Two days in Reykjavík | Iceland travel
In August (I can’t believe it was four months ago!) I travelled to Iceland for seven days with three of my oldest friends. It was a fantastic trip. We spent most of our time travelling around the stunning countryside (we rented a house in the south coast village of Vik and did day trips), but at the end of our week, we spent two days in the colourful capital city of Reykjavik. The great thing about Reykjavik is that it’s very walkable (reminds me of Halifax in many ways) and you can see a lot of it in a short time if necessary. English is spoken widely, the people are friendly and you don’t even need cash – the entire country runs on credit cards and interac. Many airlines also include stopovers in Iceland, so adding a few extra days in Reykjavik to you itinerary is totally doable and is well worth it.
Here’s what we did with our time – I’m sure we could have done more, ate better, etc. — it’s all subjective. But we did hit some of the main points: arts and culture, history and culinary treats. So, if you’re planning your own quick visit, this might be helpful.
We arrived in the city in the early afternoon and after getting turned around a lot, we found our apartment. We rented this condo through Nordic Apartments — it’s located right on the city’s popular Laugavegur St., which is home to loads of restaurants, bars, tourist shops, etc. It included an off-street parking spot for our rental car, secure entrance, and it was very clean, airy and modern — the benefit of group travel is you can split the cost! We ate breakfast and lunch in our own kitchen, which saved a bit of money (this is all relative, since all food in Iceland is expensive!).
After dropping our bags, we wandered down Laugavegur St., which is the very busy and vibrant main shopping street, and popped into some of the shops, including 66 North. Sooo expensive. Soooo nice. We ended up at the waterfront and ate an early dinner at the very tasty Icelandic Fish & Chips. You can get a good meal with drink in this cute organic bistro for less than $30 CDN, which by Iceland standards, is a really good deal. On our way back to our condo, we stopped in at the Harpa concert hall, which is an architectural jewel with geometric glass panels of different colours. Entrance into the interior public spaces is free, and we arrived just in time to see the sun set over the harbour. There are lots of little seating areas, a snack bar and gift shop, so if your feet need a break, this is a nice spot to pause for a bit.
On day two, some of us headed to a nearby swimming pool to enjoy its outdoor thermal pools, which are heated to varying temperatures. It’s what the locals do — Iceland is renowned for it’s thermal pools and hot springs — and it only costs a few dollars. We then had coffee at Reykjavík Roasters (ground fresh on the premises and delicious!) before heading to the famous Hallgrimskirkja church, which is largest church in Iceland and is designed to resemble the basalt lava flows of the country’s landscape. We paid $20 CDN to watch an intimate noon-hour choir performance — it was an amazing experience.
From there we walked a different route back to the waterfront and stopped in several cute artisan shops and boutiques — one friend purchased a small watercolour canvas, and another bought a warm winter hat, made with wool from the country’s many (many!) sheep.
We grabbed a quick bite to eat at the famous Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur hot dog stand. Hot dogs are a seriously big deal in Iceland and are often called the country’s national food (even gas station hot dogs are delicious). This insanely popular stand has been open since 1937 and ordering one with “the works” comes with raw white onions, crispy fried onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard and remoulade. It tastes … different, but good.
Our next stop was the Settlement Exhibition, which is an underground museum outlining the history of Iceland — its Viking background and settlement. The displays are interactive and key moments in Icelandic history are recreated right before your eyes.
On the way back to our apartment we stopped into the character-filled (and I mean that in all ways) Dillon Whiskey Bar, which is home to 100 whiskeys. We had beer — so Canadian of us. We took our tired feet back to our condo for a bit of a rest before heading out for our final dinner in Iceland at Resto. We enjoyed an amazing five-course tasting menu that was ridiculously delicious and a fabulous way to end our trip. If you’re looking for a special meal, this place is a great choice.
Of course, with four people and only two days, there are some places you just don’t get to see. Two of mine were tasting the lobster soup at Sea Baron restaurant (it’s supposed to be the best!) and stopping in at the eclectic Kex Hostel for a coffee and snack. Next time — I’ll be back!
Wags,
