Think of a city

Think of a city
Reykjavík – Pure Energy
Remove:
- crowds
- traffic
- noise
- pollution
- stress
- pressure
Then add:
- wellness
- nature
- inspiration
- fun
- intimacy
- space
wellness
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Reykjavík Tips
Feel your positive energy building up
Reykjavík – Iceland’s capital – is a young and daring city characterised by strong contrasts.
Conveniently small, clean and safe, it is essentially free of the major problems that haunt
most other capitals.
Visitors to Reykjavík cannot escape experiencing the vibrant energy at the heart of Iceland’s
capital city. Whether you want to feel the boiling thermal energy underground, get close to
the natural green energy within the city and around it or experience its lively culture and
fun-filled nightlife, you should be in for a very memorable visit.
The perfect way to experience Reykjavík’s healing energy is to visit one of its many thermal
pools and luxury spas. A healthy swim, a soak in the thermal hot pots or a relaxing visit to a
state-of-the-art spa leaves you feeling in tune with body and soul. The world-famous Blue
Lagoon is just a forty-minute drive from the capital. Reykjavík’s abundant supply of
geothermal water is even used to heat its Atlantic Ocean coast, creating a warm inlet by a
sandy beach just ten minutes from the old city centre.
Life doesn’t get much better than this.
Temperatures in Reykjavík are
higher than one might expect,
especially in wintertime,
courtesy of the Gulf Stream.
The average temperature in
January is 0.5°C.
Reykjavík is the northernmost
capital in the world. The
summer nights are bright and
magical. By contrast,
December is fairly dark,
different and cosy.
The therapeutic benefits of
the country’s thermal spring
waters are believed to play a
part in the longevity of
Icelanders, whose average life
expectancy is among the
highest in the world.
Plentiful geothermal water
just below the surface heats
homes in Reykjavík with clean
renewable energy and keeps
the greenhouses blossoming.
fresh
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Here, darkness
is a winter-thing
Reykjavík is a perfect city for
healthy lifestyles and offers
a wide variety of
outdoor activities. Visitors
can choose between guided
city tours or hiking on their
own. In the wintertime, they
can go ice-skating while in
the summer many go in-line
skating along the coast or in
the city parks.
Nature and culture
intermingle throughout the
city. Visitors can take
invigorating walks along
the sea, stroll through the
botanical gardens, go
cycling or observe an
exploding geyser by the
otherworldly Pearl building
with its striking dome and
panoramic views.
It’s all here waiting for you
to experience at your leisure.
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DURING THE SUMMER THE NIGHTS ARE BRIGHT
natural
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Reykjavík Tips
Reykjavík is located on the
SW corner of Iceland – an
island 103,000 km² (39,756 sq.
miles) in square measure with
a mean altitude of 500 metres
above sea level. Over 11 per
cent of the country is covered
with glaciers, including the
Vatnajökull ice cap, the
largest glacier in Europe.
Human/Nature
In Reykjavík, unique nature is literally at your doorstep. Half-surrounded by a horizon of
majestic mountains rising thousands of feet into the sky – visible from just about
everywhere in the city on a clear day – you’ll fall in love with the natural beauty of the city’s
setting. Dramatic geological formations, towering waterfalls, endless lava fields, glaciers,
green valleys and breathtaking geysers are all within easy reach of the city.
For those keen on adventure and sightseeing, glacier tours, snowmobiling and horseback
riding – these activities offer a picturesque view of the dynamic landscape surrounding
Reykjavík. Whale- and bird-watching tours leave from the downtown harbour area. Sportier
activities include golfing or salmon fishing within the city limits.
A quarter of the city area is devoted to open spaces, and the clear-headed feeling you
experience from spending a day outdoors in Reykjavík is not easily matched.
Frequent flights operate to
Iceland from main cities in
Europe and North America,
and many gateways operate
daily. Flight duration to
Europe is short – two to four
hours. Most flights connect at
Iceland’s Keflavík International
Airport (45 km from Reykjavík), providing excellent stopover opportunities for
transatlantic travellers.
Reykjavík and Iceland offer
fresh and diverse things for
you to see and do, whatever
the season. Every part of the
year has its own special
attractions, character and
charm.
inspirational
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Reykjavík Tips
Awaken your creative energy
Reykjavík enjoys a surprisingly energetic and inspiring community of artists, musicians,
writers and designers. Since medieval times, Icelandic culture has produced a rich selection of
literary gems, and Icelanders still value books above all else. Libraries, book shops and literary
cafés attest to this living cultural heritage.
Twelve hundred years of Icelandic culture can be explored in a variety of museums in
Reykjavík – some recreating the Viking heritage of the modern-day Icelanders. In recent years,
Reykja-vík has become better known for its uniquely creative and buzzing music scene –
spanning the whole scale from the Iceland Symphony Orchestra to Björk and Sigur Rós.
A walk through the streets of Reykjavík will treat you to a brilliant display of the colours of the
city’s several small neighbourhoods. This is a modern city, characterised by an interesting
contrast of modern and vintage buildings. Reykjavík held the title European City of Culture in
2000, and has since flourished as a cultural city.
Reykjavík has a good selection
of art museums and galleries.
