What's On in Reykjavik - December 2016 by MD Reykjavik

DECEMBER 2016 IN REYKJAVÍK

REYKJAVIK’S LEADING GUIDE TO INFORMATION, EVENTS, MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES.

DECEMBER IN REYKJAVÍK

· Hunt for the Christmas Creatures · Winter woods at Reykjavík City Hall · Ice skating in the City Center · Christmas Valley in Laugardalur ...and many more festivities in the Capital Area Further information: christmas.visitreykjavik.is

Make the most of The Southern Coast of Iceland Book your tour now! Contact information: Tel. +354 540 1313 | iceland@grayline.is | grayline.is 2006-035

WHAT’S ON

CONTENTS DECEMBER 2016

ON THE COVER CHRISTMAS IN ICELAND

EXPERIENCE 6-33 XMAS EXPERIENCE

34-49

REYKJAVÍK CITY MAP 50-51

RVK MUSEUM WALK

52-53

EVENTS 54-73

ART & CULTURE

74-81

PUBS & NIGHTLIFE

82-85

SHOPPING & STYLE

86-89

FOOD & DRINK

90-95

PRACTICAL INFO

96-97

The Christmas season, a.k.a. the best time of the year, is upon us! Every building in the city has been wrapped in as many twinkly lights as possible, store windows are piled high with Christmas presents, and the streets are bustling with people rushing to get things done, get to a Christmas concert or to get home to spend quality time with the family. Christmas and December is a lovely time to be in Iceland as an Icelander but I suspect that it could be even better to be here on holiday. It’s all the excitement and fun with none of the cleaning and preparing! You should consider yourself lucky! You get to spend your days eating all the delicious Christmas food available, strolling down Laugavegur, going out of town to witness some wonderful winter landscapes, attending Christmas concerts and markets, and going skating, all without a care in the world. Another joy of Christmas in Iceland is getting to know our little quirks and cultural superstitions regarding Christmas. Did you know that our version of Santa claus consists of thirteen yule lads who are the sons of a child eating troll, used to scare children? So, go forth and enjoy the Icelandic winter (it’s a lot cosier than it sounds, I promise). Just be sure to get some new items of clothing for Christmas so the Christmas cat won’t eat you! (Yes, that’s a thing, too).

Visit our tourist information centre at Laugavegur 5. What's On Tourist Info, since 1982.

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Volume 34 – Issue 12 Published by MD Reykjavík ehf. Laugavegur 5, 101 Reykjavik. Publisher: Sigurþór Marteinn Tel.: 899-2255. E-mail: sm@whatson.is

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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.

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THE WHAT’S ON

DECEMBER CHECKLIST There are loads of things to do for entertainment in Reykjavik this month! Here are a few “must-do’s” you can try out.

You can find checklists from past months at whatson.is/

While you're checking things off the list, we encourage you to take photos, and tag them with #whatsonrvk, of course!

Get some Icelandic design as a Christmas present for someone you love (or just yourself, we won’t tell). Take a stroll down Laugavegur to admire the Christmas lights! Take a break from your Christmas shopping and have a cup of hot chocolate. Get out of town and see the Northern Lights! Go swimming! There’s nothing better than a soak in a hot tub, while the snow falls all around you! Go skating! When the Pond by City Hall freezes over, it’s a charming place to go skating but Ingólfstorg is also transformed into a skating rink, so you have your pick!

CHECK OUT OLDER CHECKLISTS AT WHATSON.IS/CHECKLIST

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THE REYKJAVIK SIGHT EXPERIENCE Reykjavik 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.

1 | HALLGRÍMSKIRKJA Hallgrímskirkja church is one of Reykjavík’s most iconic buildings and is visible from almost anywhere in the city. It’s is the largest church and the sixth tallest architectural structure in Iceland. The church tower offers a fantastic view of the city for the small price of 900ISK for adults or 100ISK for children. 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 flows of Iceland’s landscape. Construction started in 1945 and was finished in 1984.

2 | PERLAN Standing at 25 metres, Perlan is one of Reykjavík’s most striking buildings. Up on the fourth level, there is a 360 degree viewing platform where you can get the city's best panoramic views. During the day, the Perlan café is a nice place to get coffee or ice cream. If you come in the evening, the Perlan restaurant has some of the finest cuisine in the city. The restaurant also rotates slowly so you get to see the whole city without even having to turn your head.

3 | TJÖRNIN

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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 and the air is hot, Austurvöllur is the place to be. Surrounded by cafés and restaurants on Vallarstræti and Pósthússtræti, this public square is a wildly popular spot for locals to dine outside, soak up some sunshine or recline in the grass with picnics. In fact, whatever the season, Austurvöllur is the place to be. It’s used for celebrations on holidays, the city’s biggest Christmas tree is located there and due to its close proximity to the Parliament building, Austurvöllur has also a popular gathering place for political protests. At the center of it all stands a statue of Jón Sigurðsson, the renowned figure who led Iceland to independence.

5 | KOLAPORTIÐ Whether you want to sample dried fish and fermented shark, purchase a bag of Icelandic candy or browse through thrifted clothing, Kolaportið, an indoor flea market, open on the weekends between 11am-5pm, is your best bet. The atmosphere is unique and the old industrial building is usually filled with people hunting for books or antiques, grocery shopping at the food court, selling their old garments, buying music and DVD’s or digging through piles of stuff in search of hidden treasures. We recommend bringing cash, or visiting the ATM at one of the entrances, as the majority of stalls don’t accept cards.

The whole 28.000 square meters of Harpa stand at the edge of the Reykjavik 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. It‘s open to everyone, always, and you should definitely visit Harpa, whether it‘s to take in a show, buy souvenirs, go to a concert or have a lovely dinner in one of the fabulous restaurants. Harpa was designed by a Danish firm in co-operation with Ólafur Elíasson, an Icelandic artist, and opened to the public in 2011.

7 | THE OLD HARBOUR It’s the first lasting harbour in Reykjavik, although it’s no longer the city’s busiest one. The most visited area is the eastern pier where you’ll find a community of shops, galleries, electric bike and scooter rentals and guided 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 (sushi and other seafood, tapas, burgers, etc.) and cafés. The atmosphere at the old harbour is friendly, the air is fresh and salty and there’s plenty of interesting activities to check out.

EXPERIENCE

6 | HARPA

8 | THE SUN VOYAGER A beautiful sculpture of a Viking ship located by the ocean on a small peninsula by Sæbraut, close to the Reykjavík centre. The sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason symbolises the Viking past of the Icelanders and is an ode to the sun. It serves as reminder of our history and heritage when the first Viking settlers came sailing to Iceland.

9 | CITY HALL The Reykjavík City Hall is an impressive, modern building, opened in 1992, that sits right on the northern shore of lake Tjörnin. Not only does it house the offices of the mayor and other city officials, it‘s also open to visitors and offers stunning views of the water, bird life, nature and city surrounds. Inside the City Hall, you‘ll find a room-sized relief map of Iceland that took four men several years to make. There are also exhibition halls that regularly host a steady stream of new and exciting art exhibitions, book fairs, arts and crafts fairs and other events.

10 | LAUGARDALSLAUG Every country has traditions when it comes to leisure. Iceland’s big thing is swimming pools. Laugardalslaug is the city’s largest pool with extensive facilities, located in Laugardalur Valley. Its facilities include a 50m outdoor pool, outdoor children’s pool and paddling pool, two waterslides, numerous hot tubs, steam bath, gym and 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.

Find these places on the centerfold map.

Check out our map on p. 42 for the locations of these sights.

Sólfarið 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 mount Esjan is every photographer’s dream.

The concept of the restaurant is "c a s u a l f u n d i n i n g" a n d w e p r e p a r e w h a t w e w o u l d call a simple honest, "feel good", comfort food, where we take on the classics with a modern twist.

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ICELAND‘S SECRET TO HEALTHY LIVING

Legend has it that the Vikings introduced Skyr to Iceland when they settled in the country some 1.100 years ago. Travel back in time to any farm and Skyr would be on the table – essential nourishment for young and old. Generations past may not have been able to measure the nutritional content in the way we can now, but the life-expectancy of the average Icelander was proof enough that something good was going on. Icelanders have ever since loved the smooth texture of this incredibly healthy dairy product

and today it plays a big role in the modern lifestyle diet. Skyr is high in protein and a virtually fat-free dairy delight. Thick and creamy in consistency, it is also rich in calcium and other nutrients. Skyr can be found at almost every home and workplace. Enjoyed at breakfast, lunchtime, pretty much anytime, it has also become a healthy „fast-food“ for active people on the go. Delicious in smoothies or energy-boosting drinks, it even features on the dessert menus of many top restaurants, which are bringing a contemporary twist to this established favourite.

EXPERIENCE

THE WHAT’S ON SKYR EXPERIENCE

MS SKYR – PLAIN Skyr was originally only available as plain and was made at every farm in Iceland. Nowadays, there is a huge variety of flavours available but many still prefer the plain one.

KEA SKYR WITH VANILLA

MS SKYR.IS WITH BAKED APPLES Skyr producers have been experimenting with new flavours in skyr while still keeping it as nutritious as possible. One of the more recent additions is the baked apple flavour.

MS SKYR.IS WITH BLUEBERRIES This is a long-time favourite of the Skyr.is varieties. Blueberries are among the few summer fruits that grow in Iceland so eating Skyr with fresh blueberries has a long tradition in Iceland. The taste is very rich and full of blueberries.

For more information on skyr, visit skyr.is

Kea skyr comes from the northern part of Iceland and this is one of the most popular flavours available. The taste is full and creamy with zero fat. It’s mild and creamy flavour also makes it popular as a base for desserts.

AQUARACER STEEL & CERAMIC DIAMONDS Cara Delevingne challenges rules. Being free-minded is her motto. Like TAG Heuer, she defies conventions and never cracks under pressure.

EXPERIENCE

THE ICELANDIC

Although beer and ale have been brewed in Iceland for a long time, beer production was limited during the 20th century, as beer was illegal in Iceland until 1989! Icelanders have more than made up for lost time and the growth in beer production in recent years has been amazing. In just a few years, we‘ve seen many great breweries emerge, filled with ambition and ingenuity, and beer is now the most popular alcoholic beverage in Iceland. It’s no wonder, as Icelandic beer is delicious, in no small part thanks to the Icelandic water; renowned for its purity and quality.

ICELANDIC CHRISTMAS BEERS ASKASLEIKIR Borg Brewery is ambitious in its brews and regularly has some of the most exciting Christmas beers on the market. Their Christmas brews are named after Iceland’s version of the santa claus, the Yule Lads, and Askasleikir is no exception, named after a Yule Lad famous for licking plates and food containers clean. This bodes well for the amber ale that is his namesake. Its flavour notes include wintery flavours such as malt, pine needles, apricots and citrus.

ICELANDIC WINTER ALE

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Einstök’s new winter ale is a bold drink, but it seems like their effort to bottle the taste of winter has paid off here in a festive seasonal ale. Spicy, citrusy, and with more than a distinct aroma of pine needles, this winter ale almost demands to be drunk besides a roaring fire while a blizzard rages outside but in a pinch, some candle light and a healthy dose of Christmas spirit will do.

FAGNAÐARERINDIÐ Bryggjan brewery is a relatively new brewer on the scene and this is the first time they sell a special Christmas beer. The name Fagnaðarerindið is biblical in origin, meaning the gospel, as in the one you spread when you go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. This Belgian Dubbel is probably best served on tap at the Bryggjan restaurant and bar, preferably alongside some delicious dishes from their menu.

JÓLA KALDI Kaldi is becoming an established brewery and their Christmas beer has been on the market for some years now, or since 2008 to be exact. It’s a classic Christmas beer, or as close to it as you get as there really is no real consensus on what constitutes a Christmas beer. But Jóla Kaldi is a bit darker than the most common lager beers and a bit highter ABV, along with a malty, spicy and orangey flavour, marking it as a seasonal favourite.

These are our favourites, don’t leave Reykjavík without stopping by a pub or a bar and tasting at least one (or all) of them!

BRÍÓ Brío uses German hops, giving the beer a very distinctive taste and a sweet aroma. Along with the hops, it uses Pilsen malt and under-fermented yeast. Bríó is the first beer produced by Borg Brugghús, a brewery that now produces several popular beers all year round along with seasonal beers for summer, Christmas and Easter. Bríó is a pilsner, a style of beer named after the city of Pilsen in the Czech Republic. This style of brewing first emerged in the middle of the 19th century and became so popular that the majority of beer drunk today is a relative of the original pilsner. Brío was originally brewed as the house beer for Ölstofan but due to its popularity, it’s now available in liquor stores as well as most bars in town.

EXPERIENCE

BEER EXPERIENCE

VÍKING STOUT Viking stout is pitch black, reminiscent of cocoa and coffee with a smoothly roasted aftertaste. This is one of the first stouts made in Iceland. Only brewed from the finest ingredients, Víking stout is unfiltered and has a distinctly smoky aftertaste. It’s recently had its look revamped along with the other Víking craft beers. The labels now carry graphic designs that interpret events and traditions from the Viking age. The pitch black stout’s label fittingly evokes images of the ravens of Flóki, the Viking traveller who named Iceland.

KALDI The brewery on Árskógssandur, makers of Kaldi beer, was the first microbrewery that opened in Iceland, back in 2006. The regular Kaldi is a pure pilsner, with all the ingredients, except the Icelandic water, coming from the Czech Republic. Even their brew-master is Czech! Following its success, the brewery opened Kaldi bar in the centre of Reykjavík, where all the varieties of Kaldi beer are available. Kaldi bar is, of course, the best place to get Kaldi, but it’s available in other bars as well, and in bottles at the liquor stores.

