Reykjavic City

Walking Tour

We met our guide, Marteinn, at the Austurvöllur main square for a walking tour around the heart of downtown Reykjavík to the main attractions downtown, starting at Parliament building. We walked around the old area of Grjotaborp to see it’s coloured houses and stopped at the very popular lamb hot dog stall with it’s very long queue. We saw the Happa Concert Hall which is an architecturally impressive building, Then on to Arnarholstradir to see the statue of Ingolfur Arnarson, Iceland’s first settler. According to the Book of Settlements he named Reykjavik (Smoke Cove) on account of the billowing steam rising from the area’s hot springs. We went up Rainbow Street which looks up towards Hallgrímskirkja church before ending in the City hall. The main focus of this walking tour was the general history of Iceland and the evolution of Reykjavík as a town as well as stories of elves, Vikings, food, nightlife, music, economic aspects and political affairs. The tour was very informative and amusing. Following the tour we went into Happa Concert Hall and then wandered around this picturesque old harbour area, home to colourful houses, cozy cafes, and whale-watching tour operators.

Hallgrímskirkja

We visited this iconic Lutheran church, the tallest building in Reykjavík at nearly 75 meters. It's impossible to miss this towering, white-walled church inspired by Iceland's iconic octagonal rock pillars. It's pretty plain inside. You can take the elevator to the top for stunning views of the city and surrounding landscape. On a clear day, you can see beyond the Snæfellsjökull glacier to neighbouring Greenland. Rainbow Street We walked down along colour-popping Rainbow Street that extends out from the Hallgrímskirkja church Its vibrant makeover - a permanent fixture to the previous temporary rainbow streets painted during Reykjavík Pride in support of the LGBTQI+ community - has made it one of the city’s most frequented streets. Around it, you'll find a host of trendy restaurants and boutique shops. Christ the King Catholic Cathedral This grey, almost gothic exterior has simple stained glass windows and a nice interior but not as ornate as Catholic Cathedrals in France or Italy. It was built in 1927 on a hill west of downtown and the smaller Lutheran Cathedral. (Not to be outdone, the Lutherans responded by later building a larger church on a taller hill - Hallgrimskirkja). When it was decided to bless the three bells in 1927 a fault was found in one of them and so it was buried in the grass but since dug up.

Perlan

Perlan is situated on Reykjavik‘s highest hill, close to the centre. Originally a group of hot water tanks that was converted to a building that houses a museum, a planetarium, and an observation deck. A 22 minute ride on bus 13. We watched the Lava show which gave an insight into the Geldingadalir volcanic eruption that started on March 19, 2021, in Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, marking the first eruption in the area in over 800 years. It was 30km from Reykjavik and could be seen by all residents. The eruption ended in September 2021 Next was the planetarium for a 360 degree show called Arora. It’s a story about Northern lights, voiced by the goddess of dawn. The tale combines science and art to create a unique experience. We were taken into space to dive fully into the mysterious auroras occurring all across the solar system. We were told where Northern lights come from, how they form, and heard ancient stories about them. The northern lights virtually danced all around us, in Icelandic nature and in outer space. Then on to the exhibition about glaciers followed by a walk through the World's first indoor ice cave which is 100 metres long and built with over 350 tons of snow from the Blue Mountains. As we emerged from the ice cave we entered an interactive exhibition that provides insight into Icelandic glaciers, their bleak future, and the effects of climate change.

Icelandic Phallological

Museum

This small museum is the home to the world's most extensive collection of penises and penile parts from various types of mammals found in Iceland. There are more than 250 specimens from whales to walruses to men. The scientific collection sits alongside 350 artistic renditions and phallic articles that have become part of objects with more practical uses.