Reykjavik (Iceland)

Reykjavik is Iceland's main seaport, also the country's capital city and centre of cod-fishing industry. The city has population around 124,000.

In 874 the Vikings established the first permanent settlement in Reykjavik. The community was chartered in 1786, and in 1843 became the seat of parliament. Reykjavik became Iceland's capital in 1918, as well as the world's northernmost metropolis. the city is on Faxa Bay, surrounded by mountains and provides easy access to fishing and skiing.

Reykjavik claims that it's "the cleanest city on earth". It has 50+ art galleries and museums, as well as 2 theatre companies and a symphony orchestra. The city's landmarks include Althing (parliament building) and Hallgrímskirkja (Hallgrímur Church/Lutheran cathedral, 1945-opened modern building).

From Reykjavik are offered bus tours to the National Park on the shores of Iceland's largest lake (Pingvallavatn), with wildflowers and abundant birdlife. Here too is the "Golden Falls", Gullfoss, a double cascade in Hvita River, measuring 105-ft / 15-m high and dropping in 2 stages into a mile-long gorge. Nearby is regularly spouting Geysir, a thermal spring from which all hot springs have taken their name.

Other popular bus travel tour destinations from Reykjavik include:

• Borgarnes (Borgarfjordur/56 mi / 90 km away), often with hotel overnight, attractions like Barnafoss and Hraunfossar Waterfalls (short strong rapids), Deildartunguhver Hot Spring, Langjokull Glacier's Ice Tunnels (accessed via modified trucks).
• Thingvellir National Park (UNESCO site), Geysir Hot Springs (the Strokkur geyser spouting every 5 min hot water up to 20 m / 60 ft into the air), Hotel Geysir (lunch included), Gullfoss Waterfall), Fludir Village (Secret Lagoon hot springs), Stokkseyri Village (dinner included), back to Reykjavik for an overnight hotel.
• Asborgir on the Golden Circle route (300 km / 186 mi), Kirkjubaejarklaustur Village (walking along Fjadrargljufur Canyon, visiting the Eldhraun lava field, hotel overnight), Vik i Myrdal (Iceland's southernmost village on Vik Island).
• Excursions are also organized to Reykjanes Peninsula visiting the Krísuvík Volcano and the Blue Lagoon (geothermal spa near Grindavík, with a scenic view of Mt Þorbjörn).

Reykjavík Airport (Iceland's second-largest - after Keflavík Airport) is inside the city and south of downtown. It serves mainly domestic flights, asl well as flights to Greenland and Faroe Islands. Reykjavík Airport was built during WW2 (1939-45) by the British occupation force on the outskirts of the then smaller city. Since 1962, there's been controversy regarding the airport's location, since it takes up valuable space in the city's central part.

Reykjavík has 2 seaports. The old harbor (close to downtown) is used mainly by cruise ships and fishing boats. Sundahofn (in the eastern part) is Iceland's biggest cargo port. The country has no public railways as it is sparsely populated. However, the locomotives that were used to build the docks are still on display.

For season 2017, the cruise port had scheduled a total of 155 ship calls with around 130,000 passengers. During season 2016, the port was visited 113 times and by around 100,000 cruise passengers.