VÍKING CLASSIC Víking Classic is a Vienna style beer with golden amber colour and taste of roasted malt. It has a good body and medium bitterness with balancing sweetness and a hint of caramel. The name might seem a bit presumptuous as this classic has only been in production for a few years, but it’s in fact named after the Danish “Classic” style of beer. Víking Classic is available in draught, bottles and cans and is part of the Víking beer family which is the most popular beer brand in Iceland.

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Kaldi is a very mild and comfortable pilsner, dry, fresh, slightly bitter, with notes of roasted barley and hops, and has 5% ABV. You might detect a hint of sweetness as well.

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>> Iceland Explained!

Icelanders tend to think that the world revolves around their tiny island, north of almost everything, and get perplexed when people from larger, more heavily populated countries seem to have little to no knowledge of what goes on here. (What do you mean, you’ve never heard of a lopapeysa? How dare you insult the majestic Icelandic horse by calling it a pony!) Luckily, I’m here to help and explain to you the whats, whys and hows of Icelandic culture.

ICELAND EXPLAINED

ICELANDIC INDEPENDENCE

>> What happened there? As you might know, Iceland started out as an independent country in the 9th century. The stories even imply that people were settling in Iceland to escape from the oppressive kings that were uniting the Scandinavian countries under their leadership. Until the 13th century, all decisions were made by the Alþingi, a parliamentary institution where powerful men had a vote, but all independent men could attend.

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This period has been highly romanticised since we gave up our independence in 1262 and didn’t get it back until the middle of the 20th century.

>> Why did you renounce your independence in the first place? It seemed like a good idea at the time. The independent community of the time sounds almost utopian, until you realise that they had no way to enforce the laws or the sentences they issued except the revenge of the victim. If he or she was for some reason (like being dead, or a woman, for example) unable to seek revenge for themselves, the victim’s family was also obligated to seek revenge lest they forsake all honour. This worked for a while but this type of society created the conditions for families and clans to rise to power, ultimately resulting in a mafia-wars type of situation. Come the 13th century, the clans had started squabbling among themselves and there was nobody to keep them in line because they didn’t have a king. The rest of the nation solved this little problem by just getting themselves one, namely the Norwegian one.

>> How did you get it back? That took us a while. We submitted to the Norwegian king in 1262 but due to a complicated system of royal marriages and a brief union of all the Scandinavian countries, Iceland ended up as a colony of Denmark. During the 19th century, Iceland put up the most peaceful, wordy battle for independence you can imagine, mostly made up of emotional poetry romanticising the past. The biggest moment of the Icelandic fight for freedom happened during a meeting in 1851, when Jón Sigurðson, the biggest hero of Icelandic independence, stood up during a meeting and protested. We finally got our chance in 1944. It was during the height of World War II and Denmark was occupied by Germany and Iceland by Britain. Iceland sent the king of Denmark a politely worded letter declaring independence. The reaction of the Danish ruler? According to stories, his feelings were a little hurt.

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The 1783-4 eruption of Laki was history’s biggest volcanic eruption. When it erupted, the ash darkened the sky over all of Europe for years. The ash’s toxicity caused widespread crop failures and the resulting famine all over Europe was almost certainly one of the causes of the French revolution in 1789, ultimately resulting in the first modern democracy as we know it.

NOT JUST ONE, BUT TWO OF THE BIGGEST ERUPTIONS IN THE RECORDED HISTORY OF THE WORLD, OCCURRED IN ICELAND! Not only was Laki the biggest eruption in recorded history, measured by volume of lava, but 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. It still isn‘t close to matching Laki. That eruption produced 370 km2 of lava, the size of the Gaza strip, in only 50 days!

All photos provided by the Volcano House

For more information on Icelandic volcanoes, check out www.volcanohouse.is

AN ICELANDIC VOLCANO IS THE REASON FOR DEMOCRACY AS WE KNOW IT

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5 FACTS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT ICELANDIC VOLCANOES

EXPERIENCE For more information on Icelandic volcanoes, check out www.volcanohouse.is 22

1/3 OF ALL THE EARTH’S FRESH LAVA ORIGINATED IN ICELAND! When you’re discussing volcanoes, all concepts that have something to do with time get a bit skewed. For instance, fresh lava means lava emissions on earth since the year 1500. The reason for this impressive amount of liquid rock spewing to the surface is because not only does Iceland sit on a crack between two tectonic plates, it’s also on top of a geologic hotspot. Even so, for such a small island, that’s a pretty impressive amount of lava.

ICELAND HAS A VOLCANIC ERUPTION EVERY 4-5 YEARS! This isn’t surprising considering the island has somewhere around 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. Not all the eruptions are on the

WANT TO GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE VOLCANOES OF ICELAND? For more information on volcanoes and geothermal activity in Iceland, go visit the Volcano House by the old harbour. Its attractions include a mineral exhibition and an hour-long documentary on volcanoes, which is shown every hour, on the hour. As an added bonus, there’s also a What’s On desk over there, in case you need any information.

same scale as the Eyjafjallajökull eruption though; some are small enough to be considered tourist attractions and some happen underneath glaciers and never even see the light of day.

ICELAND HAS THE ONLY ISLAND SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OBSERVE AND DOCUMENT FROM THE MOMENT OF ITS CREATION: SURTSEY Surtsey was formed by a volcanic eruption at the bottom of the ocean and emerged from the water on December 14, 1963. It was immediately granted protection by law and no one was allowed to set foot on the island. 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, and the information gained has been invaluable to scientists.

THE FINEST BEER & WHISKY SELECTION IN DOWNTOWN REYKJAVÍK

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EXPERIENCE Need more rainy day acitvities? Visit our information center on Laugavegur 5. 24

THINGS TO DO ON A RAINY DAY If it’s raining outside, and you’re not sure what you should do with yourself, here’s a short list of some activities and places you could visit on a rainy day in our lovely country. Enjoy! MUSEUMS Reykjavík is a veritable feast of cultural treats. Whether it’s art, history or science you’re after, the museums in this small Nordic city offer an array of interesting and diverse exhibitions year round, guaranteed to pique your interest. When it starts to drizzle, try visiting the Volcano House or Reykjavík Art Museum. It has three locations, Hafnarhúsið, Kjarvalsstaðir and Ásmundarsafn and purchasing admission to any one of these automatically grants you access to the other two. COFFEEHOUSE It’s hard to explain why Icelanders have such a deep love for coffee, considering it doesn’t grow anywhere near this Nordic island. Maybe it has something to do with those long dark winter mornings, but whatever the reason, the sheer quantity of cafés in downtown Reykjavík is proof positive of Icelanders’ affection for the black stuff. The cafés range from small holes-inthe- wall with take-away coffee to places with plush couches on which you could stay sitting comfortably for several hours.

DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY SIDE The Icelandic landscape is amazing whatever the weather, but hiking in the rain is a recipe for a cold toes and grumpy moods. Zooming past the dramatic landscapes of the Icelandic countryside from the comfort and warmth of a bus or a car, however, is extremely enjoyable. Be sure to blast some great Icelandic music on your drive, it can only enhance the experience. SWIMMING You may think that it sounds strange to go for a swim in the rain, but swimming in Iceland is particularly enjoyable in bad weather. Thanks to the geothermal heat, you’ll be nice and toasty in the hot tubs, chatting with the locals, while the rain offers a welcome, cooling contrast. MOVIE AT BÍÓ PARADÍS Bíó Paradís keeps up an ambitious schedule of internationally acclaimed movies from all over the world. It hosts several film festivals and airs Icelandic movies with English subtitles all year round. It’s also the only cinema in downtown Reykjavík and a great place to keep dry and out of the waterworld outside. Not only is it a great place to watch great movies, it also has a place to sit down, get some coffee or a beer, before or after the movie.

Pre-booking is required. Book online at bluelagoon.com

PRE-BOOKING IS REQUIRED Book online at bluelagoon.com

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TOP 8 TIPS FOR TS! H THE NORTHERN LIG 1

| GET OUT OF TOWN

The city lights block the Northern Lights!

| MAKE SURE IT’S DARK

Daylight and Northern Lights don’t go hand in hand!

| MAKE SURE THE SKY IS CLEAR

The Northern Lights appear way above the clouds!

| GIVE IT TIME AND BE PATIENT!

For more information, check out www.whatson.is/northern-lights/

The Northern Lights don’t come out by order – be patient and you might get lucky!

| SIGHTINGS CAN NEVER BE GUARANTEED

So we’d recommend a tour that includes some great activity as well as Northern Lights hunt – so you won’t feel disappointed!

| WEAR SOMETHING WARM

It can get seriously cold, especially when the sky is clear and you’re waiting for a long time.

| KNOW YOUR CAMERA!

Taking photos with a flash won’t work. Ever. A tripod and long exposure are your friends!

| ENJOY IT!

Lie down on the ground. Look up. Enjoy!

Different ways to see the Northern Lights:

GOING BY COACH:

GOING BY BOAT:

Cheap and effective – A Northern Lights tour by bus is a good way to see the lights if you’re not too concerned about a lot of people and simply travelling by bus. Perhaps not the best time if you don’t see anything – but it’s the cheapest option to see the lights, and gets the job done!

A great experience regardless of lights – Going by boat and seeing the city from the sea at night, is in itself a great experience. The boat ride is a very good choice for those that want to ensure they get something out of their tour – even if no lights are found.

DO have a relatively good camera with you that allows for easy and quick change of settings. DON’T despair if you only have the camera on your phone to work with. Most newer phones allow you to change the settings like you would on a camera and if not, there’s an app for that!

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NORTHERN LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY DOs AND DON'Ts

DO have your ISO set to at least 800 and your aperture as low as it goes.

DO keep your shutter speed anywhere between 5 seconds to 30 seconds, although the optimal would be between 5-20 (30 is for very faint lights, basically). DON’T go by boat! If you’re intent on getting photos, at least. The movement of the boat makes it impossible. DO consider using continuous shooting so that while shooting the lights you don’t have to keep staring at them through your camera DON’T focus solely on your photographs and forget to be in the moment. You don’t see the Northern Lights every day!

GOING BY SUPER-JEEP:

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Exclusive and thrilling – Going in a specially modified super-jeep on a hunt for the lights is a thrilling experience that’s fun and exciting. Sights can of course never be guaranteed, but the off-road action of the super jeep make for a great adventure and the lights are just an added bonus. © REYKJAVIK EXCURSION

For more information, check out www.whatson.is/northern-lights/

DON’T forget your tripod! However little you think you move while waiting for your camera to take your picture, believe me, you always move a little and it’s enough to make your photos blurry.

EXPERIENCE

HOW TO READ THE NORTHERN LIGHTS FORECAST IN ICELAND The Northern Light forecast can be found on en.vedur.is/weather/forecasts/aurora/ but it is a little hard to decipher if you’ve never seen it before. Our handy guide should make things a little bit easier.

THE COLORS

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WHITE means NO CLOUDS, while DARK GREEN means VERY CLOUDY. The different shades of green then mean more, or less, cloudy.

THE NUMBERS The numbers are a combination of how likely it is for the lights to be active and how active they will be. Don’t be discouraged if the number looks low, it’s actually very rare for the number to be higher than five. Also, take this with a grain of salt; a low number doesn't mean that they won't come out or won't be impressive, and a high number isn't a guarantee that they will be glorious all through the night.

GOING ON A TOUR? There are many tours taking you out of the bright city lights for a better chance of seeing the Aurora. These tours will be CANCELLED if there is no chance of seeing the lights. All the major operators can be relied on to do this, first of all because there is a high standard of professionalism in Iceland, but more importantly because they lose money if they take you out needlessly – most of them promise to take you out again for free if you don’t see anything.

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ICELAND EXPLAINED

HALLDÓR LAXNESS >> What did he do? He’s the best-known Icelandic writer of the 20th century, the author of such books as Independent People, Iceland’s Bell and World Light. He is best known for his social realism novels and was controversial in Iceland when he was a young author, not only because of his incendiary writings and his refusal to follow normal rules of spelling but also because of his left-leaning politics.

>> Why is he important? According to the Nobel prize committee of 1955, “his vivid epic power renewed the great narrative art of Iceland”. Halldór is the only Icelander in history to receive the Nobel prize (although Gunnar Gunnarsson reportedly also came close). Awards aside, his work has influenced Icelandic culture in a fundamental way and many of his characters are household names in Iceland.

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>> How can I read his work? Most of his novels are available in translations. His most famous novel is Independent people, the saga of a woefully proud Icelandic farmer and his family, although for beginners, I recommend The Fish Can Sing, a coming-of-age story set in early 20th century Reykjavík.

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THE FEAST OF LIGHT AND PEACE Christmas in Iceland is the biggest celebration of the year. I’ve got a feeling this might have something to do with the dark days of winter and the fact that Christmas coincides with the winter solstice. Whatever the reason, Christmas in Iceland is much more than just a day of celebration, it’s thirteen of them, and that’s not even counting Christmas Eve!

PREPARATION

It may come as a surprise, but snow at Christmas in Iceland is never guaranteed. There is usually much speculation during advent on whether we’ll have a picture perfect Bing Crosby-esque white Christmas or the dreaded Red Christmas as it is known locally, where the streets are empty come Christmas day. For interested parties, the Icelandic Meteorological Office has kept track of the amount of snow on Christmas morning since 1921.

YULE LADS Santa Claus doesn’t have a place in Icelandic folklore. We don’t need him really, we’ve got thirteen of our own Yule lads to keep us company instead, although, in later years, they occasionally follow in Saint Nick’s sartorial footsteps and don bright red suits. That’s about the only thing they have in common with the fatherly Santa that’s popular in other countries, however. Unlike that saintly figure, the Yule lads are of troll descent and have never quite gotten the hang of following rules and laws.

