Essential places in Reykjavik

My favourite days are Sundays like we had today in Reykjavik. A cold and bright day with not a cloud in the sky. Nothing else to do but to jump on your bike and go out cruising. When I was cycling downtown, I started thinking about what places I would love to know if I was going to Reykjavik for the first time. So I made it my mission to visit a few my favourite places in Reykjavik share them with you. Without further ado, I give you a few essential places in Reykjavik.

The sun voyager

This beautiful work of art, Sun Voyager, is by the northern coast of Reykjavik, not far from the Harpa. It is a lovely sculpture by itself, but it really comes into its own when the sun shines, and the mountains across the bay are lit up like they were today. When I rode by today, I was impressed by how friendly the people were there. Everybody got the change to photograph the sculpture without other people in the frame. It is the little things in life that can really make a difference, and this courtesy is a great example of that.

The best seafood restaurant in Reykjavik

It is certainly not cheap to go out for a meal in Reykjavik. But there are places which offer a better deal than most. Perhaps the best deal you can get for a great seafood meal in Reykjavik is at the restaurant Messinn on Lækjargata street. Expect generous portions of delicious fried fish served on hot pans. I just love it.

Hot dog stand

Ever since I moved to Reykjavik back in 1992 (!) I have considered the downtown hot dog stand an equivalence to having a license to print money. I have never ever seen it without it having a line of people. The hot dogs are delicious, but since I am trying my best to eat less meat, this is more a special treat for me now. But the hot dog stand remains legendary.

The Austurvöllur field with the rather tame independence hero

The field in front of the parliament building is called ‘Austurvöllur’ which basically means the eastern field. This is very likely a reference that once this area was the east field of the ancient Reykjavik farm. If the ‘official’ story of the Icelandic settlement is true then this the farm where Ingólfur Arnarson first settled Reykjavik. On this field is a statue of the closest thing Icelanders have to a revolutionary hero, Jón Sigurdsson. Jón is the man who kickstarted the movement for Iceland’s independence in the 19th century. His rebellion was tame but effective. His most radical moment came when he objected to a Danish official shutting down a national conference on Iceland’s status within the Danish state in 1848. Jón’s strategy was twofold. Firstly, he convinced people that the Danes owed Icelanders a lot of money. Secondly, he maintained that Icelanders only had an allegiance to the Danish king, not its parliament or ministers. It was all very tame and legalistic.

Tear gas and protests

However, the statue of Jón has seen a lot more action than Jón ever did himself. Austurvöllur has witnessed many protests and even riots. The Icelandic police have used tear gas twice there. In 1949 tear gas was used to break up a demonstration against Iceland’s entry into NATO. It was just one episode in a violent afternoon of fighting and stoning of the parliament building. In 2009 tear gas was the last resort to stop demonstrations and rioting during the pots and pans revolution.

Jón Sigurdsson would have loved the Syrian food of modern Reykjavik

I don’t think Jón ever tried Syrian food but if he did I am sure he would have loved Mandi which is just behind Austurvöllur. It is just great food. Try the lamb Shawarma.

The graveyard with great beer and coffee

Life would be dull indeed without good coffee and even worse without good beer. Luckily for us, we can go to an old graveyard and enjoy these essentials. Just west of Austurvöllur is a small square with a statue of an 18th-century looking guy and two essential establishments. One is Skúli Craftbar which is one of the best bars in Reykjavik. It has a great selection of beer, and you can actually have a pleasant conversation in there. I simply hate loud places where you can’t hear yourself or others. To get good coffee, check out Te & Kaffi next door. This afternoon I paused my cycling to get a lovely cup of Americano. I sat outside in the sun, enjoyed my cup of coffee and sadly lost two games of online chess. As noted before, this square is an ancient graveyard which probably has been there since the settlement. You can see old headstones at the southern edge of the square.

Relics of old Reykjavik

Across the nearby Aðalstræti street are three more remnants of old Reykjavik. Well,  four since Aðalstræti is the oldest street in Reykjavik. It was initially the path which led from the old Reykjavik farm to the sea. Underneath a hotel at Aðalstræti street are the remains of a Viking longhouse. This has been preserved and is the subject of the fascinating Settlement museum. Don’t miss it.

The oldest standing house in Reykjavik is house number ten at Aðalstræti. It is from 1760 and used to be a part of an 18th-century factory set up by the ‘father of Reykjavik’ Skúli Magnússon. He is the subject of the statue in front of Skúli Craftbar and Te & Kaffi. One way to describe how hard things were in Iceland in the 18th and 19th century is to point out that this small house was once the official residence of the Bishop of Iceland.

Then right behind the Te & Kaffi coffee shop might an essential reason people settled on this spot, a well of fresh water.

Cosy Stofan

If you head down Aðalstræti and turn left you will come to a great café called Stofan. It is a cosy hangout for lazy weekend days when you just want to enjoy good coffee and something sweet and read a good book. Stofan also serves Icelandic craft beers.

Grótta at the western edge of Reykjavik

My last stop before I headed back home was, of course, Grótta at the western edge of Reykjavik which I just love on days like the one we had today. I got off my bike and stood on the beach. First, I looked at the horizon, and then I noticed the small birds which probably were hunting for critters thrown up by the rising tide. A great reminder that you might miss a lot of you just look far off to the horizon.