Reykjavik for a short city break?
 

My husband and I live near NYC, and we are looking for somewhere to take a short (4-5 day) break for our anniversary in May. We are considering Reykjavik because the flight is so short (relatively), but the reviews seem to be mixed. We like museums (in moderation), walking, shopping and general sightseeing. We have been to hot springs here in the US and enjoyed that experience, so we were thinking we could go to the Blue Lagoon one of the days. Any thoughts on Reykjavik as a fun place to go for a few days? Is it worth the time and airfare ($675 US in May).? Thanks for any input!

Definitely worth the time and airfare in my opinion and is perfect for a short break.

Reykjavik is a perfect size to explore on foot (plenty of bars, shops and restaurants to visit), the museums and galleries are also on a fairly small scale, so easy to visit for your cultural fix and the people are really friendly.

There are lots of really well organised tours/day trips to see the sights outside of Reykjavik and I can guarantee you'll see a variety of things you'll get nowhere else 4-5 hours away from NYC.

A friend went to Iceland and loved it. I saw a recent travel show about it and it was totally fascinating. Have you checked Icelandic airlines for fare? That seems a bit much, but of course, fares are up everywhere. We flew Icelandic to Europe years ago and had a small (hours) layover in Reyjavik--tailored for shopping in their duty free store.

Thanks Jay_G and Gretchen for your replies. Sounds like Reykjavik would be a good place to go for a few days. Gretchen - believe it or not, Icelandair is the only airline that flies JFK-KEF in May (the other airlines start flying in June). I think that is why they can charge $675!

My husband went for 4 days in November with a group of friends and they all loved it. As mentioned, plenty of scope to go on day trips and see some of the sites outside the city if you have 4 days.

When looking for accommodation you will spot that it gets more expensive as you go West towards the central square. There aer plenty of buses and within the city there are extra spas. I would recommend that you find rooms close to at least one city spa. These are healthy fun places to be and you will enjoy the culture.

You won't regret going to Iceland! The natural beauty is stunning! If not renting a car, you might want to look into a tour with Reykjavek Excusions - they have tours from 1/2 day to much longer, including a trip to Greenland (weather conditions may come into play on this one) (www.re.is) Try not to miss a stop at Gullfoss Falls (this will be a stop on their Golden Circle day trip). The airport bus into the city is about a 45 minute ride. As Jay_G mentioned, Reykjavik is very walkable and offered a lot of shops (perfect to pick up a sweater or gloves) and restaurants. We visited a few years ago in June and I recall how cool and windy it was. It will never get completely dark, but rather will stay dusk like even in the early morning hours. There were darkening shades on the hotel windows!

You have a lovely anniversary trip to look forward to! ENJOY!

Thank you all again for your advice! Sounds like are headed north!