Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland and the northernmost capital in the world, is a lively, vibrant, friendly city that has a small town feel. It became a UNESCO City of Literature in 2011, and is one of only 42 cities in the world with this distinction. There are many bookstores in the city and we learned that books are one of the most common gifts given among the residents. There are also many authors living in the city, the majority of whom are crime fiction writers. I chuckled at the irony of this since Iceland is the safest country in the world.

Ingólfur Arnarson, an explorer from Norway is the first known settler in Iceland. He arrived around 870 AD and named the area Reykjavik, which means smokey bay, due to the wisps of steam from the abundant geothermal activity. He most likely chose the area because of its plentiful resources, access to good land for crops and livestock, and access to fishing. It is thought that Irish monks may have lived in the area before Arnarson, but left when the Norsemen arrived. In the years that followed, others from Scandinavia, the British Isles, and other locations in Europe also settled in Iceland.

The Settlement Exhibition is a fascinating place to learn about Reykjavik’s history.

In 2001 ruins of the first buildings in the capital city were unearthed and include a hall that was most likely inhabited between 930 and 1100 AD. The hall included a partitioned porch and the floor was partially paved; quite advanced for that era. Just north of the hall are the remains of a wall dating to 871 +2 years AD, which is thought to be the oldest structure in Iceland.

A wide variety of items were unearthed at the site including game pieces, soapstone items, beads, walrus tusks, scale weights, and more all of which are on display.

Soapstone was used to make various utensils and items for cooking. When these items broke, the pieces were used again to make new items. Glass was not commonly used due to its expense; the fragment in the photo below is the only piece found at the site.

Archeologists are still trying to determine what this item was used for; any guesses?

We also enjoyed a whale watching tour during our visit and saw several, mostly Humpbacks. Orcas, Minkes, and others are commonly seen in the coastal waters off Iceland.

We had nice views of the city skyline from the boat.

And as usual, my favorite pastime is wandering through town and taking photos.

We visited at the end of June and we were glad we brought coats, gloves, and hats. This poster says it all.

We had some delicious meals; FjallKonan is exceptionally delicious, but the portions are huge!

We had some delicious tapas at Tapas Barinn,

and the biggest breakfast ever at The Laundromat Cafe.

We decided it was best to split this which was a good idea since we couldn’t even finish all this.

We completely enjoyed out short time in Reykjavik and found the locals to be friendly and welcoming, even though Iceland is currently suffering from tourist fatigue. It is expensive though, so be prepared to separate yourself from your hard earned cash if you visit.

Have you been to Reykjavik? Even if you haven’t I’d love to hear from you.

Wishing you grand adventures,

Tricia