Reykjavik
Reykjavik Summer — the Midnight Sun, Puffins, Whale Watching & the Westman Islands
Icelandic summer (June-August) is unique in Europe — the midnight sun illuminating the landscape in an endless golden hour, the puffin colonies nesting on the coastal cliffs, the humpback whales feeding in the Faxaflói Bay, and the dramatic landscapes accessible in 20 hours of daylight.
Reykjavik Geothermal & Volcanoes — the Perlan, Laugardalur Hot Springs & Iceland's Volcanic System
Iceland sits directly on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge — the tectonic boundary where the North American and Eurasian plates are separating — making it the most volcanically active country in Europe and the global model for geothermal energy. Reykjavik runs entirely on geothermal heat.
Reykjavik — Hallgrímskirkja, the Old Harbour & the World's Northernmost Capital
Reykjavik (the capital of Iceland, population 130,000 in the city proper and 230,000 in the greater metropolitan area — two thirds of the entire Icelandic population — the northernmost capital city in the world at 64°N latitude, founded 874 CE by the Norse settler Ingólfur Arnarson, the site chosen for the hot springs that give the city its name — Reykjavik meaning 'Smoky Bay' for the steam rising from the geothermal vents, the city powered 100 percent by geothermal and hydroelectric energy since 2007) is the smallest national capital in Europe and the gateway to the Icelandic landscape.
Reykjavik Culture — the Icelandic Sagas, Skyr, the Music Scene & the Coloured Old Town Houses
Reykjavik's cultural identity — the Old Norse saga tradition, the contemporary music exports of Björk and Sigur Rós, the geothermal-powered food culture, and the corrugated iron old town houses — is one of the most distinctive of any small capital city in the world.
Reykjavik Day Trips — the Golden Circle, Northern Lights & Iceland's Most Iconic Landscapes
The Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss) is the most visited day trip from Reykjavik — the 300km route covering the tectonic rift valley, the world's most famous geyser field, and the most dramatic waterfall in Iceland, all within 2 hours of the capital.
Iceland's South Coast — Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss, the Black Sand Beach & the Eyjafjallajökull Glacier
The South Coast of Iceland between Reykjavik and the Vatnajökull glacier contains the most varied and dramatic scenery in Iceland — the waterfalls, the black sand beaches, the glacier tongues, and the active volcanic systems all accessible in a single day from Reykjavik.