Things to Do in Reykjavik

The landmark Geysir Geyser might be the world’s most famous and the one after which all others are named, but its neighbor, Strokkur, is equally impressive. Despite only rising to heights of 60 to 100 feet (compared to Geysir’s 150 to 200 feet), Strokkur still erupts several times an hour (unlike Geysir, which remains largely dormant thanks to its clogged conduit) offering visitors a good chance of witnessing the natural spectacle.

Opened up by an earthquake in 1789 and reactivated by human intervention in 1963 after being blocked by a second earthquake, Strokkur has been erupting regularly ever since. Cradled in a 3-meter wide crater, Strokkur’s highly anticipated eruptions begin with the formation of a pulsing bubble of hot water, which reaches temperatures of around 200 °C before a rush of steam breaks through and shoots into the air. The geyser now stands among Iceland’s most popular natural attractions, located in the Haukadalur geothermal area and a much-visited sight along the Golden Circle route from Reykjavik.

This rocky, hilly volcanic landscape in the southwestern countryside was made Iceland’s first national park in 1928, and a UNESCO site in 2004. A deeply significant cultural site for Iceland, this is where Althing, a historic open-air assembly of Icelandic representatives, was held from 930 to 1798. Ruins remain of 50 rock-hewn attendee booths, symbols of a medieval-era Norse political practice that persisted here well into the 18th century.

Althing was Iceland’s initial version of Parliament, and reflected the governmental style of Iceland’s early Norwegian settlers. In the ancient Norse culture, individual chieftains ruled disparate geographical areas but worked collaboratively with other chieftains to create a balance of power; this collaboration required annual face-to-face gatherings of chieftains and their extended clans. These gatherings would last two weeks or more, accompanied by temporary dwellings and markets, as well as entertainment like storytelling, feasts and sports tournaments.

By the year 930, the public land of the Thingvellir region had been chosen for this purpose, as it was deemed accessible from much of the country, which is full of (then-insurmountable) obstacles like huge mountains, glaciers and wide rivers. While communal gatherings here ultimately strengthened the Icelandic culture, the power of the Althing system eroded over time, proving ineffective at keeping more influential chieftains in check. The country was folded into the kingdom of Denmark in the late 1300s, kicking off a long period of decline that included the Black Plague and other deadly diseases; Danish imposition of the Reformation and later, a crippling trade monopoly; and many violent volcanic eruptions.

Though it evolved to represent the voices of an increasingly feudal system of land ownership, the Althing continued to be held at Thingvellir until 1798, when it was moved to the growing capital of Reykjavik. Within two years, it would be dissolved by royal decree, but re-established in 1848; it was this fateful move that prompted Iceland’s eventual autonomy as a sovereign state with its own flag and government.

Established in 1967, Skaftafell National Park became a part of the enormous Vatnajokull National Park in 2008, but the area, which sprawls across the southern tip of the vast Vatnajokull glacier, still remains one of the most popular corners of the park. Skaftafell is dominated by the Skaftafellsjökull glacier, one of the most accessible parts of Vatnajokull and offers 5,000 square-kilometers of rugged mountainous terrain and icy glacial tongues.

With no roads traversing the region, hiking, glacier hiking and ice climbing are the main ways to get around in Skaftafell and a vast network of trails are mapped out by the Skaftafell Visitor Center, which now acts as an information center and exhibition space for the entire Vatnajokull National Park. Dotted with active volcanoes, fast-flowing glacial rivers and lava-sculpted peaks, Skaftafell’s highlights include the dramatic Svartifoss waterfall (Black Fall), tumbling 20 meters over a cliff of black basalt, the scenic Morsárdalur valley and the looming ice caps of nearby Öræfajökull, Iceland’s highest peak.

With its slim cascade of water slicing through the air and pooling into the Seljalandsá River below, Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland’s most undeniably photogenic waterfalls, located just off Iceland’s main Ring Road, between the Skógafoss and Selfoss waterfalls.

Plunging from a height of around 60 meters, Seljalandsfoss might not be Iceland’s widest or mightiest waterfall, but it’s certainly one of its most famous, forming a dramatic arch of water that dominates the picturesque Thórsmörk valley. Surrounded by wild flowers in the summer months and floodlit after nightfall, a visit to Seljalandsfoss provides ample opportunities for snap-happy tourists, but its most distinctive feature is its narrow chute of water, which allows a breathtaking vantage point from behind the falls. Uniquely, a footpath runs all the way around the waterfall, allowing visitors to get within meters of the rushing water, standing amidst the spray at the foot of the Eyjafjöll Mountains.

Across the water from Reykjavik lies Videy Island. Once the main harbor until Reykjavik took over in 1943, the first settlement on the island dates from the 10th century. These days birds are the main inhabitants of the island with around 30 species coming to breed there. For humans, there is a restaurant, located in Videyjarstofa house, the first stone and cement building in Iceland, which dates from 1755. The island was once home to Augustine monks until 1539 when the reformation began in Iceland. There are also walking tracks and horse-riding.

Videy Island has another unusual function - it houses the Peace Tower memorial erected for John Lennon by Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon. First lit in 2007, the memorial is a huge laser which beams into the sky from the 9th of October (Lennon's birthday) until December 8th (the date of his assassination) each year. Iceland was chosen as the site due to its peaceful nature and cheap, natural electricity.

Iceland’s principal art gallery, located on the banks Reykjavik’s Tjörnin Lake, the National Gallery of Iceland houses a vast collection of 19th and 20th century Icelandic art, alongside works by international artists like Pablo Picasso, Edward Munch, Karel Appel, Victor Vasarely and Richard Serra. The museum’s permanent collection, containing around 10,000 works, is showcased through a series of rotating exhibitions, spread throughout 3 floors of gallery space. Among the highlights are pieces by famed Icelandic artists like Þórarinn B. Þorláksson, Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval, Bjarni Jónsson and Einar Hákonarson, along with a variety of modern sculptures, installations and paintings by new and upcoming artists.

Founded in 1884 to house the personal art collection of Icelandic lawyer Björn Bjarnarson, the National Gallery was originally based in Copenhagen, Denmark, and a number of key works by Danish artists like Joakim Skovgaard, Christian Blache and Peter Krøyer nod to its birthplace. Landing on Icelandic shores in 1916, the gallery was adopted as a department of Iceland’s National Heritage Museum, making it the country’s oldest art institution.