Reykjavik Places to Visit

The National Museum
If you don't know much about Iceland, then this is a must-visit to bone up and unravel Iceland's 1200 year history of Viking, Celtic and Icelandic artefacts.

Laugardalur Thermal Baths
Join the locals for a dip in these steamy thermal pools.

Blue Lagoon
Take a dip in the Blue Lagoon's mineral water and cover your face with silica mud scooped from the bottom of the lagoon for a free facial. This is a man-made lagoon and is amazing to look at. It shimmers turquoise hues surrounded by cinder-black lava fields with a backdrop of the Svartsengi geothermal power plant.

Geysir
This is the original that gave its name to geysers everywhere. This one doesn't spout its water any more, but you will see another called Strokkur which blasts our a boiling plume that reaches up to 30m high every five minutes or so. Make sure you have your camera at the ready!

Snaefellsness Peninsula
This chain of mountains is so beautifull it simply takes your breath away. It is located at the north-west of the capital and juts out into the Atlantic and ends at the Snaefellsjokull glacier. Some believe that this mystical ice cap is one of the earth's great 'energy centres'. While there try whizzing around in a snowmobile or walk along the cliffs to Hellnar and finish off with a bowl of fish soup at Fjorhusid cafe.

Aurora Borealis - Northern Lights
Get there in winter and you will be rewarded with a magnificent light show courtesy of nature herself. The Aurora Borealis is a result of solar particles colliding with Earth's atmoshphere to produce ethereal wisps and spooky spotlights that dance across the stars. The show can only be seen in the skies in clear cold weather, and only when it’s totally dark. Though you may see the show from the centre of Reykjavik you are more assured of it in less polluted areas in the country. Guided tours are available from www.northern-lights.no.

23 July 2008