Reykjavik Attractions

Star Trek comes to Reykjavik

Advantages: Central location, superb use of technology, and not expensive either
Disadvantages: None that I can think of

The Settlement Exhibition is a relatively new addition to the cultural landscape in Reykjavik, having only been opened to the public for a couple of years. It is situated on Aðalstræti in the centre of the oldest district of the city, and the remains of the Viking settlement that form the focus of the display were uncovered during construction work for a new hotel in 2003. Public interest in the discovery was so great that the government decided ...
...wealth of information about how the earliest settlers lived, all of which has been carefully preserved and beautifully presented in this fascinating museum. The centrepiece of the exhibition is the site of a Viking longhouse that was inhabited from the early 10th century, and to the north of this dwelling, archaeologists also excavated the remains of a wall, which has been dated to two years either side of the year 871 and is thus regarded as the ...

JVL 19.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of The Settlement Exhibition, Reykjavik

Brutalism meets German Expressionism

Advantages: Unusual architectural design. Fabulous views. Wonderful acustics.
Disadvantages: Concrete construction (a petrsonal hate). Icy cold winds on the viewing platform.

Hallgrímskirkja sits high on a hilltop within Reykjavik's city centre. Its elevated location along with its towering height of two hundred and forty four feet renders the church a striking landmark to any visitors to the city. Striking not just from its height but from its unusual modernist architectural design and construction. The best description I can give is that Hallgrímskirkja is Brutalism meets German expressionism. I will deviate for just ...
...architectural forms. Brutalist Architecture originates from the French term béton brut (raw concrete), a material often used in its construction. Brutalist Architecture is generally considered unsightly and cold today. Buildings usually have striking repetitive geometric shapes. German expressive architecture views buildings as a work of art often reflecting natural phenomena such as mountians, caves and rock formations. Back to Hallgrímskirkja. ...

MAFARRIMOND 17.12.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Hallgrimur's Church (Hallgrimskirkja), Reykjavik

Reykjavik International Airport

Advantages: small therefore quick check in
Disadvantages: location of where the fly bus departs

I am currently working in Iceland at the moment and have had the opportunity of using Keflavik Airport three times. The airport is clean and allows quick check in. As Iceland is outside the EU it has an inbound duty free shop aswell as an outbound one. However on my last flight this was a disadvantage as the baggage was placed right next to the duty free shop in a desperate bid to get people on my flight to purchase duty free products. This meant ...
...there baggage was not placed on the converer belt. The airport is small which is mainly due to the size of the country and therefore does not have the wide range of duty free shops that is expected at the larger UK airports. This is not a major disadvantage as if you take the fly bus you arrive in just enough time to check in, eat and buy some duty free before you board your plane. The only way to get to the airport are the fly bus, taxi or car. ...

olly374 23.04.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Reykjavik - Keflavik International Airport (Iceland)

A long way from the city it serves

Advantages: Duty free before entering the country, a good range of shops
Disadvantages: Nothing much to do before check-in, expensive cafeteria

...return. The flight came into Keflavik airport, which is over 40 kilometres from Reykjavik itself. The journey can most easily be made by a scheduled bus, the Flybus which takes about 45 minutes to do the journey, and costs 600 kroner (about £5.50). However, when I was there, the buses were on strike, so this left two other options, either car rental (at upwards of 3500 kroner (about £32) per day, plus VAT and limited mileage) or taxi (which costs ...
...free shops - in fact, Keflavik airport is supposed to be the only one in the world that lets you enter its duty free shops when you arrive! The shops offer a great opportunity to buy cheap Icelandic gifts before you leave, such as decomposed shark (hakarl), pickled herring (sild), or dried haddock (hardfiskur). [Oh, the Icelandic cuisine really is a thing to behold!]There are a couple of restaurants and a well-stocked bar. The decor is far more cheerful ...

MykReeve 02.07.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Keflavik Airport, Reykjavik, Iceland (KEF)

A Pearl on top of Ash Tree Hill

Advantages: Wonderful views. Interesting and informative mueum. Unique architecture.
Disadvantages: Limited goods and space to shops. Machine coffee.

...is a prominent hill to the west of Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland. Sitting on the summit of the hill is Reykjavik's latest attraction, The Pearl. The Pearl and Oskjuhlid dominate the skyline and form a notable landmark for the city visible from several miles away. Oskjuhlid has played an important part in Reykjavik's history for some time now. Plans were in place to build a grand structure on its summit from 1930. World War II was to disrupt ...
...base. Some sixty years later, the plans were finally brought to fruition. The Pearl is magnificent piece of modern architecture combining utility, environmentalism, tourism, history, geology and art. Six massive aluminium tanks are linked together by a steel framework topped with a huge glass dome. The 84.3 foot high structure was originally designed by Ingimundur Sveinsson in 1988 commissioned by Davíð Oddsson as the then mayor of Reykjavík. Its ...

MAFARRIMOND 02.12.2007 · Read full review
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Review of The Pearl (Perlan), Reykjavik