i love this legendary café for its beautiful curving counter, its beat-up vintage decor and its wonderful soups. a good late night dining spot.

good coffee, small-town elegance and a late night vibe where anything can happen, especially the spontaneous bursts of manic behavior that define icelanders.

vegetarian and raw food on the menu. highly rated. helps mitigate the less healthy habits you might pick up while in iceland.

the record shop and café is considered responsible for launching many of iceland’s new bands.

i once saw the finnish screaming choir perform the danish national anthem at this former opera house. it was organized by einar of the sugarcubes. recognize.

the original (there are 3 of them in copenhagen as well). washing machines and books organized by color, with very serviceable food (especially for iceland).

dine on puffins and minke whales at this lovely fish market! they also offer less unusual species. menu ranges from the traditional to the very inventive.

ah, the sea baron's divine fish shack. cheap and delicious lobster soup with a basket of bread satisfies the budget travelers. try the grilled cormorant!

started in 1996, an important gallery that reps artists who regularly feature in art fairs around the globe, art basel and armory art show included.

designed by danish-icelandic artist olafur eliasson, it’s the new concert hall. a major addition to iceland's cultural scene.

offers lots of old-school icelandic cuisine with a modern interpretation. caveat emptor, know what you are eating. savage beauty might be diplomatic.

a treat for someone who's biased towards danish confections is this slightly out of the way bakery. the closest one gets to proper danish pastries in iceland.

a nice excursion from reykjavik is a day-trip to the island of viðey. take the ferry, see the seals, take in yoko ono’s imagine peace tower.

less for its historical significance but more because the rift valley itself is simply astonishing – where tectonic plates meet and ragnarok begins and ends.