City break (noun): a brief vacation spent in a metropolis, akin to when on enterprise journey.
Before there was bleisure journey, there was the metropolis break—the brief area of leisure time that grants you entry to the cultural and culinary facilities that large cities supply. In this sequence from JourneyIt, we discover a few of the world’s finest cities for planning a fast getaway or extending a piece journey.
Here are our ideas for taking advantage of your metropolis break in Reykjavík.
Where to fly in
Reykjavík is served by Keflavik International Airport (KEF), the principle worldwide airport for all of Iceland. It’s situated 30 miles from Reykjavík.
Once on the bottom, vacationers have just a few floor transportation choices to get to their remaining vacation spot. If you favor to journey by bus, ebook a journey with Airport Direct or Flybus. The former runs on a hard and fast schedule, whereas the latter has no fastened schedule, and can look ahead to you in case your flight is delayed. Both journeys take about 45 minutes to get to the town heart.
There can also be a public bus service, known as Strætó, that runs common routes to and from the airport. Taxis are additionally accessible from KEF. However, rideshares, akin to Uber and Lyft, are usually not accessible in Iceland.
Prefer to get round by yourself accord? Your finest wager is to hire a automotive. Service desks are situated contained in the arrivals corridor.
Where to remain throughout your metropolis break
If you favor centrally situated lodging with a contact of luxurious, look no additional than The Reykjavík EDITION (pictured above), which boasts views of the harbor close by, in addition to Mount Esja and Snæfellsjökull glacier within the distance. The lodge can also be dwelling to myriad eating and leisure venues, together with Tides—a seafood-focused restaurant from Michelin-star chef Gunnar Karl Gíslason.
Looking for extra budget-friendly digs? KEX Hostel, additionally situated simply minutes from the harbor, is a taking place place. Besides providing a spot to put your head, KEX has cultivated one thing distinctive: an easy vibe that pulls locals and vacationers alike. Even should you’re not planning to ebook a room, you’ll need to spend a while there. Grab a chunk at Flatus, order a beer or cocktail at DRINX, or peruse the spines of TEXT. No in a single day keep wanted.
Want to remain someplace that falls between 5 stars and shared areas with strangers? I get that! Here are just a few to contemplate:
- The three-star City Center Hotel is true to its title, situated proper in downtown Reykjavík and just some minutes stroll to main sights, eating places, and nightlife.
- Storm Hotel, additionally a three-star lodge, is certainly a welcome shelter from the infamous Icelandic climate. Thoughtful design and cozy lodging make this a wise selection to your metropolis break; it’s additionally centrally situated and strolling distance to most metropolis sights.
- Four-star Fosshotel Reykjavík is Iceland’s largest lodge, that includes 16 flooring and 320 rooms—many with spectacular views of the town, harbor, and past. If you’re in Reykjavík on enterprise, that is additionally an ideal place to host a convention or conferences; the latter could be held on the highest flooring of the lodge.
Vacation leases, like these booked via Airbnb, are additionally accessible in Reykjavík.
How to get round
Part of Reykjavík’s allure is its straightforward walkability—sure, even in inclement climate. The metropolis has invested in an underground geothermal heating system for its sidewalks and streets, saving the roads from damaging snow plowing, whereas additionally saving pedestrians from falling on slippery surfaces.
If strolling isn’t possible or fascinating, Reykjavík’s metropolis buses will take you to and from lots of the metropolis’s sights and sights. Pay for bus fare, plan your route, and see the place buses are in actual time with the Klappid app. Bus fare can be paid for by way of Klapp card or Klapp ten (a 10-pack of tickets). If you need to buy a card, you are able to do so at these shops in Reykjavík.
As to your micromobility choices, you’ll be able to hire electrical scooters via Hopp. Download the app to get began. At the time of publication, it prices simply 100 Icelandic króna (ISK) to unlock an e-scooter, after which it’s 33 ISK per minute to journey.
Taxis are additionally accessible for journeys in Reykjavík.
