Most of the people who go to Iceland for a short time stay in the Capital region. I have only stayed in Iceland for a longer period of time, and therefore started and ended my trip in this region. The biggest city in this region is Reykjavík, which is also the capital of the country. almost 64% of Iceland’s population lives in the part of the country.
Foods and drinks
You can do and see a lot here. For example, if you like food and drinks you can find a lot of places to go to. If you are looking of a quick snack, and you are near the Hallgrimskirkja, you can go to Brauð and co. This is a lovely little bakery who works with 100% bio They opened on their current location in the spring of 2016. The first months were so successful that they had to call it a day early. If you go there you should try the Hjónabandssæla (Happy Marriage Cake) with Rhubarb. It originally comes from the Austrian Linzertorte. But it’s ”original” recipe has changed so much that it is now a unique cake from Iceland.
And if you are looking for a traditional dinner you can check out Café Loki or The Reykjavik fish restaurant. But there are many more places to chose from, it all depends on your wallet and what you want to eat. Do keep in mind that alcoholic drinks are a lot more expensive then in most countries. If you really want a stronger drink at the end of your day of exploring, it is best to get it at the airport. The beers you can find in the supermarkets are really low in %, but if you don’t mind paying a little extra and keeping it more of a special drink. Just pay a little more in the restaurant and get a bit more exclusive drink.
Museums
You can also visit a lot of museums in this area. The biggest one is a little bit on the outskirts of the city and is named Perlan. They have many different interesting exhibition. One of my favourites was the Northern light Show. The combination of music with the moving images of the northern light was really good. The screen is a domed ceiling so you are being dragged into this wonder of nature. They also have a 360° observation deck and a ”rooftop” restaurant. It’s is lunch, or a drink, with one of the best views of Reykjavík.
If you want to be more part of the exhibition you should visit the Saga museum. They will show you a brief history of Iceland by making them in to still scenes. The wax statues, the background noises and the use of scents makes you go back to the time of the settlers.
Tours
If you staying in the capital area and are not renting a car, you can choose from a wide variety of tours starting from somewhere in Reykjavík. For example, there a a lot of Golden circle or South coast Tours available. If you are a little bit more adventurous you can also book a 14 hours tour to Landmannalaugar, which was a blast!
When you are there, and are not able to drive yourself, and you want to see some wildlife you can pick one of the many whale watching tours available in the Reykjavík harbour. Seeing whales is never a promise. They are wild animals and you can’t predict when or which one you will see. In the summer months you will also be able to see more of the different species of birds. I did a tour with Elding Whale Watching in June. We saw a beautiful feeding Humpback, some really shy Minke whales and loads of exited white beak Dolphins. Next to these gorgeous whales we saw a few different species of seagulls, some puffins and Northern Gannets. Probably a lot more, but the dolphins were taking up all the attention.
Long story short, there is a lot to see and a lot to do in this area even if you don’t have your one transportation. If you like the Capital Region, you will like the other regions too. Read about them on one of the other pages like The Regions of Iceland. If you would love to know more, get more tips and tricks or If you’re ready for an unforgettable adventure, drop me an email. We’ll create a tailor-made itinerary just for you!