Reykjavík is bustling with activities, from famous attractions to our small hidden gems. And we have busted our balls, pushing ourselves to our physical limits—have you seen how many mountains we hiked?—to compile this list of what you need to do to experience Reykjavík to the fullest (and most authentic). So, here are the winners of our Best of Reykjavík 2022 Activities awards, all of which are recommended by our panel of locals.
For A Night Out
Tjarnarbíó
Tjarnargata 12, 101 Reykjavík
Tjarnarbíó was originally built as an icehouse but is now the super-cool downtown home of all types of theatre and performance. You can always trust that if something is happening at Tjarnarbíó, it’s worth seeing. We’d like to particularly applaud them as a venue for Reykjavík Fringe, allowing experimental artists to take a big stage. Bravó, Tjarnarbíó. Bravó.
Runner-Up:
R6013
Ingólfsstræti 20, 101 Reykjavík
Bear with us here: this is not your typical venue. If you’re over 40, you might feel odd here—or finally, just like home. The minds behind R6013 have held close to 100 events in a basement on Ingólfsstræti since they opened, and it is a vital bloodline between the lively grassroots scene in Reykjavík and, well, reality. Study the R6013 Facebook page for details on their next gig.Runner-Up:
FÚSK
Gufunes, 112 Reykjavík
A group of visual artists have taken over an old warehouse and changed it into a cutting-edge music and visual arts space. This is probably the most exciting venue in Reykjavík right now; this year, in addition to their annual rave, Buxur, FÚSK are also hosting design festival Rusl (Trash). It’s a pretty impressive space and a good opportunity to dive into the grassroots arts scene.
Previous Winners
2021: Iceland Symphony Orchestra
2020: Iceland Symphony Orchestra
You can buy a copy of the full Best Of Reykjavík 2022 magazine—an essential guide to having fun in Reykjavík—here, posted worldwide.
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