What to see in Reykjavik ?

Reykjavik operates at a human scale few capitals permit themselves: 130,000 inhabitants, coloured streets around Laugavegur, and a cultural scene contained within a few city blocks. The city's character emerges from the permanent tension between geographical isolation and unbridled creativity, visible in galleries, neighbourhood bars and the brutalist architecture of Hallgrímskirkja church, which dominates everything.

The ideal window falls between June and August for the white nights, or January to February for the northern lights, but avoid spending fewer than three days: the city reveals itself slowly. You'll move on foot in the centre, by bus or bicycle for the outer neighbourhoods. The classic trap: spending your budget in the touristy waterfront restaurants when the best addresses lie one street back.