Tours in Reykjavik

Start at the top of Skólavörðustígur, where the road tips downhill toward the water and the painted houses stack up on either side. Look back before you descend. The big church tower stands behind you, and you will find yourself using it as a compass for the rest of your stay. Reykjavík is small enough to walk, and the weather will decide the pace for you, usually in the span of one street.

Most visitors head for Hallgrímskirkja, and they are right to. Go up the tower on a clear day and the roofs spread out in reds, blues and greens toward the bay. Then drop down to the harbour, where the concert hall glitters beside the old working docks, and walk the shore path past the sun voyager sculpture with the mountains across the water. Tjörnin, the pond in the middle of town, is where locals feed the birds and cut across on their way to somewhere else. The Parliament House is tucked in a tight cluster of streets behind it, far more modest than you expect. Perlan, up on its hill, is another view worth planning around.

Eating is the part we would linger on. Reykjavík is a city for small bites and slow stops. A hot dog from a stand people queue at without embarrassment. Pastries from a bakery that smells like butter from half a block away. Fish, often simply cooked, and a glass of local craft beer to go with it. Walk with someone who knows the doors worth opening and a short loop becomes an afternoon of tasting, with the city's story told between stops.

After dark, the centre of town changes character. Laugavegur fills with people moving between small bars, each with its own mood, from cocktail rooms to beer gardens. Join a local for an evening and you will learn how the city goes out, and what to order. Want to see a landmark we do not yet cover, a lava field or a church or a museum? Ask, and a local guide can take the request.