted in big groups, sometimes hundreds together! They love playing, jumping out of the water, and splashing about.
Harbour porpoise: the smallest cetacean around Iceland. They are only 1.5m to 2m in length and weigh 55kg to 70kg. They are usually quite shy but sometimes jump out of the water and play with the whale watching boats.
Reykjavík sightseeing has something for everyone! The city is filled with things to do, places to go, and stuff to see, but some things are just a little bit more important than others.
Check out the map in the centre of the magazine to find the exact location of these Reykjavík sights.
1 HALLGRÍMSKIRKJA Hallgrímskirkja church is one of Reykjavík’s most iconic buildings and is visible from almost anywhere in the city. It’s the largest church and the 6th tallest architectural structure in Iceland. The church tower offers a fantastic view of the city. It’s named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Petursson, author of the Passion Hymns. The architect, Guðjón Samúelsson, designed it to resemble the basalt lava column flows of Iceland’s landscape. Construction started in 1945 and was finished in 1984.
2 PERLAN Standing at 25m, Perlan is one of Reykjavík’s most striking buildings. Built on top of the city’s hot water tanks, Perlan is known for its unique architecture. Inside Perlan, you can visit Wonders of Iceland, an exhibition spread over multiple levels. A visit to a real ice cave, planetarium shows, exhibitions on Iceland’s history, glaciers, volcanoes, and water, and a spectacular 360° viewing platform are all included in a ticket. On the top floor, there is a restaurant and coffeehouse for guests in need of refreshment. Surrounding Perlan is the Öskjuhlíð area, one of the many green spaces in Reykjavík, perfect for a walk on a sunny day.
3 TJÖRNIN Tjörnin (The Pond) is the heart of the city centre and offers some of the most amazing views in Reykjavík. There is no better place in the city to enjoy a beautiful sunset, and you can watch or feed a huge variety of birdlife that calls the lake home while you’re at it. When the lake freezes over in winter, geothermal water is pumped in to defrost an area for the birds and feeding them is a popular family pastime all year round. Those who can handle the cold take to the lake on ice skates.
4 AUSTURVÖLLUR When the sun is shining, Austurvöllur is the place to be. Surrounded by cafés and restaurants, this public square is a popular spot for locals to dine outside, soak up some sunshine or recline on the grass with picnics. In fact, whatever the season, Austurvöllur is the place to be. It’s used for celebrations on holidays, and in December, the city’s biggest Christmas tree is located there. Due to its proximity to The House of Parliament, Austurvöllur is also a popular gathering spot for political protesters. At the centre of it all stands a statue of Jón Sigurðsson, the renowned figure who is credited with leading Iceland to independence.
5 HLEMMUR The Hlemmur bus terminal has been a city centre fixture for decades – although the reason for its popularity has changed. It was transformed into a food hall a couple years back, and it’s difficult to imagine Hlemmur square without it. The food hall attracts a fun crowd, and the place is booming! With Neapolitan pizza, LA-style tacos, gourmet burgers, gelatos, and specialities from the Michelin Bib Gourmandawarded Skál, there’s something for everybody!
6 HARPA The whole 28,000m2 of Harpa stand at the edge of Reykjavík Harbour. It houses Iceland’s biggest concert hall, suitable for a broad range of concerts and cultural events, a conference centre with meeting facilities and in-house catering, as well as a couple of fine restaurants. Harpa also hosts promotions, plays, and public events. Harpa was designed by a Danish firm in cooperation with Ólafur Elíasson, an Icelandic artist, and opened to the public in 2011.
7 THE OLD HARBOUR Though it’s the oldest harbour in its original form, Reykjavík’s Old Harbour is no longer the busiest for freight. Instead, it’s an oft-visited area where you’ll find a community of shops, galleries, electric bike and scooter rentals, and tour operators. You will also find numerous whale watching companies willing to take you out to sea on unforgettable excursions. The area is filled with excellent restaurants (pizza, seafood, burgers, etc.) and cafés. The atmosphere at the old harbour is friendly, the air is fresh and salty, and there are plenty of interesting activities to check out.
8 THE SUN VOYAGER A beautiful sculpture of a Viking ship located by the ocean on a small peninsula by Sæbraut, close to downtown Reykjavík. The sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason symbolises the Viking past of the Icelanders and is an ode to the sun. It serves as a reminder of our history and heritage when the first Viking settlers came sailing to Iceland. The Sun Voyager looks its best when the sun is setting, at whatever time that may be. The unforgettable view of the sculpture with a backdrop of the ocean and Mt. Esja is every photographer’s dream.
9 HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT Founded in 950 AD, Iceland’s Parliament, Alþingi, is the oldest extant parliament in the world! For centuries, the Parliament gathered in the open air (on the aptly named Þingvellir, Parliament Fields), but in recent years, the members of Parliament have met in Reykjavík. The House of Parliament is a modest classical building of hewn Icelandic dolerite, and it gives Austurvöllur square a dignified look. The Parliament garden behind the building is small but lovely in the summertime.
10 LAUGARDALSLAUG Every country has traditions when it comes to leisure. Icelanders’ favourite pastime is going swimming. Laugardalslaug is the city’s largest pool with extensive facilities, located in Laugardalur valley. Its facilities include a 50m outdoor pool, an outdoor children’s pool and a paddling pool, two waterslides, numerous hot tubs, a steam bath, gym, and a mini-golf course. There really is no better place to be on a sunny day or a cold one for that matter. Right outside, you will find a hot dog stand where you can buy traditional Icelandic hot dogs.
Reykjavík’s history reaches more than a thousand years into the past, and the city has a rich cultural heritage. What better way to learn more about Icelandic culture than visiting the city centre’s museums?
Hafnarhús serves as the museum’s institute of contemporary art, where new developments in art are explored through rotating exhibitions. An exhibition of paintings by well-known pop artist Erró is a permanent feature. Kjarvalsstaðir is devoted to one of Iceland’s most influential painters, Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval, and Ásmundarsafn is the former home and workshop of sculptor Ásmundur Sveinsson.
The Museum of Photography’s main objective is to present both historical and contemporary photography in an artistic, social, and cultural context, as well as to nurture public and scholarly interest in photography. The collection’s themes range from family photographs to photos from portrait studios, industrial and advertising photography, press photography, landscape
In 2001, archaeological remains of a settlement-era hall were excavated, which was inhabited from 930-1000. North of the hall, two pieces of a turf wall were found, which were built before 871. These findings are the oldest relics of human habitation found in Reykjavík. An innovative, interactive exhibition gives an impression of what life was like in those times. Objects from the age of settlement found in central Reykjavík and on Viðey island are also on display.
The Reykjavík Art Museum has three locations: Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, and Ásmundarsafn.
The nation’s most precious treasures are kept and displayed at the National Museum of Iceland. The museum was established in 1863, and it gives an insight into Iceland’s cultural heritage from the time of the settlement up to modern times. There’s a permanent exhibition of Icelandic history and culture from the settlement era on, as well as temporary exhibitions highlighting specific eras or aspects of Iceland’s cultural heritage.
Check out our centerfold map for the locations of these sights
Whether you visit a thermal pool in Reykjavík, a luxurious spa, or a natural pool in the countryside, swimming in Iceland is a unique experience. Nothing beats relaxing in warm water while breathing in fresh cold air.
Swimming pools are one of the most kid-friendly activities you can find in Iceland, so the short answer is – all of them! To be more specific, the centrally located Sundhöll has a great outdoor area, and so does Vesturbæjarlaug, but Árbæjarlaug is a hidden gem, a perfect stop if you’re going out of town anyway, and pairs well with a visit to the Árbær Open Air Museum.
Locals love going to the pool, and chilling in a hot tub is a good way to connect to Icelanders. Often, Icelanders meet in the pool and use this time to chat and catch up on the latest developments. Good options for hanging out with locals are Vesturbæjarlaug, Seltjarnarneslaug, and Árbæjarlaug pools.
