Take a Walk with a Viking

Hallgrímskirkja is an iconic part of Reykjavík's skyline and at 74.5 metres tall it is one of the tallest structures in the country. The gigantic church on the hill was a controversial project, but Icelanders have come to embrace their monumental tower in all its brutalist glory. The concrete mountain which took over 40 years to construct was inspired by the unusual columnar basalt formations along Iceland’s coast. You can admire the building inside and outside, go to the top of the tower to catch the view or attend an organ concert. The church is named after Hallgrímur Pétursson — a 17th-century minister and poet who wrote the “The Passion Hymns”. The book remains popular to this day.

Walking tours are great options if you want to quickly orient yourself in a new city within 2–3 hours and meet a couple of fellow travellers. Your Viking guide will make sure you don't walk past any hidden gems and tell you stories of the Vikings, elves and modern-day Icelanders. Some tours might include lunch, others — booze. It's up to you how to stay warm.

Simply put, Iceland’s famous Golden Circle is a popular route between three of the island's most visited attractions. Usually done as a day trip, the route starts in Reykjavík and takes you south and inland, to the Þingvellir National Park. There you enter the Geyser geothermal area with the Strokkur Geyser being the most eager of the bunch. Finally, you arrive at to the 32-metre tall Gullfoss waterfall in the canyon of the roaring Hvítá river. Many tour agents and travellers themselves like to make extra stops along the way to see a geothermal power plant or spend a few hours at one of the spas. You could rent a car and drive between the landmarks at your own speed. In summer, you could even use the long daylight hours to avoid the crowds that tend to come earlier in the day. If you can pick your own route, don't miss the Kerid Crater Lake — a scenic lake that occupies a 3,000 years old volcanic crater that you can easily reach on foot.

The Icelandic Phallological Museum houses the world's largest display of penises and penile parts. It's really a one-of-a-kind. It succeeds in striking the fine balance between casual, bawdy fun and the analytical, scientific seriousness of a museum. At times you'll be a little uncomfortable, other times you'll laugh (it's encouraged), but in the end you'll learn a lot. The museum stays open longer than most other attractions in the capital, so it makes for a good evening activity and a nice change of pace compared to most of the other activities we did in Iceland.

Perlan is an otherworldly creation with a viewing platform and a revolving restaurant on top of water storage tanks. Apart from the glass domed restaurant, the complex hosts an exhibition space, a planetarium and an observation deck.

Spread over three different buildings, Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, and Ásmundarsafn, the Reykjavík Art Museum focuses on modern and contemporary art, featuring works of some of Iceland's most famous artists. It is also committed to showcasing new talents. *1st location – Hafnarhús: Tryggvagata 17, Reykjavík Open Mon–Wed & Fri–Sun 10am–5pm, Thu 10am–10pm. *2nd location – Kjarvalsstaðir: Flókagata 24, Reykjavík Open daily 10am–5pm. * 3rd location – Ásmundarsafn: Sigtúni, 105 Reykjavík Open daily May–September 10am–5pm, October–April 1pm–5pm.

The Settlement Exhibition is based on the archaeological excavation of the ruin of one of the first houses in Iceland and findings from other excavations in the city centre. These archaeological remains turned out to be the earliest evidence of human settlement in the city, with some dating to before AD 871. It's a comprehensive display that covers Iceland's settling, culture, language and genomics.

Along with some 150 animals from 19 different Icelandic species, including seals, foxes and reindeers, the zoo also features an amusement park with rides and activities, and offers visitors the chance to ride an Icelandic horse. This is the ideal place for a day out with the family.

If you don't want to settle on just one restaurant, jump head first into Reykjavík's foodie scene with a food tour. You'll stop by several nice eateries ranging from restaurants to food trucks, and sample a selection of traditional dishes and modern street food. Try local cheeses, lamb, artisanal ice cream, and the famous Icelandic hot dogs — an addictively delicious staple. Photo ops and tasty bites will be around every corner.

The Seljaland river originates underneath the Eyjafjallajökull glacier — the same glacier that covers the eponymous volcano that shut down European air travel back in 2010. The river makes a 60-metre drop that creates the spectacular Seljalandsfoss. This waterfall can be fully encircled in the summer and photographed from numerous angles. Seljalandsfoss is also usually visited alongside the nearby Skógafoss. Many tours depart from Reykjavík or you can drive yourself since the waterfall is conveniently located next to the Ring Road.

The Super DC-3 aircraft crashed into Sólheimasandur back in 1973, thankfully leaving its seven crew members unharmed. Since then the empty husk of a plane has been left exposed to the elements, rusting away in constant humidity and cracking from constant freezes and thaws. The wreckage is a particularly beloved spot by local and visiting photographers thanks to its sparse and wild surrounding black sand landscape and its incredible visual contrast to the aircraft’s gnarled metal carcass. To visit the plane wreck, you can join organised hiking, horse riding or ATV riding tours, take a bus or get there by yourself. Remember, that driving over the sands is considered to be driving off-road and carries heavy fines. Lastly, the wreck is located pretty close to the village of Vík made famous after a popular Netflix series Katla.

Home to the largest puffin population in the world, Iceland is the perfect place to get up close and observe these small, adorable birds in their natural habitat. The best time to spot puffins in Iceland is between May to mid-August, and here are some of the best places to see them in the country: Akurey and Lundey (Lundey actually means Puffin Island), Westman Islands, Borgarfjörður Eystri, Látrabjarg, Ingólfshöfði Nature Reserve, Tjörnes Peninsula, Dyrholaey Peninsula, Grimsey Island, and Papey Island.