Reykjavegur

The most popular route leads up to a stone landmark, around the halfway mark, and takes a couple of hours. A more demanding path continues toward the summit ridge, with steep, loose sections that should be avoided in poor weather or when there is snow. Bring water, windproof layers and sturdy boots, and check the forecast before you set off.

Árbæjarsafn is an open-air museum in Reykjavík where a cluster of historic buildings has been gathered to form a small old town. Wander between wooden houses, a turf-roofed farm and a little church, with grazing animals and gardens adding to the atmosphere. Many buildings are furnished to show how people lived, worked and traded.

The name means "valley of the hot springs", because natural hot water bubbled out of the ground here. Reykjavík's women once carried their laundry to the springs to wash it, and the site was an important part of daily life until the early 20th century. Today the valley is the city's main sports and leisure district.