Laugardalslaug is Reykjavík’s biggest pool and the best one for a long swim. It’s an Olympic-size swimming pool, used for recreational swimming,
Vesturbæjarlaug
exercise, and competitions. The big indoor pool is also used for training and competitions. Laugardalslaug also offers plenty of hot tubs, cold tubs, and steam baths for relaxation after a healthy swim, and to top it off, a fitness centre and spa are located next to the pool.
Basically every town in Iceland has its own pool. Almost all of them are beautifully located next to mountains and overlooking fjords and the ocean. If you plan to make a day tour out of your pool visit, head to the Westman Islands and visit Sundhöllin Vestmannaeyjar on Heimaey island. The ferry ride out to the island is an adventure, and there is a great indoor pool, a large outside pool with hot tubs, and cool waterslides.
In need of pampering? You’ve heard of the Blue Lagoon with its milky blue waters and mud masks, but did you know a brand-new spa opened just 10 minutes by car from downtown Reykjavík? Located at the edge of the bay of Kópavogur, the pool offers amazing coastal views. Sky Lagoon boasts a modern approach to traditional Icelandic swimming culture, making it the perfect spot to relax, enjoy a drink, socialise, and soak in the sun.
WINTER OPENING HOURS
More info on www.sundlaugar.is
Árbæjarlaug (Tel. 411 4200)
Mon - Fri: 6:30-22 • Sat - Sun: 9-22
Dalslaug (Tel. 411 5650)
Mon - Fri: 6:30-22 • Sat - Sun: 9-22
Grafarvogslaug (Tel. 510 4600)
Mon - Fri: 6:30-22 • Sat - Sun: 9-22
Laugardalslaug (Tel. 411 5100)
Mon - Thu: 6:30-22 • Fri - Sun: 8-22
Vesturbæjarlaug (Tel. 411 4200)
Mon - Fri: 6:30-22 • Sat - Sun: 9-22
Breiðholtslaug (Tel. 557 5547)
Mon - Fri: 6:30-22 • Sat - Sun: 9-22
Klébergslaug (Tel. 566 6879)
Mon - Thu: 11-22 • Fri: 11-19 • Sat - Sun: 11-18
Sundhöllin (Tel. 411 5350)
Mon - Fri: 6:30-22 • Sat - Sun: 8-22
The Icelandic horse is a special animal. Since the time of the settlement, Icelanders have had this unique breed by their sides, providing transportation and farm labour, and inspiring the sagas and folklore. Celebrate these wonderful animals on May 1 – International Day of the Icelandic Horse – and learn more about them below.
First things first: It’s not a pony! Yes, Icelandic horses stand, on average, 140 cm to their withers. And, yes, that’s well within the parameters of a “pony” (read, anything shorter than 147 cm). But they’re horses, plain and simple, because, well, Icelanders say so.
Squat, muscular, and built to withstand the elements, the Icelandic horse is the embodiment of how Iceland likes to view itself: small but mighty.
The Icelandic horse has earned a reputation at
home and abroad for being easy-going and friendly. Like well-trained dogs. This is funny considering how impolite some Icelanders can be – the language doesn’t even have a word for “please.”
Their temperaments can be attuited to nature, since their genetics are so protected (more on that later), or nurture, since Icelanders tend to treat their beloved horses like members of the family. So, their relaxed attitudes may just be a result of the horses’ relaxed lifestyles.
The Icelandic horse is also unique for being one of only a few breeds in the world that can perform five gaits (ways of walking). Other breeds can only perform three or four.
The three common horse gaits are walk, trot, and canter, but the Icelandic horse can also pace and tölt. Tölt is a four-beat lateral gait that’s entirely unique to the Icelandic horse. It’s a sped-up version of walking, but much more impressive as the horses
lift their front legs up high, with only one hoof touching the ground at any time.
Tölt is a very useful gait for Iceland’s often uneven ground, providing a steady ride. It was presumably the gentlest on the riders’ backside back when horses were the main mode of transportation.
That said, not all Icelandic horses can tölt, and those that can are usually trained to do it properly. So, when you take a riding tour, be sure to ask for a horse that can tölt so you get to experience a truly unique trait of the Icelandic horse.
Following an unsatisfactory attempt to crossbreed Icelandic and oriental breeds, Iceland’s Viking parliament moved to prevent degradation of their horses’ genes by forbidding horse imports to Iceland as far back as the year 982. This is the kind of thing you can do when you live on an island.
That means Iceland’s horses have been purebred for over 1000 years. As a result, there are also remarkably few livestock diseases in the country –and authorities keep it that way by even prohibiting riders from bringing their own saddles or riding boots with them to Iceland.
The Icelandic horse’s forefathers first arrived with Viking settlers from the British Isles, between 860 and 935 AD. While they’re known ancestors of Shetland, Highland and Connemara ponies, they also have some genetic similarities to the Mongolian horse, which arrived in Scandinavia through Russia.
No, Icelandic horses don’t spend their days reading Thomas Wolfe, rather those same restrictions that prevent the import of other breeds from abroad also apply to any Icelandic horse that leaves the island. They can’t return to Iceland.
As a result, Icelanders participating in international riding competitions never take their best horse along,
The crème de la crème of Icelandic horses is kept in Iceland to compete domestically or breed.
They’re part of Iceland’s heritage
Icelandic horses feature heavily throughout the country’s history books. In the Book of Settlement of Iceland, chieftain Sela-Þórir established his settlement at the place where his mare Skálm decided to rest. Meanwhile in Hrafnkel’s Saga, Njál’s Saga, Grettir’s Saga, and others, horses play important roles in fights, as status symbols, and as plot devices. For example, when the epic hero Gunnar á Hlíðarenda falls to the ground when his horse trips he looks at his beautiful country and decides to stay rather than be outlawed, which ultimately leads to his death.
In Norse mythology, the most famous equine is, of course, Óðinn’s eight-legged steed Sleipnir. Icelandic horses have the standard four legs, but it can look like eight when they’re zipping along at a flying pace.
Possibly the best thing about the Icelandic horse from a visitor’s perspective is that you can ride one just about any time. There are riding centres all over the country offering riding tours so visitors can experience Iceland’s uniquely beautiful nature from the back of Iceland’s uniquely wonderful horses.
Thanks to their aforementioned temperament and size, the Icelandic horse is ideal for inexperienced riders taking a shorter tour, and their smooth gaits make them comfortable for more experienced riders looking to spend a whole day in the saddle.
While Iceland’s horses get all the attention for being unique to the island, modern day Icelandic sheep are also direct descendants of the livestock that arrived with settlers in the 9th century. As such, they boast some characteristics that have long since disappeared from their relatives in Europe. Like their ancient forefathers, the Icelandic sheep are double coated, with an outer layer of long, coarse hair called ‘tog’ that repels water, and a short, soft and fluffy undercoat called ‘þel’, which is a perfect insulator. This is a big part of what makes Icelandic wool –and the garments made with it – so special.
There have been innovations in Icelandic wool. For instance, the two coat layers used to be separated by hand (a very labour-intensive process) and used for different purposes. In the 1920s, however, quicker new methods of processing the wool were created and Iceland’s famed ‘lopi’ – consisting of the two coats spun together to produce strands that are simultaneously light, warm, tough and waterproof – was born.
Icelandic sheep have always been bred in a variety of colours, and some farmers even pride themselves on preserving specific colours. The result is Icelandic wool being produced in as many colours as there are sheep, with the most common
lopi can also be found dyed in every colour of the rainbow.
That double coat mentioned above gives lopi its dual-fibre structure, making it perfect for knitting garments that are warm, waterproof and light. Whether you intend to knit a scarf or try your hand at the intricate patterns of a famous Icelandic lopapeysa, lopi is ideal. Not only is it beautiful, it’s also easy to knit with (the loose-spun wool can be twisted back together if broken) and it felts easily. As any Icelandic child will tell you, lopi is scratchy right against the skin, so it’s best used for outer layers of clothing – unless you get your hands on some lambswool, that is.
By “magical” we mean it’s self-cleaning, which is just about as close to magic as it gets for any parent trapped in an endless laundry cycle. Lopi garments need to be hand-washed, but it almost never needs to be washed. Thanks to the structure of the hair fibres, lopi doesn’t hold bacteria like cotton or synthetic materials do. So the only time you might need to wash your woollens is when they get stained (which is also rare, since they’re fairly waterproof). So just air them out and call it a day. Another of lopi’s magic tricks – one we absolutely
light up if you put it right in a flame, but it will selfextinguish once you take it out. Amazing!
It’s versatile
Icelandic wool looks great just about any way you knit it. And if you don’t knit yourself, just check out the range of products Icelanders have made with their wool as proof of its versatility – and its beauty. You can find everything from simple hats and mittens to the colourful scarves and blankets by Vík Prjónsdóttir. Of course, the most popular wool garment in Iceland is the Lopapeysa, the classic sweater with intricate and unique patterns around the yoke. An infinite range of classic lopapeysur can be found at the Icelandic Handknitting Association, while Farmer’s Market boasts a fashion-forward
ICELANDIC LAMB IS THE FIRST ICELANDIC FOOD PRODUCT TO BE PDO-MARKED
Icelandic lamb has acquired the PDO label, the highest level of geographical indication in Europe, placing it in the company of the world's best-known and most sought-after quality products.
Laugavegur 27
Is breakfast your favourite meal of the day? Tóst offers a high-quality breakfast menu with a variety of sourdough toasts, fresh orange juice and quality filter coffee. Their toasts are exquisite, from smoked salmon to homemade blackberry jam to portobello mushrooms. It’s open, every day, from 09:00 - 13:00 on weekdays and from 10:00 -14:00 on weekends. By night, Tóst is Vínstúkan 10 sopar, a natural wine bar.
Skólavörðustígur 20
Iceland Memories is a souvenir shop that focuses on locally hand-made souvenirs. Following the success of the first location in the main shopping street Laugavegur, Iceland Memories opened a new location on the famous rainbow street. The founder of Iceland Memories, Patra Tawatpol, is recognized for her watercolours paintings and cute little woollen sheep. You can buy sheep shape magnets, keyrings, hair bands and others. Iceland Memories has an online store with worldwide shipping.
Ingólfsstræti 1
Doner Palace is the newest late-night food joint in downtown Reykjavík. Doner Palace’s menu pleases all tastes, from doner kebabs, shawarmas and falafels to burgers, pizzas and chicken wings. The prices are reasonable and the location couldn’t be better, right in the middle of the entertainment part of town. The opening hours are Sunday to Thursday 11:00 - 02:00 and Friday to Saturday 11:00 - 06:00.
Bankastræti 7A
Sólon Íslandus is a family-friendly restaurant located right in the heart of Reykjavík, perfect for peoplewatching! Sólon was completely refurbished and redesigned over the last few months and re-opened with a fresh and elegant new look. Sólon has a lunch and dinner menu with several meat and fish dishes and some vegetarian options. Open every day.
MAY 3 - 7
DesignMarch is a celebration of progressive design and innovation, featuring more than 100 events or exhibitions showcasing the latest innovations in architectural design, fashion design, industrial and product design and more. As the name suggests, the festival used to take place in March. But, due to complications in scheduling brought on by the pandemic, it was moved to May, where it has lived on ever since. The theme of the festival this year is What now? After the uncertainty of the pandemic and the pressing issue of environmental crisis and climate change, the speakers, artists, and participants are looking forward to try and understand where we go from here.
MAY 4
Jethro Tull is one of the most popular progressive rock bands in the entire world. Jethro Tull has been rocking for quite a while, with over 3,000 shows to date and selling over 60 million albums. The albums Aqualung and Thick as a Brick are timeless and iconic. You can expect to hear songs from their most recent album, The Zealot Gene. The last time Jethro Tull announced concerts in Iceland, in Hallgrísmkirkja, tickets sold out in only 15 minutes. This time they will be playing in Harpa concert hall, one of the biggest stages in Iceland. At the time of writing, there’re only a few tickets available.
Gusgus is probably the most popular electronic music band in Iceland. When Gusgus announced this series of live performances the Three-day Shift, Þryygja dagga vakt, in Icelandic, the tickets started to sell out fast. So fast, that they have added an extra concert on May 6, Saturday, at 19.00. The concerts will happen in Independence Hall, the newest venue in town, which was previously known as NASA, and now belongs to the equally new Iceland Parliament Hotel. NASA was an iconic music venue back in the old days. Three-day Shift is perfect for all nostalgic locals but also a great opportunity for visitors to mingle with locals and enjoy the best of electronic Icelandic music.
MAY 9, MAY 11 & MAY 13
Come and enjoy the spirit of the Eurovision song contest on a big screen! The screening will be live from the main hall at the local cinema, Bío Paradís. You can watch the three stages of the competition, the first semi-final (May 9), the second semi-final (May 11) and the grand final (May 13). Don’t forget to cheer for the Icelandic contestant, our lovely Diljá. She will perform the song Power in the second semi-final and hopefully (most definitely) join the grand final too. Free entrance!
MAY 21
Coming all the way from Sidney, Jim Jefferies is a widely recognized stand-up comedian that attracts crowds from all over the world with his provocating and eye-opening comedy. Jim Jefferies has a long career won several awards and even toured the world with the show Oblivious. His stand-up comedy special Intolerant came out on Netflix last year. He also hosts his own podcast I Don’t Know About That with Jim Jefferies. Give‘em What They Want world tour is stopping by Reykjavík for just one day, so don’t forget to grab your tickets in advance. Several ticket types and prices are available. The performance is in Laugardashöll.
MAY 28
Elvis Costello is playing with Steve Nieve and special guest Nick Lowe in Harpa Concert Hall for an acoustic performance. Elvis Costello is considered one of the most respected singers/songwriters of modern rock and has won multiple awards during his career. In 2003 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Rolling Stone magazine has ranked Costello as one of the 100 greatest artists of all time.
Elvis Costello, Steve Nieve and Nick Lowe promise to deliver a magical night full of rock vibes and of course, good music.
The Gift of Children
Sigurjón Ólafsson’s reliefs and portraits of the family members of Einar Sigurðs son fisher ies magnate in Vestman Islands. In a booklet that accompanies the ex hibition, art histor ian Aðal steinn Ingólfs son discus ses these family por traits in the con text of other works by the artist em pha siz ing the re sponsibility that Einar Sigurðs son, as a pros perous business man, felt towards struggl ing artists.
Ásmundur Sveinsson and Sigga Björg: Ghost at the Window
Ends May 7th
The world of trolls, elves, ghosts and other creatures opens up in the exhibition Ghost at the window. Reykjavík Art Museum continues to present new works by contemporary artist in Ásmundarsafn, where they meet in dialogue with Ásmund Sveinsson’s visual world and his unique house in Laugardalur. Now the focus is on legends, fairy tales and imagination.
Sigga Björg is known for her imaginative drawings, installations, videos and books. She has created a unique visual world where fantasy, humor and horror go
its chaos and creates moods that are almost impossible to put into words, but with her characteristic style she manages to express the most incredible nuances. At this exhibition, she works, among other things, on a new series based on Icelandic folk tales. In Sigga Björg´s drawings she mixes splashes and randomness with fine precision and patterns. Her works are created equally on the walls of showrooms and on paper.
been well documented. Their works will be presented side-by-side in Iceland for the first time this year at Ásmundarsafn.
Sveinsson and Carl Milles
Starts May 20th
The exhibition features the works of sculptors Ásmund Sveinsson (1893-1982) and Carls Milles (1875-1955) from Sweden and is part of the collaboration between Millesgården Museum and Ásmundarsafn- both museums dedicated to the life and work of the two artists. Carl Milles is one of Sweden’s most respected sculptors and, like Ásmundur, he donated his house, studio and work to the public after his death. Carl Milles was Ásmundur´s mentor during his student years in Stockholm. The strong bond
There is perhaps nothing more magical than witnessing the beauty of a northern lights display. However, those unpredictable, ever dancing lights don’t always show up on cue – and fade away during the summer months. So, it is with great joy that we welcome Aurora Reykjavík – The Northern Lights Centre, where the northern lights are always on display.
