Official Language:
Icelandic
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Currency:
Krona
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Population:
Approximately 110,000 people call Reykjavik home.
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Weather:
Climate and current weather information for Reykjavik Iceland: Reykjavik with a relatively mild climate has an average summer temperatures between 51-76F°/10-24°C. It is common for the weather to be very changeable. For 2-3 months during the summer there is continuous daylight in Iceland, and early spring and late fall enjoy long twilight. However, the days are very short in mid-winter.
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Cruise ships dock at the Port of Reykjavik (tel. 354/525-8900). Taxis will be waiting to take you to your destination in the capital city. Reykjavik has an efficient bus system (tel. 354/551-2700) known as the SVR. You can pick up detailed route information at the main bus terminals located at Laekjatorg, Hlemmur and Artun. If you'd like to rent a car while in Reykjavik, there are several companies that can outfit you with a quality automobile. Contact Avis (tel. 354/-562-4433) or Europcar (tel. 354/568-6915). Lastly, you can simply take a taxi to your destination. Call BSR (tel. 354/561-0000) to arrange for a pick up.
Reykjavik is a close-knit, inspiring and beautiful city. There are many great sights and marvelous museums, fabulous dining facilities, and lovely stores to peruse. The citizens here are friendly and welcoming to tourists. From an architectural point of view, the region is simply magnificent. Perlan is one of the architectural highlights of the city, and this ornate geyser cannot be missed. During June every other year, a two-week arts festival is held in Reykjavik, taking place in even-numbered years.
Although it is a small city of only 110,000 people, Reykjavik has an incredible amount of activities and events to fill the day. After World War II, the area saw increased emigration from Europe, as Iceland was recognized as a place of solace and tranquility. From that time until the late 1960?s, multicultural suburbs in and around Reykjavik began springing up. As a result, there are countless shops and cafes still in existence that were built during that time period, celebrating cultures from all parts of Europe. Every weekend, the nightlife really comes alive, and a handful of fun spots are open quite late. To this day, the city is very safe and cozy, and the only reason that you might not want to walk the streets in the middle of the night, is due to the chilly Icelandic wind. In the daytime, your surroundings in Reykjavik are so picturesque that at times you will think you are in the middle of a dream. Trees and flowers line the streets, parks are everywhere, and the elegant Tjornin lake is enchanting.
Iceland’s name is misleading; thick tundra and mountain flowers cover the country in the summer, when warm ocean currents produce a climate similar to that of the northern United States.
As living evidence of the expanding Atlantic Rift, 20-million-year-old Iceland widens almost an inch a year. Great rifts, boiling water and new earth are the results of this creative process. The island was inhabited briefly during the 8th century by Irish hermits; permanent settlement began in 874 when a Norwegian named Ingolf Arnarson arrived at present-day Reykjavik. In 930, the settlers formed a legislature, the Althing, creating the Commonwealth of Iceland.
From the 10th to the 14th centuries, Iceland developed a literary form, the Icelandic Saga, which spread throughout the Nordic culture and into the English and German languages. It was used to spin stories of the gods, historic events and glorify heroes.
Reykjavik, or Smoky Bay, was so named in 874 A.D. by Ingolf Arnarson when he sighted the numerous hot springs on the Seltjarnarnes Peninsula. He built a cabin here 900 years before Reykjavik was incorporated. Today this remarkably pollution-free city on Faxa Bay is a major seaport, the capital of Iceland and home to about half of the country’s 270,000 people. Wrapped around a sweeping bay, Reykjavik has managed to retain its charming Old-World atmosphere. A pastiche of red-blue-and green-roofed houses together with the tall gray tower of Hallgrim’s Church dominate the skyline. In the Old Town, many of the wooden buildings have been lovingly restored and stand side by side with modern timber and concrete structures. Few chimneys are seen as heat is almost exclusively supplied by steam piped from the nearby hot springs.
There are many fine museums and art galleries and historic pubs present a hub of activity in late afternoon. The unusual, beautiful countryside outside of Reykjavik includes such natural wonders as volcanoes, geysers, glaciers, mountains and spectacular waterfalls. In contrast with most cities, it is nearly always possible to catch a glimpse of snow-covered hills or the steel-blue waters of Faxaflói Bay from any given point in Reykjavík. Whether one is there to do business, to explore the past or simply to have a good time, cosmopolitan Reykjavík is surely a city for all reasons.
