Reykjavik Arts Festival: 2020 – A stunning (15 day) exhibition

1# Pack for the cold

Iceland is just below the Arctic Circle and its temperatures are rather low throughout the year, so don’t forget to pack some emergency winter clothes with you in case the evenings get too chilly! (Record low in June was -1!)

2# Icelanders late partiers

Icelanders like to go out rather late at night: expect bars to be rather quiet until midnight, that is the hour when the party starts!

3# Check the language of the events

Events can be in different languages, some of them are in English or offer English translations and dubbing, however, many are in Icelandic too! Check the events’ page to know the languages of the events you want to see.

Hallgrímskirkja

If you can tear yourself away from the events of the festival, make sure to visit Hallgrímskirkja (Church of Hallgrímur), a Lutheran parish church, found on Hallgrímstorg 101.

This church, done in an expressionist architectural style, is the largest you will find in Iceland and among the tallest structures at 74.5 m high. You can also take advantage of its observation tower –

just take a lift up to its viewing deck and feast your eyes on Reykjavík’s panorama and the surrounding mountains. Winter (October-April) opening times are from 9.00-17.00, and Summer (May-September), opening times are 9.00-21.00.

Austurvollur Square

Austurvöllur is a public square in Reykjavík. It is popular among locals and tourists, especially during warmer days due to the prevalence of cafes offering many treats to thirsty and peckish patrons.

Austurvöllur has been a public gathering place since 1930, and hosts many of the city’s important cultural and historical landmarks, such as the Parliament building and Reykjavik’s cathedral Domkirkjan – which is also the city’s oldest church.

Night-time

Reykjavik offers many nighttime activities and attractions from a Northern Lights tour if you happen to be there, or return to the city from September to mid-April, beer tours as well as concerts and stand-up shows.

For a more unusual and entertaining form of cultural immersion we recommend the ‘Icelandic Sagas – The Greatest Hits in 75 Minutes’ held at Harpa Concert Hall.

The show is based on the country’s famous sagas, which are 40 ‘true stories’ about the first settlers, their viking raids abroad and their blood feuds at home.

These fantastic tales of brave, worthy men and feisty women, have been passed down through generations, and are now available in English to locals and tourists alike with a comedic twist.

This 75-minute rollercoaster of comedy will introduce you to the country’s history and literary heritage, but also to Icelandic humour.

Currently, the shows are scheduled to run all summer through to December and tickets cost 4,900 krona (about 40€). Be sure to check their website closer to the time of your trip to Reykjavik and book your ticket!

Reykjavik has a lot of accommodation options available from holiday homes, cabins, cottages and villas, hotels, studios and apartments. Here we will offer you a few suggestions.

4th Floor Hotel – budget stay

For a conveniently located budget stay, 4th Floor Hotel provides guests with accommodation suited to any needs, and pockets, with prices starting at 104€ on Booking.com.

Rooms range from budget, economy, standard, superior as well as suites with city views. 4th Floor Hotel is located at the crossing of two main streets in the city, Snorrabraut and Laugavegur. It is just around the corner from Hlemmur Square and only 500 m away from Hallgrímskirkja.

Guests enjoy parking, free wifi, private or shared bathrooms as well as an ample breakfast. Be sure to discuss local tour options with the hotel staff as they can also help arrange for discounts.

City park Hotel – Mid range stay

For a midrange stay in Reykjavik, check out City Park Hotel, situated just a short walk from one of the city’s main street, Sudurlandsbraut.

All rooms have a private bathroom with showers and flat screen TVs, while some have seating areas and/or views of the sea or mountains. The hotel also provides bike and car hire services and a 24 hr front desk.

Eyja Guldsmeden Hotel – Balinese style luxury in

If you are looking for a more luxurious stay in Reykjavik, check out Eyja Guldsmeden Hotel. It is situated in a prime location, next to Hlemmur Square and just off Laugavegur, the main shopping street.

Besides the usual amenities, such as flat screen TVs and private bathrooms, the hotel provides guests with its own brand of organic Guldmeden toiletries. If this hasn’t convinced you, then may be the hotel’s wow factors will!

Balinese furnishings and four poster beds feature in all rooms, and if you book timely enough you may be able to get a room with a view of the sea, mountain or the city!

Other convenient features are an on-site restaurant, a bar, a fitness centre and bicycle hire. Be sure to book in advance so as to avoid disappointment!

Icelandic Street Food – hearty local dishes on the go

In Reykjavik make sure to have a healthy and full pocket, as dining options tend to swing on the expensive side.

Where most restaurants may leave a dent in your travel finances, if you’re looking for value and quality, you must go to Icelandic Street Food in the city centre.

It’s a family run fast food business offering its patrons traditional Icelandic dishes – it is the first Icelandic fast food concept of its kind! You will be welcomed by friendly staff and experience great service.

The authenticity of this place is confirmed by the fact that the recipes used are from the founder’s grandmother, who also prepares some of the locale’s traditional delicacies and desserts.

For 2000 Krona (about 16€) you can enjoy lamb or shellfish soup in a bread bowl, a drink and cake. If this hearty soup does not leave you full, do not fret, as it comes with the option of a free refill.