Aurora Reykjavík’s pull and ace up its sleeve is its fantastic 4k timelapse film of the Aurora Borealis. Aurora Reykjavík’s latest additions are virtual reality goggles featuring the world’s first 360° movie of aurora displays entirely shot in Iceland. If you can’t catch the northern lights yourself, this utterly realistic experience is definitely the next best option to witness the beauty of this truly amazing phenomenon.Capturing the northern lights with your own
• Grilled lamb prime
• Icelandic cod
• Best monkfish in town
• 37 Wines by the glass
BARTENDERS´ CHOICE AWARDS
camera can be challenging, but at Aurora Reykjavík, you receive instruction by the experts: bring your camera and try the right settings at the Northern Lights Photo Simulator. In the exhibition, you will find an entertaining selfie booth – have fun looking all fabulous under the northern lights!
For more information, see www.aurorareykjavik.is.
Rúrí: Glassrain
Glassrain is an installation from 1984, one of the first of many works that address the theme of time and menace by Icelandic artist Rúrí. Born in 1951, Rúrí has become one of the most distinguished artists in Northern Europe. A pioneer in performance art in Scandinavia, she has never limited herself to just one discipline but has presented her work through a variety of mediums. But a consistent theme in nearly all her work is philosophical questions about identity, time, relativity and the environment. Glassrain comprises 500 razor-sharp fragments of glass of different lengths that hang menacingly from
the ceiling. The exhibition opens on March 4 at the National Gallery.
At the beginning of 2022, the art collection of Ingibjörg Guðmundsdóttir and her husband, entrepreneur Þorvaldur Guðmundsson, owner of Síld og fiskur, was placed in the permanent keeping of the National Gallery of Iceland. The collection, which comprises about 1400 works by many of Iceland‘s leading artists, will be catalogued as part of the National Gallery collection, and the works of art will be digitised on a publicly-accessible database. A workshop and live exhibition will be installed in Gallery 3 on the upper floor of the National Gallery, where visitors can observe the work of the cataloguing team. At the same time, a selection of works from the collection will be displayed in Gallery 4, with a focus on animals, large and small, in Icelandic nature.
The Corridor is an artist-run exhibition space founded by artist Helgi Þorgils Friðjónsson in 1979, and it is probably Iceland’s longest-running privately-operated gallery. The Corridor has always been housed in Helgi Þorgils‘ home, and his principal objective
was to present the work of contemporary artists from other countries in Iceland. With the first exhibition premiering in 1980, 2020 marked the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the Corridor. However, the pandemic affected the exhibition, and only now were all the works collected for this celebratory exhibition in the National Gallery of Iceland.
20th
At the beginning of 2022, the art collection of Ingibjörg Guðmundsdóttir and her husband, entrepreneur Þorvaldur Guðmundsson, owner of Síld og fiskur, was placed in the permanent keeping of the National Gallery of Iceland. The collection, which comprises about 1400 works by many of Iceland‘s leading artists, will be catalogued as part of the National Gallery collection, and the works of art will be digitised on a publicly-accessible database. A workshop and live exhibition will be installed in Gallery 3 on the upper floor of the National Gallery, where visitors can observe the work of the cataloguing team. At the same time, a selection of works from the collection will be displayed in Gallery 4, with a focus on animals, large and small, in Icelandic nature.
The exhibition A Window in Reykjavík comprises a selection of works by Ásgrímur Jónsson. The common feature of these works is that they relate to the artist’s surroundings in Reykjavík. The works form part of the collection of the National Gallery of Iceland; Ásgrímur Jónsson bequeathed to the Icelandic nation all his works of art, along with his home and studio at Bergstaðastræti 74, Reykjavík.
Ásgrímur Jónsson (1876–1958) is one of the pioneers in the history of Icelandic art; he was the first Icelandic painter to make a career in art. The view from the window of Vinaminni, where he first lived on his return to Iceland, became a favourite motif for him, with its vista of Reykjavík Harbour and Mt. Esja across the bay. The view to the south from the skylight of his studio at Bergstaðastræti would later also inspire him. Watercolour was an appropriate medium for capturing the quality of the light
over the waters of Skerjafjörður and the houses on Laufásvegur.
Ásgrímur’s life and oeuvre span a long period of Iceland’s history – a time when the old rural society was starting to decline and Reykjavík was growing from a town into a city. Many of Ásgrímur’s paintings from Reykjavík, painted in the first half of the 20th century, depict a peaceful little town where houses cluster along the ocean shore; yet they also
show economic activity, such as workmen building roads as the new urban society evolves.
Kaleidoscope:
Icelandic 20th-Century Art
Kaleidoscope is the title of an exhibition series where we examine artworks in the Reykjavík Art Museum’s collection. In 2023, the museum celebrates fifty years since the opening of the museum’s first location at Kjarvalsstaðir. To mark this occasion, special attention is paid to the museum collection, with an opportunity to view and display treasures therefrom. Presently, the museum collection holds over seventeen thousand registered artworks of all types and created in various media, from sketches and drafts by Kjarval to contemporary works by young and old artists. Kaleidoscope of the 20th century is presented at Kjarvalsstaðir, but the Kaleidoscope of the 21st century will be on display in Hafnarhús from 6 June, and Kaleidoscope of
international art from the collection in Hafnarhús until 7 May.
The exhibition Kaleidoscope –Icelandic Art in the 20th Century gives an insight into Icelandic art during the last century through the part of our cultural heritage that is preserved at Reykjavík Art Museum. The museum belongs to the city of Reykjavík, and there with its citizens. Now is a chance to become acquainted with its collection.
The National Museum of Iceland’s permanent exhibition, Making of a Nation – Heritage and History in Iceland, is intended to provide insight into the history of the Icelandic nation from the settlement to the present day. The aim is to cast light on the Icelanders’ past by placing the cultural heritage preserved by the National Museum in a historical context, guided by the question: what makes a nation? The exhibition includes about 2,000 objects dating from the Settlement Age to the present, as well as about 1,000 photographs from the 20th century. The exhibition is conceived as a journey through time: it begins with the ship in which mediaeval settlers crossed the ocean to their new home, and it ends in a modern airport, the Icelanders’ gateway to the world.
Although this exhibition is not necessarily new, it deserves more attention. My Favourite Things, which, at first glance, looks just like a list of things people left behind when they died. But these probates tell us how Icelanders lived in the 18th and 19th centuries, what they owned, and how their lives differed from people in different classes. The exhibition juxtaposes information gathered from probate inventorieswhat people had in their possession when they passed away - preserved at the National Archives and the artefact collections of the National Museum in order to dive into the material world of Icelanders from earlier centuries. What did people possess? How much worth was their belongings? How do the possessions of people of the past reflect in the preserved cultural heritage of the nation?
Rúnar Gunnarsson: An Eternity in a Moment
Opening on March 11 at The Photo
Gallery in the National Museum is an exhibition of photographs by Rúnar Gunnarsson. Born in 1944, Rúnar grew up in Reykjavík during its rapid transformation into a modern city. His photographs capture the city and its complex human life. His collection contains over 100,000 photographs, which have been the subject of several exhibitions and books. Rúnar is still active, with a camera up in the air, capturing glimpses of our time.
Adjacent to An Eternity in a Moment is another photography exhibition at the National Museum titled Light and Play. It consists of six photo albums by Ragnheiður Bjarnadóttir. This personal collection depicts an individual’s journey from childhood to adulthood and sheds light on the multi-layered meaning of photography.
Árbær was an established farm well into the 20th century, and the museum opened there in 1957. Árbær is now an open-air museum with more than 20 buildings which form a town square, a village and a farm. Most of the buildings have been relocated from central Reykjavik.Árbær Open Air Museum tries to give a sense of the architecture and way of life and lifestyles of the past in Reykjavík and during summer visitors can see domestic animals. There are many exhibitions and events held at the Museum, which highlight specific periods in Reykjavik’s history. These include craft days, vintage car displays, Christmas exhibitions and much more. There is something for everyone at Árbær Open Air Museum.