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For most Icelanders, Christmastime lasts even longer than the 13 allotted days as they consider the time spent preparing for Christmas no less important or magical than the actual event. The last four weeks before Christmas are known as “aðventa”, equivalent to the English advent. During the advent, people spend their time attending Christmas concerts, going Christmas shopping (a lengthy process that involves a lot of meeting relatives and acquaintances on the street and pausing to drink some hot chocolate), baking cookies and laufabrauð and making sure their homes are decorated with brighter lights than their neighbour’s.

WHITE CHRISTMAS

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CHRRISTMAS IN ICELAND

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CELEBRATED ON DEC 24...

FAMILY PARTIES

Christmas day in Iceland is a cosy affair, mostly spent wearing pyjamas all day until the family party starts (more on that later). That’s because in Iceland, Christmas starts early; Christmas Eve to be exact. At precisely 6 pm, families all around the country either sit down to a Christmas feast, followed by opening presents and vowing never to eat again or sit down in the church followed by the aforementioned activities.

Getting together with aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters and of course parents, original, great- and grand-, is what this is all about. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the Second Day of Christmas are usually packed with family events; think playing cards with your grandma in her best dress while sipping hot chocolate after stuffing yourself with smoked lamb, white sauce and green beans. That doesn’t mean Icelanders don’t use the holidays to go out as well. The bars are open longer than usual on the second day of Christmas, and the weekend between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is usually packed with concerts and parties. Last but not least is, of course, New Year’s Eve itself, when Icelanders go all out. Expect fireworks, glitter, parties and even more fireworks.

...AT PRECISELY 6 PM Why 6 pm you might ask? I’m pretty sure the answer most Icelandic people will give you is either “I don’t know, it’s when Jesus was born?” but it actually is a bit more complicated than that. Following a tradition inherited from the Jewish faith, the Christian liturgical day actually starts at sunset, not at midnight. Since the invention of the clock, they settled the exact time at 6 pm. That means technically, 6 pm on Christmas Eve marks the beginning of Christmas day.

OVER THE TOP CELEBRATIONS Regardless of what religion Icelanders adhere to, or don’t, we’re a very Christmas-oriented nation. It’s no wonder really, the winter months are dark, cold and damp, so celebrating with pretty lights and lots of staying inside and eating is a no-brainer. In the good old days, when people lived in dark and cramped turfhouses half-buried in the ground, lived off the land, and just tried their best not to freeze to death or get lost in a blizzard during the winter months, the winter solstice was a cause for celebration. It made perfect sense to turn on the best candles they had, have the best meal possible and put on their best clothes during the darkest days of winter because it meant that there were brighter days ahead. The same mentality still applies, we celebrate with all our hearts the fact that we’ve reached the darkest point of winter and that from now on, each day will be just a little bit longer than the last, until, finally, summer comes again.

Joe

HAS ARRIVED DOWNTOWN WE ARE NOW OPEN ON LAUGAVEGUR! DROP BY FOR SOME AMAZING JUICES, SANDWICHES AND SHAKES. P.S. WE’RE REALLY GOOD AT MAKING COFFEE TOO!

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MISCHIEVOUS THIRTEEN: THE ICELANDIC YULE LADS

The exact quantity of the Yule lads have varied through the years, from 4 to 22, but today there are generally thought to be to be thirteen of them, perhaps because there are 13 days of Christmas.

ARE THEY NAUGHTY OR NICE? The first record of our Yule Lads dates back to the 17th century. They first came about as a means to scare children into behaving themselves which explains their parentage. Grýla and Leppalúði, Grýla’s third husband, keep house for the boys somewhere in the mountains outside the town, along with the Christmas cat. Sounds cosy, right? Well, it isn’t. The Christmas cat eats children who don’t get new clothes before Christmas, and Grýla polishes off the bratty kids that won’t behave themselves, very likely sharing her ghastly meals with Leppalúði. The Yule lads have a slightly less infanticidal reputation and limit themselves to pranks and petty thievery. They’ve also mellowed a lot through the years, and hardly steal anything really valuable these days.

Stúfur (transl. Shorty, Stubby) – Stúfur is the shortest of the gang, thus earning his name. He doesn’t let his height stop him from getting what he wants, but what he wants is apparently burnt bits that have stuck to the pan during cooking. Such is his resolve to acquire these humble leftovers that he has gotten into the habit of stealing the dirty pans.

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In most countries, one measly Santa Claus is considered quite enough. Icelanders, however, apparently favour quantity over quality and have an unruly group of thirteen Yule lads of troll ancestry roaming the mountains. If the Yule lads ever meet Santa, we’re guessing it’s only because he’s asking them nicely to please keep it down, he and Mrs. Claus are early risers - and incidentally, do they happen to know anything about the mysterious disappearance of all of Mrs. Claus’s sausages?

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THE

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AND WHAT ABOUT THE PRESENTS? The Yule Lads arrive from the mountains one by one, just in time for Christmas. The first one arrives during the night before December 12th and the last on the night before December 24th. Then they start heading for their mountain homes again in the same order, so the last one leaves on January 6th, the last day of Christmas. Somewhere along the way, they picked up the habit of giving small children gifts as soon as they arrived in town. The last 13 days before Christmas, children leave a single shoe on the windowsill in their room before going to bed and wake up to a little trinket from one of the lads, assuming they have been good, of course. Otherwise, they just get a potato. So the next time you wake up to a bearded and rough looking gentleman going through your shoes, just go back to sleep, he’s probably bringing you a present.

Stekkjastaur (transl. Sheep-cote Clod) – Stekkjastaur spends his time with the humans doing his best to clamber into sheep pens on a quest for the sheep milk he loves so much, even going so far as to attempt to suckle the ewes. His attempts are usually thwarted by his disability, as he has two peg legs, making him too stiff to nimbly get around the sheep huts.

THE NAMES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES The Yule lads are pranksters, but they don’t go in for just any old trick. They’ve specialised, and their specialty is reflected in their names. They changed quite often in the old days and varied between regions, in fact, there are over 70 known Yule lad names. They have however remained relatively the same since 1932 when the poet Jóhannes úr Kötlum published a popular poem detailing the preferred pranks of every Yule lad. The names are very descriptive and refer to their individual mischievous nature. For instance, Þvörusleikir translates as Spoon-licker; Hurðaskellir means Door-slammer; Gáttaþefur is Doorway-Sniffer in English, and we also have, and this is no joke, Gluggagægir, which translates to Window-peeper.

Gáttaþefur (transl. Doorway Sniffer) – Gáttaþefur is not only blessed with an incredibly keen sense of smell, along with a nose to rival Cyrano de Bergerac, but he also never gets a cold. Unfortunately he has decided to use his powers for evil (mildly evil, anyway) and has become a master thief of laufabrauð by sniffing out its hiding places.

WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S ON THIS CHRISTMAS? CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE EVENT CALENDAR AT WWW.WHATSON.IS/EC/ AND FIND ALL THE CHRISTMAS EVENTS YOU CAN HANDLE!

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WHAT ARE YOU DOING

NEW YEAR'S EVE? Christmas is great, some people even say it’s the best! But when Christmas Eve has come and gone, and you’ve been to all the family parties, eaten all the cookies and opened all the presents, what’s there to look forward to? New Year’s Eve, that’s what! Luckily, when you are in Iceland, there is no need to despair on December 27th. New Year’s is still to come and after that, you have the bonus festival, Þrettándinn or the Twelfth Day of Christmas, to look forward to. If you are a kid (or a grown up with a moderate to severe interest in lighting fires), these two evenings can be just as fun as Christmas, but on a completely different level.

A FAMILY AFFAIR – AT FIRST New Year’s Eve in Iceland is a very special event and it‘s the party-night of the year. This might not be completely clear in the early part of the evening, because the majority of Icelanders, use that time to get together with family and/or friends, eat something fantastic (turkey has become popular), and watch the annual comedy revue on television. Things only start to get going once they get their hands on some fireworks just before or around midnight..

COME ON, BABY, LIGHT MY FIRE There is a reason for our burning desire to set things on fire, as there is an old superstition that says you have to burn away the old year in order to wake up on New Year’s day with a clean slate. Just in case the fireworks aren’t enough, we also have a New Year’s Eve bonfire. Since the bonfire promises to burn away the sins of the year gone by, you can imagine how popular it is. Most towns have one, of varying sizes, and Reykjavík even has 10 of them. Most of them are lit around 8.30 pm. That’s after dinner, but before the annual comedy revue on TV (Yes, it’s that big a deal).

ÁRAMÓTASKAUPIÐ – THE ANNUAL COMEDY REVUE Just how big of a deal you ask? Well, in 2002 for example, 95% of the population was watching. I’m guessing the other 5% were doctors and nurses on call, their patients (mostly burn victims), and maybe a bartender or two. I think there might be something broadcast on other stations, but I can’t be sure. It’s a 50 minute comedy special satirising the year’s most prominent events and it’s been on since 1966, which incidentally is the year the RÚV started broadcasting. New Year’s Day conversations in Iceland are limited to discussions about what people thought of Skaupið, as it is affectionately known.

THE PARTY PART This might surprise you, but it‘s actually not until after midnight that the actual party gets started. After the fireworks have been lit and hot chocolate has been had with older family members, that’s when people put on their glitter hats, get their confetti bombs ready and head out, drink in one hand, and a lit sparkler in the other. House parties are popular, and downtown Reykjavík quickly starts filling up with eager partygoers.

MORE BONFIRES – NOW WITH MORE ELVES! On Þrettándinn, or the Twelfth Day of Christmas, those who have not yet had their fill of bonfires and fireworks can keep smiling, but it also has a more mystical meaning. Christmas may be a Christian celebration, but Þrettándinn is a secular festival of Icelandic folklore. The last of the Yule Lad leaves the human dwellings, the elves and hidden people move house, cows speak and seals leave their seal skin and walk on land as men. Since the twelfth night used to be considered the start of the new year, Icelander’s throw another bonfire for good measure and finish off the little that’s left of the fireworks.

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7 course christmas feast WE START WITH SPARKLING WINE TEA CURED SALMON Shallot cream, dill mayo, roe and sourdough crisp DUCK BREAST Carrot purée and port wine sauce ICELANDIC LANDSCAPE Beef tartar, smoked cheese, rye bread, pickled onions, vinegar snow LANGOUSTINE Pine tree and beurre noisette PORK BELLY Smoked celery purée, cherry sauce, fresh apples, pickled shallots GRILLED BEEF TENDERLOIN Artichoke and white chocolate purée, roasted parsnip with prunes and hazelnuts, coffee hollandaise DESSERT CHRISTMAS “BALL” Spice crumble, caramalised white chocolate mousse, apple-estragon filling

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All over the world, food is a significant part Christmas traditions and Iceland is no exception. Each family has their own set of traditional Icelandic courses that absolutely cannot be changed or Christmas is ruined. Here are some of the things that are absolutely essential to the main Christmas feast, which starts at exactly 6 PM, December 24.

THE MEAT

THE COOKIES There was a time when the excellence of a housewife was primarily judged by the number of different types of cookies she made for Christmas. Anything less than five was a sign of inadequacy. A couple of classics are vanilluhringir (buttery vanilla wreaths), loftkökur (a light and crunchy cocoa cookie) and mömmukökur (cookies

THE DRINK There’s a special drink almost every Icelandic household serves at Christmas. It’s non-alcoholic and is actually a mixture of two soft drinks, Malt and Appelsín, produced by Iceland’s oldest soda factory, Ölgerðin. Appelsín is an Icelandic orange soda and Malt is, as the name suggests, a maltbased soda, dark brown and very sweet. There is some dispute over the correct way to mix it, Malt first or Appelsín first, dare we even suggest adding a splash of cola to the mix? The producer suggests an alphabetical mixing order, but if you want to err on the side of caution, it’s available premixed in cans in every respectable supermarket.

LAUFABRAUÐ Some traditions make more sense than others. Eating delicious cookies around Christmastime? Makes perfect sense. Going to a Christmas buffet with your officemates? Fun and delicious. Spending a whole day with several other people carving delicate patterns in thin and fragile flour cakes which are then deep-fried in boiling fat, and served with butter come Christmas Eve? Labour-intensive to the point of insanity. Laufabrauð (e. leaf bread) is very pretty and subtly delicious, but I have to wonder how this became a popular thing to do before every Christmas. Something to do with the lack of television and internet in the 19th century Iceland perhaps?

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The traditional Icelandic Christmas dish at the start of the last century was “hangikjöt”, smoked lamb served with potatoes and white sauce similar to béchamel. Hangikjöt still has a strong connection with Christmas but is now more commonly served on Christmas Day rather than Christmas Eve. For the less fortunate, the alternative was to serve rock ptarmigan, a member of the grouse family. Despite the humble origins of that dish it remains a popular Christmas dish in many households and is now considered a delicacy, especially since you won’t find it on the shelves in the supermarket. You either have to hunt it yourself or find a hunter willing to sell you some of his catch! We’ve also adopted a few foreign traditions, most notably the Danish smoked ham and the American turkey.

similar to gingerbread sandwiched together with buttercream). Don‘t worry, it‘s acceptable to get them from a bakery these days, or even the supermarket!

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THE FESTIVAL OF OVEREATING

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ÞORLÁKSMESSA

DO IT RIGHT! December 23rd, is the saint day for saint Þorlákur, Iceland’s patron saint (Iceland’s only saint, in fact). It's the last day before Christmas in Iceland and the stress of getting everything done in time, the presents, the cards, the food, is beginning to get to people. It’s not all bad though because mixed in with the stress, the desperation and the anxiety is a Christmassy sense of joy and love for your friends and relatives, most of whom you’ll be running into While you’re running the last few hundred errands. The atmosphere is not to be missed, but there are a couple of guidelines to be followed for the optimal Þorláksmessa experience.