While renting a automotive isn’t actually obligatory should you’re planning to remain throughout the metropolis limits, you will have one should you plan to discover extra of Iceland throughout your journey. (And you undoubtedly ought to, if in case you have the time!)
Pro tip: Use JourneyIt’s Navigator function to go looking transportation choices accessible to you. It will present you the estimated prices and journey instances for every choice, so you’ll be able to determine which works finest. For instance, should you add a restaurant reservation to your itinerary (extra on the place to eat, under), Navigator additionally helps you discover the very best transportation choices for attending to your desk. You can discover Navigator inside your plan particulars screens.
Where to eat
If you solely have time for one meal in Reykjavík, dine at Snaps Bistro (pictured above). The dishes are delectable, the wine record is spectacular, and for a metropolis that’s usually brief on daylight, you’ll recognize the dining-in-a-greenhouse vibes. You’ll want a reservation, so ebook one as early as you’ll be able to.
Spending just a few meals within the capital metropolis? Love seafood? Put Tides (talked about above) and Fish Market in your eating itinerary. Likewise, you’ll want a reservation for each.
Prefer extra informal eating choices? KEX Hostel’s restaurant Flatus (additionally talked about above) is a good spot for pizzas and different informal fare. Icelandic Street Food is one other great place for informal eats. Just need one thing you’ll be able to seize and go (particularly after the pub)? Try “the best hotdog in Europe” at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur—open late (late!) evening, and notably, since 1937.
Speaking of pub tradition, in Iceland, Prohibition on beer (however not wine or spirits) was in impact till 1989—and microbreweries have been making up for misplaced time ever since. You can strive native craft beers at lots of the metropolis’s bars and pubs, together with Microbar, Reykjavík’s first craft beer bar; Kaldi Bar; and Skúli – Craft Bar.
Tip: Alcohol is pricey in Iceland, so stretch your króna at pleased hour(s). Many pubs and bars supply discounted costs. Check out their social media accounts for offers and hours.
Less evening owl, extra early riser? For breakfast, head to Brauð & Co for freshly baked items, or Café Babalú for candy and savory crepes. The latter’s colourful exterior is tough to overlook, and the cafe can also be top-of-the-line locations for a cup of espresso within the metropolis. Other choices for a cup of joe embrace Reykjavík Roasters, Mokka Kaffi, and Kaffibrennslan.
What to do in your metropolis break
If you solely have a brief period of time in Reykjavík, you should definitely tick the packing containers on a few of the metropolis’s most spectacular sights, together with Hallgrimskirkja (tip: climb to the highest of the tower to snap that iconic pic of the colourful buildings fanning out under); Harpa, the town’s glass-windowed live performance corridor and convention heart; and the Sun Voyager, pictured above.
For a dose of the nation’s historical past, head to the Perlan, a museum—and an working geothermal water storage facility; it’s effectively value a go to. The fourth flooring incorporates a 360° remark deck that lies on the highest of the recent water tanks, and gives a one-of-a-kind view of Reykjavík and the encircling space.
Want to up your Nordic model? Head to Laugavegur, one in all Reykjavík’s oldest streets and its predominant procuring district, to peruse the myriad shops that includes every thing from high-end boutiques, classic clothes retailers, dwelling decor, cozy cafes, and way more.
Planning to discover extra of Iceland throughout your journey? Many of the nation’s most lovely sights, together with the Blue Lagoon, Silfra (the place you’ll be able to snorkel between two tectonic plates) in Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss (waterfall), Strokkur (geyser), Reynisfjara (black sand seashore), Skógarfoss (waterfall), and Seljalandsfoss (waterfall) are inside just a few hours drive.
Note: As locations reopen world wide, you should definitely seek the advice of and cling to all native tips and journey restrictions, as they range extensively and can proceed to alter. One approach to keep on prime of fixing tips is to seek the advice of the COVID-19 journey steering function within the JourneyIt app for destination-specific info, together with testing and vaccination necessities, present an infection charges, quarantine guidelines upon arrival, and different info you must know earlier than visiting the world.