Reykjavik tourist information
Throbbing with life by day and by night, all year round, Reykavík is just as much part of the Icelandic experience as the midnight sun or the magical landscapes forged by ice and fire. Reykjavík, with its neighbouring communities, has a population of arund 170.000 and offers an interesting mix of cosmopolitan culture and local village roots.
Old accounts say it was the ancient gods themselves who guided Iceland´s first settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, to make his home in Reykjavík. He named the place Reykjavík ("Smoky Bay") after the geothermal steam which today provides a pollutionfree energy source leaving the air outstandingly fresh, clean and clear.
All parts of this spa city use natural hot water for outdoor thermal pools and baths where bealthy relaxation in a supremely healthy environment is the order of the day - at all times of the year whatever the weather.
A beautifyl salmon river runs through the city limits, there are fine parks and wild outdoor areas for strolling within the city itself, and on the outskirts are places for fishing, horse trekking and golf.
But against this natural backdrop, Reykjavík has a packed rogramme of familiar city delights too: Art museums, several theatres, an opera house, its own symphony orchestra, and concerts and live music spanning the whole spectrum of age and taste. Also, Reykjavík hosts a packed biennial international ARts Festival, next scheduled for summer 2002.
One must for all visitors is dning out on specialities including delicious seafood, oceanfresh from the morning´s catch, highland lamb and unusual varieties of game - purely natural food imaginatively served to delight the most discerning of diners. Reykjavík is also renowned as one of Europe´s hottest nightspots, where the action on the friendly pub and nightlife scene lasts right through the night.
Walking distances are short downtown and everywhere worth seeing outside the city centre can be quickly and conveniently reached by bus.
Iceland´s capital is a great place to shop, with the bonus of tax-free shopping for visitors. A full range of accommodation is available in Reykjavík, from international-standard hotels with good conference facilities, through smaller hotels and cosy guesthouses, to a campsite in the city´s biggest park.
The capital area is more than just Reykjavík. Adjoining it is the town of Kópavogur, with its new concert hall, art museum and fine sport and leisure facilities, plus the newly opened Smáralind shopping mall, the largest in Iceland. A little farther down the road, Hafnarfjörður nestles in a lava field and offers both traditional and off-beat attractions for visitors - including Viking feasts, elf-spotting tours, whale watching and horse riding.
Reykjavik aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Reykjavik aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Reykjavik.
Reykjavik weather forecast
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