Things to do in Reykjavik

Reykjavik is the world's northernmost capital and the natural base for exploring Iceland. The compact centre of painted tin-clad houses, harbour-side cafés and the tall concrete spire of Hallgrímskirkja can be walked in an afternoon, yet within an hour's drive the landscape turns into lava fields, steaming vents and rift valleys.

Most visitors use the city as a hub for day trips: the Golden Circle, the waterfalls and black beaches of the South Coast, a soak in a geothermal lagoon, whale watching from the old harbour and, between roughly September and April, evening hunts for the aurora. Weather changes fast here, so flexible plans and warm layers pay off.