SKIP THE MALLS AND HEAD TO LAUGAVEGUR While Kringlan and Smáralind, the biggest shopping malls in Reykjavík, have plenty of great stores for most of your shopping needs, You just can’t beat the Christmassy atmosphere of this open-air shopping street in the city centre, lined with the colourful little houses Reykjavík is famous for. Plus, the hot chocolate tastes so much better when you come in from the cold. There’s no question about it, the charming main shopping street is where it’s at.

COMMISERATE WITH YOUR FELLOW SHOPPERS If you’re not fluent in Icelandic, it might be interesting for you to know that on Þorláksmessa you only really need to know one sentence to keep up a conversation on this day. Just say “Jæja, ertu búin að öllu?” (transl. So, have you done everything yet?). I guarantee the person you’re talking to will get a worried look on their face and start rattling off a list of everything they haven’t, in fact, done yet. All you have to do to keep up your half of the conversation is nod sympathetically every now and then and maybe throw in a cheery “Gleðileg

jól” (Merry Christmas) before you leave your acquaintance to their desperation.

GO DOWNTOWN, EVEN IF YOU REALLY DON’T NEED TO GO SHOPPING! I may be exaggerating a tiny bit. There are actually some people, or so I’ve heard, that have actually finished everything before Þorláksmessa, baked all the cookies, put up all the decorations, and probably finished wrapping all the gifts in October. But even those people come downtown on Þorláksmessa, either having left one last present unbought, or even just taking an unashamedly purposeless walk down Laugavegur, bothering the rest of us with their preparedness. Basically, it’s the place to be, especially during the evening. So buy that last present, or just go get a beer or a cup of cocoa, but don’t miss out on the Þorláksmessa experience.

REALLY GET INTO THE ÞORLÁKSMESSA SPIRIT I’ve saved the best for last. You thought this was going to be all nice walks down Laugavegur admiring the Christmas lights and drinking Christmas beer, didn’t you? Well, think again. An integral part of the Þorláksmessa experience is (I swear this is true) eating the most foul-smelling seafood Iceland has to offer, fermented skate. Fish with a cartilaginous skeleton, such as skate and shark, can be fermented in this way because of the high amount of naturally occurring chemicals that preserve the fish but cause it to stink in the process. Sounds appetising, right? If you’re interested, many restaurants in Reykjavík offer a skate buffet on Þorláksmessa (usually serving edible fish along with it, in case the skate turns out to be too offensive to your taste buds). Also, I’ve heard the taste is slightly better than the smell.

Try our amazing 3 course dinner menu STARTER

Choose between Langoustine Fried langoustine, green celery, spring onions, lobster butter sauce and mango salsa or Icelandic roll- 4 pcs Gravlax roll with Brennivín (Icelandic traditional Snaps) and dill. Avocado, mango, cucumber, dill mayo, rye bread crumble

MAIN COURSE

Choose between Grilled salmon Mango-cucumber salsa, plantain-chips, chili foam, dill or Rack of lamb Onion purée, slow cooked leeks, chimichurri, baked carrot

DESSERT Skyr Skyr infused with birch, berries, white chocolate crumble, and sorrel granita

5.900 kr. Our kitchen is open 17.00–23.00 sun.–thu. 17.00–24.00 fri.–sat.

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CHRISTMAS MUSIC IN

HALLGRÍMSKIRKJA Every year in December, festive Christmas and Advent music takes centre stage in Hallgrímskirkja Church in Reykjavík during the annual Hallgrímskirkja Christmas Music Festival. This year is no exception with the 2016 version providing a dazzling and diverse array of choral, organ and instrumental music that will bring good cheer to all attendees. The festivities begin with the customary and popular Christmas Concerts of the prestigious Hallgrímskirkja Motet Choir, on Sunday, December the 4th at 5 pm and Tuesday, December the 6th at 8 pm. This year the Motet Choir is honoured to present two fantastic guest performers from Sweden, the marvellous soprano singer Maria Keohane and Mattias Wager, the head organist of Stockholm’s cathedral and one of Scandinavia’s most famous organ virtuosos. The choir and the distinguished guests will perform a charming selection of Swedish, Icelandic and well-known classical Christmas pieces that will undoubtedly bring the Christmas spirit. The conductor is Hörður Áskelsson, the director of the choir and organist at Hallgrímskirkja.

On Sunday, December, the 11th at 5pm, there will be an organ concert, “NOËL, NOËL!” where Björn Steinar Sólbergsson, organist at Hallgrímskirkja will play Christmas Music on the magnificent Klais Organ. Between Christmas and New Year a true highlight of the Christmas Music Festival will take place when the Hallgrímskirkja chamber choir Schola Cantorum will perform J. S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio along with the renowned Hallgrímskirkja Baroque Orchestra led by concertmaster Tuomo Suni, and some wonderful young solo singers, most of them members of the choir: Thelma Hrönn Sigurdórsdóttir soprano, Hildigunnur Einarsdóttir alto, Benedikt Kristjánsson tenor and Fjölnir Ólafsson bass. There will be two performances, on Thursday the 29th of December at 8pm and Friday the 30th of December at 8 pm. The conductor is Hörður Áskelsson. Finally, on New Year’s Eve, at 4:30 pm, the highly popular “Festive Sounds” concert returns to welcome the New Year. Ásgeir H. Steingrímsson, Eiríkur Örn Pálsson and Einar St. Jónsson trumpet players, Eggert Pálsson timpanist and Björn Steinar Sólbergsson organist will perform a selection of highly popular pieces such as Toccata and Fugue in d- minor by J. S. Bach and Albinoni’s Adagio. This concert is a big favourite among music devotees in Hallgrímskirkja and has taken place every year since 1992. Tickets for all events are available in Hallgrímskirkja (Telephone: 511-1000) and online at www.tix.is.

HALLGRÍMSKIRKJA CHRISTMAS MUSIC FESTIVAL 2016

O, HOLY LIGHT

The Hallgrimskirkja Motet Choir Christmas Concert Sunday December 4 at 5 pm - Tuesday December 6 at 8 pm

The Motet Choir of Hallgrímskirkja has for years brought joy to the people of Iceland during Christmas and the choir‘s annual Christmas concerts are a true highlight of the diverse array of christmas and advent concerts in Reykjavík in December. Performers: The Hallgrimskirkja Motet Choir, Maria Keohane soprano star from Sweden Mattias Wager organist of Stockholm’s Cathedral. Conductor Hörður Áskelsson, Music Director of Hallgrímskirkja. Admission: ISK 5.900.

J.S. Bach

CHRISTMAS ORATORIO I-III BWV 248

Thursday December 29 at 8 pm Friday December 30 at 5 pm One of the most cherished Christmas classical pieces of all times, performed to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the chamber choir Schola cantorum. Performers: Schola cantorum chamber choir of Hallgrímskirkja, The Hallgrimskirkja International Baroque Orchestra, concertmaster Tuomo Suni (FI), Thelma Hrönn Sigurdórsdóttir soprano, Hildigunnur Einarsdóttir alto, Benedikt Kristjánsson tenor, Fjölnir Ólafsson bass. Conductor Hörður Áskelsson Music Director of Hallgrímskirkja. Admission: ISK 9.500 / 6.500.

NOËL, NOËL! Christmas organ concert

Sunday December 11 at 5 pm

Björn Steinar Sólbergsson organist at Hallgrímskirkja plays Christmas Music on the magnificent Klais organ of Hallgrímskirkja. Admisson ISK 2.900.

FESTIVE SOUNDS AT NEW YEARS EVE!

December 31, New Years Eve 4.30 pm Festive music for three trumpets, timpani and organ. Famous works by J.S.Bach ( Toccata and Fugue in d- minor), Albinoni (Adagio), Charpentier and more. Ásgeir H. Steingrímsson, Eiríkur Örn Pálsson, Einar St. Jónsson trumpets, Eggert Pálsson timpani and Björn Steinar Sólbergsson, organist at Hallgrimskirkja. The New Years mood is set by the Festive Sounds by these long time musical partners. This hugely popular concert has been performed for a full house on the last day of the year since the inauguration of the Klais organ in 1992. Admission ISK 3.900 . Ticket sales at Hallgrímskirkja, tel. 510 1000 and online on TIX.IS. LISTVINAFELAG.IS - SCHOLACANTORUM.IS - MOTETTUKOR.IS

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ON LOCATIONS

Check out the article The Reykjavik Sight Experience on pages 10-11 for more information about the places numbered here.

REYKJAVIK CITY MAP

10 10 10 1010

WHAT’S ON

THE REYKJAVÍK MUSEUM WALK Reykjavík’s history reaches back for more than a thousand years and the city is rich with culture. This heritage can be experienced in the museums scattered throughout the city. To make life easier for you, here is a proposed Museum Walk that covers the best ones in downtown Reykjavik, all within a walking distance. 1

VOLCANO HOUSE

The museum gives visitors an idea of the life in Iceland, where volcanoes and earthquakes are a constant threat. Icelandic n at u re i s i n a st ate o f constant flux, earthquakes occur daily somewhere in Iceland, and volcanic eruptions are always a possibility. Volcano House lets you experience the world of Icelanders by coming as close as possible to experiencing an eruption or earthquake for yourself. They also have a Volcano Show, which consists of two back-to-back documentaries on historical volcanic eruptions.

REYKJAVÍK MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY

The museum’s main objective is to present both historical and contemporary photography in an artistic, social and cultural context, as well as nurture public and scholarly interest in photography and its culture. The collection’s themes are diverse, you can find family photographs, photos from portrait studios, industrial- and advertising photographs, press photography, landscape photographs and more.

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THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ICELAND

The nation’s most precious treasures are kept and displayed at The National Museum of Iceland. The museum was established on the 24th of February in 1863 and it’s aim is to increase and relay knowledge of Icelandic cultural heritage from the country’s settlement until now. In the museum you will find a permanent exhibition of objects that provide insight into Icelandic history and culture as well as temporary exhibitions highlighting specific eras or aspects of the Icelandic cultural heritage.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ICELAND

The principal art museum of Iceland, established in 1884. Its art collection consists mainly of 19th and 20th century art works. In its possession are many of the keystones of Icelandic art history, as well as a growing collection of works from other countries. The National Gallery’s main role is to collect, preserve, research and exhibit Icelandic art and offer education about it. There is also a considerable emphasis laid on showing Icelandic art in context with international art.

REYKJAVÍK ART MUSEUM

Hafnarhús serves as the m u s e u m ’s i n s t i t u t e o f contemporary art, where new developments in art are explored through d i ve r s e ex h i b i t i o n s o f Icelandic and international artists. An exhibition of paintings by well-known pop artist Erró is a permanent feature. Don’t forget to stop by the Hafnarhús shop for postcards, art posters and books published by the museum.

THE SETTLEMENT EXHIBITION

Archaeological remains were excavated in Aðalstræti in 2001, which turned out to be the oldest relics of human habitation in Reykjavík.The relics are now preserved at their original location and are the focal point of the Settlement Exhibition. The construction of Viking Age buildings is explained using multimedia technology and computer technology is used to give an impression of what life was like in the hall. This one is open late, until 8 pm.

The Wonders of the Volcanoes Volcano House features two documentaries that focus on the most famous eruptions of Iceland, including Vestmannaeyjar in 1973 and Eyjafjallajökull in 2010, as well as talking about the causes and effects of Icelandic volcanology in general. The Volcano House includes a FREE “hands on” geology exhibition featuring many different mineral samples, such as lava from the 2014 eruption of Bárðabunga and ash from the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull. Reviews from tripadvisor “Must-go when touring the museums of Reykjavik”

- Nikeflies, Connecticut, November 22, 2015

“A must stop for geology buffs!” - sfrarymt, Montana, October 3, 2015

“Volcano eruptions are a way of life for Iceland”

- FastEd1972, Texas, November 21, 2015

“Highlight of our time in Reykjavik!” - alexa011, Wisconsin, October 2, 2015

VOLCANO HOUSE

Volcano Cinema and Geological Exhibition in Downtown Reykjavik, next to the Old Harbour. Open Every Day from 10:00-21:00 / Show time every hour, on the hour. Tryggvagata 11, 101 Reykjavík | (+354) 555 1900 | www.volcanohouse.is

EVENTS Read more about these exhibitions at whatson.is/ec

NOTABLE FESTIVITIES & RECURRING EVENTS

EVENTS FROM WHATSON.IS/EC

CHRISTMAS IN ICELAND

December 1, 2016 INDEPENDANCE PUNK! @ ICELANDIC PUNK MUSEUM

DECEMBER 23RD ÞORLÁKSMESSA The biggest shopping day of the year, and the only day where people pretend to lake skate.

December 6, 2016 J.S BACH CONCERT @ DÓMKIRKJAN December 6, 2016 EDDIE IZZARD @ HARPA

DECEMBER 24TH AÐFANGADAGUR The day where Icelanders eat “Hamborgarahrygg” and exchange presents.

December 7, 2016 JETHRO TULL CHRISTMAS CONCERT @ HALLGRÍMSKIRKJA December 10, 2016 VAGINABOYS + KEF LAVÍK @ HARPA December 10, 2016 A CROON & SWOON CHRISTMAS CONCERT @ GAUKURINN December 14, 2016 CLASSICAL LUNCH CONCERT @ HANNESARHOLT December 15, 2016 HAVE A FUNKY KEXMAS @ KEX HOSTEL December 31st, 2016 NEW YEAR’S EVE 10K RUN AND 3K FUN RACE

DECEMBER 25TH JÓLADAGUR A day for eating “Hangikjöt” and spending cosy time with family and friends. DECEMBER 26TH ANNAR Í JÓLUM The second day of Christmas is really the third day, but who’s counting? DECEMBER 31ST GAMLÁRSDAGUR The last day of the year and a time to party and light up the sky with fireworks.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND EVEN MORE EVENTS, VISIT US ONLINE AT WHATSON.IS/EC SEND US YOUR EVENTS AT WHATSON.IS/EC/ADD OR EVENTS@WHATSON.IS

THE STEAK HOUSE

Steikhúsið simply means „The Steak House” and that underlines our goal, to focus solely on steaks. The Steak house is in the middle of Reykjavík, opposite the old harbor which has recently formed into a lively neighborhood of restaurants, cafes and artisan stores and work shops. When you wisit us, remember to try our “28 days” tendered meat. The heart of the place is a coal oven from Mibrasa, Spain. It is only a blacksmith and metal works in years gone by. THE KITCHEN IS OPEN FROM 17:00 TILL LATE — VISIT WWW.STEAK.IS

Booking: +354 561 1111 & steik@steik.is

Sunday 4th, 11th and 18th December, from 13:00 - 17:00 at Árbær Open Air Museum.

