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About Reykjavík |
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Reykjavík, with its neighbouring communities, has a population of
around 170.000 and offers an interesting mix of cosmopolitan culture
and local village roots.You will find the city full life by day and
by night, all year round.
By Icelandic legend, it was the ancient gods themselves who guided
Iceland´s first settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, to make his home in Reykjavík.
He named the place Reykjavík, which means Smoky Bay, after the geothermal
steam which today provides a pollutionfree energy source leaving the
air outstandingly fresh, clean and clear.
The inhabitants of Reykjavík use natural hot water for outdoor thermal
pools and baths where bealthy relaxation in a supremely healthy environment
is the order of the day - at all times of the year whatever the weather.
You will find a beautiful salmon river running through the city limits,
fine parks and wild outdoor areas for strolling within the city itself,
and on the outskirts are places for fishing, horse trekking and golf.
But even with on this natural stage, Reykjavík has all the sights
and familiar city delights too. With it's art museums, several theatres,
an opera house, its own symphony orchestra, and concerts and live
music spanning the whole spectrum of age and taste. Also, Reykjavík
hosts a packed biennial international Arts Festival.
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Travelling around Reykjavík |
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You will find long distance buses to all parts of Iceland leave from
the Bus Terminal which is within 15 minutes walking distance from
downtown Reykjavík.
The city's bus service provides foreign visitors with a pleasant and
convenient way to reach all parts of Reykjavík by bus. Whether you
want to visit museums, dine out, go for a swim, visit the City's picturesque
locations or simply enjoy the sights from a bus.
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Eating in Reykjavík |
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Most visitors to Reykjavík are full of praises for Iceland's ocean-fresh
seafood and mouthwatering mountain lamb, but these are only part of
the local culinary experience. Traditional food is also served, made
using the only preservation methods available when people had to store
up for the winter in the days before refrigerators. Some is delicious,
some is different, and is very good to boast about to your friends
after you've finished it.
Meat was commonly smoked, and the delicious hangikjöt, which is smoked
lamb. Among dairy products, a big favourite with visitors is skyr
(curds), especially served with fresh bilberries during late summer.
On the more adventurous side is slátur, which literally means "slaughter"
but is like haggis. And for those with nerves of steel and stomachs
of iron, the menu for the Thorri midwinter feast during January-February
is a real challenge.
Some of the delicacies found in Reykjavík include some quite indelicate
cuts of meat, including boiled sheep's head , ram's testicles pickled
in whey, and loin bags. But what really sorts the men out from the
boys is rotten shark, cured by burying, washed down with a well-deserved
shot of Black Death schnapps. Their hint for beginners is if you manage
to get it past your nose, you're half way there.
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Shopping in Reykjavík |
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The main shopping streets with numerous shops selling designer clothes
are found in the Laugavegur and Bankastræti areas . Leading up from
Laugavegur towards Hallgrímskirkja is Skólavörðustígur, lined with
arts and crafts galleries.
The downtown shopping district of Reykjavík can be divided into the
area around Austurstræti and Hafnarstræti, where shops selling souvenirs
and woolens are located and Vesturgata where various arts and crafts
galleries can be found. Kringlan is the biggest shopping center in
Iceland, with over 130 shops selling designer clothes and other items.
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Culture in Reykjavík |
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The city of Reykjavík offers a great variety of museums. Icelandic
and foreign artists display their work at the various art museums
and galleries. Two historic museum can be found in the city as well
as one excellent museum of natural sciences. Lovers of the arts and
culture are in for a real treat in Reykjavík. Strong Icelandic tradition
and international culture thrive side by side to weave a rich tapestry
of delights and experiences for visitors.
Visual arts flourish in Reykjavík, with its twin flagships the National
Gallery and the Municipal Art Museum (Kjarvalsstaðir). Adding colour
to the scene is a rich array of exhibition places ranging from museums
and galleries to the streets where happenings are performed. For the
performing arts, Reykjavík - selected as one of the European Cultural
Cities in the Year 2000 - hosts a symphony orchestra, opera, several
theatre companies and a ballet company. The biennial Reykjavík Arts
Festival features a packed programme of international celebrities
and many top performers in all fields make a point of including Iceland's
capital on their itineraries. There's something in Reykjavík to keep
your soul fed and nourished virtually every day of the week, all year
round.
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Art & Sports |
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The capital area is more than just the city of Reykjavík. Adjoining
it is the town of Kópavogur, with its new concert hall, art museum
and fine sport and leisure facilities, plus the newly opened Smáralind
shopping mall, the largest in Iceland. A little farther down the road,
Hafnarfjörður nestles in a lava field and offers both traditional
and off-beat attractions for visitors - including Viking feasts, elf-spotting
tours, whale watching and horse riding.
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Tours |
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There is a great variety of tours, some covering large parts of the
country, others small areas at a time.There are traditional tours
as well as tours quite different from what can be experienced elsewhere.There
are nature tours with striking landscapes, young lava fields, roaring
waterfalls and majestic glacial ice-caps. In addition, there are organized
day tours, and weekend and holiday tours all year round with Icelandic
touring clubs where the emphasis ison hiking. Travelling into the
uninhabited interior of Iceland is limited to the months of July and
August, except for some specially organized winter tours (see section
on opening of the mountain tracks).Winter tours in Iceland are unforgettable:
there is skiing for both beginners and the experienced, glacier tours
on snowmobile or snowcats, and ice-fishing.
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