Reykjavík Grapevine - Apr 2022, Page 15

Silja Björk Björnsdóttir
Silja Björk Björnsdóttir is a feminist,
writer, podcaster, and lecturer. Her
first book is an autobiographical
story about mental health, depres-
sion, and recovery. Silja spends
most of her time between Akureyri
and Reykjavík, so here’s her guide
to the perfect day in the capital!
Weight training and breakfast
I love early mornings in the city. I al-
ways wake up around 7:30 am and
head to the gym. My preferred loca-
tion is World Class Laugar because
I can hit the gym, li" some weights
and then chill in the hot tub to set
the tone for the day. I’m a writer and
a freelancer, so I love working from
cafes and my favorite spot is Reykja-
vík Roasters in Brautarholt. I typically
start my day with a double cappuc-
cino with oat milk, sourdough bread,
hummus and dates. I pop open my
laptop, surf some social media and
then start my workday.
Let’s squeeze in some work?
My favorite lunch spot is Kröst in
Hlemmur Mathöll, where I can enjoy
people watching and the most de-
licious fish known to man. I love to
enjoy time with friends so the next
spot would be a cozy café like the
Kattarka#hús, where we could enjoy
a sweet vegan treat and good co$ee
while petting cats. Maybe we could
squeeze in some work too, since
most of my friends are also freelanc-
ers or aspiring artists.
I always love a good walk through
the city, even in rain. If I need some
inspiration I’ll walk along Laugavegur,
down to Tjörnin and up to Hólaval-
lagar!ur with some nice music or a
podcast in my headphones.
Best dinner spots, undisputed
I am a total foodie and Reykjavík does
not leave one wanting when it comes
to amazing dinner spots! I love a
good glass of wine or a cocktail so
starting the evening at Tíu sopar or
Skál for natural wines would be per-
fect. From there I’d take a bus fur-
ther downtown for dinner. My all time
favorite restaurants that I visit over
and over again would be Fiskfélagi!,
Matarkjallarinn or Le Kock if I’m feel-
ing extra juicy. I would love having all
my friends and my partner with me,
enjoying a nice night out with plenty
of good wine, food and laughing!
Wrapping up the day
Winding down for the night means
walking home if the weather is nice
enough or taking an e-scooter. I
have to stop at Mandí before head-
ing home though to grab a falafel
wrap. Looking at the night sky, enjoy-
ing the sights and sounds of the city
quieting down. I come home, wash
my face and take a long hot shower
before turning on some ASMR on my
sleepphones and falling asleep, a lit-
tle tipsy and very much happy a"er
the perfect day in one of my favorite
cities.
Perfect Day
Vital Info
Reykjavík Map Best Of ReykjavíkPlaces We Like
April 1st — May 5th
In Your Pocket
USEFUL NUMBERS
Emergency: 112
On-call doctors: 1770
Dental emergency: 575 0505
Taxi: Hreyfill: 588 5522 or BSR: 561 0000
POST OFFICE
The downtown post office is located
at Hagatorg 1, and is open Mon–Fri,
09:00–17:00
PHARMACIES
Lyf og Heilsa, Fiskisló! 1, tel: 561 4600
Lyfja, Hafnarstræti 19, tel: 552 4045
OPENING HOURS ! BARS & CLUBS
Under current pandemic restrictions
bars can stay open until 21:00
OPENING HOURS ! SHOPS & BANKS
Most shops: Mon–Fri 10:00–18:00,
Sat 10:00–16:00, Sun closed
Banks: Mon–Fri 9:00-16:00
SWIMMING POOLS
Sundhöllin on Barónsstígur is an outdoor
swimming pool with hot tubs.
For more pools visit gpv.is/swim
Open: Mon-Thu 6:30–22:00, Sat 8:00–16:00
Sun 10:00–18:00
PUBLIC TOILETS
Public toilets can be found at Hlemmur
and in the round kiosks on Ingólfstorg,
by Hallgrímskirkja, by Reykjavík Art Mu-
seum, on Lækjargata and by Eymunds-
son on Skólavör!ustígur. Toilets can also
be found inside the Reykjavík City Hall
and the Reykjavík Library
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Most buses run every 20 to 30 minutes
Fare: 490 ISK adults, 245 ISK children.
Buses generally run 6:00–24:00 on week-
days and 7:00–04:30 on weekends. For
more info visit www.bus.is
t
Words: Iryna Zubenko
Photo: Provided by Silja
Hverfisgata 26
matbar.is | +354-788-3900
Dance, jive & have the time of your life