Travel Series: Exploring Reykjavik, Iceland

I've got a confession to make - I'm a little bit in love with Iceland. Ever since we got back from our trip there in September I have been telling anyone that will listen about how wonderful it is and reeling of lists of reasons why they should visit.

And now I'm gonna do the same to you guys - over the coming week or so, I will have 3 or 4 blog posts telling you about all the exciting stuff we got up to, and trying to convince you that you should probably get yourself there ASAP...

I thought I'd start today by sharing some snaps from the day we spent exploring Reykjavik, which is Iceland's capital city. It's one of the trendiest cities I've ever been too - think hip design stores, beautiful architecture and colourful houses EVERYWHERE.

What really hit me from the moment we arrived in Reykjavik was how creative it was - there were tonnes of shops selling handmade jewellery and art, colourful paintings on the street and plenty of cool bars and restaurants. It's such a feast for the eyes, and when you add in the stunning natural beauty that surrounds the city, it really does take your breath away.

One of the first things we wanted to check out was the Hallgrímskirkja which was just around the corner from the apartment we were staying in. It's the most beautifully designed church, both inside and out - I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it before! For a couple of euros you can take a lift to the top and peer out over all of Reykjavik - it's well worth doing as the views are just gorgeous (even on a cloudy grey day).

Everywhere you walk in Reykjavik you are surrounded by pops of colour - how amazing is this pink house?!

And who wouldn't be excited by a rainbow road...?!?!

And that's before you even get to the restaurants! We headed to The Laundromat Cafe for lunch which was basically a colour coders dream... I was in my element (much to Sam's embarassment).

I would definitely recommend heading to The Laundromat Cafe for a bite to eat if you visit - the food is reasonably price (which is rare in Reykjavik), the decor is super quirky, and the place is filled with posters showing their love for breastfeeding mommas and LGBT communities.

The other area we loved in Reykjavik was the harbour - that is where the beautiful Harpa building is situated and the views out across the water are simply stunning. We spent a good few hours sitting and taking in the view and exploring the different rooms and shops within the Harpa - I'd love to see a show there if I was to visit again.

But if you think the harbour by day is beautiful, just look at it as the sun was setting...

Just amazing, right?! It really is one of the most exciting and unique cities I've ever visited and I really hope I get to visit again. And incase any of you guys were thinking of visiting, I thought I'd leave you some recommendations...

See:

The Harpa at sunset (and take lots of photos and make me insanely jealous).
The view from the top of Hallgrímskirkja - you can choose your dream house from it's rooftop.

Eat:

Tacos at Bunk Bar and Cafe - surprisingly good value and very tasty!
Breakfast at The Laundromat Cafe - it's one of the few places in Reykjavik that is open before 11am.

Drink:

White Russians at Lebowski Bar - yep, there really is a bar named after The Big Lebowski.
Happy Hour beers at Kaffibarinn, which is rumoured to be owned by Damon Albarn.

Shop:

For beautiful homewares at Hrím Eldhús - be prepared to wanna buy EVERYTHING.
Check out the Icelandic arm of Tiger for a Scandinavian bargain.