Reykjavik is Europe's most northern and probably coldest capital city in the world. This city is situated on a peninsula, which ensures a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean and surrounding mountains. On sunny days the contours of Snaefellsjokull glacier can be seen on the western horizon.
In summer, nights are short as the sun dips only slightly below the horizon. On the other hand winter nights are very long as the sun sets as early as 3.30 pm and rises at 11 am or even later.
It is an ideal stopover when you fly Icelandair Europe to the USA or visa versa.
A Norse settler founded it as 'smoky bay' (894), Augustinian monks arrived (1262), it fell to Norway, subsequently to Danmark, made a market town (1786), by the Protestant Danish church the country's religious centre, fought the Danish Trade Monopoly, developed as Iceland's capital with Althing, prison, courthouse, university, gained independence (1945), today a modern town, preserving its history and therewith its identity. [edit text][editors]