EVENTS

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS THE OLD FASHIONED WAY

The Árbær Open Air museum wil be getting ready for Christmas every Sunday in December until Christmas. The museum, which consists of traditional buildings from centuries past, will be celebrating and remembering old Icelandic Christmas traditions, such as singing popular songs and dancing around the Christmas tree. There will also be visits from the Yule lads and visitors will have the chance to take part in old-fashioned Christmas preparations. Guests can make traditional Icelandic Leaf Bread or spin yarn and try their hand at knitting. They can also get a taste of traditional Icelandic hangikjöt (smoked lamb) and make candles the way they used to in the olden days, while at Krambúð (the museum’s general store) guests can stock up on confectionary and a variety of Christmas goods. Admission is 1.500 ISK but it’s free for children under the age of 18, senior citizens, the disabled, and Reykjavík City Card Holders.

BJÖRK DIGITAL If you’ve heard of Iceland at all, you’ve heard of Björk. The elfin songstress has been spreading the gospel of Iceland all over the world for decades now, and still seems to be gaining in popularity. She regularly tries to pry open the boundaries between her music and other media and her newest project is no exception, the technological marvel and audiovisual experience, Björk digital. In this impressive display, Björk’s newest Vulnicura album is brought to life with the aid of virtual reality, giving you a chance to immerse yourself in the peculiar visual world of this groundbreaking artist. The exhibition (for lack of a better word) is open in Harpa until the end of December.

INGÓLFSTORG SKATING RINK AND CHRISTMAS MARKET

During December, Reykjavík is a winter wonderland of seasonal activities. Some of the favourites include going skating on the city pond when it freezes over, doing some Christmas shopping, and nibbling on some traditional Christmas treats while Christmas music plays all around. If you really want to do all this at once (perhaps you’re a busy person, or you’re just reeeeeally into Christmas) head down to Ingólfstorg this December. A wonderfully lit and decorated skating rink is set up in this square at the end of Austurstræti, surrounded by a Christmas market. You can even rent skates there so there’s no need to bring your own!

EVENTS

HAFNARFJÖRÐUR CHRISTMAS VILLAGE Hafnarfjörður is a charming town that’s just a short drive or a bus ride away from the city centre. The Hafnarfjörður town centre is a charming area most of the year but during the advent, when the Christmas village takes over the town, there’s hardly a more magical place to be in all of the capital area. The Christmas village is essentially a Christmas market, set in the picturesque old town of Hafnarfjörður. Have a stroll between the stalls and be sure to get some hot chocolate and/or traditional

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ADVENT EVENTS IN HARPA

Icelandic treats to keep you warm. You’ll very likely get the chance to hear some Christmas music as well as a visit from a few of the Icelandic Yule Lads!

Every Saturday in December, from 13-17, until Christmas, the Harpa concert hall puts on an advent programme to make waiting for Christmas a little less difficult. The programme is especially geared towards the youngest generation so this is a perfect chance for families to spend some quality time together, exploring the beautiful Harpa concert hall with its instantly recognisable glass frame, and enjoying the events and entertainment. Guests can expect some cosy Christmas music at the Harpa café and restaurant, music events from music schools all over the Reykjavík area and the youngest guests will have a chance to meet Maxímús Músíkus, the musical mouse who lives in Harpa and spends most of his time around the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

LAUGARDALUR – CHRISTMAS VALLEY The Laugardalur Valley, close to the city centre, is the leisure and activity centre for the people of Reykjavík. With one of the best swimming pools in a city full of great swimming pools, a family park and zoo that’s heaven for the younger generation, a botanical garden, complete with a hidden jewel of a café, Café Flóra, an art museum, and a skating rink with a decorated Christmas tree to skate around, Laugardalurinn is the perfect place to spend a day in December, especially for families. In Laugardalur Christmas Valley you might run into Jólakötturinn, the Yule Cat; one of many Icelandic

Christmas Creatures. The cat resides in the Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo but sometimes sneaks around in other parts of Laugardalur. Listen for a quiet meow and look out for paw tracks.

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EVENTS

VOLCANO HOUSE WONDERS OF VOLCANOES The Volcano House includes a FREE “hands on” geology exhibition featuring many different mineral samples, such as lava from the 2014 eruption of Bárðabunga and ash from the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull. A documentary in English is screened every hour, on the hour, from 10am to 9pm. It focuses on some of the most famous eruptions of Iceland, as well as talking about the causes and effects of Icelandic volcanology in general. The show is also available in different languages by prearrangement »» The Volcano House is fun and educational for people of all ages, and kids are especially welcome. (Free for 0-12) WONDERS OF VOLCANOES

»» The Volcano House is a great stop on your Museum Day. After standing and reading for hours, it’s nice to sit down and watch a movie. »» Volcano House is a great late-night activity (last show at 21:00), a good replacement if your tour is cancelled, or if the weather is bad (it’s always nice and warm inside). Drop by any time! For more information see www.volcanohouse.is.

HAFNARBORG

Artist Egill Sæbjörnsson addresses city planning and the importance of magic in our environment in his new installation in Hafnarborg’s main gallery in which he takes in the architecture of the museum itself and the relationship between man and space. The sculptures’ prototypes are partially based on mineature objects created at Bakery, an event held in Hafnarborg last

spring. There, people were invited to shape architectural elements in dough. Those objects were later baked and a few of them were remade in a larger scale and now have a role in a new exotic environment in Hafnarborg’s main gallery.

SIGURJÓN ÓLAFSSON MUSEUM ASSEMBLAGE Sigurjón Ólafsson is known as a traditional sculptor, modeller of clay and plaster pieces and a welder of iron structures. In addition a large proportion of his later sculptures out of wood can be classified as assemblages, consisting as they do of assorted wooden parts, found or reworked, constructed

ASSEMBLAGE

around a given spatial core. This show features a selection of these later assemblages, chosen by the artist's widow, Birgitta Spur.

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THE BUILDING AS A BEING & THE CITY AS THE PLATFORM OF OUR LIVES

THE BUILDING AS A BEING...

EVENTS

REYKJAVÍK ART MUSEUM ÁSMUNDARSAFN ÁSMUNDUR SVEINSSON AND ÞORVALDUR SKÚLASON: CHILDREN OF THE EYE Works by Ásmundur Sveinsson and Þorvaldur Skúlason The exhibition is a collaboration between Reykjavík Art Museum and the University of Iceland Art Collection.

ÁSMUNDUR & ÞORVALDUR

REYKJAVIK ART MUSEUM – HAFNARHÚS RICHARD MOSSE: THE ENCLAVE The six-channel video installation, shot in eastern Congo, is an immersive 40-minute of ghostly psychedelic magenta landscape blighted by human tragedy in Congo. In addition, a selection of large format photographs from The Enclave will also be on view.

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ERRÓ: WAR AND PEACE

In Erró’s art, scarcely a region exists where life flows by calmly and gently, far from the sound and fury of war. Striðið (War) is the title of one of his oldest works. It is a drawing in ink and watercolour that dates from 1950. Its subject is violence, destruction, death. Iceland, the artist’s native country, is represented in the centre and at the top of a small, circular planisphere placed in the middle of the composition and superimposed on the silhouette of a nuclear bomb, equidistant between East and West. From this over-sized globe-bomb emanate lethal rays crammed with skeletons.

YOKO ONO: ONE MORE STORY.. The exhibition ‘One More Story…’ aims to reveal the basic elements that define Yoko Ono’s extensive and diverse artistic career – a voyage through the notion of art itself, with a strong social and political engagement. On one hand there are the ‘Instruction’

KJARVAL

pieces, which ask questions about the conceptual principles behind the work of art, highlighting its ephemerality while de-sanctifying the object, as well as enlisting the participation of spectators in its material realisation. On the other hand there are the narratives expressing Ono’s poetic and critical vision.

REYKJAVÍK ART MUSEUM – KJARVALSSTAÐIR HILDUR BJARNADÓTTIR: ECOSYSTEM OF COLORS The works in this exhibition explore the desire to find one’s place in the world, a place of one’s own. Three years ago, Hildur acquired a piece of land in the south of Iceland. hrough this land she positions herself in time and space, personally, politically and artistically. The plants on the land act as recording devices of the place they grow in and the ecological and social system they belong to, collecting information

YOKO ONO

through the soil and the air, as well as their roots, petals, flowers and leaves.

KJARVAL – FROM COLLECTION Kjarvalsstaðir is a space where the art of Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval, in whose honour it is named, has been presented in diverse ways since it opened in 1973. In that time extensive research has been carried out on his art and his important place in Icelandic art history.

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The Reykjavík City Card offers free entry to a great selection of museums and galleries, all thermal pools in Reykjavík and free unlimited travel by bus within Reykjavík. In addition, the card also gives you a free ferry trip to Viðey island and discounts on various tours, in shops and on services.

EVENTS

THE CINEMA There’s a cosy little movie theatre on the Old Harbour waterfront in the Reykjavik Centre that’s simply called The Cinema. It offers a wide variety of documentaries, made by the renowned Icelandic filmmaker Valdimar Leifsson, on everything from volcanoes to the Northern Lights and glaciers. It has an impressive selection of scheduled shows and it’s also possible to book specially a number of others, including films in German. THE CINEMA

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ICELAND JOAN JONAS Joan Jonas (b. 1936) is a pioneer in the field of video and performance art and has a profound impact on artists who have seen her exhibitions in respected art institutions such as MoMA: Museum of Modern Art, The Kitchen, Queens Museum and Dia:Beacon in New York, Dokumenta 11 in Kassel, and Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona. Joan Jonas has received numerous awards for her art and has worked as a professor emeritus at MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, since 1998.

TEXT The exhibition T E X T shows a selection of text-based art

works by fifty Icelandic and international visual artists. The works all belong to the private art collection of Reykjavík and Berlin based collectors Pétur Arason and Ragna Róbertsdóttir, whose collection of contemporary art has reached over 1.000 works since the early 1960s until today.

Gallery of Iceland), collectively ring the bells inside the Gallery and then disperse throughout the building and onto the surrounding streets. The performers stop ringing when each individual can no longer hear another bell aside from his or her own, and return to the Gallery.

LET US KEEP OUR OWN NOON

Valtýr Pétursson (1919−1988) was a pioneer of Icelandic abstract art, a productive painter, an important critic and an active participant in artists' unions and groups. The exhibition be to opened at the National Gallery of Iceland in September 2016 is intended to provide an overview of his rich artistic career.

Let us keep our own noon (2013) consists of forty-seven handbells that were created using re-molded bronze from a French church bell crafted in 1742. The work is activated by performers who, at local noon (when the sun is positioned exactly above the National

VALTÝR PÉTURSSON

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Joan Jonas has made works based on the writing of Icelandic Nobel Price laureate Halldór Laxness, Under a Glacier, and one of the Icelandic Sagas, Laxdæla, neither of which has previously been exhibited in Iceland. The works will now be presented at the National Gallery of Iceland and the Akureyri Art Museum. Some of Jonas' previous works were exhibited at a group exhibition in the Living Art Museum in Reykjavik in 1985. Joan Jonas represented the US at the Venice Biennale in 2015.

JOAN JONAS

EVENTS PORTRAITS

JOAN JONAS

ÁSGRÍMUR JÓNSSON COLLECTION

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FRIGHTENING NATURE

In the magnificent works depicting people and animals fleeing from natural catastrophe, one can sense the artist's inner struggle bringing us closer to his life and work, joy and suffering which goes together with the process of creating as new roads are travelled. The story of a poor farmer's son, who becomes one of the nation's most respected painters, resembles a fairy tale. The varied treatment of the material shows the artist's continuous search for a suitable way of expressing the different subjects from local landscapes to the interpretation of the saga heritage, Icelandic folklore and fairy tales as natural disaster.

REYKJAVIK MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY PORTRAITS BY HASSELBLAD AWARD WINNERS This exhibition at the Reykjavík Museum of Photography featuresa selection of works by Hasselblad Award winners, from the Hasselblad

CENTURY OF THE CHILD

Foundation collection, with a particular focus on portraiture. Seen from the perspective of seven photographers, with works from 1940 until 2015, the exhibition features seminal pieces by legendary photographers such as Irving Penn – and his portrayals of Salvador Dalí and Marcel Duchamp – or Richard Avedon, depicting the power elite of 1970s USA for Rolling Stone magazine, in the series The Family (1976).

NORDIC HOUSE CENTURY OF THE CHILD: NORDIC DESIGN FOR CHILDREN 1900 TO TODAY The Nordic House is proud to present the exhibition Century

of the Child: Nordic Design for Children 1900 to Today. The exhibition appeals to visitors of all ages and The Nordic House offers various playful and interactive experiences in connection with the exhibition – both indoor and outdoor. Century of the Child gathers for the first time Nordic design for children from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day. The exhibits include prime examples of Nordic design, some of which are rare collectors items. At the exhibition you will encounter iconic works by Alvar Aalto, Ólafur Elíasson, Arne Jacobsen, Kay Bojesen, Carl og Karin Larsson, Peter Opsvik and Tove Jansson – and some of the world´s favorite brands like BRIO, LEGO and Marimekko.

