Reykjavík Iceland

 

The final entry about our wonderful 2-week trip to Iceland is about Reykjavík. This is where we started and ended our ring road adventure. People said the city wasn't that interesting and it's better to be elsewhere in Iceland. The city is fine and we liked our time in it. There's stuff to do even if it isn't as grand or interesting as many other European cities. However, don't make a trip to Iceland to visit the capital and miss out on the real reason to be there.

There was a choice at the end of the trip between trying to cram in COVID testing and jumping on a return flight with a tight schedule or take an extra day in Reykjavik to allow for any problems. Direct flights between Latvia and Iceland were only Fri & Sun when we went. I opted for adding a couple of days at the end to make sure we had time for COVID testing. We spent the extra days leisurely enjoying the city instead of wall-to-wall sightseeing.

We wandered the streets when the weather was good and took in some museums when it was bad. The National Museum is worth a visit. The art museums are good but small. I agree with the general advice that time is better served elsewhere if you're choosing between Reykjavík and anywhere else in Iceland. However, the city isn't a bad place to be.

another COVID mask wearer who can't keep it over their nose

Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat

National Gallery of Iceland

That's just a tiny taste, but there wasn't much there anyway. They had a mesmerizing surround screen video called Summer Night (Death Is Elsewhere) by Ragnar Kjartansson. It looked like two versions of a couple performing the song which was spliced together really well. It ended up being two sets of twins when we read the description after seeing it. Here's two different quality YouTube videos to give you an idea.

National Museum of Iceland

Reykjavík Art Museum Kjarvalsstaðir

Asmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum