A few words about Reykjavik

Its name means ‘ The Smoke Cove ‘, as the suffix ‘ Vic ‘ means a cove. Located along the coast of Iceland, Reykjavik is the capital and largest city in the country. One of the smallest cities in Europe, Reykjavik is also the northernmost capital of the world and is the government, economic and cultural hub of the country. Reykjavik is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean with shoreline trails stretching around the entire peninsula. There are many beautiful places to stop and admire the scenery on these coastal paths, which are very popular with cyclists, one of the most photographed spots is the impressive Sun Voyager-a huge steel sculpture that may resemble a Viking ship, but in fact, a dream ship and an ode to the sun.

All you need to see in Reykjavik

The following route is the one that we followed and we highly recommend it both in terms of time and convenience for your one-day staying there.

1.     Hallgrímskirkja church  (Tower admission: Adults: ISK1000 – 7.5 EU / Children: ISK 100 (ages 7-16)  Opening hours: Winter (October – April): 09:00 – 17:00, tower closes 16:30.  Summer (May – September): 09:00 – 21:00, tower closes 20:30)

2.     Leifur Eriksson Statue

3.     Skólavörðustígur (Laugavegur the colourful street that leads to the church with boutiques, souvenirs, food, cafes)

4.     The Icelandic Punk Museum (Admission:1400 ISK  Opening Hours: Until 1st of Dec 2019 10:00 – 21:00 weekdays /  12:00 – 21:00 weekends  From 1st of Dec 2019 until 1st of Feb 2020 / 12:00 – 20:00 every day – δεν μπήκαμε προσωπικά)

5.     Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat

6.     Harpa Concert and Conference Cente (with clean public toilets inside it)

7.     Þúfa Iconic art installation

8.     Sun voyager

9.     Icelandic Phallological Museum (Opening Hours: 10am-6pm, from 9am Jun-Aug  Priceadult/child 1500kr/free – 10 EU

10.  Food Hlemmur Mathöll market  or Icelandic street food (try local fish soup)

All kind of food for all kind of people

• For more Icelandic food options read our post here
• For the coffee lovers Café Roasters
• For the Bar crawlers Laugavegur (Bravo, Lebowski)
• For souvenirs Laugavegur street or airport (some souvenirs are cheaper there)

More points of interest and attractions

• Old Reykjavík and lake Tjörnin
• Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey Island
• Perlan Opening hours: Daily: 09:00-19:00  Price: Adults 3.990 ISK  30 EU
• Austurvöllur square
• The settlement exhibition
• National Museum of Iceland
• National gallery of Iceland
• Leifur Eriksson Statue
• National Museum of Iceland
• Reykjavík Art Museum
• Reykjavík Museum of Photography
• Videy island
• Hofdi House

Where to stay in Reykjavík

For a low on budget accommodation with basic facilities we recommend the following

• Hostel πχ. Reykjavik city HI hostel
• Guesthouse πχ. Pavi
• Apartment airbnb πχ. Bolholt apartments

What impressed us in Reykjavik  the most are its colourful vibes, the pleasant mood of the residents, the woolen knitwear, the delicious fish soup, the unique reflections of the lake and the symbol of world peace in honor of Yoko Ono which is visible from all over the city and is located on a small island called Videy Island! Spend a day at least in the capital of Iceland and then embark on the ultimate adventure on the island of Ice and lava!

The post ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE A TRIP TO REYKJAVIK appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

In addition to this, you need to leave your senses feel these extraordinary vibes! Yet we understand the fact that a photo of northern lights has a great emotional impact for you as well!

What is Aurora Borealis – meaning?

To begin with we have to know what is exactly the aurora. The phenomenon sometimes referred to as polar lights, northern lights (aurora borealis), or southern lights (aurora australis). It is a natural light display in the Earth’s sky, predominantly seen in the high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic).

Furthermore, Auroras are the result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by solar wind. These disturbances are sometimes strong enough to alter the trajectories of charged particles in both solar wind and magnetospheric plasma. These particles, precipitate into the upper atmosphere. The resulting ionization and excitation of atmospheric constituents emit light of varying color and complexity.

How to find the Aurora Borealis forecast?

Producing Aurora Forecasts for Arctic circle’s countries is based on Space and Earth weather predictions, including Moonlight and Weather Warnings. Available in a variety of  app throughout the internet, it is wise to download one before chasing the northern lights.

Where is the Aurora Borealis observatory

As far as the observation is concerned the top countries to see the phenomenon is Norway, Finland, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden, Canada, Greenland, Alaska! There are many accommodation options to observe it in a dreamy way.

Check out this amazing lodge spots in Sweden.

Tips on chasing the aurora with a DSLR camera

ISO, shutter speed, and aperture These are the three things you will need to get familiar with

More useful photo tips for chasing northern lights

In addition, here are some useful photo tips for you:

• The aperture is what is called “f” in your camera settings. The smaller the f/number, the larger the aperture.
• Changing the ISO is changing your camera’s sensitivity to light, the higher you go the more sensitive your sensor will be.
• ISO, aperture, and shutter speed are really the three pillars of photography.

Last but not least, remember that camera settings depending on the aurora activity, low, medium or high intensity!

Aurora Borealis in Iceland – Best spots for chasing the northern lights in Reykjavik

Last bit not least here are the top spots for chasing in Reykjavik:

1. Perlan museum (if aurora ctivity is high)
2. Grotta island lighthouse
3. Any other place dark

You can chase aurora by yourself or with an organized tour.

 

 

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