Think of a city
Reykjavík – Pure Energy
Remove:
- crowds - traffic - noise - pollution - stress - pressure
Then add:
- wellness - nature - inspiration - fun - intimacy - space
wellness
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Reykjavík Tips
Feel your positive energy building up Reykjavík – Iceland’s capital – is a young and daring city characterised by strong contrasts. Conveniently small, clean and safe, it is essentially free of the major problems that haunt most other capitals. Visitors to Reykjavík cannot escape experiencing the vibrant energy at the heart of Iceland’s capital city. Whether you want to feel the boiling thermal energy underground, get close to the natural green energy within the city and around it or experience its lively culture and fun-filled nightlife, you should be in for a very memorable visit. The perfect way to experience Reykjavík’s healing energy is to visit one of its many thermal pools and luxury spas. A healthy swim, a soak in the thermal hot pots or a relaxing visit to a state-of-the-art spa leaves you feeling in tune with body and soul. The world-famous Blue Lagoon is just a forty-minute drive from the capital. Reykjavík’s abundant supply of geothermal water is even used to heat its Atlantic Ocean coast, creating a warm inlet by a sandy beach just ten minutes from the old city centre. Life doesn’t get much better than this.
Temperatures in Reykjavík are higher than one might expect, especially in wintertime, courtesy of the Gulf Stream. The average temperature in January is 0.5°C. Reykjavík is the northernmost capital in the world. The summer nights are bright and magical. By contrast, December is fairly dark, different and cosy. The therapeutic benefits of the country’s thermal spring waters are believed to play a part in the longevity of Icelanders, whose average life expectancy is among the highest in the world. Plentiful geothermal water just below the surface heats homes in Reykjavík with clean renewable energy and keeps the greenhouses blossoming.
fresh
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Here, darkness is a winter-thing
ReykjavĂk is a perfect city for healthy lifestyles and offers a wide variety of outdoor activities. Visitors can choose between guided city tours or hiking on their own. In the wintertime, they can go ice-skating while in the summer many go in-line skating along the coast or in the city parks. Nature and culture intermingle throughout the city. Visitors can take invigorating walks along the sea, stroll through the botanical gardens, go cycling or observe an exploding geyser by the otherworldly Pearl building with its striking dome and panoramic views. It’s all here waiting for you to experience at your leisure. www.or.is www.spacity.is www.bluelagoon.is www.newenergy.is
DURING THE SUMMER THE NIGHTS ARE BRIGHT
natural
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Reykjavík Tips Reykjavík is located on the SW corner of Iceland – an island 103,000 km² (39,756 sq. miles) in square measure with a mean altitude of 500 metres above sea level. Over 11 per cent of the country is covered with glaciers, including the Vatnajökull ice cap, the largest glacier in Europe.
Human/Nature In Reykjavík, unique nature is literally at your doorstep. Half-surrounded by a horizon of majestic mountains rising thousands of feet into the sky – visible from just about everywhere in the city on a clear day – you’ll fall in love with the natural beauty of the city’s setting. Dramatic geological formations, towering waterfalls, endless lava fields, glaciers, green valleys and breathtaking geysers are all within easy reach of the city. For those keen on adventure and sightseeing, glacier tours, snowmobiling and horseback riding – these activities offer a picturesque view of the dynamic landscape surrounding Reykjavík. Whale- and bird-watching tours leave from the downtown harbour area. Sportier activities include golfing or salmon fishing within the city limits. A quarter of the city area is devoted to open spaces, and the clear-headed feeling you experience from spending a day outdoors in Reykjavík is not easily matched.
Frequent flights operate to Iceland from main cities in Europe and North America, and many gateways operate daily. Flight duration to Europe is short – two to four hours. Most flights connect at Iceland’s Keflavík International Airport (45 km from Reykjavík), providing excellent stopover opportunities for transatlantic travellers. Reykjavík and Iceland offer fresh and diverse things for you to see and do, whatever the season. Every part of the year has its own special attractions, character and charm.
inspirational
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Reykjavík Tips
Awaken your creative energy Reykjavík enjoys a surprisingly energetic and inspiring community of artists, musicians, writers and designers. Since medieval times, Icelandic culture has produced a rich selection of literary gems, and Icelanders still value books above all else. Libraries, book shops and literary cafés attest to this living cultural heritage. Twelve hundred years of Icelandic culture can be explored in a variety of museums in Reykjavík – some recreating the Viking heritage of the modern-day Icelanders. In recent years, Reykja-vík has become better known for its uniquely creative and buzzing music scene – spanning the whole scale from the Iceland Symphony Orchestra to Björk and Sigur Rós. A walk through the streets of Reykjavík will treat you to a brilliant display of the colours of the city’s several small neighbourhoods. This is a modern city, characterised by an interesting contrast of modern and vintage buildings. Reykjavík held the title European City of Culture in 2000, and has since flourished as a cultural city.
