Reykjavik Travel Guide
Travel guide to Reykjavik, Iceland with comprehensive information about events, shopping, and major Reykjavik sporting events to help you enjoy your visit more.
Reykjavik Overview
The northernmost capital city in the world, Reykjavik in Iceland is a stunning combination of modern and ancient styles that simply has to be experienced. Even the geography of the place is unique, being very close to the Arctic Circle and enjoying as it does a distinctly different style. In winter for example there will be only four hours of sunlight per day, whilst in the summer it can be light all night long.
This seems to have impacted on the social activities of the people here, where there are many clubs and bars to meet and drink with friends. They tend to open very late, often not becoming busy until after midnight. There are also many restaurants in the area, with seafood being a speciality.
Reykjavik is a particularly old city, having originated around 870AD as a settlement, developing from there to become the pivotal city in Iceland. Economically the city has based its growth on the fishing industry, although this has now diversified somewhat to embrace the new technologies that are part of the modern world.
For something completely different Reykjavik is at the top of most peoples list and never disappoints.
Top Reykjavik Attractions
The city's history is a fascinating one, so the museums of the area are all worthy of note. These cover both the developments of the people and the land itself, which because it is so different to most places in the world holds its own interest. There are also many avenues for expressing cultural developments, with art galleries and theatres like the Municipal Art Museum and National Art Gallery being especially popular.
Shopping in Reykjavik
There are two main aspects to shopping in Iceland. The original one was based on the existing structures, with the shops in the city welcoming visitors with their own Icelandic charm. Laugavegur is the best known shopping street, and is still home to many of the higher class shops. However the advent of the Mall has created a significant shift in shopping styles, where the "all under one roof" policy has been winning favour. There are two shopping malls nearby, Kringlan and Smaralind that vie for business, both of which are taking business from the traditional downtown locations.
Reykjavik Sporting Events
Professional sport is little developed here, primarily because of the country's location in relation to others and also the general environment, which is not conducive to many outdoor sports. Therefore it is more likely to find people enjoying the simple physical pursuits like hiking, climbing or horse riding. The country does have a football team but it operates only on a part time basis so does not hold the same sort of interest over the public as a full time would in England for example.