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May 9:00

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Jul 9:00 10:00 13:00 14:00 17:00 20:30

Aug Sept Oct Nov-Dec 9:00 9:00 9:00 9:00** 10:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 14:00 17:00 17:00 19:00

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Express Whale Watching (RIB-boat) EL-06 – 15 April - 31 May at 10:00 and 14:00 – 1 June - 30 June at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00 – 1. July - 31. August at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00 14:00 15:00 and 16:00. – 1-30 September, two times a day at 10:00 and 14:00.

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Jan-Mar Apr 9:00** 9:00

Northern Light Cruise EL-09 – 1 Sept - 30 Sept & 15 Mars - 15 Apr at 22:00 – 1 Oct - 14 Mars at 21:00

– 1-16 October at 10:00

EVENTS

REYKJAVÍK MARITIME MUSEUM SEA WOMEN The exhibition is a collaborative project between Reykjavik city museum (of which the Maritime museum is a part) and Dr. Margaret E. Willson, an anthropologist with the University of Washington (Seattle, Washington State). Dr. Willson discovered through extensive historical and ethnographic research in Iceland that women have consistently worked at sea from the mid900s to the present day. In West Iceland, through the 1700s and 1800s, women comprised a full third of the fishing fleet. This appears to be different from any other group of female fishers about whom a study has been done. From the 1970s through the early 2000s.

MAKING OF A NATION

FROM POVERTY TO ABUNDANCE The exhibition portrays the Icelandic fisheries at the turn of the 20th century, and realistically depicts the lives of Icelandic fishermen. During this time, tenant fishermen resided in modest coastal cottages during the fishing season. On display is Farsæll, an original four-person rowboat built around 1900 in the Westman Islands.

A WOMAN'S PLACE... The exhibition A Woman's Place... examines the working lives of Icelandic women from 1915 to 2015. A hundred years after women gained the right to vote, and to be candidates, in parliamentary elections, we look ack, and ask: What have women in Iceland been doing for the past century? How hafve their circumstances

changed - and why? And what is a woman's place, after all? The cover is inspired by Deluxe and delightful, 1979 by artist Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir. Photo of a woman by Hjálmar Bárðarson, designer Ármann Agnarsson.

THE MAKING OF A NATION - HERITAGE AND HISTORY IN ICELAND 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 medieval settlers crossed the ocean to their new home, it ends in a modern airport, the Icelanders’ gateway to the world.

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THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ICELAND

SEA WOMEN

EVENTS

THE CULTURE HOUSE POINTS OF VIEW The exhibition offers visitors a chance to delve into the collections of six different cultural institutions, the National Museum of Iceland, National Gallery of Iceland, Natural History Museum, National Archives of Iceland, National and University Library of Iceland and Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies. Points of view offers an innovative guide to a nation’s cultural history exhibiting thousandyear-old treasures, e.g. manuscripts, along with the latest in Icelandic art.

EINAR JÓNSSON

EINAR JÓNSSON MUSEUM A museum in the heart of Reykjavík that houses the work of Iceland's first sculptor Einar Jónsson. The museum contains close to 300 art works 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.

SETTLEMENT SAGAS

THE SETTLEMENT EXHIBITION SETTLEMENT SAGAS

The central feature of this new exhibition are the nation‘s greatest treasures, ancient manuscripts that are usually kept under lock at The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic studies. This is a temporary exhibition and a rare opportunity to see these culturally valuable manuscripts that describe the Settlement of Reykjavik.

POINTS OF VIEW

Written in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the settlement sagas look back to life in Iceland from the ninth century through to the period of Iceland’s conversion to Christianity (in 1000 AD). They tell of settlers from Norway and

the British Isles and the regions where they settled, detailing their family origins and noteworthy descendants and sometimes giving their reasons for leaving their homelands.

SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH THE LOCALS: PRICELESS Enjoy your stay in Iceland, where you are as welcome as your MasterCardÂ®

EVENTS

THE ICELANDIC PUNK MUSEUM The Icelandic Punk Museum is located at Bankastræti 0, an underground location that served as public toilets from 1930 to 2006. The Icelandic Punk Museum honors 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 those years (roughly 1978 to 1992) are on display with texts in Icelandic and English, as well as the main music from the period is available to guests.

PUNK MUSEUM

MUSEUM OF DESIGN AND APPLIED ART ON PAPER Sketches and drawings by designers and artists An exhibition of a selection of drawings and sketches from the museum collection and from private collections will open on Saturday, November 19th. The pieces displayed provide an idea about the working process of designers and artists when making packaging, advertisements, book covers and of furniture and interior designers from the 1920s until the 1960s. The exhibition includes works by Jónas Sólmundsson (1905-1983), Jón Kristinsson or Jóndi (1925-2009), Kristín Þorkelsdóttir (1936), Lothar Grund (1923-1995), Stefán Jónsson (1913-1989) and Sverrir Haraldsson (19301985).

KEEPERS Museum collections are collections made up by a number of collected objects and sources that have some meaning to the museum But how are the objects

ON PAPER

collected? What reasons lie behind certain objects being collected and where do the boundaries lie when collecting objects for a collection? The exhibition KEEPERS focuses on the museums’s collection. It will display the diversity that defines the collection. The title refers both to the objects themselves, the ones worth keeping, as well as the people who preserved them, kept them and eventually so generously gave them to the museum for safekeeping.

KEEPERS

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EXHIBITIONS VISIT WHATSON.IS/MUSEUMS

ART & CULTURE

ÁRBÆR OPEN AIR MUSEUM

THE SETTLEMENT EXHIBITION

REYKJAVIK MARITIME MUSEUM

Kistuhylur, Reykjavik 411-6304 | reykjavikcitymuseum.is Hours: Weekdays guided tours 13:00. Sunday 4th, 11th and 18th December, from 13:00 -17:00

Aðalstræti 16, Reykjavik 411-6370 | reykjavikcitymuseum.is Hours: Daily 9-20

Grandagarður 8, Reykjavik 411-6340 | reykjavikcitymuseum.is Hours: Daily 12-17

REYKJAVIK MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY

THE EINAR JÓNSSON MUSEUM

Tryggvagata 15, Reykjavik 411-6390 | reykjavikcitymuseum.is Hours: Mon-Thu 12-19, Fri 12-18, Sat & Sun 13-17

Hallgrímstorg 3, Reykjavik 551-3797 | www.lej.is Hours: Tue-Sun 10-17

REYKJAVÍK CITY MUSEUM This unique museum was founded in 1957 in order to give visitors a tangible sense of Reykjavík’s past. It comprises a village-like collection of over twenty “homes,” each creating a very interesting exhibition in itself.

VIÐEY ISLAND

REYKJAVÍK CITY MUSEUM Unspoiled nature reigns on island of Viðey, which has a unique place in Icelandic history. Birdlife abounds on the island, while outstandi ng works of modern art also make their mark.

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Viðey Reykjavik 533-5055 reykjavikcitymuseum.is

REYKJAVIK CITY LIBRARY

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, Reykjavik 411-6100 | borgarbokasafn.is Hours: Mon-Thu 10-19, Fri 11-18, Sat & Sun 13-17

REYKJAVÍK CITY MUSEUM Experience Viking-Age Reykjavik at the Settlement Exhibition. Multimedia techniques bring Reykjavik’s past to life, providing visitors with insights into how people lived in the Viking Age, and what the environment looked like to the settlers.

REYKJAVÍK CITY MUSEUM/ FREE ENTRY The aim of the museum is to shape a unique vision and to be leading in its field. The museum preserves various collections from professional and amateur photographers.

HAFNARBORG

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: Wed-Mon 12-17

REYKJAVÍK CITY MUSEUM It is impossible to truly get to know Iceland without getting to know its fishing history. The museum’s main exhibitions illustrate the development from rowing boats to m o d e r n t raw l e r s a n d t h e construction of Reykjavik harbour.

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.

THE NUMISMATIC MUSEUM

FREE ENTRY A selection from the numismatic collection is on display on the ground floor of the Central Bank’s main building in Kalkofnsvegur 1, Reykjavik. Kalkofnsvegur 1, Reykjavik 569-9600 www.sedlabanki.is Hours: Mon-Fri 13:30-15:30

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The National Gallery of Iceland has come a long way from its origins. To begin with, the collection consisted of donated artwork, mainly by Danish artists. Today the museum stands at Frikirkjuvegur in central Reykjavik, displaying both Icelandic and International art. Fríkirkjuvegur 7, Reykjavík 515-9600 | www.listasafn.is Hours: Tue-Sun: 10-17

THE LIVING ART MUSEUM

An active exhibition space that has organized many exciting exhibitions throughout the years. They put a n e m p h a s i s o n i n t ro d u c i n g young Icelandic artists, as well as showcasing work by better-known Icelandic and foreign modern and contemporary artists.

Offers a 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, Reykjavik 530-2200 | nationalmuseum.is Hours: Tue-Sun 10-17

THE ICELANDIC PHALLOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Probably the most unique museum you’ll visit on your trip, the Icelandic Phallological Museum is a one of a kind. Here you’ll find a collection of more than two hundred penises and penile part belonging to almost all land and sea mammals that can be found in Iceland. Laugavegur 116, Reykjavik 561 6663 | www.phallus.is Hours: Daily 10-18

HANNESARHOLT

VOLCANO HOUSE

Grundarstígur 10, Reykjavik 511-1904 | www.hannesarholt.is Hours: Daily 11-17

Tryggvagata 11, Reykjavik 555-1900 | www.volcanohouse.is Hours: Daily 10-21

Cultural center and historic home of Hannes Hafstein, Iceland’s first Minister of State, now houses the non-profit Hannesarholt, dedicated to retrieving cultural memory, and revitalizing cultural roots. Bordstofan Bistro open daily from 11am – 6pm. Short doc on Hannes Hafstein and early. Reykjavik Guided historic city walks Tue and Thu at 1 pm by appointment.

Shows documentaries that give a good idea of real life in Iceland, where volcanoes and earthquakes are a constant threat. There’s also a geological stone exhibition, which gives a brief overview of Iceland’s geological history and volcanic system, and a boutique, with Icelandic designs, artwork, lava rocks, pumice, bottles of ash and Lava Jewellery.

SIGURJÓN ÓLAFSSON MUSEUM

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: Sat-Sun 14-17

MUSEUM OF DESIGN AND APPLIED ART

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

AURORA REYKJAVIK

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 center features information, education and of course stunning visuals of the elusive lights that’ll get your heart racing. Grandagarður 2, Reykjavik 780-4500 | aurorareykjavik.is Hours: Daily 9-21

Find more recommendations at whatson.is

Völvufell 13-21, Reykjavik 551-4350 | www.nylo.is Hours: Tue-Fri 12-17

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ICELAND

ART & CULTURE

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ICELAND

ART & CULTURE

KJARVALSSTAÐIR

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, Reykjavik 411-6420 | www.artmuseum.is Hours: Daily 10-17

GLJÚFRASTEINN LAXNESS MUSEUM

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.

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Gljúfrasteinn, Mosfellsbær 586-8066 | www.gljufrasteinn.is Closed for repairs in December.

ÁSMUNDARSAFN

Opened in 1983, the collection is housed in a unique building designed and constructed mostly by the artist himself from 19421950. The original building served Sveinsson as studio and home; behind it he built a crescent-shaped structure as a work- and exhibition space. Sigtún, Reykjavik 411-6430 | www.artmuseum.is Hours: Daily 10-17.

THE CULTURE HOUSE

Artifacts and works of art from the varied collections of six institutions provide a reflection of Iceland’s visual art history and cultural heritage in the exhibition Points of View, a journey through the Icelandic visual world of past and present. There are seven points of view to be found in as many wings of the house, connecting what you’ll see, independent from the medium or time. Hverfisgata 15, Reykjavik 545-1400 | www.culturehouse.is Hours: Tue-Sun 10-17

GERÐARSAFN

SAGA MUSEUM

Hamraborg 4, Kópavogur 441-7600 | gerdarsafn.is Hours: Tue-Sun 11-17

Grandagardur 2, Reykjavik 511-1517 | sagamuseum.is Hours: Daily 10-18

Gerðarsafn is a progressive modern art museum in Kópavogur. It’s dedicated to sculptor Gerður Helgadóttir and it’s the only museum in Iceland dedicated to a woman. The museum collection consists of more than 1400 works by Gerður, as well as the works of the most celebrated Icelandic artists of the 20th and 21st century.

From the time of the earliest settlers, history is brought to life in a unique and exciting way. The Saga Museum intimately recreates key moments in Icelandic history, moments that have determined the fate of our people and which give a compelling view into how Icelanders have lived for more than a millenium.

HAFNARHÚS

The Reykjavik Art Museum took p o ss e ss i o n o f i t s p o r t i o n o f Hafnarhús (Harbour House) in 2000. Hafnarhús was built in 193239 for the offices and warehouses of Reykjavik Harbor and was at that time one of the largest buildings in the country. Tryggvagata 17, Reykjavik 411-6410 | www.artmuseum.is Hours: Daily 10-17, Thu 10-20

ÁSGRÍMUR JÓNSSON COLLECTION

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: Sun 14-17

WHALES OF ICELAND

The largest whale exhibition in Europe (and perhaps even the world), where guests can learn about the giants of the sea in a calm and modern environment. The permanent exhibition features whales like guests have never seen them before. It is truly a giant experience. Fiskislóð 23-25, Reykjavik 571-0077 | whalesoficeland.is Hours: Daily 10-17

Wool & Souvenirs

The viking:info Skólavörðustíg 3 · Reykjavík Skólavörðustíg 25 · Reykjavík Hafnarstræti 104 · Akureyri info@theviking.is

www.theviking.is www.facebook.com/TheVikingAkureyri www.facebook.com/TheVikingReykjavik

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Don’t Fight the Power. Feel It. We could talk forever about how interesting our clean energy production at Hellisheidi is. But, instead, let’s see what some of our guests at the Geothermal Exhibition have to say on TripAdvisor: “A must see activity”, “Bucket List”, “... interactive and inspiring”, “Now I’m impressed!” We hope to welcome you too on your trip to Iceland at the most powerful exhibition in the world.

