Reykjavik, Iceland

Old town (downtown), located next to the harbor, is traversable by foot and is where the Iceland Parliament House, city hall and Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir’s office reside. The downtown area is lovely with picturesque restaurants, a small park and shops of Icelandic design that emote a fresh, progressive and youthful flair.

Many visitors and Icelanders like to stroll along Laugavegur or Main Street (one of the oldest in Reykjavik) to shop for fashions, books and Icelandic outdoor wear (66 North), or to relax in a quaint café or delicious Nordic bakery. Try the famous Sandholt Bakery for superb pastries and chocolates and the Te & Kaffi café for delicious coffee and tea. Wherever you wander through Old Town, you will find a variety of things to do and sites to see year-round.

If you have time and want explore Icelandic culture, visit the National Cultural House, Reykjavik Art Museum and the National Museum of Iceland. For outstanding photographs of the city and surrounding mountains, visit the Pearl (Perlan). This architecturally interesting geothermal-domed water tank station with a Viking museum and a revolving restaurant on top is a famous Reykjavik landmark.

Iceland and Reykjavik - Photos by Patrice Raplee

For Icelandic cuisine, numerous restaurants feature fresh costal seafood and succulent Iceland lamb. Due to Iceland’s pristine environment, lack of pollution and livestock practices, the country’s lamb is among the best in the world. Two fabulous restaurants in Old Town are Laekjarbrekka and Restaurant Reykjavik.

Laekjarbrekka resides in a 1800s house with gorgeous period décor; the menu that offers an assortment of seafood, veggies and Lamb that is superb and a gourmand’s dream. The cuisine is beautifully presented and the atmosphere is comfortable, not pretentious. T his restaurant is a must-visit.

Restaurant Reykjavik features a large and tasty buffet at 6 pm every evening with loads of fresh fish and opulent desserts. The restaurant also houses the city’s hip Ice Bar where guests and locals don a warm, quilted poncho and sip various spirits including the country’s traditional Schnapps, Brennivin. This is a fun place to meet people and partake of the city’s exuberant nightlife. There is even a theatre located in the restaurant’s downstairs for local plays based on Icelandic history and traditions. For additional information, visit www.laekjarbrekka.is, www.restaurantreykjavik.is.

In Iceland, legends and myths abound, such as the Hidden People (fascinating elf-like people), trolls and the 13 Yule Lads. These sprightly, white-bearded men bring children, who have been good all-year, lots of treats during the Christmas season and leave them in a shoe placed carefully on a window ledge.

Icelandair is the country’s reliable and highly rated airline. Customer service staff and flight attendants all provide friendly, helpful, and organized service. Have you ever seen another airline set your incoming luggage upright on the conveyer belt so that you can just grab it and be off? The cabins are clean and comfortable even in economy, with footrests and a good selection of in-flight movies.