Karólína Guðmundsdóttir (1897-1981) learned weaving in Copenhagen, and for several decades she ran a weaving atelier on Ásvallagata in Reykjavík. She wove upholstery and curtain fabrics for public bodies, businesses and homes, where the colours and textures harmonised with their surroundings. Her embroidery fabrics were used in school pupils‘ needlework projects for many years, and embroidered wall-hangings and cushions from Karólína‘s atelier adorned many Icelandic homes. She was thus an influence upon Icelanders‘ home furnishings and taste. In addition, her work led people to recognise the fine qualities of Icelandic wool and changed attitudes to crafts and needlework.
The exhibition aims to show the huge and rapid changes that took place in consumption patterns in
Reykjavík during the 20th century –to explore the factors that affected consumption, and how technical advances, government actions, wars, and events in Iceland and abroad influenced the daily life of the people of Reykjavík.
This is a museum in the heart of Reykjavík that houses the work of Iceland’s first sculptor Einar Jónsson. The museum contains close to 300 artworks spanning a 60-year career: carvings from the artist’s youth, sculpture, paintings and drawings. A beautiful tree-clad garden adorned with 26 bronze casts of the artist’s works is located behind the museum. The task of the museum is to collect, preserve and display the work of Einar as well as to conduct research on his life and art.
An open excavation where Viking ruins meet multimedia technology. Just below ground in downtown Reykjavík, this open excavation uncovers the city’s Viking Age history. Discovered during building work in 2001, these archaeological
remains turned out to be the earliest evidence of human settlement in the city, with some dating to before AD 872. Careful excavation revealed a 10th-century hall or longhouse, which is now preserved in its original location as the focal point of the exhibition. Interactive technology immerses you in the world of the Reykjavík farm at the time of the first settlers, including information on how Viking Age buildings were constructed and what life was like in the hall. The Settlement Exhibition is part of Reykjavík City Museum.
Family-friendly and informative exhibition about the development of Reykjavík, from farm to city. This new display is a direct continuation of The Settlement Exhibition, representing Reykjavík’s history from settlement to the present day. Visitors get an insight into the complex history and culture of Reykjavík through the development of house construction and planning with a stop at the oldest house in the city centre, Aðalstræti 10.
The admission is valid to both Aðalstræti 10 and The Settlement Exhibition in Aðalstræti 16.
Ends May 7th
How did I get to the bomb shelter is a multidisciplinary group exhibition featuring seven contemporary Ukrainian artists curated by Yulia Sapiha and produced by The Nordic House in Reykjavik. In the exhibition, artists explore themes related to their personal experience of the war (the Russian invasion of Ukraine), their longing for a peaceful life, their paths towards survival and their hope for the future. The exhibition opens on February 4 in the Hvelfing exhibition space in the Nordic House and will be on display until May 2023.
Press photographs of the year is an annual exhibition held by The Icelandic Press Photography Association in collaboration with Reykjavík Museum of Photography. They are: News, Daily life, Sports , Portraits, Environment and Editorial and series. The jury chose the best photo / best series in each category, and one image from these categories was selected as the year’s picture.
The Icelandic Press Photography Association was founded in 1976 and worked within the Icelandic Journalist Union. Press Photographs of the Year has been held since 1980 and is among the most popular photo exhibition in Iceland each year.
Celebration of the pop art Icelandic icon Erró continues this month with an exhibition showcasing his collages. Collage has formed the basis of Erró’s artworks for over sixty years, beginning early on with his Meca-Make-Up series in 1959-60, and resulting in more than 30,000 collages today. Through collecting, cutting, pasting and then painting, Erró has freely mixed and quoted visual material, transforming it into dynamic, striking and jarring visual collisions. Throughout the exhibition, it is possible to trace Erró’s commitment to collage as a form of art in its own right, as a step to creating other artworks, and as a means to continue to narrate unexpected stories. The exhibition opens at the end of the month, January 28, and will be on display at Hafnarhús.
Ends May 7th
Reykjavík artist Logi Leó
the exhibition space. His works are occasionally interactive. By activating everyday materials in combination with music, recordings and sound equipment, he enables the audience to look at and listen to familiar things in a new way.
Ends May 7th
Erró
Gunnarsson will present his work this month at Hafnarhús as the 47th instalment of the D Gallery exhibition series. This series began in 2007 and invites emerging artists who are contributing to the development of the local contemporary art scene to hold their first solo exhibition in a public museum. Logi Leó works with sound, sculpture and video in unexpected compositions and installations that often take over
This year, in 2023, the Reykjavík Art Museum celebrates its 50th anniversary and it is an occasion to look at the treasures that have been collected over this time. Of the approximately 17,000 registered works, sketches and other collection items, there are nearly one thousand by international artists. This exhibition is divided into an introductory section where interesting international works give insight into various eras, works in the collection that have resulted through connections with Erró and his generous gifts to the museum in recent decades, and a special donation of selected works by Flúxus artists from a sister institution in Norway. There is enough to choose from and it is safe to say that this will be a curious display. Artists in the exhibition include Barbara Westman, Dale Chiluly, Ian Hamilton Finley, Roni Horn, Patrick Huse, Karin Sander, Bernd Koberling, Lawrence Weiner, Carolee Schneemann, Jean Jacques Lebel, Alicja Kwade, Yoko Ono and Kazumi Nakamura.
Fish • Lamb • Whale • Icelandic cuisine with a twist Icelandic music and nightlife
Mix with the locals ...and all the Icelandic beers in one awsome place!
The Icelandic Punk Museum is located at Bankastræti 0, an underground location that served as public toilets from 1930 to 2006. The museum honours the music and the spirit that has shaped musicians and bands to this day; people who dared to be different. Objects, photographs, videos, posters, etc. from roughly 1978 to 1992 are on display with texts in Icelandic and English, and the main music from the period is available to guests.
Resistance
Resistance is an interdisciplinary exhibition for children of all ages, that bridges the gap between visual arts and science. The works in the exhibition are all in the collection of the National Gallery of Iceland. The word resistance refers to opposition
in general, but it may also be read in the context of physics: the measure of a conductive material’s opposition to current flow. Resistance also signifies opposition to consumption, which we must all learn to take onboard. And resistance references essential action which must be taken by the inhabitants of this planet, against climate change.
Welcome to Jómfrúin, the home of Danish smørrebrød in Reykjavik. It all began in 1888 with Oscars Davidsen’s highly praised smørrebrød restaurant in Copenhagen. An unbroken tradition of quality and Danish culinary culture for the past 100 years. Enjoy!
Open every day 11:00 - 22:00 | Lækjargata 4 | 101 Reykjavík | jomfruin.is
Reykjavík’s only open air museum, where you can stroll through the past and experience the way we lived. Fun, fascinating and full of surprises, this living museum takes you on a journey through time. Guided tours at 13:00 all year round.
Kistuhylur, Reykjavík
411-6304 | reykjavikcitymuseum.is
Hours: Daily 13-17
An open excavation where Viking ruins meet digital technology. Just below ground in downtown Reykjavík, this open excavation uncovers the city’s Viking Age history. Discovered during building work, then carefully excavated, these remnants of the past are the earliest evidence of human settlement in the city.
Aðalstræti 10 & 16, Reykjavík | 411-6370 www.reykjavikcitymuseum.is
Hours: Daily 10-17
The city’s oldest house, built in 1762 houses an exhibition detailing the history of Reykjavík, and the daily life of the people who inhabited it, continuing where the nearby Settlement Exhibition leaves off.
Aðalstræti 10, 101 Reykjavík 411 6300 | www.borgarsogusafn.is
FREE ENTRY Looking for a place to hang out, browse the internet, get access to Wi-Fi or meet the Reykjavik locals? Then Reykjavik City Library is the perfect place to visit. Have a seat and dip into the latest magazine or relax while checking out their great selection of books.
Tryggvagata 15, Reykjavík
411-6100 | borgarbokasafn.is
Hours: Mon-Thu: 10-16, Fri 11-16
A harbour museum exploring Iceland’s dramatic relationship with the sea. The survival of a nation depended on generations of brave fishermen heading into the unknown. Exhibitions and artefacts bring our ocean history to life.
