Rough Guides - Pocket Rough Guide Reykjavik

Icelandic weather is notoriously unpredictable. In summer, Reykjavk tends to be cloudy and showery, though there can be long, clear spells of sunny weather, too. However, one thing is consistent its never really warm. Summer in Reykjavk is more about the long daylight hours than a sudden surge in temperature the average summer range in the city is 814C. Since Reykjavk lies south of the Arctic Circle, it doesnt experience true Midnight Sun, though nights are light from mid-May to early August. Conversely, in winter, days are short and dark at the shortest time of the year, in December, the sun doesnt rise until around 10.3011am, setting again just a couple of hours later. Between September and January, theres a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights. During winter, storms are frequent and temperatures tend to hover a few degrees either side of freezing point.

Split roughly into two halves by the brilliant waters of Tjrnin lake, the tiny city centre is more a place to amble around and take in the suburban-looking streets and corner cafs than somewhere to hurtle about, ticking off attractions. Reykjavk lacks the grand and imposing buildings found in other Nordic capitals, possessing instead apparently ramshackle clusters of houses, either clad in garishly painted corrugated iron or daubed in pebbledash as protection against the ferocious North Atlantic storms. This rather unkempt feel, though, is as much part of the citys charm as the views across the sea to glaciers and the sheer mountains that form the backdrop to the streets. Even in the heart of this capital, nature is always in evidence there can be few other cities in the world, for example, where greylag geese regularly overfly the busy centre, sending bemused visitors, more accustomed to pigeons, scurrying for cover.

In the midst of the essentially residential city centre, it is the Hallgrmskirkja, a gargantuan white concrete church towering over the surrounding houses, that is the most enduring image of Reykjavk. Below this, the elegant shops and stylish bars and restaurants that line the main street and commercial thoroughfare of Laugavegur are a consumers heaven. The central core of streets around Laugavegur and Sklavrustgur is where youll find a range of engaging museums, too. The displays in the Landnmssning and the Saga Museum, for example, offer an accessible introduction to Icelands stirring past; while whale-watching and puffin-spotting tours from the city harbour give you a chance to experience Icelandic nature up close.

If you have some time to spare, its well worth venturing outside the city limits to explore some of southwest Icelands greatest attractions. Top of everyones list is the erupting geyser known as Strokkur, plus the nearby rift valley, ingvellir, where you can see a clear split in the earths tectonic plates; both are easily accessible on day-trips from the capital. A little further afield, the Westman Islands, scene of the famous 1973 volcanic eruption, beckon enticingly, while the rugged natural beauty of orsmrk national park and the Landmannalaugar geothermal springs which mark the jumping-off point into Icelands remote and uninhabited Interior are equally worthy of your time.

The Northern Lights over Reykjavk Harbour

Best places to swim

Reykjavk has several excellent swimming pools to choose from. The biggest is Laugardalslaug, with outdoor pools and hot pots. Following extension work in 2017, Sundhllin now boasts a large new outdoor pool, in addition to its exisiting indoor one. It also has hot pots and sun terraces. Most visitors cant wait to try the geothermal hot pots and sea lagoon at Nauthlsvk, where theres also a glorious sandy beach. Wherever you swim, you must shower thoroughly without a swimming costume before entering the water, since it is not treated with chlorine.

Laugardalslaug