Hotels in Reykjavik, Iceland

A little about Reykjavik...

Reykjavík is the capital of Iceland, its largest city and, with a latitude at 64°08' N, the world's most northern national capital. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay. With a population of more than 117,000, it is the heart of Iceland's economic and governmental activity.

Reykjavík is believed to be the location of the first permanent settlement in Iceland, which Ingólfur Arnarson is said to have established around 870. Until the 18th century, there was no urban development in the city location. The city was founded in 1786 as an official trading town and grew steadily over the next decades, as it transformed into a regional and later national center of commerce, population and governmental activities.

Today, Reykjavík is the centre of the Greater Reykjavík Area which, with a population of about 200,000, is the only metropolitan area in Iceland. As a highly modernised capital of one of the most developed countries in the world, its inhabitants enjoy a first-class welfare system and city infrastructure. Its location, only slightly south of the Arctic Circle, receives only four hours of daylight per day in the depth of winter; during the summer the nights are almost as bright as the days. It has continued to see population growth in past years as well as growth in areas of commerce and industry.

Reykjavík is often dubbed "the nightlife capital of the north". It is famous for its nightlife during the weekends. Icelanders tend to go out late so bars that look rather quiet can fill up suddenly, usually around midnight on a weekend.

One of the main causes for this is that alcohol is very expensive at bars, so people tend to drink at home before going out. Beer was banned in Iceland until 1 March 1989, but has since become Icelanders' drink of choice. However, like other alcoholic beverages, it is still quite expensive; a pint (actually a half litre) of beer in an Icelandic bar can cost between 500 and 800 krónur, or from 5,50 to 9 euro. To this end, some people show up late and are already drunk when they arrive at the bars downtown.

There are over 100 different bars and clubs in Reykjavík; most of them are located on Laugavegur and its side streets. It is very common for an establishment that is a café before dinner to turn into a bar in the evening. Closing time is usually around 6AM on weekends and 1AM during the week.

The Sirkus Bar, pictured, was featured in the music video for the single "Triumph of a Heart" by Björk.

The arrival of the new year is a particular cause for celebration to the people of Reykjavík. Icelandic law states that anyone over the age of 16 may purchase and use fireworks during a certain period around New Year's Eve. The people of Reykjavík spend enormous sums of money on fireworks, most of which are fired as midnight approaches on December 31. As a result, every New Year's Eve the city is lit up with fireworks displays.

Universities: The University of Iceland, Reykjavík University,
Iceland University of Education, and Iceland Academy of the Arts.

Sites of Interest:
PerlanAlþingishúsið — the Icelandic parliament
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur — a small hotdog stand in central Reykjavík
Blue Lagoon — geothermal spa located near Reykjavík
Hallgrímskirkja — the largest church in Iceland
Höfði — the house in which Gorbachev and Reagan met 1986 for the Iceland Summit
Smáralind — the largest mall in Iceland
Kringlan — the second largest mall in Iceland
Laugavegur — main shopping street
Nauthólsvík — a geothermically heated beach
Perlan — a glass dome resting on five water tanks
Ráðhús Reykjavíkur — city hall
Tjörnin — the pond
National and University Library of Iceland (Þjóðarbókhlaðan)
National Museum of Iceland (Þjóðminjasafnið)
University of Iceland
Árbæjarsafn (Reykjavík Open Air Museum) — Reykjavík's Municipal Museum
Reykjavík 871±2 — exhibition of an archaeological excavation of a Viking age longhouse, from about 930 AD