Grandagarður 8, Reykjavík | 411-6340 www.reykjavikcitymuseum.is
A museum with indoor and outdoor exhibitions dedicated to the work of Einar Jónsson Iceland’s first modern sculptor (1874-1954). The museum was built in the early 1900’s when Einar Jónsson offered all of his works as a gift to the Icelandic nation.
Hallgrímstorg 3, Reykjavík
551-3797 | www.lej.is
Hours: Tue-Sun 12-17
REYKJAVÍK
An island, where art, history and nature lie just beyond the city shore. The combination of stunning views, historical ruins and contemporary art pieces make Viðey island something special. Just a short boat ride takes you to another world. Ferry Schedule: Weekends only.
Viðey Reykjavik
411-6356.
www.reykjavikcitymuseum.is
An exhibition in Reykjavík consisting of 23 life-size whale models - fun to touch and explore. Learn more about whales with in-depth multimedia and interactive information displays, videos and audio guide in several languages mixed with soothing whale sounds and underwater ambient lighting.
Fiskislóð 23-25 , Reykjavík
571-0077 | www.whalesoficeland.is
Hours: Daily 10-17
Reflecting the contemporary, while archiving the past – this is Reykjavík’s home of photography. Reykjavík’s main photography museum offers an ongoing programme of contemporary and historical exhibitions, and an onscreen archive of thousands of images from the past.
Tryggvagata 15, Reykjavík | 411-6390
reykjavikcitymuseum.is | Hours: MonThu 10-18, Fri 11-18, Sat & Sun 13-17
Over 100 tours & activities on re.is
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is a mesmerizing sight, where icebergs of different shapes and sizes float majestically on the crystal clear waters, creating a serene and otherworldly atmosphere.
Scan the QR code below to know more.
Iceland's leading art museum, established in 1884. Its collection consists mainly of 19th, 20th and 21st century art. The National Gallery possesses a coherent array of Icelandic works and a fine collection of international art. Together they constitute around 11,000 items.
Fríkirkjuvegur 7, Reykjavík 515-9600 | www.listasafn.is
Offers state-of-the-art exhibitions on the cultural history of Iceland. The permanent exhibition, Making of a Nation - Heritage and History of Iceland, gives a comprehensive picture of Iceland’s cultural history through the ages to the present day.
Suðurgata 41, Reykjavík 530-2200 | www.nationalmuseum.is
Hours: Tue-Sun: 10-17
A museum that Icelandic sculptor Sigurjón Ólafsson’s wife founded as a tribute to his life and work in 1984. She had his studio in Laugarnes converted to an exhibition space to house his collection of works, including sculptures, sketches, drawings and biographical material.
Laugarnestangi 70
553-2906 | www.lso.is
Hours: Closed in January
Ásgrímur Jónsson was one of the pioneers of Icelandic art and the first Icelander to take up painting professionally. Having died in 1958, he bequeathed all his works, as well as his studio home to the Icelandic nation.
Bergstaðastræti 74, Reykjavík 515-9625
www.listasafn.is
Hours: Tue-Sun 10-17
Probably the most unique museum you’ll visit on your trip, the Icelandic Phallological Museum is one of a kind. Here you’ll find a collection of more than two hundred penises and penile parts belonging to almost all land and sea mammals that can be found in Iceland.
Hafnartorg, Reykjavík 561-6663 | www.phallus.is
Hours: Daily 10-19
The Northern Lights Center, Aurora Reykjavik, allows you to experience the northern lights in a completely different way, both if you saw them, but as well if they escaped you while in Iceland. The centre features information, education and of course stunning visuals of the elusive lights that’ll get your heart racing.
Grandagarður 2, Reykjavík 780-4500 | www.aurorareykjavik.is
Hours: Daily 9-21
This peculiar building, built on top of six water tanks on a hill overlooking the city, houses two exhibitions, The Wonders of Iceland and Water in Icelandic Nature. In addition, Perlan has a recently-opened planetarium, a café and gelateria, and an observation deck with a 360° view of the city and its surrounding nature.
Varmahlíð 1, Reykjavík 566-9000 | www.perlan.is
Hours: 9-22
FlyOver Iceland utilises state-of-the-art technology to give you the feeling of flight. You will hang suspended, feet dangling, before a 20-metre spherical screen while the film whisks you away on an exhilarating journey across Iceland. Special effects, including wind, mist and scents, combine with the ride’s motion to create an unforgettable experience.
Fiskislóð 43, 101 Reykjavík. 527-6700. www.flyovericeland.is Hours: Mon-Fri, 11:00-19:00 & Sat-Sun, 11:00-19:00.
Its objective is to collect, study and present Icelandic design and crafts from 1900 to the present day. This young museum, the only one of its kind in Iceland, holds regular exhibitions of Icelandic and international design during the year. Exhibitions from the museum‘s own collection are regularly held.
Garðatorg 1, Garðabær
512-1525 | www.honnunarsafn.is
Hours: Tue-Sun 12-17
Mainly devoted to paintings and sculpture by well-established Icelandic and international artists. Kjarvalsstaðir offers a permanent exhibition of key works by one of Iceland’s most beloved landscape painters, Jóhannes S. Kjarval, as well as changing exhibitions that explore various thematic and historical aspects of Icelandic art.
Flókagata 24, Reykjavík
411-6420 | www.artmuseum.is
Hours: Daily 10-17
Opened in 1983, the collection is housed in a unique building designed and constructed mostly by the artist himself from 1942-1950. The original building served Sveinsson as studio and home; behind it he built a crescent-shaped structure as a work and exhibition space.
Sigtún, Reykjavík
411-6430 | www.artmuseum.is
Hours: Daily 10-17
The old harbour warehouse, Hafnarhús, offers a progressive exhibition program with local and international contemporary artists. The work of current notables, art canons and newcomers is presented in six galleries. Hafnarhús is also home to the works of Erró (b. 1932), a significant player in the international pop art scene.
Tryggvagata 17, Reykjavík
411-6400 | www.artmuseum.is
Hours: Daily 10-17, Thu 10-22
Halldór Laxness is arguably the most famous Icelandic writer of all time, and the only Icelander to have won a Nobel Prize, which he received for literature in 1955. Gljúfrasteinn was his home until his death, and today it is a museum dedicated to his life and work.
Gljúfrasteinn, Mosfellsbær
586-8066 | www.gljufrasteinn.is
Hours: Tue-Fri 10-17
FREE ENTRY Hafnarborg has a collection of Icelandic art and regular exhibitions presenting leading Icelandic and international artists. Collection exhibitions are a regular part of the program. Around exhibitions are workshops and guided tours.
Strandgata 34, Hafnarfjörður 585-5790 | www.hafnarborg.is
Hours: 12-17, closed on Tuesdays
An active exhibition space that has organized many exciting exhibitions throughout the years. They put an emphasis on introducing young Icelandic artists, as well as showcasing work by better-known Icelandic and foreign modern and contemporary artists. The Marshall House Grandagarður 20, Reykjavík
551-4350 | www.nylo.is
Hours: Wed-Sun: 12-18
A progressive modern art museum in Kópavogur, dedicated to sculptor Gerður Helgadóttir; the only museum in Iceland dedicated to a woman. Its collection consists of more than 1,400 works by Gerður, as well as the works of the most celebrated Icelandic artists of the 20th and 21st century.
Hamraborg 4, Kópavogur
441-7600 | www.gerdarsafn.is
Hours: Tue-Sun 10-17
House of collections was built in 1906 and for most of the 20th century served as the country’s National Library. The stately building currently houses the National Gallery’s exhibition Treasures of a Nation, displaying works from the Gallery’s extensive collection depicting Iceland’s art history from the early 19th century to our times.
Hverfisgata 15, Reykjavík
515-9600 | www.listasafn.is
Hours: Daily 10-17
Iceland maintains strong ties to other Nordic countries, and the center of this cooperation is the Nordic House, designed by acclaimed Finnish architect Alvar Aalto in 1968. The Nordic House is the venue if you want to enjoy the best of Icelandic culture as well as experiencing rich culture of the Nordic countries.
