Entertainment

Reykjavík offers opera, theater, ballet and music during the winter.

Pubs and bars are the center of nightlife in Reykjavík; and many hotels have live bands and discos.

Outdoor activities include golf (on any of 10 courses), fishing, hunting, pony trekking, skiing and volcano climbing.

Food & Drink

Restaurants offer tasty cuisine from gourmet cosmopolitan and local foods to diverse ethnic tastes. Coffee shops, pizzerias and cafes are also popular. Staples such as trout, salmon, shrimp, lobster, scallops, fruits and vegetables are abundant. Hangikjöt, smoked Icelandic lamb, is a distinctive treat.

Thermal springs and waterfalls heat communities and provide power; tropical fruits are grown in greenhouses heated by hot springs. The Hotel and Restaurant Association offers a reduced-price menu for visitors.

Shopping

Local specialties include the distinctive hand-knit woolen sweaters, glassware, silver jewelry, ceramics and lava pottery. Whalebone carvings (scrimshaw), sealskin articles, and sheepskin and ponyskin rugs are good buys.