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Hafnarfjörður

town in Iceland

5.9km

64.0667-21.95

Southwest Iceland

Southwest Iceland is the region of Iceland where the majority of the country's population lives, in and around the capital.

37km

63.92349-22.23495

Blue Lagoon

lake in Iceland

60km

63.87973-22.44374

Þingvellir National Park

(pronounced "THING-vet-lihr") - National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage site. 30 to 50 kilometres (19 to 31 mi) east of Reykjavík. Interesting for a number of reasons: it is the original site of the longest running parliament in the world (the name literally means 'parliamentary fields'), and it's where the North-American and European continental shelf plates are being torn apart.

87km

64.2581-21.125

Upcountry Árnessýsla

Upcountry Árnessýsla, or Uppsveitir Árnessýslu in Icelandic, is a rural area in South Iceland, home to many of the country's most famous attractions.

172km

64.198-20.359

Snæfellsjökull National Park

(SNY-fetls-yer-CUDDLE) - Located on the tip of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in western Iceland, this park is home to the ice-covered volcanic crater that was the setting for Jules Verne's book Journey to the Center of the Earth.

210km

64.8-23.7833
Sights (8)

Austurvöllur

3.6km

64.1472-21.9398

Alþingishúsið

On the southern edge of Austurvöllur is a small building of hewn stone, but don't let its size fool you. This is the building of the Icelandic parliament, known as Alþingi. The institution has in fact long since outgrown the building which was built in 1881 for a nation of a little over 60,000. Today the upper floors of most houses on the north and west sides of the park also house parliamentary offices. The Alþingi building today houses only the debating chamber of the unicameral institution and the party meeting rooms. When Alþingi is in session it is possible to go up to the viewing platforms and follow the debates, otherwise it is necessary to be part of a group to see the building from the inside.

3.6km

64.14666667-21.94027778

Reykjavík Museum of Photography

3.8km

64.149277-21.94165

Tjörnin

lake in Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland

3.8km

64.14444444-21.9425

Christ the King Cathedral (Reykjavík)

The Catholic cathedral of Iceland.

4.5km

64.1475-21.9485

Heiðmörk

protected area

16km

64.0675-21.76416667

Hveragerði

78km

63.9992211-21.2065315

Silfra

water-filled rift in Iceland between the North American an Eurasion tectonic plates

87km

64.255-21.123
Nature

we will see

Reykjavík

Iceland
Someday we will visit Reykjavík or begin to dream about going there! However, for now its not on our radar. Let us know in the comments if you think that should change!

Reykjavík

Reykjavík is the capital of and largest city in Iceland and with an urban area population of around 200,000, it is the home to two-thirds of Iceland's population. It is the centre of culture and life of the Icelandic people, and is one of the focal points of tourism in Iceland. The city is spread out, and has sprawling suburbs. The city centre, however, is a very small area characterised by eclectic and colourful houses, with good shopping, dining and drinking. Reykjavik has the distinction of being the northernmost capital city in the world, though its winters are surprisingly mild for a city of its latitude.

Reykjavík is located in the southwest of Iceland. The Reykjavík area coastline is characterized by peninsulas, coves, straits, and islands.

The first permanent settlement in Iceland by Norsemen is believed to have been established at Reykjavík by Ingólfr Arnarson around AD 870; this is described in Landnámabók, or the Book of Settlement. Ingólfur is said to have decided the location of his settlement using a traditional Norse method: he cast his high seat pillars (Öndvegissúlur) into the ocean when he saw the coastline, then settled where the pillars came to shore. This story is widely regarded as a legend; it appears likely that he settled near the hot springs to keep warm in the winter and would not have decided the location by happenstance. Furthermore, it seems unlikely that the pillars drifted to that location from where they were said to have been thrown from the boat. Nevertheless, that is what the Landnamabok says, and it says furthermore that Ingólfur's pillars are still to be found in a house in the town.

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Climate

Average temperatures

Jan

2°C
Precipitation: 76 mm

Feb

3°C
Precipitation: 72 mm

Mar

3°C
Precipitation: 82 mm

Apr

6°C0
Precipitation: 51 mm

May

9°C4
Precipitation: 44 mm

Jun

12°C7
Precipitation: 50 mm

Jul

13°C8
Precipitation: 52 mm

Aug

13°C8
Precipitation: 62 mm

Sep

10°C5
Precipitation: 67 mm

Oct

7°C2
Precipitation: 86 mm

Nov

3°C
Precipitation: 73 mm

Dec

2°C
Precipitation: 79 mm