Most people treat Reykjavik as a pit stop before picking up a camper van and heading for the Ring Road. Rushing out on day one is a mistake.
It's the northernmost capital in the world and it doesn't feel like anywhere else in Europe — partly because half the buildings are clad in corrugated iron. There are no skyscrapers and no metro. What there is: a walkable downtown full of bakeries, record shops and bars that stay open until 4:30 AM at weekends.
It's also genuinely cold, with wind coming straight off the Atlantic even in May. Pack layers, then pack more.