Sturlugata 5, Reykjavík
551-7030 | www.nordice.is
Hours: Tue-Sun: 10-17
Laxnes Horse Farm is a family run business and the oldest tour operator in Iceland. Founded in 1968, the farm offers horseback riding tours all year round for travelers interested in the gentle Icelandic horse.
www.laxnes.is
peckish after a few glasses of their delicious wines, they also serve snacks and small plates. The cosy bar is perfect for having a few glasses of wines with friends or a date.
Laugavegur 27, Reykjavík 888-2380
If you are visiting Iceland for the first time then you must stop by the Lebowski Bar. Open every day from 11AM, happy hour from 4-7PM, food served until 10PM, Quiz every Thursday (free entry), live sport events on 5 HD screens and Reykjavik nightlife every Friday & Saturday.
Laugavegur 20a, Reykjavík 552-2300
www.lebowski.is
Beer enthusiasts look no further! near the top of Laugavegur, the city’s main shopping street, you will find Micro Bar. This ambitious bar serves only beer from microbreweries! Carrying an impressive 140 different kinds of beers from all over the world, this is definitely the go-to place for beer fans, and a nice place to spend an evening.
Laugavegur 86, Reykjavík
EINSTÖK
There’s nothing like an Einstök beer after a long day of exploring Reykjavíkand now there’s a whole bar dedicated to this popular brew! Einstök literally means unique and after a few sips of their refreshing craft ale, brewed with fresh water from Northern Iceland, we’re sure you’ll agree. The recently opened Laugavegur bar makes it even easier to enjoy their variety of ales, ranging from citrusy fresh white to the darkest of porters.
Laugavegur 10, Reykjavík
Port 9 wine bar is a hidden gem just off the main shopping street. Serving selected wines and a unique blend of appetizers made with the freshest seasonal ingredients, Port 9 is one of the best spots in the city to stop by for a glass of quality wine in a relaxed atmosphere.
Veghúsastígur 9, Reykjavík 897-8212 www.port9.is
This cozy little bar is named after the Icelandic word for weather, Icelanders’ conversation topic of choice in most situations. Offering a selection of wine, beer, and cocktails, Veður is a great spot for hanging out with friends, and the large windows make it ideal for people-watching over a drink.
Klapparstígur 33, Reykjavík www.vedurbarinn.is
This hostel café/bar is bright and spacious; the perfect place to start the night. The hall hosts events most nights and on summer afternoons, the balcony is the best place in town for a beer in the sun. Last but not least, Loft has the best foosball table of all the bars in the city centre.
Bankastræti 7, Reykjavík 553-8140
Kiki is the only queer bar in town these days but it is also the best one! If you’re worried you won’t find the place, don’t be. The rainbow coloured street entrance, stream of people in a dancing mood, and the far-off sound of dance-heavy beats should lead you where you want to go!
Laugavegur 22 www.kiki.is
In the early 20th century, Hverfisgata 12 was home to the country’s first X-ray clinic. Today, the building houses one of the city’s newest bars but the name pays homage to the building’s long history. Expect cocktails, natural wines, and the city’s artsiest crowd having a night out.
Hverfisgata 12, Reykjavík www. www.rontgenbar.is
An Irish-style pub in downtown Reykjavík. Happy hour every day from 12PM to 7PM! Guests can enjoy a game of darts, listen to live music Thursday to Sunday evenings, spin the wheel of fortune and you can even book a private karaoke room! Sláinte.
Klapparstígur 27, Reykjavík
581-2020
www.irishman.is
One of the coolest bars in Reykjavik these days is Kaldi Bar. In close cooperation with north Icelandic micro brewery of the same name, Kaldi offers you a selection of craft brewed beers on tap. Great happy hour and great fun, Kaldi is a place not to be missed!
Laugavegur 20b, Reykjavík 581-2200
American Bar is named appropriately since it’s an American Bar in Reykjavík, of the kind you’re probably familiar with from other countries: there are dudes, chicks and random university students partying to the latest MTV tunes. They specialize in American culture and entertainment.
Austurstræti 8, Reykjavík
571-9999
Built in 1926 as an apartment, the Petersen Suite is one of Reykjavík’s hidden gems. Take the elevator up to the third floor above the historic Gamla Bíó concert hall to reveal an elegant bar with one of Reykjavík’s best views. On sunny days, you need to get there early, the sunny patio fills up quickly!
Ingólfsstræti 2a 3rd floor, Reykjavík 563-4000 | www.ktf.is
Uppi Bar offers upscale dining, wine and cocktails. The name Uppi refers to its location, upstairs above the renowned Fish Market Restaurant. You can expect the same exquisite attention to detail and delicious food, but in a casual bar setting, perfect for happy hour or a fancy start to a night out.
Aðalstræti 12, Reykjavík 571-8788
DEN DANSKE KRO
This homey pub with a Danish theme is popular among locals. Happy hour every day from 4-7pm and live music with talented Icelandic musicians every night. Beer bingo every month and other fun events! Located in the heart of the city centre.
Ingólfsstræti 3, Reykjavík
552-0070
www.danski.is
Best known as Damon Albarn’s hangout place back in the day, this most famous bar in Iceland is a popular destination for the artsy crowd. During the week it‘s more of a café, but on the weekend the volume rises and KB becomes one of the hottest bars in Reykjavik.
Bergstaðastræti 1, Reykjavík
551-1588
www.kaffibarinn.is
Every Friday and Saturday night the newly established Club Sólon is booming with music, dancing, cocktails and drinks on two floors until 4AM in the morning. Start your evening on the cozy 1st floor lounge area with 2-for-1 cocktails and then dance the night away with the local crowd.
Bankastræti 14, 2nd floor, Reykjavík
A popular pub in city centre. The English Pub offers happy hour every day from 4-7pm, live music every night, wheel of fortune and all major sport events are shown on 6 HD screens. Special events: Open Mic Tuesday, Guinness Thursday and Whisky Sunday.
Austurstræti 12, Reykjavík
578-0400
facebook.com/enskibarinn
A restaurant opposite the old harbour that offers traditional steak dishes along with some exciting and fairly unorthodox choices. The pride and joy of The Steakhouse is the Mibrasa charcoal oven, a rare oven that is designed to cook the perfect steak by mixing modern technology with ancient tradition.
Tryggvagata 4-6, Reykjavík 561-1111 | www.steik.is
Looking out over the Nauthólsvík beach, this charming Scandinavianinspired bistro is the perfect oasis from the stress of the everyday. Whether you’re there for a light lunch, a glass of wine on a sunny afternoon, a cup of hot coffee on a cold one, or a lovely dinner with a loved one, Nauthóll is the place to go.
Nauthólsvegi 106, 101 Reykjavík 599-6660 | www.nautholl.is
Grandi Mathöll is a must visit for foodies. Situated in the hip Grandi area, the European style food hall has everything from fresh salmon ceviche to Vietnamese spring rolls and Korean tacos. Right next door is one of Iceland’s busiest harbours, and visitors can see a feed of live ship arrivals.
Grandagarður 16, Reykjavík
577-6200 | www.grandimatholl.is
This trendy restaurant overlooking Austurvöllur square serves light and delicious food, inspired by French and Italian cuisine. The duck dishes are highly recommended but whatever you do, don’t forget to order one of their expertly mixed cocktails!
The Icelandic Bar is very aptly named: it is an Icelandic bar. But more than that, it is a bar that aims to preserve the essence of being Icelandic by
Situated right downtown in Austurstræti, Laundromat houses laundry facilities and a family-friendly environment. A spacious recreational room downstairs will keep your children busy while you’re chomping on the bistro menu. Whether it’s brunch, board games or beer you’re looking for, Laundromat should have you covered.
Austurstræti 9, Reykjavík
restaurant institution at this point, having opened in 1979. Situated in downtown Reykjavík, it was the first Italian restaurant in town and is as strong as ever. Expect fresh pizza, made right in front of the guests in the open kitchen. The cosy place is also a decent spot for people watching, with its large windows.
