Reykjavík Grapevine - Nov 2019, Page 42

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2019
42
So, you’ve shopped in the shops, drank the drinks, and eaten all the
foods. And whilst those things are all super fun, culture and the out-
doors are the missing pieces of the puzzle for a perfect trip. Whether
it's a gleaming museum or a grimy artist-run gallery, a springtime
hike or a trip to try and glimpse the aurora, here's where to do it.
Best Pool
Vesturbæjarlaug
Hofsvallagata 107
West-side bathing haven Vesturbæjarlaug has it all. There’s a diverse
variety of hot tubs from the social to the secluded, a steam bath, a
sauna, optional outdoor changing rooms for summer, a sunlamp with
chairs for wintertime sunbathing, friendly staff, and—last but not
least—it has an unbeatable retro charm. You’ll find tourists mingling
with Icelandic VIPs as they relax and talk about their day in the best
goddamn pool in Reykjavík. To top it off, Kaffi Vest is just across the
street, so grab a coffee and snack in a cosy atmosphere afterwards.
Runners Up
Sundhöllin
Barónsstígur 45a
The classic-yet-contemporary Sundhöl-
lin is Reykjavík’s oldest swimming
pool. It was thoroughly renovated in
2017, and while it kept its beautiful
old-school men’s changing rooms, it
emerged with refreshed female chang-
ing facilities, a new outdoor pool, a new
reception area, and a big communal
hot pot for chilling and chatting.
Laugardalslaug
Sundlaugavegur 105
Although Laugardalslaug is the largest
pool in Reykjavík, it’s often crowded by
tourists. “It has become the tourist pool,”
said the panel. “They all get sent there
while the locals enjoy the other pools of
Reykjavík.” It does, however, have a huge
range of hot pots and facilities, also used
by the post-workout crowd from the
World Class gym.
Previous winners
2018: Sundhöllin
2017: Lágafellslaug
2016: Neslaug
2014-15: Vesturbæjarlaug
Best Gallery
i8
Tryggvagata 16
The internationally lauded i8 gallery was
instrumental in putting Icelandic art
on the map, and remains a mainstay in
keeping it there. Although it’s a com-
mercial gallery, the works on show are
rarely conservative—expect to see con-
ceptual cutting-edge museum-sized
displays, rather than conservative and
conventionally appealing wall-based
work. The gallery is home to many of
Iceland’s finest contemporary artists
and also brings international names to
Reykjavík. Best of all, there’s a sharp wit
and a sense of fun running through the
gallery’s roster, in sharp contrast to the
often academic or po-faced offerings of
the contemporary art scene.
Runners Up
Kling & Bang
Grandagarður 20
After finding its new home in the
well-received Marshall House art muse-
um complex, the Kling & Bang collective
have done their very best to continually
make people smile with wonder at their
creative, ambitious, vibrant and varied
solo exhibitions and groups shows.
Keep it up!
BERG Contemporary
Klapparstígur 16
Located in a building that was formerly
a glass factory, Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir’s
BERG Contemporary constantly contains
a kick-ass roster of Icelandic and
international artists, and an ever-grow-
ing reputation to match. It’s right in
the heart of downtown, too, so it’s easy
to drop by for a look as you meander
through the streets.
Previous winners
2015-18: i8
2014: Kling og Bang
2011-13: National Gallery
BEST OF REYKJAVÍK 2019
Activities
Get off the internet already!
Best Art Museum
Reykjavík Art
Museum
Various Locations
Boasting with three different locations
scattered through Reykjavík, you will
be able to discover anything you could
be looking for there, whether you fancy
Icelandic sculpture at Ásmundarsafn,
Kjarval paintings at Kjarvalsstaðir or
various contemporary exhibitions at
Hafnarhúsið. “With one ticket, you get
it all,” says the panel. We’d like to give
a particular shoutout to Kjarvalsstaðir,
which has been on a laudable hot
streak of mounting exciting contem-
porary exhibitions alongside the Kjarval
collection; Ásmundarsafn also sets con-
temporary work in conversation with
Ásmundur Sveinsson’s classic oeuvre.
Runners Up
The Marshall House
Grandagarður 20
This fairly recent addition to Reykjavík’s
art museum scene has captured locals’
hearts. Hosting three galleries—NÝLÓ,
Kling og Bang, and an Ólafur Elías-
son workshop—it can be found in
Reykjavík’s constantly developing and
hip Grandi district. The mixture of its
location, the variety of its offerings and
the beautiful interior design make it
worth every visit.
Einar Jónsson Museum
Eiríksgata 3
Despite the stunning beauty of its
sculpture garden, The Einar Jónsson
Museum still feels like a secret gem in
the very heart of Reykjavík. There are
epic sculptures on subjects such as
life, death, birth, society and religion,
and Einar’s apartment is lovingly pre-
served inside. It’s guaranteed to bring a
little magic into your life.
Previous winners
2018: The Marshall House
2016-7: Hafnarhúsið
2012-15: Reykjavík Art Museum