The port authority of Reykjavik has achieved great success in marketing the Icelandic capital as an ideal destination for cruise vessels, and more ships are calling than ever before.Iceland, arguably the most fascinating island in Europe, has become a number one destination for cruise voyagers during the past 10 years.With its far-flung location and cool northern climate, Iceland might at first glance seem an unusual place to go on a cruise. But in today's new-look cruise sector, passengers are in pursuit of novelty and adventure - and Iceland is never short of those. The Port of Reykjavík's participation in the cruise business has grown steadily throughout the 1990s. In 1995, 51 cruise ships called at Reykjavík between early June and late September, carrying more than 21,000 passengers. Figures for 1996 are about the same.A new trend in recent years has been for some cruise operators to use ReykjavÌk as a turnround port rather than a simple call - a sign of Icelandís new status as a blue chip destination. As Icelandís biggest port, Reykjavík is a natural choice of call for cruise vessels. Since the cruise business took off in the late 1980s the City of ReykjavÌk and its port authority have made continuous improvements to berthing and passenger reception facilities in order to ensure that all visitors are given a "red carpet" welcome.Close co-operation with cruise operators has led to bright new ideas for itineraries using Reykjavík as a starting and finishing point. About half a dozen cruise ships changed passengers in Reykjavík during 1996, generating welcome business for local cruise agents, hotels and airports. Typical of this new approach was the "QE2 Cruise to Iceland" aimed at UK customers - which combined a four-night cruise from Southampton to Reykjavík on board the "Queen Elizabeth 2" with a three-night stay in the Icelandic capital, returning by Concorde to London. Some itinerary makers have been combining Reykjavík with other calls in Iceland or with calls in Greenland or the Faroe Islands. In this way, cruise passengers are being encouraged to spend more time in Iceland and to look upon Reykjavík as the centrepiece of their North Atlantic adventure.
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Attractions |
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The Lake Tjormin:
Nesting place of more than 20 different bird species, the lake is a hive of birdactivity all year round. Tjornin is a beautiful lake and resort area perfect for relaxation during the summer, and ideal for ice-skating during the winter. Ornithologists take note; this is perhaps the best place for bird watching in all of Iceland. Hljomskalagarour Park is found at the southern end of Tjornin, and is a wonderful place to hike and explore. The visual splendor of the park is truly intoxicating.
Reykjavik City Hall:
Opened in April 1992. Houses the municipal administration offices and meeting rooms. On permanent display is the large,80 kv.m. topographic model of Iceland.
National Museum:
Artifacts, paintings, furniture, wood carving etc. All pertaining to the 1100 years of Icelandic history.
Einar Jonsson Museum:
Indoor/outdoor collection of sculptures by Einar Jonsson.
Laugardalur:
A hot water area, where the women of Reykjavik once came to do their laundry, the actual site now marked by statue by Asmundur Sveinsson "The Washerwoman". Today it is the city's main sports and recreation area, where the following are located: Outdoor swimming pool, Sports Stadium, Botanical Gardens, Farm, Zoo & Skating Rink.
The Pearl:
(The Pearl) can be found at Oskjuhlio Hill (354/562-0200) and features two spectacular man-made geysers. The structure that houses the main geyser is a gigantic glass dome that is an incredibly impressive piece of architecture. People from all over Europe come to Reykjavik just to have an afternoon at the geysers, an experience cherished by those who are lucky enough to partake in it. The glass dome on top of the hot water tanks on Oskjuhlio hill was completed in 1991. It houses a
restaurant, exhibitions rooms, a water fountain which iitates the action of a natural geusir, gushing every few minutes and is surrounded by a viewing platform with telescopes offering a splendid view of the city.
Arb'r Open Air Museum:
Old houses and artifacts depicting life in Reykjavik through the centuries.
Some other attractions include the National Gallery of Iceland, the
Hallgrimskirkja Church and its Church tower view point.
Kjarvalsstaoir
is located in Miklatun Park (354/552-6131) and is a fabulous art museum full of outstanding works from hometown artists past and present. This establishment gets its name from Johannes Kjarval, who was the most well known painter in Reykjavik's history. His works transcend time with their beauty and sophistication, and many of them are on display at the museum. The exhibits change monthly, and different contemporary artists are featured all the time.
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More Information |
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Web: http://www.iceland.org/country_nature.html#reykjavik
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