Hafnarstræti 15, Reykjavík
551-3340 I www.hornid.is
of British and Icelandic culture, with fresh, quality Icelandic fish served in the traditional British way. You can even get mushy peas and malt vinegar with it! Festing on hot fish and chips while looking over the old harbour is an unbeatable Reykjavík experience.
Between the Reykjavík Maritime Museum and Reykjavík Marina Hotel 840-4100 | fishandchipsvagninn.is
Situated just off Laugavegur, the Spanish style bodega Spánski barinn offers fresh tapas and a quality wine selection. In a dim and cosy basement, guests can enjoy a quality happy hour chock full of wines from Tempranillo to Rioja, as well as a house red on tap.
Ingólfsstræti 8, Reykjavík 832-8881
Tasty tapas with an Icelandic twist. With a new spin on traditional Icelandic cuisine and an extensive selection of local beer, Forréttabarinn – “The Starters Bar” – is worth seeking out when you need a bite to eat or a place to start your night out in Reykjavík. Whatever you choose from the refreshingly creative menu, you’re in for a treat!
Nýlendugata 14, Reykjavík 517-1800 |
Feeling presidential? Why not sit down for a powerful beverage (hot or cold) or even a light meal fit for a president in the cosy retro atmosphere on the city’s main street. Forsetinn (Icelandic for President) is a versatile spot - café, bistro, and bar - perfect for people watching at any time of the day.
Laugavegur 51, Reykjavík 860 9640 www.forsetinncafe.is
An open-sandwich restaurant in the Danish tradition offering authentic Danish smørrebrød along with a selection of hot dishes. The restaurant is located in the heart of the city centre and seats 80 guests. It is a popular lunch venue, especially with people from the business sector.
Lækjargata 4, Reykjavík 551-0100 www.jomfruin.is
KRYDD is an à la carte restaurant that offers a dinner and lunch menu, along with appetizers and a state of the art cocktailbar. On Sundays, it offers a brunch buffet between 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM.
Hafnarborg, Strandgötu 34, Hafnarfjörður www.kryddveitingahus.is
Open: M-T 11-23, F-S, 11-01, S 11-23
Skreið is the latest star in the Reykjavík restaurant scene’s night sky, a wine bar and small-plates restaurant positively oozing that oldschool 101 Reykjavík charm. Rest assured that on a night out, the wine will be delicious, the food delectable, the vibe cool and relaxed, and the place and the people stylish. What more could you ask for?
Laugavegur 4, Reykjavík www.skreid.is
Sólon Íslandus is a family-friendly restaurant located right in the heart of Reykjavík, perfect for people-watching! Sólon was completely refurbished and redesigned over the last few months and re-opened with a fresh and elegant new look. Sólon has a lunch and dinner menu with several meat and fish dishes and some vegetarian options. Open every day.
Bankastræti 7, Reykjavík www.solon.is
Hlemmur Mathöll is a European style food hall featuring global delicacies alongside tasty Icelandic dishes. A former bus station, Hlemmur is now the new home for gourmands and fast food lovers alike in Reykjavík. Hlemmur brims with life on both weekends and weekdays alike, so head on down to see what the fuss is about.
Laugavegur, Reykjavík
787-6200 | www.hlemmurmatholl.is
As the name suggests, Reykjavík Meat is the city’s newest new steakhouse. The food is cooked over coals giving it a delicious flavour, and crowning their menu is the award-winning sashi marbled beef. They also offer seafood, lamb and vegetarian and vegan dishes, as well as delicious cocktails!
Frakkastígur 8, Reykjavík 557-7665 | www.rvkmeat.is
BÆJARINS BEZTU
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur literally means The Town’s Best Hot Dogs. A must try while visiting, it is the perfect on-the-go food. We dare you to time the hot dog artists at Bæjarins Beztu after you order ‘ein með öllu’ (one with everything). They are incredibly quick to make a concoction of raw onions, fried onions, ketchup, remoulade, Icelandic mustard and the dog itself.
Tryggvagata 1, 101 Reykjavík 511-1566 | www.bbp.is
One of Iceland’s most treasured restaurants has made a comeback. The Italian delicacies of La Primavera are here to stay. Situated in the Marshall building, a former fishing warehouse, the building is also home to an art gallery, an art studio and the Living Art Museum.
Grandagarður 20 & Harpa Concert hall, Reykjavík
519-7766
www.laprimavera.is
This Irish-bar looking restaurant is one of the city’s best places to sit down for a quick lunch and end up whiling away a whole afternoon in the cosy booth while the game is on or on the sunny patio. The weekend-bottomless brunch is particularly popular. so make sure to get a reservation!
Vegamótastígur 4, Reykjavík 558-0800
www.bastardbrewandfood.is
This Laugavegur gastropub is a great place to treat yourself to a a dinner and some drinks with friends, old and new. With a delicious menu of Asian-fusion inspired small plates to share and an even more delicious menu of cocktails, Public House is a recipe for a fun evening. If you want a fun morning or a fun afternoon instead, check out their bottomless brunch!
Laugavegur 24, 101 Reykjavík
www.publichouse.is
Kopar is a restaurant by the old harbour in Reykjavik which has an emphasis on adventure and experience in a brasserie setting. Their menu is composed of various locally sourced ingredients from sea and land, and aims to give you a taste of Iceland in a single evening.
Geirsgata 3, Reykjavík
567-2700
www.koparrestaurant.is
A fun restaurant, with the look and feel of an American Diner. Reasonably priced, offering delicious food and a very good service, you‘ll definitely get great value for your money here. They put a special emphasis on using only high quality ingredients, making for a terrific meal.
Laugavegur 96, Reykjavík 527-5000
www.grillhusid.is
Hop lovers, rejoice! UK’s Craft Beer Phenomenon just opened a bar and restaurant in downtown Reykjavik, located at the corner of Hverfisgata and Frakkastigur. Featuring 20 taps including BrewDog’s headliners, seasonals and one off brews as well as great local Icelandic craft beers. Highly impressive food menu and a very cosy atmosphere.
Frakkastígur 8, Reykjavík
www.brewdog.com
Monkeys is an exciting restaurant offering Nikkei cuisine, a fusion of Japanese recipes and traditions with Peruvian ingredients. Exciting flavours of miso, ginger, soy, wasabi, and rice vinegar are mixed with quinoa, bell peppers, Andean potatoes, and corn, in a beautiful setting that creates just the right atmosphere. A great addition to the Reykjavík culinary scene!
Klapparstígur 30, 101 Reykjavík 519-5350 | www.monkeys.is
Quality, fusion and fun are the Fish Company’s main characteristics. The interior is stylish and the quirky tableware fits in wonderfully. The menu is a world of adventures from starters to deserts. It’s designed to take you on a seafood journey and not only a journey of the Icelandic culinary waters but a trip around the world.
Vesturgata 2a, Reykjavík 552-5300 | www.fiskfelagid.is
Head out to Brauð & Co. to get your hands on the scrumptious sourdough bread and tasty cinnamon buns. The early bird gets the worm, so don't be late! Keep in mind that the queue can get quite long, but it's well worth it.
Opens early, closes at 18:00.
Frakkastígur 16, Reykjavík
Fákafen 11, Reykjavík
www.braudogco.is
IF YOU NEED MORE
Strætó is the Icelandic bus company, and their yellow buses are easy to spot around the city. In November 2021, Strætó introduced the KLAPP payment system in their buses. You have three ways to pay. With a top up KLAPP card, with the KLAPP app, and with KLAPP ten, a bus pass with ten tickets. You can buy KLAPP cards and KLAPP ten at selected gas stations, convenience stores, museums, and swimming pools. For more information, go to https://www.klappid.is/en/sales
Iceland’s international airport is located in Keflavík, about 50km from Reykjavík. If you rent a car or take a cab, it will take about 45 minutes to get to Reykjavík. A cheaper but just as reliable option is taking a bus to and from the airport. They connect to flights and will drop you off or pick you up at bus stops close to your accommodation in Reykjavík.
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PRACTICAL INFORMATION Find more recommendations on www.whatson.is
Minutes from the City Centre