Reykjavík has a good selection of art museums and galleries. The performing arts scene includes numerous theatre companies, the Icelandic Dance Company, the critically acclaimed Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera. The city centre is also full of interesting live music venues. Iceland was the last European country to be settled – mostly by Norsemen coming from Scandinavia and Kelts coming from the British Isles in the 9th and 10th centuries. The language has remained remarkably unchanged over time, and new words are formed only from Icelandic elements to protect it and keep the language alive.
musical
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The Reykjavík scene is buzzing throughout the year
Reykjavík offers ongoing festivals and events throughout the year. The autumn and winter bring the Reykjavík International Film Festival, the pop music festival Iceland Airwaves and the Reykjavík Jazz Festival, followed by the multicultural Winter Lights Festival and the gourmet feast Food and Fun. On New Year’s Eve, Reykjavík explodes in a colourful light display from the biggest fireworks show you might ever see. The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, dance across the sky for an added bonus. Spring and summer bring the prestigious Reykjavík Arts Festival, the Festival of the Sea, the Summer Solstice Festival, the Gay Pride Parade, Reykjavík Culture Night, the Reykjavík Marathon and the Reykjavík Literary Festival – to name but a few. www.artfest.is www.icelandairwaves.is www.jazz.is www.listasafnreykjavikur.is www.reykjavik871.is www.gayice.is www.cia.is www.marathon.is www.riff.is
REYKJAVÍK IS A TOWN WITH ONGOING EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
larger than life
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Royal de Luxe performance at ReykjavĂk Arts Festival 2007
Reykjavík Tips
Time to enjoy Reykjavík combines an exciting cosmopolitan city with a delightful seaside village all wrapped up in one. The city’s excellent quality of life gives its inhabitants and visitors a sense of wellbeing and contentment. Reykjavík’s city centre is a friendly and colourful network of small streets with historic buildings, a good selection of boutiques, designer shops, cafés and quality restaurants serving attractive dishes made of quality ingredients. The variety of restaurants in Reykjavík leaves nothing to be desired for gourmets. The strength of the Icelandic cuisine lies in its pure ingredients and imaginative use of them. Fish and other seafood, wild game and lamb raised naturally in the wild make up the essence of this natural treat. After-dinner activities might include a visit to some of the numerous and trendy bars and clubs in the city centre. The extreme lightness of being in the summer and the endless winter nights create a strange sense of timelessness and new possibilities.
Ingólfur Arnarson, the first known permanent settler of Iceland and founder of Reykjavík, arrived around the year 870. He believed that the gods had chosen the site for the first settlement in Iceland – Reykjavík was later built on that same site. Icelanders always greet and address each other by their first names. Their last names are made up of the first names of their fathers with the suffix dóttir (daughter) or -son attached at the end. The best way to get to know Reykjavík is to explore the cityscape on foot or through its excellent bus system. The people’s friendliness and the short distances between points of interest make Reykjavík an ideal place for the independent traveller.
meet
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Reykjavík Tips
Stay focused / Stay online Iceland, with Reykjavík as its hub, is located midway between Europe and North America. This makes it a perfect meeting point – linking two of the world’s largest and strongest markets through highly advanced telecommunications and transport networks. Icelandic society has always prided itself on innovation. The fast-paced modernisation of the country in the past quarter-century required a high degree of adaptability from its people. The result is obvious in the state-of-the-art conference halls and business facilities in Reykjavík. Here you will find an exemplary selection of high-class accommodation and an exciting community of entrepreneurial businesses and thinkers. Solid infrastructures, first-rate communication systems, inexpensive and clean energy and excellent human resources are all factors making Reykjavík the first choice of globally-minded businesses. Match this with everything else that Reykjavík has to offer and you have a city that recharges and rejuvenates you while you do business or catch up with colleagues. For clarity and peace of mind – there’s no more perfect setting.
The Icelandic economy is robust and enjoys a highly educated workforce as well as a low unemployment rate. The standard of living is among the highest in the world, and the Icelanders take pride in their relatively classless society. Iceland is one of the best connected countries in the world. Internet and mobile phone usage is among the highest in the world. Reykjavik is a home to worldleading enterprises in the field of medical and genetic research and development. Fluent English is spoken by most Icelanders, in addition to other Scandinavian languages, German and French. For information how to take your next conference or incentive trip to Iceland visit www.Get-the-idea.is
Reykjavik Tourist Card – Your Key to the Capital Admission to the thermal pools, the local buses, a great selection of museums and galleries, plus discounts of various tours, shopping and services. Available for 24, 48 or 72 hours. Sold at the Official Information Centre Adalstræti 2 101 Reykjavík Tel: +354 590 1550 Email: info@visitreykjavik.is Great Value for Money! www.visitreykjavik.is
Published by Visit Reykjavík Adalstraeti 2, 101 Reykjavík Tel: +354 590 1500 Fax: +354 5901501 info@visitreykjavik.is www.visitreykjavik.is
Your shortcuts to Reykjavík Complete Guide to Reykjavík www.visitreykjavik.is Iceland in a Nutshell www.visiticeland.com www.icelandnaturally.com www.iceland.is Easy Access to Iceland www.icelandair.net www.icelandexpress.is www.smyril-line.fo Recharge in Reykjavík www.spacity.is
Your shortcuts to Reykjavík
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