The northernmost capital city in the world, Reykjavík, is home to more than half of Iceland’s population and dominates the country’s commercial and cultural life. Iceland’s first Viking settler, Ingolfur Arnarson, gave Reykjavík its name – which roughly translates to “Steamy Bay” in Old Norse – because of all the geothermal activity in the area. Today this geothermal steam is used to heat the homes of Reykjavík and is the source for the city’s many public thermal pools.
Reykjavík’s small but vibrant city center is clustered near the harbor, a walkable area of pubs, cafés, shops, and museums. Below are five main attractions in this city that you may want to educate your clients about:
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Arbaejarsafn (Open-Air Folk Museum): Located about 20 minutes southeast of downtown, this museum presents a collection of relocated 18th- and 19th-century houses that illustrate traditional life in Iceland.
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Arni Magnusson Institute: The Institute contains a collection of sagas on the original vellum, including the famous Landnamabok (or Settlement Book) and Njals Saga, which was returned from Copenhagen under a special agreement following Iceland’s independence.
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Asmundarsafn (Asmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum): Works by the Icelandic sculptor Asmundur Sveinsson, whose themes include working people and folktales, are exhibited in this museum and surrounding garden.
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Dómkirkjan (Lutheran Cathedral): This 18th-century church features a baptismal font sculpted by Bertel Thorvaldsen.
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Hallgrímskirkja (Hallgrímur’s Church): This imposing edifice, designed to resemble a vast mountain of basaltic lava, took some 40 years to build before being completed in the 1980s. Panoramic views can be enjoyed from the church’s tower.
Taken from The Travel Institute’s Northern Europe Destination Specialist course.
