Welcome to My City. By the Editor of 'I Heart Reykjavik'
Meet Audur Ösp, a native Icelander and resident of Reykjavik. It’s fair to say that Audur loves her home city – so much so that in 2011 she set up a blog dedicated to the place, I Heart Reykjavik. In her words, “it’s a one-person travel guide dedicated to helping you realise Iceland is awesome”. And when she’s not busy blogging, she’s running walking tours around Reykjavík. Audur very kindly agreed to spend some time with us and reveal just a few (not all) secrets about her beloved city.
Here’s something I know about Reykjavik that no tourist would know... there’s a street in Reykjavík that is named after Darth Vader.
When I need to get away from everything, the first place I go is down to the ocean. The best thing in the world, if you need to clear your head, is to stand towards the sea with the wind in your face. And boy does it get windy here sometimes.
The best thing about living in Reykjavik is how safe and small it is. The downtown area is basically a village posing as a city and even though it has that comfortable small-town feel, it’s still big enough to have mostly everything you need.
If I could change one thing about living in Reykjavik, I'd like to have more smaller restaurants outside of the downtown Reykjavík area. Sometimes I would kill for a good kebab place around the corner from where I live. That feeling seems to grow stronger after a good night out.
At the moment, my favourite restaurant is Ostabúðin (Delicatessen) on Skólavörðustígur. I just love their fish soup.
I don’t drink coffee, but my friends who do swear by Reykjavík Roasters. They do a killer chai latte too.
We have some strange sayings in Iceland. One of my favourites is "on with the butter", which basically means you should hurry up and get things done.
Here’s something about Icelandic people you might not know: we’re crazy about the Eurovision Song Contest in a completely non-ironic way. Even if we claim it’s ironic.
You may have heard that everyone in Iceland believes in the little people, or huldufólk. Be warned, not everyone does, so please don’t go around asking people whether they believe in elves.
Here's something that most people miss when they come to Reykjavik, but shouldn’t… our amazing swimming pools. So much better than the Blue Lagoon.
If I had one day left in Reykjavik, I would walk around taking in all the quirky little details that make this city so special. And maybe have one last hot dog at Bæjarins Beztu.
Check out Travelzoo's latest travel deals for Iceland. Alternatively, see below for a selection of our favourite hotels in Reykjavik...
Hlemmur Square
Trendy budget hotel on Reykjavik's main shopping street and just three blocks from the waterfront. Bedrooms are on the fifth floor, with great city views.
Click here for rates and availability.
Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Marina
Deluxe property by the Old Harbour in downtown Reykjavik. City-centre museums and restaurants are within walking distance and there’s a small gym and even a climbing wall on site.
Click here for rates and availability.
CenterHotel Thingholt
Stylish boutique hotel close to Reykjavik’s main shopping street, with a fine-dining restaurant, a gym and spa.
Click here for rates and availability.