Imagine Peace Tower

Viðey is a large island in Kollafjörður, the fjord to the north of Reykjavík. It used to be inhabited, and in the early 20th century it had a small fishing village. Nobody lives there anymore apart from the birds, but it's a popular way to get away from the city without leaving it. During the summer, a café is operated in one of the houses on the island. The building was built for Skúli Magnússon, an 18th-century politician often called "the founder of Reykjavík" and designed by the same man as the royal palace in Copenhagen - although it is not quite of the same scale. Among its more modern architecture, Viðey is home to the Imagine Peace Tower by Yoko Ono (see below). To get to Viðey you must take a ferry from Sundahöfn, some distance from central Reykjavík (on bus route 5). The schedule and prices can be found here.

The city's largest pool with extensive facilities, in Laugardalur Valley east of the city centre. It has two large pools for swimming, several hot-pots, a seawater bath, a steam bath, and water slide. It is a well-used large complex that is starting to show its age a little but it is still the best option in the city. It is undergoing quite a lot of renovation work, but the pool remains open.

The Reykjavík Botanical Gardens are not large, but they're nice for a short stroll and a good place to see some of the plants that grow in Iceland.

This small zoo, in the middle of Reykjavík, is a place where city children can come and get in touch with some of the farming heritage of the country, with most species of domestic animals found in Iceland represented. They also have some non-domestic animals including reindeer and seals.

The city's oldest and only indoor pool (with outdoor hot-pots), located in the city centre. Has a more municipal feel than the other pools, but has a very central location.

Harpa is a new concert hall and conference centre at the heart of Reykjavík. It is the home of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and regularly host to other acts as well.