Reykjavik

Why Reykjavik works

Reykjavik's skyline is dominated by Hallgrimskirkja, a Lutheran church whose 74.5m concrete tower was inspired by the basalt columns found throughout Iceland's volcanic landscape; an elevator to the top offers the city's best panorama over its low, colourful rooftops toward Mount Esja. The surrounding streets — Laugavegur chief among them — mix Nordic design shops, geothermal-heated pavements (which melt snow automatically in winter) and a concentration of cafes and craft breweries unusual for a city of only around 140,000 people. Harpa, a glass concert hall with a honeycombed, basalt-inspired facade designed partly by artist Olafur Eliasson, anchors the harbour alongside whale-watching boats that depart daily for nearby waters where minke and humpback whales feed. The Sun Voyager sculpture, a steel ship skeleton facing the sea, has become the city's most photographed landmark, particularly at sunset or beneath the aurora borealis, visible from the city on clear nights between September and April. Reykjavik serves as the natural base for day trips to the Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon's milky geothermal waters, while the city itself offers the Perlan museum's indoor ice cave and planetarium, and a thermal pool culture — locals socialise in heated outdoor pools year-round regardless of snow, a tradition as central to Icelandic life as coffee.

Trip Snapshot

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