Only 20 min. drive from Reykjavík. A perfect stop on your way to or from the city.

The exhibition is open every day 9am-5pm. Info: exhibition@on.is Tel: (+354) 591 2880 www.onpower.is/exhibition

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TOURIST INFORMATION Laugavegur 5, ReykjavÃk City Centre www.whatson.is | booking@whatson.is

Two Icelandic themed villages

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Restaurant & Lodging

The Viking Village is a unique place and it is the only Viking theme Hotel and restaurant in Iceland. We have step by step been developing our facilities over the last 24 years and will hopefully continue to do so in the future. We offer Hotel accommodation and Viking houses. Good for families and groups.

The Fisherman´s village, our newest accommodation is Hlið in Álftanes only few minutes drive from the Viking Village. Like a country home by the seaside. Such an idyllic place to visit. The restaurant is open for groups in the evenings. Close to the president´s residence.

ve ri re d nt es ce ut ty in ci m e 15 th to

Viking feasts - Souvenirs - Live entertainment most nights “You haven't been in Iceland if you haven't been to us“ Don’t miss it! Booking: www.vikingvillage.is | +354 565 1213

Welcome to Gló Restaurant AT LAUGAVEGUR Gló is Iceland’s most popular health food restaurant in Reykjavik. Gló offers different set menu everyday: Raw food, chicken, a vegetarian dish and soup. Tasty desserts, coffee, tea and delicious juices are offered as well.

Laugavegur 20b · Open every day 11–22 Tel 553 1111 · www.glo.is · #gloiceland

Named after a legendary Icelandic football player, Reykjavík's premier Sports Bar is nestled in the heart of the city and boasts the biggest array of HD screens in town. Classic bar food is served hot and the beers ice cold. Finally, it’s open 7 days a week so you never miss the game! Austurstræti 20, Reykjavik 561-2240 | bjarnifel.is

KOFINN

This café/bar is in the perfect spot on the main street. This snug basement used to be a butcher’s shop but has been transformed into a comfy place to relax, have a drink and swap tales with friends. As an added bonus, Kofinn doesn’t just have happy hour, they have coffee hour as well! Laugavegur 2, Reykjavik www.ktf.is

Best known as Damon Albarn’s hangout place back in the days, this most famous bar in Iceland is a popular destination for the artsy and univer sity 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, Reykjavik 551-1588 www.kaffibarinn.is

AMERICAN BAR

Laugavegur 20b, Reykjavik 581-2200

Austurstræti 8, Reykjavik 571 9999

DEN DANSKE KRO

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 craftbrewed beers on tap. Great happy hour and great fun, Kaldi is a place not-to-be-missed!

B5 bar/bistro has become a very popular establishment with the locals of the capital. With its very contemporary and stylish interior, b5 is laid back during the day, while as night falls, the lights dim and the atmosphere changes accordingly. Bankastræti 5, Reykjavik 552-9600 www.b5.is

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.

There is live music playing every night at Den Danske Kro and sometimes there are live football games, pub quizzes, beer bingo, darts and happy hours. Den Danske Kro is a casual place in the heart of Reykjavik where everyone is welcome. Ingólfsstræti 3, Reykjavik 552-0070 www.danski.is

BAR ANANAS

THE ENGLISH PUB

Klapparstígur 38, Reykjavik

Austurstræti 12, Reykjavik 578-0400 www.facebook.com/enskibarinn

Ten seconds from Laugavegur, you'll find Iceland’s one and only BeachBar/Tiki Bar in downtown Reykjavík. There, most things are made in the shape of a pineapple. Pillows, glasses, chandeliers, candlesticks and more. At weekends city's best DJs will make guests feel sunny while they enjoy some of the best cocktails in town.

In the mood for a pint? English Pub offers over 35 brands of beer and Whiskey. Whatever your preference – you will find it here. This is also a great place if you would like to catch some football (soccer). Inside they have 3 big screens and 2 TV’s so that you can catch all the action as it happens.

Find more recommendations at whatson.is

KAFFIBARINN

KALDI BAR

PUBS & NIGHTLIFE

BJARNI FEL SPORTSBAR

PUBS & NIGHTLIFE

HÚRRA

Dark and raw, this large bar/club opens up its back room to make a concert venue, with live music or DJs most nights. They’ve got six Icelandic microbreweries on tap and happy hour runs till 21:00. One of the coolest and hipster friendly places in town and your best bet of catching the next big thing from Iceland. Naustin, Reykjavik www.hurra.is

DRUNK RABBIT

Find more recommendations at whatson.is

Every city needs to have a friendly neighbourhood Irish pub and in Reykjavík, that bar is the Drunk Rabbit. It doesn’t matter if you’re going in for a snack, to enjoy the live music they have every night, people-watching in the lively bar, or just enjoying a beer or five in good company, the Drunk rabbit has got everything you need.

Austurstræti 3, Reykjavik 553 1041

LOFT HOSTEL

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, Reykjavik 553 8140

LEBOWSKI BAR

The Big Lebowski by the Coen brothers is not only a film, it has now become a lifestyle. With the emergence of the Lebowski Bar in Reykjavik, everyone can now be a part of The Dude’s peculiar world. They even offer a whole White russian menu! Laugavegur 20a, Reykjavík 552-2300 | www.lebowski.is

AUSTUR

O n e o f t h e h o t te st c l u b s i n downtown Reykjavik, and has been since it first opened in 2009. Austur is located in Austurstraeti, one of the main bar- and shopping streets downtown, and even though the surrounding area is filled with clubs and bars, Austur seems to be the center of attention. Austurstræti 7, Reykjavik 568-1907

KIKI - QUEER BAR

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

MICROBAR

Beer enthusiasts look no further! In a cellar underneath Restaurant Reykjavík, just off Ingólfstorg square, 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. Vesturgata 2, Reykjavik

LOFTIÐ

Some nights, you just want to get all dressed up and go downtown for a cocktail or two. When you’re in that kind of mood, there’s no place better to relax than in the comfortable leather chairs at Loftið, with a delicious drink crafted by the skilled mixologists tending the bar. Austurstræti 9, Reykjavík www.loftbar.is

CAFÉ RÓSENBERG

There’s always something happening at Café Rósenberg! The concert and event programme is impressive, ranging from intimate concerts, to stand-up shows to a blues or jazz band taking the stage. It doesn’t hurt that the food there is delicious! Klapparstíg 27, Reykjavik 551 2442

There are many places worth checking out in Iceland and even though we feel that our 21 stores should be up there with the waterfalls and geysers, we’re not completely mad. That’s why we offer free delivery right to your door.

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SHOPPING & STYLE Find more recommendations at whatson.is 86

ANNA MARÍA DESIGN

For over twenty years, jewelry designer Anna Maria has created her things of gold and silver, a design that is both pure and timeless. Exceptional attention to detail and craftsmanship create the elegant simplicity that shines through Anna Maria’s products. Skólavörðustígur 3, Reykjavik 551-0036 www.annamariadesign.is

LISTVINAHÚSIÐ

The oldest ceramic workshop in Iceland established 1927. Three generations of artistic potters. U n i q u e h a n d m a d e ce ra m i c s , Viking masks and various ceramic potteries decorated with lava, made by Gudmundur Einarsson. Located right next to Hallgrímskirkja and the statue of “Leif the Lucky”. Skólavörðustígur 43, Reykjavik 551-2850 www.listvinahusid.is

HRÍM

Icelanders are known for being a stylish people, whether you judge from their clothes, their homes, or just their lifestyles. At the heart of their stylishness is Scandinavian design, whether it‘s Icelandic or from our neighbouring countries. The Hrím stores offer you the chance to decorate your home (or even yourself) with the classic style of the Scandinavians!

On Laugavegur, in the heart of Reykjavík, you’ll find the very unique Little Christmas Shop— which is dedicated to the spirit of Christmas, all year round. There you’ll find Icelandic decorations and everything needed for that festive spirit. Should not be missed as it is definitely one of the most special and fun stores to visit.

Laugavegur 25, Reykjavik 553-3003 | www.hrim.is

Laugavegur 8, Reykjavik 552-2412

ÁLAFOSS

METAL DESIGN

One of Iceland’s major woollen industry shops, the Álafoss store. Situated in old factory premises that for decades were the leading manufacturers and exporters of Icelandic woollens, Álafoss is a company that strives towards offering the newest wares along with the traditional Icelandic wool sweaters. Laugavegur 8, Reykjavik 566-6303 | www.alafoss.is

JÖKLA

IGLÓ&INDÍ

Laugavegur 90, Reykjavik 696 6604

Skólavörðustígur 2, Reykjavik 445-2020 | www.igloandindi.com

If you‘er interested in getting some Icelandic design to take back home , be sure to stop by Jökla on your way down the Laugavegur shopping street. You can get Icelandic design for you, your children, or your home and the best thing is that you‘re buying straight from the designers

THE LITTLE CHRISTMAS SHOP

Loved by parents and children alike and praised in the media for boldness and creativity, Ígló&Indí has offered both parents and children an ever growing collection of clothes with a fresh take on children’s fashion since 2008— representing the best childhood has to offer.

The jewellery forms which Metal design is known for are inspired by the Icelandic flora. But what stands out the most is the shape “The Coast” that is inspired by the waves of the Icelandic coast.”The coast silver jewellery line is for ladies and gentlemen. Skólavörðustígur 2. Reykjavik 552-5445 www.MetalDesignReykjavik.is

CINTAMANI

Nowhere in the populated world does the weather change as fast, or as often as here. Thus Icelandic d e s i g n e r s h ave to m e e t t h e requirements of consumers who have to go out all year long in harsh conditions. That‘s where the label Cintamani comes to the rescue. Their goal is to keep us warm, dry and comfortable, whatever the weather may bring. Bankastræti 7, Reykjavik 533-3800 | www.cintamani.is

BY BOAT

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NORTHERN LIGHTS BY BOAT

SEP OCT NOV DES JAN FEB MAR APR** 22:00 21:00* 21:00 21:00 21:00 21:00 21:00* 22:00

WHALE WATCHING FROM REYKJAVIK

PRICE: Adults 9.900 ISK Children (7-15) 50% OFF Children (0-6) FREE

*Departing at 21:00 from 16th Oct-14th Mar **Until 15 April

WHALE WATCHING SEP OCT NOV DES JAN FEB MAR APR 09:00 09:00 09:00 09:00 10:00* 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 14:00* 17:00** Price: Adults: 9.900 ISK Children (7-15) 50% OFF Children (0-6) FREE

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WE GO THE EXTRA MILE! Book online www.specialtours.is / info@specialtours.is Call us +354 560 8800, or visit our ticket sale at the old harbour

SHOPPING & STYLE

GALLERY GALLERA

MICHELSEN

Inside their spacious shop in downtown Reykjavik, Michelsen Watchmakers offer you to browse one of Iceland’s best selection of watches. Along with their own design they also have a wide selection of well-known brands including Rolex, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Diesel, Movado, Swiss Military and more.

KRAUM

If you walk up a flight of stairs from the city‘s main shopping street, you‘ll come across this hidden gem of a space, Gallery Gallera. This workshop/gallery/store is run by a group of up-and-coming artists and sells everything from hand-printed t-shirts to books and posters, perfect to keep for yourself or as gifts for family and friends back home! Laugavegur 33, Reykjavik 773-3550

Laugavegur 15, Reykjavik 511-1900 | www.michelsen.is

Bankastræti 7, Reykjavik 517-7797 www.kraum.is

KIOSK

GEYSIR

Don‘t leave Reykjavík without stopping by one of the city‘s most ambitious galleries! I8 is one of the mainstays on the scene and constantly offers new and exciting works by Iceland‘s best-known artists. Stop by to take a look at the cream of Icelandic art today!

Find more recommendations at whatson.is

Ingólfsstræti 6, Reykjavik 552-4700 www.studiostafn.is

THE HANDKNITTING ASSOCIATION OF ICELAND

Renowned for its excellent products and quality. Offering the widest selection of traditional hand knitted Icelandic sweaters, the range of products also includes special designs and a variety of woolen products from leading Icelandic manufactures. Skólavörðustígur 19, Reykjavik 552-1890 | www.handknit.is

Taking some Icelandic design home is the best possible souvenir of a great trip. Luckily, Icelandic designers are known for their inimitable style! Try stopping by Kiosk, a co-op shop owned by 8 different designers. Not only are the clothes to die for, but the designers also take shifts behind the counter so you get to meet the people behind the design as well! Laugavegur 65, Reykjavik 445 3269 | kioskreykjavik.com

EPAL

Their main goal has been to increase Icelanders interest and respect for fine design by introducing and providing top quality design products from all over the world, particularly Scandinavia. Epal has always been very supportive of Icelandic designers and done what they can to help them promote their design around the world. Laugavegur 70.Skeifan 6, & Harpa Reykjavik, Keflavík Airport 568-7740 | www.epal.is

Natural light floods the wooden floors and the fresh white walls of this stunning design hub and retail outlet, which already attracts some of Iceland's top talents. More than 70 designers are contributing to a huge selection of products that include children’s puzzles, fish skin lamps and exquisite jewellery.