Fisherman’s Favourite

The other staple of Icelandic Street Food is the Fisherman’s Favourite, a stew which consists of Icelandic cod, potatoes and onions stirred in hollandaise sauce and served with butter and rye bread. Be sure to also try the pancakes and Happy Marriage cake, made from oats, brown sugar, and homemade strawberry jam.

Rio Reykjavik – South American with an Asian twist

If you’ve had enough fish stews and broths, and want to try more exotic dishes, Rio Reykjavik is a must. Located by the Old Harbour, Rio Reykjavik is a South American restaurant with a hint of Asian fusion.

The restaurant, among the more moderately priced in Reykjavik, prides itself on being a whale friendly restaurant. Its philosophy is that of providing patrons with an all-round exquisite experience in a relaxing and fun atmosphere.

Prepare to feast your eyes and taste buds on a wide selection of tacos and tostadas, along with other Peruvian and Colombian dishes.

Though the menu lists a lot of meat, fish and seafood selections, (the most popular being the langoustine dishes), you can also find vegetarian and vegan options.

Glo – vegan

Looking for a vegetarian and vegan establishment? Glo is your go to place. Famished after shopping on Laugavegur street? Simply pop into Glo, which offers raw, vegan, gluten free as well as meat friendly options.

The establishment has now expanded into four locations, and aims to  provide its customers with fast service and exciting blends of healthy and wholesome meals, such as veggie lasagna, bunless veggie burgers, Mediterranean bowl, Thai bowl, smoothie bowls, cold pressed juices as well as raw vegan desserts.

If you want to enjoy the Glo experience but getting to Laugavegur is inconvenient, here are the other three locations:  Fákafen 11, Engjateigur 19, and Hæðasmári 6.

Nostra – fine dining

If you are not on a tighter budget, or do not mind spending a little extra for a fine dining experience, then you should make reservations at Nostra.

Also located on Laugavegur, in the heart of Reykjavik, Nostra boasts a selection of menus ranging from 8 course, 6 course, 4 course, vegetarian, vegan (available upon a 24 hr notice) and pescatarian.

Another point of pride for this restaurant is that their menus are not fixed as they rely on the best and freshest ingredients they have available. Foodie or not, be sure to give this place a try, you will not regret it!

As you may know, Iceland is a small island in the middle of the northern Atlantic Ocean. So, unless you want to make your way there swimming, boarding a plane is your only safe option!

Keflavik Airport

Luckily, the Keflavik Airport (Reykjavik international airport) has excellent routes which serve most of Europe’s airports and many companies land there.

Once at the airport, you can make your way to the city either with a car (rental available at the airport), a taxi, a coach or a public bus. The journey will take about 45 minutes to an hour.

From the airport

The Gray Line coaches offer a range of useful routes to and from the airport. There is a hotel pick up or drop off service on the way to, or from the airport, starting at 23€ one way, (39€ round trip).

There is also a pick up and drop off service from the airport to the main bus terminal in Reykjavik, starting at 18€, (31€ round trip). These coaches run 24/7, every half an hour from the airport, as well as from the terminal.

Public bus 55

Public bus number 55 goes from the airport to the city, for example to Laugavegur. Yet this service is more limited, running roughly every hour, staring from 6.26 am. Journeys also last longer, up to an hr and a half, and cost around 1600 krona (12.95€).

In the city

Once in the city, you can use Reykjavik’s bus service (called Strætó in Icelandic) to get anywhere you need! Single fares are 460 krona, (about 3.70€), but be sure to have the exact amount, as the bus drivers cannot give you change and they do not accept credit cards.

Bear in mind that the buses have limited services on weekends and at night. For example, there are no bus services before noon on Sundays. Alternatively, you can always walk everywhere as the city is not too big and you may end up bumping into yet another installation or event organised by the festival.

Reykjavik City Card

We recommend you get a Reykjavik City Card, which allows unlimited bus journeys for a period of time (24, 36 or 72 hours allowance) and several discounts at shops and restaurants!

Parking in Reykjavik

The hotels mentioned in this article all offer free parking. However for greater ease of movement, know that there are 4 parking zones in the city, and the closer you are to downtown and Laugavegur, the higher the fares will be.

Parking signs on lampposts around the city as well as the meters and ticket machines will help you identify which parking zone you are in or are headed for. Paid public parking in all 4 zones runs from 9.00-18.00 on Mon-Fri, 10.00-16.00 on Saturdays, with Sundays being free.

Founded in 1969 and launched in 1970, The Reykjavik Arts Festival has since attracted world famous collections, artists, and musicians from its inception onwards, including Edward Munch and Led Zeppelin only on it’s first edition!

Originally it was conceived as a biennial festival and, from 2004, it has become a yearly occasion (for the joy of art enthusiasts!).

The Reykjavík Arts Festival has since hosted performances and exhibitions from hundreds of artists from all over the world.

The international and interdisciplinary approach and mission of the festival helped create vast networks of outreach between artists.

This, in turn, spurred the creation of new works and played a major role in developing cultural and artistic diversity in Iceland.