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Reykjavik On My Own Agenda

October 3, 2026

I walk a lot, usually 8–10 km a day, and tend to avoid the busy tourist streets so I’m always seeing new things.

Walking around Old Reykjavik I noticed a young man walking down the street in a towel and shower cap, talking on his cell phone.

Tucked around the corner from me, I discovered the Einar Jónsson Museum and Sculpture Garden. I’d never heard of Jónsson, though he’s apparently quite famous in Iceland.

The sculpture garden behind the Einar Jónsson Museum is free to visit. It’s a peaceful haven away from crowds.

His huge collection of highly symbolic sculptures was fascinating, though some of his later works were sometimes overly mystical. “Far out” seems fitting for some of the ideas and the sculptures themselves.

One of my favourite walks leads to Tjörnin, a placid little lake where I’ve often visited the birds. Unfortunately, it’s also beneath the flight path of planes descending into the municipal airport, which occasionally roar closely overhead.

I spent a couple of hours at the National Museum of Iceland, which offers a comprehensive look at Icelandic cultural history. I noticed many parallels with Norwegian culture.