This sparkly, hip restaurant called Iðnó is located in an old theatre, and still functions as such, offering some of the best shows on offer in Reykjavík. Overlooking the pond, complete with birds and baby birds, this is the place for an idyllic view of the old city center. To be particularly recommended for late dinners. The menu is interesting, with a variety of Icelandic seafood and lamb dishes and some international main courses. The ground floor has a coffee house/bar and a little veranda, where guests can enjoy the quacking birdlife and feed hungry ducks and elegant swans with breadcrumbs.
Specially designed in acoustics, Salurinn is a relatively young concert hall that opened in 1999. The architecture of the building is beautiful, its most prominent feature being oxidized copper. The programs at the Salurinn are ambitious and are put together with a great variety of music lovers in mind. Classical music is often featured and performed by an international ensemble of musicians. The intimate hall seats only 300, and the acoustics are impeccable. Check website for event timings and additional information.
Háskólabíó was specifically built with musical performances in mind. The building itself looks like an accordion and its acoustics are supposed to be especially suitable for concerts. The National Symphony Orchestra of Iceland uses the space for practicing and performing. Háskólabíó has many other purposes though; it is also a cinema and conference space, and the University teaches big classes here during the winter.
Basking in perpetual shimmer, the phenomenal facade of the Harpa concert hall is a fine tribute to Iceland's unique terrain. The concert hall comprises of two large rectangular structures that stand firmly on the Reykjavik harbor, swathed in piece after piece of colored glass. Meant to pay ode to the country's basalt landscape, Harpa was designed by Danish architect firm Henning Larsen, and inaugurated in the summer of 2011. This modern structure holds four concert halls, the largest of which seats as many as 1800 spectators. It is also home to lavish conference rooms and a stunning exhibition space. Every year, the Harpa comes alive with lilting melodies of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera.
Visit the National Theatre of Iceland with family and friends to witness premier Icelandic and foreign classic theater productions, new works, musicals, operas and children's productions. Established in 1950, the theater complex features five different venues, namely the Main Stage, the Black Box, the Small Stage for Children, the Puppet Theatre Attic and the Theatre Cellar (Leikhúskjallarinn with a total seating capacity of 910. This is the place to discover both upcoming Icelandic artists and playwrights, alongside the shows featuring international artists and performers. The National Theatre of Iceland produces close to ten new creations each year, promising its avid audience an eclectic variety of live entertainment.
The Reykjavik City Theatre offers entertainment ranging from new Icelandic drama, well-known classics and dance performances, to rock concerts and more. The theater is home to a thriving drama department alongside the Icelandic Dance Company, who host various productions throughout the year. The theater complex is composed of multiple smaller venues, including a main stage with a capacity of 560, and a cafe-theater for more informal, intimate performances. Those who truly enjoy the performing arts would do well to invest in a subscription. With its eclectic program and modern facilities, the Borgarleikhúsið, or the City Theatre of Reykjavík, is a great place to delve into Icelandic culture.
The Reykjavik City Theatre offers entertainment ranging from new Icelandic drama, well-known classics and dance performances, to rock concerts and more. The theater is home to a thriving drama department alongside the Icelandic Dance Company, who host various productions throughout the year. The theater complex is composed of multiple smaller venues, including a main stage with a capacity of 560, and a cafe-theater for more informal, intimate performances. Those who truly enjoy the performing arts would do well to invest in a subscription. With its eclectic program and modern facilities, the Borgarleikhúsið, or the City Theatre of Reykjavík, is a great place to delve into Icelandic culture.
This concert hall was actually built for sports events and not concerts, so understandably the acoustics are not always the best. Musical events that take place at Laugardalshöll are of the massive kind. Operas like Aida, concerts with artists like Björk and popular rock bands, or music festivals are conducted here. Call for event timings and additional information.
The home of the Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur, the Valbjarnarvöllur is a huge stadium in the eastern part of the city. It sports a seating area for around 5,478 persons. Book tickets for a football match and witness the love for football that the locals possess. It is beautifully done up with comfortable seats. The ground has artificial grass.
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.
It is a rather frightening thought that until the 1990s this beautiful but tiny building housed the National Library of Iceland. Built in 1906-1908, it housed several national collections, the National Library, National Archives, Museum of Natural History and National Museum. However, all of these institutions have found other homes and now this elegant house, designed in the style of Danish National Romanticism, operates mainly as a museum, as well as being a venue for meetings, lectures, artistic events, and official ceremonies. Today The Culture House contains exhibition halls, meeting rooms, a cafeteria and a shop. Themed exhibitions are staged in halls on the ground floor and in the attic, and permanent exhibitions on cultural and historical topics are on the first floor and in the space up to the floor above.