iceland

My last blog post dedicated to Iceland is a small guide to Reykjavik. While I was visiting Iceland, I was able to see several different parts of the country and I used Reykjavik as my base. From Reykjavik, the South and West coasts and the Golden Circle are about a two hour drive away. It’s a convenient location if interested in seeing more of the country. Before traveling to Iceland, I didn’t have many expectations for Reykjavik but I was pleasantly surprised! Reykjavik is an amazing city full of friendly people, amazing food, and beautiful art. Even if you intend to use Reykjavik as a base for sleeping, definitely take some time to experience the city.

Coffee & Sweets

Te and Kaffi
Reykjavik Roasters
Sandholt Bakery
Emilie and the Cool Kids

Good Eats

Fiskmarkaðurinn. A beautiful atmosphere for dinner with delicious food. This restaurant is known for their fish dishes but there are plenty of other options on the menu.
Grillmarkaðurinn. A sister restaurant to Fiskmarkaðurinn but this branch is known for meat dishes specific to Iceland. There are also different options available, as a vegetarian, I had several dishes to chose from.
Snaps Bistro. A French restaurant with a cozy interior. I had a delicious dinner here, Snaps is mostly known for their weekend brunch.
Tapas Barinn. A fun restaurant with several dishes to chose from. This was my first dinner I had in Iceland and it was the perfect way to be introduced to the country’s delicious foods.

Things to Do

Walk around! Reykjavik is full of stunning street art and inviting shops. It’s a small city so everything is centrally located.
Climb the Hallgrimskirkja church tower. This is something I wasn’t able to do because the tower was having renovations done but I wish I could’ve. The view over the city from the top of the tower looks incredible!
Go on a helicopter ride. This is something I did have time to do and it was an amazing way to see more of Iceland! The company is based in Reykjavik and there are several different tours to choose from. My helicopter tour went over some craters close by to Reykjavik. The best part about the ride was half way through the helicopter landed on a crater and we had the chance to walk around, it was such an unique experience.
Take day trips! Like I mentioned, I used Reykjavik as my base when I took day trips throughout the week. There are so many day trip options that leave from Reykjavik so it’s extremely easy to see the country. I recommended going to the South and West Coasts, Blue Lagoon, and the Golden Circle.