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The cleanest, most invigorating capital city in Europe...
Most journeys to the ‘land of fire and ice’ begin
and end in Reykjavik. Before passing on to the geysers and glaciers
beyond, linger a while in the capital city and enjoy some of the charms
of ‘the cleanest city on earth’. The many attractions of this
city include relaxing in thermal pools and visiting the ‘Althing’,
the world’s oldest parliament.
The first settler, Ingolfur Arnarson,
settled near the small lake, the Tjorn, in the 9th Century. Fishing,
farming and trade sustained a small community over the next centuries.
As recently as 1806, there were a total of only 300 inhabitants. However,
in the 19th century Reykjavik emerged as the principal centre of Icelandic
society and later became an important base for American troops. Home to
more than 150,000 of a national population of 270,000, and with over 50
museums and galleries, two full time theatre companies, a symphony orchestra
and more than 100 gourmet restaurants, you’ll find plentiful pleasures
in Reykjavik. Stroll through the brightly painted wooden houses of the old
town. Slip into the old traders houses at the port-side to enjoy a drink or
meal. Scour the many shops for Icelandic crafts and artworks and visit the
flea market at Kolaportio. Drop into the Althing, the world’s oldest
parliament, or check out Icelandic history in the National Museum. In the
evenings young Icelanders crowd into some of the trendiest nightclubs in
Europe and, in the long summer days, parties frequently spill into the
streets.
Gourmet restaurants, theatre and music, ...
Reykjavik means ‘smoky bay’ but this
does not refer to the smog and pollution of other European cities. Underground
springs heated by volcanic activity periodically send steam and boiling water
shooting to the surface and this energy is tapped to provide heating for the
city. At Oskjuhlio you can visit the tanks where the hot water is stored and
enjoy a meal in the chic Perlan restaurant perched atop this ‘water from
the centre of the earth’. At Hellusund, the Volcano Show will tell of the
volcanic activities that shape the Icelandic land and its people. Relax
afterwards in one of the city’s many thermal bathing spots. Fill your
lungs with the invigorating and pure air that blows over the North Atlantic
and enjoy views of the vast wilderness of mountains and glaciers that surround
this clean and lovely town, Europe’s most northerly capital city.
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