Reykjavík Grapevine - jul 2020, Qupperneq 38

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2020
38
Best Day Trip
Reykjanes Bound!
...Reykjanes
Brimketill Lava Rock Pool / Grindavík
Local Pool / Reykjanesviti
Reykjanes is, unfortunately, often
overlooked by tourists. We honestly
can’t fathom why, as the area is chock
full of beautiful lava fields, steamy hot
springs, and some great local pools. Not
to mention, it’s only a short drive from
Reykjavík. Our reccs? Stop by the Reyk-
janes Lighthouse, Brimketill rock pool,
and end the day with a swim at the
Grindavík swimming pool and a bowl
of lobster soup at Bryggjan. If you have
time, take a stop at Kleifarvatn, where
you can mosey amidst hot springs and
the bright grassy landscape.
Runners-Up
Þingvellir / Geysir / Friðheimar /
Fontana
South of Iceland
If you’re going to do the Golden Circle,
make sure you add this little twist. On
the drive to Þingvellir, turn onto the
route to Laugarvatn and pull over at
the lovely Fontana spa for a soak. After-
wards, head to Geysir and grab some
greenhouse-fresh grub at Friðheimar
near Flúðir.
Krauma / Settlement Center
Deildartunguhver, Reykholt
You can’t miss Krauma—the steam from
the bubbling geothermal vent pours
skywards into a column that’s visible
for kilometres around. The complex
contains five outdoor hot pots of
various sizes and temperatures, a cold
plunge pool, a scented sauna, a steam
room, and a lounge area with an open
fire. Afterwards stop by Borgarnes’s
Settlement Center for some culture.
Previous winners
2019: Snowmobile/ATV Tour
Best Place To See The Sunset
Nauthólsvík To
Ægissíða
With A Stop At Geirfuglinn In
Skerjafjörður
Now, you gotta time this walk pretty
precisely, but if you do, it’ll be unforget-
table. Start in the evening at Reykjavík’s
only beach, Nauthólsvík, and follow
the path to Skerjafjörður. As you make
your way along the seaside, make sure
you keep your eyes peeled on the
rocky beach for the great Ólöf Nordal’s
sculpture of the extinct great auk,
Pinguinus impennis. Now, take a deep
breath, relax your mind, and embrace
the splendous colours of nature as the
sun says good night.
Runners-Up
Perlan
Öskjuhlíð
For those looking to see the skyline of
Reykjavík as the sun sets, Perlan is the
place to be. With a huge wrap-around
balcony, as well as fancy scopes to
zoom in, it’s a fantastic locale to see
the orange sun shine off the houses
of Reykjavík. Here for New Years? Get a
spot here to watch some mad fireworks
in all their glory.
SKÝ Restaurant & Bar
Ingólfsstræti 1
SKÝ’s balcony offers a great view of
Mount Esja, which is north of the city,
as the sun sets in the west. And believe
us, the mountain changes shades like a
chameleon while bathing in the evening
sun. At SKÝ though, there’s more—you
can drink a cocktail while you gawk.
That doesn’t sound too bad, does it?
Previous winners
2019: Ægissíða to Grótta
2016-8: Grótta
Best Place To Spend Time
With The Kids (Summer!)
Húsdýragarðurinn
Múlavegur 2
Húsdýragaðurinn (literally “farm animal
zoo”) is the go-to place for Icelandic
families on a nice summer day. It’s
basically a petting zoo where you’ll
find everything from seals to horses to
reindeers. If you’re really lucky, the zoo
might be nurturing a falcon or eagle,
which you can visit with before they’re
released back into nature. Last time
one of our writers went, a bewildered
stork was being nursed back to health.
The garden also offers an amusement
park with a few rides like go carts, a
boating lake and a drop tower. Vá!
Runners-Up
Einar Jónsson Museum
Eiríksgata 3, 101 Reykjavík
If you have some of those weird intel-
lectual kids who want to learn things,
pop by the Einar Jónsson sculpture
garden during those rare Reykjavík
heat waves. Einar Jónsson, of course,
was Iceland's foremost sculpture artist
and his work will impress children as
well as adults. And, to be honest, it can
be fun to climb on them. Not that we
know anything about that.

Viðey
Skarfabakki, 104 Reykjavík
Reykjavík has many small islands near
the city, but the biggest and most com-
mercial is Viðey. In the summertime, the
ferry leaves every hour, taking you to a
scenic land of nesting birds, panoramic
views of Snæfellsness peninsula and
the Imagine Peace Tower (a Yoko Ono
curated John Lennon memorial), just to
name a few attractions.
Previous winners
2019: Tjörnin
2017-8: Whales Of Iceland
2014-6: Húsdýragaðurinn
For A Fancy Night Out
Sinfóníuhljómsveit
Íslands
Harpa
In recent years, the Icelandic classical
music scene has been booming, pro-
ducing superstars like Víkingur Heiðar
Ólafsson, Anna Þorvaldsdóttir, and,
yes you guessed it, the Oscar-winning
composer, Hildur Guðnadóttir. What do
these three all have in common? Well,
all three have played or have had their
compositions played by the wonderful
Iceland Symphony Orchestra. With
shows every month at Harpa featuring
a mix of old-school favourites and con-
temporary premieres, they are one of
Iceland’s most valuable cultural assets.
Pro-tip: Don’t miss their morning open
rehearsals on show dates either. For
only 2,000 ISK, you might even see their
whole programme.
Runners-Up
Íslenski Dansflokkurinn
id.is
The Icelandic Dance Company has es-
tablished itself over and over again as a
provocative and progressive art group
that consistently pushes themselves
and their medium into new territory.
Having collaborated with artists like
GusGus and Matthew Barney, they are
guaranteed to put on a unique night
that you will never forget. Bring a date
to impress them.
Tjarnarbíó
Tjarnargata 12
Tjarnarbíó houses the independent
professional theatre scene in Reykjavík.
The works shown here are experi-
mental and often in English, which is
refreshing, especially as Iceland gets
more and more multicultural. This year,
they played host to everything from a
Saga-inspired Drag Show to techno rave
performances to contemporary plays
and more. We stan.
Previous winners
New Category!
BEST OF REYKJAVÍK 2020
Activities
Seriously, try the pools, it's not like back home.
LAUGARÁSVEGI 1
2020
2019
2018
THREE
consecutive
YEARS
*Best Ice Cream according to Reykjavik Grapevine
*
BES
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2018
REYKJAVÍK GRAPEVINE
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BEST ICE CREAM
BES
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2020
REYKJAVÍK GRAPEVINE
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BES
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2019
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