Wanderlust: 24 Hours in The Highest Capital, Reykjavik

So I'm baaaack!

Iceland was literally INCREDIBLE and like nowhere I have ever been before. Thought TBH, right now I am shattered so am kinda happy to be back in the warm here in the UK and in my pjs for two days of chill before reality again lol!

I've taken so many pics so I will try and consolidate them down as always, best way I thought was to do 3 separate blogs on this, one on Reyk, and one each on the tours we did.

Sooooo... on To Reykjavik!

The highest capital in the world was already dark when we got there, There are not too many planes to Iceland from the UK a day so the earliest Gatwick flight was 3pm- 3.30pm. As it was our first evening and we had spend the day pottering around the airport we quickly headed to our apartment which was really central in Reykjavik and just behind the main shopping area.

We stayed at Heidas Home - a well known little block of apartments run by the lovely Heida. If you are travelling on a budget (which we were, more on that later!) then self catering in Iceland is def the way forward as the hotels will set you back SO much money as well as you also don't get the experience of living like a real Icelander :)

We had our own bathroom, cosy little kitchenette with Microwave, hob ect and spacious bedroom with TV. Perfect to return to after a long day out and about!

It was a chilly 1-3 degrees outside during our stay (arguably less than that outside the city) so it was then time the next day to wrap up warm and explore the city!

Being the touristy tourists we are we went to all the main attractions, all of these can easily be visited during your 24 hour stay. Reyk is a very small city so its best to walk around on foot and see the sights for yourself.

1. Sólfar

The Sólfar, or The Sun Voyager,  is a beautiful sculpture located on the seafront. It celebrates 200 years since the city was created. 

2. Downtown Reykjavik - District 101

You can't miss the colourful 101 district! It is the main boulevard of the city for shopping, food and bars. There are plenty of souvenir shops as well to buy the usual magnets, mugs and keyrings or shops selling warm clothes which are perfect for excursions out the city!

Laugavegur is one of the longest streets in the 101 district and has some incredible street art!

3. Hallgrimskirka Church

Dominating the city skyline is Reyks centre piece, Hallgrimskirka Church. Its free to pop inside and have a look around.

Unlike most churches I've visited which are usually very grand or chock full of stained glass, this church has a very minimalist look which I almost actually prefer!

You will need to pay to head up to the top of the viewing tower (900 ISK) but it is well worth it for the views across the city!

4. The Harpa Music Hall 

The Harpa is beautiful to visit day or night, whether you are seeing a concert or not! It is located on the seafront, not far from the Sun Voyager Sculpture.

5. The Old Harbour

We stumbled on The Old Harbour when walking further past The Harpa, which is well worth an afternoon stroll. Aside from meandering round the ships, it is here that you can book some great tours if you haven't already done so when you visit. The offer boat tours which include Northern Lights Trips and Viking fun tours around the harbour!

There are also a great number of museums in the harbour area including the Aurora Centre which we went to when it looked like it was going to rain. Its a very small place but worth a visit if you want to know more about the lights and how they are caused by the sun,

They also show an endless cinema screening of the lights around Iceland which you can go in and watch along with some chill out music! nearly nodded off a couple of times in there as I was so relaxed!

A great idea seeing as the lights for real are obvs not guaranteed when you visit Iceland. despite having favourable conditions for the lights we sadly didn't see them in person but going to the centre made up for that abit :)

Wheres the foodie pics?!

The main downside was food, so sorry no food pics :( we simply could not afford to eat out aside from once.

Food in Iceland I'm sure is great but the cost is absolutely barmy. I had budgeted extra for the trip knowing the expense beforehand but had no idea of the costs of the smaller things - a simple ham sandwich in a supermarket for example would set you back £10, a bottle of coke or the Icelandic equivalent - £4 and eating out could cost about £25 to do in a restaurant for said sandwich and drink
:( Fish and chips about £16, you get the idea. You will run out of money extremely fast if you are not savvy with your moneys here, Dinner prices were double this each!

Best budget food buys we spotted were Reykjavik chips and like I've explained Self catering is the way to go (still like buying your food in Harrods in the budget off-licence for the expense) but still cheaper than eating out,

All in all, I hope this covers everything you wanna know about Reykjavik and what to do if you are only there a short time :)

Love, Sarah x