Rustic, vintage interior, intertwined with the latest fashion in outdoor and woolen clothing. Add some puffin, reindeers and other iconic animals and you‘ve got one of the coolest shops in town. This is one place you‘ll have to visit, if only for the experience. Skólavörðustíg 16, Reykjavík 519-6000 www.geysir.com

KRINGLAN

Kringlan Shopping Centre is conveniently located close to downtown Reykjavik. Standing at 50.000 sq.m. and equipped with 150 shops and services, including a multiplex cinema, a seven-outlet food court and three themed restaurants, it has something to suit every need. Kringlan 4-12, Reykjavik 517-9000 | www.kringlan.is

Pub quiz Bingo

Dj lounge

SMAKKBARINN ICELANDIC TAPAS

TRY OUR SPECIAL CHRISTMAS MENU KlapparstÃgur 38 774 4404 facebook.com/SmakkBarinn

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FOOD & DRINK

FORRÉTTABARINN

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!

Find more recommendations at whatson.is

Is a centrally located and affordable restaurant that boasts an extensive international menu with an emphasis on Tex-Mex, Italian, Indian and many light meal options. One thing you can be sure of, when you visit Vegamót is that the place will be crowded. It's usually filled with locals for lunch, dinner and during evenings.

BRYGGJAN Bryggjan is not just a restaurant where you can get fresh Icelandic seafood overlooking the old harbour, it also doubles as a brewery. For beer enthusiasts, Bryggjan also offers an evening of beer school, where you can learn all about the beer and how it’s made, while tasting it with the appropriate courses.

Nýlendugata 14, Reykjavík 517-1800 | www.forrettabarinn.is

Vegamótastígur 4, Reykjavik 511-3040 | www.vegamot.is

Grandagarður 8, Reykjavík 456-4040 | bryggjanbrugghus.is

AUSTURLANDAHRAÐLESTIN

ARGENTÍNA STEAKHOUSE

HAMBORGARABÚLLAN – BURGER JOINT

Barónsstígur 11a, Reykjavik 551-9555 | www.argentina.is

Geirsgata 1, Reykjavik 511-1888 www.bullan.is

UNO RESTAURANT

ICELANDIC FISH & CHIPS

An excellent Indian restaurant, focusing on quality take-away, with the option of eating in. This means that while it‘s technically “fast food”, it’s definitely of restaurant q u a l i t y. T h e m e n u i n c l u d e s everything you could expect from an Indian restaurant, with the Chicken Tandoori being especially recommended.

VEGAMÓT BISTRO

Lækjargata 8, Reykjavik 578-3838 | www.hradlestin.is

SNAPS

A new restaurant in Iceland situated at Odinstorg. Snaps is a classic french bistro using local Icelandic ingredients. The location could not be better. Snaps is literally a few steps away from downtown Reykjavik, close to the National Theatre, The National Gallery of Iceland and the two main shopping streets of Reykjavik” Óðinstorg, Reykjavik 511-6677 | www.snaps.is

They offer some of the the finest cuisine there is to find in the whole city. Grilling meat and fish of all kinds Argentinian style using wooden coal is what they do better than any other restaurant and frankly, you won‘t believe your own tastebuds

Uno is a relatively new, modern Italian restaurant in downtown Reykjavik, where original Italian culinary customs and Icelandic ingredients come together to form a delightful treat. Whether you're in the mood for a light lunch or a dinner feast, Uno is the place to be! Hafnarstræti 1-3, Reykjavik 561-1313 | www.uno.is

Since 2004, the Joint has kept it simple, fun and delicious. Sitting right by the Old Harbour, in a small, iconic house, the atmosphere of the Burger Joint is hard to find elsewhere. You can feel the joy of the staff, as they serve you juicy burgers, exploding with great taste.

This is not your run of the mill fish and chip shop! Not only does the restaurant use the freshest fish and ingredients, they serve their fish with delicious skyr-based sauces,.This fast-food upgrade is much more nutritious than you‘d think! After eating, we recommend visiting the Volcano House, it‘s in the same building! Tryggvagata 11, Reykjavik 511 11 18 | ww.fishandchips.is

SKÓLAVÖRÐUSTÍGUR 14 - 101 REYKJAVÍK - TEL: +354 571 1100

Sundays are live jazz nights at Bryggjan Brugghús,

Bryggjan is an Iceland’s first Microbrewery &, Bistro Bar situated on Reykjavik harbour, that

You can expect some jazz standards, warm spirits and very good beer! ENTRANCE IS FREE

emphasizes fresh ingredients and various styles of high-quality beer, pumped directly from the brewery itself. Bryggjan can accommodate up to 280 guests and is open from 11.00 to 01.00, every day of the week. k Fis

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SEAFOOD

BUFFET Every day from 17:30

Salted Cod With almond and chive butter, fig and potatoes

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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, Reykjavik 561-1111 | www.steik.is

AUSTURINDÍAFJELAGIÐ

The spices used to season the food at Austur-Indiafjelagid are imported directly from India and blended on the spot by their team of highly experienced chefs. The Tandoori dishes on the menu must be mentioned, as the chefs have truly mastered the art of Tandoori grilling. Hverfisgata 56, Reykjavik 552-1630 | www.austurindia.is

JOE & THE JUICE

THE ICELANDIC BAR

Ingólfsstræti 1a, Reykjavík; Smáralind, Kringlan, World Class Laugum, Keflavík Airport www.joeandthejuice.is

Ingólfsstræti 1a, Reykjavík 517-6767 | www.islenskibarinn.is

Joe & The Juice is an on-trend coffee shop / juice bar. The concept answers today’s busy people’s needs for a quick pick-me-up in the form of great espresso drinks, freshly pressed juices, and variety of sandwiches prepared on the spot.

What’s the only thing that’s better than a feast of Icelandic langoustine? A feast of Icelandic langoustine in a charming restaurant by the seaside in a tiny, picturesque fishing village. Their langoustine soup alone is well worth the 45-minute drive from the city. Fjöruborðið Eyrarbraut 3 A Stokkseyri 483-1550 | www.fjorubordid.is

Hlölli has been serving up delicious subs, with his secret-ingredient sauce, for more than 30 years. Whether you’re in the mood for a lunch on your way about town or a late night snack after a night of dancing in the Reykjavík clubs, Hlöllabátar is the way to go. The bread is baked fresh every day and topped with fresh Icelandic ingredients. Ingólfstorgi, Reykjavik 511-3500 | www.hlollabatar.is

PYLSUHÚSIÐ

Hot dogs are the perfect fast food. They’re quick, portable and they taste great!. The classic Icelandic hot dog with all the fixings, raw and fried onions, ketchup, remoulade and mustard is of course available here, but they also offer more adventurous “dogs”, like chilli dogs and a French hot dog. If you’re not in the mood for a hot dog, they also serve ice cream! Ingólfstorgi, Reykjavik 842-2800

KAFFITÁR

KRÚSKA

Bankastræti 8, Reykjavik 420-2700 www.kaffitar.is/en

Suðurlandsbraut 12, Reykjavik 557-5880 | www.kruska.is

A chain of cafés and espresso bars with over 30 years of experience in serving and roasting high-quality coffee. They operate cafés in 8 locations in Iceland, promising a highly knowledgeable staff and a great cup of coffee procured in a responsible and fair way.

Krúska serves delicious, nutritious meals, both for people on the go and those who want to linger over their vegan, fish, vegetarian or chicken dishes. Everything is made right in their own kitchen from first class ingredients with no additives or preservatives. Krúska also serves coffee and cakes.

Find more recommendations at whatson.is

FJÖRUBORÐIÐ

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 combining the historical and cultural heritage of this ancient land with the very hip and cutting edge culture of modern times.

HLÖLLI

FOOD & DRINK

THE STEAK HOUSE

FOOD & DRINK

KITCHEN AND WINE

Situated inside the stylish 101 hotel downtown, Kitchen and Wine is a luxurious bistro with a relaxed atmosphere. The cuisine is seasonal and focuses on simplicity and finesse. The cocktails are also excellent! Hverfisgata 10, Reykjavik 580-0103 www.kitchenandwine.is

Not only does Smurstöðin have some of Reykjavík’s best new Nordic smørrebrød, it also has the added bonus of being inside the stunning Harpa concert hall. The delicious, beautifully decorated open-faced sandwiches are best washed down with an icy glass of the house-made schnapps. Harpa Austurbakki 2, Reykjavik 519-9750 | www.smurstodin.is

GRILLHÚSIÐ

73 RESTAURANT

Tryggvagata 20, Reykjavik 527-5000 www.grillhusid.is

Laugavegur 73, Reykjavik 555 7373 www.73.is

HARD ROCK CAFÉ

FISH COMPANY

KOLABRAUTIN

Lækjargata 2a, Reykjavik 5600 800 www.hardrock.com/cafes/reykjavik

Vesturgata 2a, Reykjavik 552-5300 | www.fiskfelagid.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, Reykjavik 567-2700 www.koparrestaurant.is

Find more recommendations at whatson.is

A restaurant in prime location in Reykjavík‘s old harbour. The menu is inspired by South-American and southern-European cuisine and the restaurant designed to deliver fresh and uplifting dining experience, unique to the harbour area. MAR is an interesting choice for individuals and groups alike.

SMURSTÖÐIN

Geirsgata 9, Reykjavik 519-5050 | www.marrestaurant.is

KOPAR

MAR - SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Hard Rock Café really doesn‘t need any introduction! You can get the food, drinks, and music you know and love at their recently opened three story restaurant/bar/shop in the heart of the city centre. Their cellar even doubles as a concert venue, so get ready to enjoy yourself!

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.

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.

Offering a great selection of Icelandic brews and one of the most Epic Burgers this country has ever seen (300gr!), 73, a family-owned and operated restaurant is the place to go for those seeking great food at good prices. Take note that the outdoor seating area is a special treat!

Harpa is not only home to the Icelandic Opera and the Orchestra, it is also the location of one of Reykjavik‘s newest fine restaurants. The kitchen is in the middle of the room, where the fiery furnace gives the dinner guests a warm welcome. An ideal choice for people who appreciate fine cuisine combined with unique architecture and elegant atmosphere. Harpa, Reykjavik 519-9700 | www.kolabrautin.is

Choose Vodafone Iceland With Vodafone , you gain access to an extensive 4G network in Iceland with excellent 3G/4G roaming connectivity, no matter whether you’re on sea or land. Share your memories by using Vodafone’s prepaid mobile starter kit with voice and data. Vodafone Power to you

Buy your prepaid SIM card at Keflavík Airport, What’s On at Laugavegur 5 and Tryggvagata 11, Macland, Vodafone stores, N1 fuel stations all around Iceland, and at our network of resellers.

NICE

GREAT FOODGOOD DRINKS ATMO HAPPY HOUR EVERY DAY 17-19

KITCHEN IS OPEN Weekends 11.30–24 Other days 11.30–23

UNO at Ingólfstorg | Tel. 561 1313 | www.uno.is

Enjoy the freedom of riding ÍSHESTAR offers horseback riding tours through the spectacular Icelandic landscape. Whether you join our tours into the wilderness of the remote highlands, through the lush countryside or, all year round, for a short ride from our Riding Centre near Reykjavik, riding with Íshestar is a great experience. For further information check out our website www.ishestar.is, call +354 555 7000 or be our friend on Facebook.

For over 30 years Íshestar has given people an opportunity to ride the Icelandic horse, the most versatile gait horse in the world. Horses are our partners and our passion.

Got a question about Iceland? Wondering if it’s safe? (It is). Who the president is? (Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson). Maybe you’re wondering about where to find some original Icelandic Igloos? (Just stop. Don’t.). We have the answers to these questions and plenty more at our website: www.whatson.is. If you can’t find your answer there, just visit us on Laugavegur 4 in Reykjavík, or drop us an e-mail at whatson@whatson.is. MUST KNOW PHONE NUMBERS

IMPORTANT STATISTICS

112 – The only number you need to have in your arsenal. If you get hurt, robbed, set on fire or accidentally set something on fire yourself, this is the number you call. Memorize it. Luckily, it isn’t complicated.

330.000 The population of the country. Yes, we know, it’s not a lot.

5885522 – Thanks to a catchy jingle this company had in the early nineties, every Icelander knows this number. There are other taxi companies, but ask any Icelander for a number for a taxi, this is probably what you get.

0 Number of people living in Igloos in Iceland. 99.5 Percentage of Icelanders who speak English. Although we of course encourage you to check out the beautiful Icelandic language, if only for the always hilarious Eyjafjallajökull joke, you’ll be perfectly safe conversing with locals in a more international language.

11 The street number of the Tryggvagata location of the Volcano House, which also has a What‘s On information desk. 5 Number of post offices in the Reykjavík area. Also the street number of our Laugavegur office! Stop by in case you have more questions, or just want to chat! 230 Number of volts Icelandic electricity uses. Converters are needed for people from the UK and the USA, at least for those who like their phones charged and their hair dry and/ or curled.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW!

1818 – If you forget the emergency number, want to call a different taxi company or you met some nice Icelanders last night and want to call them up, this is the only number you need, the Icelandic phonebook. +354 – The country code to Iceland. Add this to the seven digit phone numbers in Iceland and you can telephone to your heart’s desire, so long as you’re calling people in Iceland.

CHECK OUT MORE ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ONLINE AT WHATSON.IS/FAQ

Make a toast with Iceland’s no. 1 beer Pour a glass of the number one beer in the country, raise your glass to a friend and say “scowl fyrewr thyer!” You should fit right in. Skál fyrir þér!

Enjoy responsibly

Rock on at the northernmost Hard Rock Cafe in the world. Cool, tough, intense, exciting, powerful – just like the weather. Hard Rock Cafe Reykjavik is now open in the City Center

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– Visit our stores: Skólavörðustígur & Kringlan, Reykjavík. Hafnarstræti, Akureyri. Geysir, Haukadalur. geysir.com –