The performing arts scene
includes numerous theatre
companies, the Icelandic Dance
Company, the critically
acclaimed Iceland Symphony
Orchestra and the Icelandic
Opera. The city centre is also
full of interesting live music
venues.
Iceland was the last European
country to be settled – mostly
by Norsemen coming from
Scandinavia and Kelts coming
from the British Isles in the 9th
and 10th
centuries. The language has
remained remarkably
unchanged over time, and new
words are formed only from
Icelandic elements to protect it
and keep the language alive.
musical
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The Reykjavík scene is
buzzing throughout the year
Reykjavík offers ongoing
festivals and events
throughout the year. The
autumn and winter bring
the Reykjavík International
Film Festival, the pop music
festival Iceland Airwaves
and the Reykjavík Jazz
Festival, followed by the
multicultural Winter Lights
Festival and the gourmet
feast Food and Fun.
On New Year’s Eve,
Reykjavík explodes in a
colourful light display from
the biggest fireworks show
you might ever see. The
Northern Lights, or Aurora
Borealis, dance across the
sky for an added bonus.
Spring and summer bring
the prestigious Reykjavík
Arts Festival, the Festival of
the Sea, the Summer
Solstice Festival, the Gay
Pride Parade, Reykjavík
Culture Night, the Reykjavík
Marathon and the Reykjavík
Literary Festival – to name
but a few.
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REYKJAVÍK IS A TOWN WITH ONGOING EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
larger than life
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Royal de Luxe performance at Reykjavík Arts Festival 2007
Reykjavík Tips
Time to enjoy
Reykjavík combines an exciting cosmopolitan city with a delightful seaside village all wrapped
up in one. The city’s excellent quality of life gives its inhabitants and visitors a sense of
wellbeing and contentment. Reykjavík’s city centre is a friendly and colourful network of small
streets with historic buildings, a good selection of boutiques, designer shops, cafés and quality
restaurants serving attractive dishes made of quality ingredients.
The variety of restaurants in Reykjavík leaves nothing to be desired for gourmets. The strength
of the Icelandic cuisine lies in its pure ingredients and imaginative use of them. Fish and other
seafood, wild game and lamb raised naturally in the wild make up the essence of this natural
treat.
After-dinner activities might include a visit to some of the numerous and trendy bars and clubs
in the city centre. The extreme lightness of being in the summer and the endless winter nights
create a strange sense of timelessness and new possibilities.
Ingólfur Arnarson, the first
known permanent settler of
Iceland and founder of
Reykjavík, arrived around the
year 870. He believed that the
gods had chosen the site for
the first settlement in Iceland –
Reykjavík was later built on
that same site.
Icelanders always greet and
address each other by their
first names. Their last names
are made up of the first names
of their fathers with the suffix dóttir (daughter) or -son
attached at the end.
The best way to get to know
Reykjavík is to explore the
cityscape on foot or through its
excellent bus system. The
people’s friendliness and the
short distances between points
of interest make Reykjavík an
ideal place for the
independent traveller.
meet
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Reykjavík Tips
Stay focused / Stay online
Iceland, with Reykjavík as its hub, is located midway between Europe and North America. This
makes it a perfect meeting point – linking two of the world’s largest and strongest markets
through highly advanced telecommunications and transport networks.
Icelandic society has always prided itself on innovation. The fast-paced modernisation of the
country in the past quarter-century required a high degree of adaptability from its people. The
result is obvious in the state-of-the-art conference halls and business facilities in Reykjavík.
Here you will find an exemplary selection of high-class accommodation and an exciting
community of entrepreneurial businesses and thinkers.
Solid infrastructures, first-rate communication systems, inexpensive and clean energy and
excellent human resources are all factors making Reykjavík the first choice of globally-minded
businesses. Match this with everything else that Reykjavík has to offer and you have a city that
recharges and rejuvenates you while you do business or catch up with colleagues.
For clarity and peace of mind – there’s no more perfect setting.
The Icelandic economy is
robust and enjoys a highly
educated workforce as well as
a low unemployment rate. The
standard of living is among the
highest in the world, and the
Icelanders take pride in their
relatively classless society.
Iceland is one of the best
connected countries in the
world. Internet and mobile
phone usage is among the
highest in the world.
Reykjavik is a home to worldleading enterprises in the field
of medical and genetic research
and development.
Fluent English is spoken by
most Icelanders, in addition to
other Scandinavian languages,
German and French.
For information how to take
your next conference or
incentive trip to Iceland visit
www.Get-the-idea.is
Reykjavik Tourist Card –
Your Key to the Capital
Admission to the thermal pools, the local
buses, a great selection of museums and
galleries, plus discounts of various tours,
shopping and services.
Available for 24, 48 or 72 hours.
Sold at the Official Information Centre
Adalstræti 2
101 Reykjavík
Tel: +354 590 1550
Email: info@visitreykjavik.is
Great Value for Money!
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Published by Visit Reykjavík
Adalstraeti 2, 101 Reykjavík
Tel: +354 590 1500
Fax: +354 5901501
info@visitreykjavik.is
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Complete Guide to Reykjavík
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Iceland in a Nutshell
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Easy Access to Iceland
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Your shortcuts
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Mid-Atlantic Meeting Point
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Complete Guide to Reykjavík
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Iceland in a Nutshell
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Easy Access to Iceland
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Mid Atlantic Meeting Point
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