Top Rated Attractions in Reykjavík

Mount Esja is an excellent challenge for everyone. Each person can choose their path according to their physical fitness because there are several hiking options on Mount Esja. One should start at Mógilsá and from there the route is very well marked. Mount Esja can be seen from Reykjavík and from that distance it seems to change color constantly, some say to match her mood. The color changing has a more rational explanation though: the colours are reflected by the light on basal salt rocks and palagonite minerals. The mountain is 909 meters above sea level and is believed to be 3 million years old! A hiking trip on Mount Esja is hugely popular among people in Reykjavík.

Hafnarfjörður town has in recent years put stock in creating a cultural presence for itself. Hafnarborg is Hafnarfjörður town's municipal museum and gallery, as well as serving as a cultural center. Located in a beautifully renovated house in the center of Hafnarfjörður, this museum has from the first shown ambition and flair, housing frequent exhibitions each year, showcasing established and recent Icelandic artists, as well as interesting and progressive international art. As a cultural center Hafnarborg also hosts concerts and lectures. Admission is free on Fridays.

Kogga's work has been popular from the beginning, and is by now among Iceland's most respected ceramic art. A Kogga piece is found in quite many Icelandic homes. The eggs, made of white ceramic and decorated with intricate patterns, figurative and abstract. Somehow one came to feel that a particular kind of luck came with those eggs, much like with the eggs of life and fate in the fairy tales. Kogga makes both functional and sculptural pieces out of ceramics, and her work is influenced by the rough nature of Iceland, with strong structural surface-decoration. The studio and gallery are located in the cavelike cellar of one of Vesturgata's lovely old buildings, close by antique shop Fríða frænka, and the Reykjavík Art Museum. Admission is free.

If adventure sports put you off, think again. Eskimos offers such a wide range of activities, it's hard to maintain that somber attitude. There's dog sledding, kayaking, rafting, horseback riding, snow safaris et al to enthrall you and test your bravado quotient. At the same time, appreciate nature's bounty in the form of fjords, glaciers, lava formations, geysers, waterfalls, lagoons and what have you. Be sure to get hold of the right gear and guide.

Kópavogur Art Museum is named after Kópavogur's most famous artist, sculptor Gerður Helgadóttir (1928-1975). She donated her collection of art to the town, which in turn had a museum built in her honor, housing a permanent exhibition of her work, as well as a variety of other exhibitions from Icelandic and international artists. Since its inauguration in 1994, Gerðarsafn has been a venue for some of the best and most progressive artists of the younger generation, such as Ólöf Nordal and Gunnar Karlsson. Also it has exhibited the wonderful naive driftwood sculptures of Sæmundur Valdimarsson, possibly the most popular art exhibition in recent years.

Hlíðarendi (stadium) is a multi-functional stadium in Reykjavík and is popular venue for the football matches in the city. Home to the Knattspyrnufélagið Valur or the Falcon Football Club, this stadium boasts of a capacity of accommodating more than 1500 spectators. Besides football, this arena also has facilities for basketball and and handball games. With an inclined seat-arrangement, the spectators get an optimal view of the ground and enjoy the game all the more.