Chill on the edge of civilisation in Iceland

Ed Power says the new flight connections direct from Cork to Reykjavik offers an opportunity to explore stunning landscapes and a magical city

CORK and Reykjavik are to be connected from next May via a new transatlantic service that includes a stop-over at the Icelandic capital. For the Irish visitor, the city of some 200,000 offers a mix of the familiar and the exotic, with a lively nightlife and stunning views of the Lord of the Rings-esque Mount Esja in the distance.

Catching the bus from nearby Keflavik airport, the haunting beauty of the landscape will take your breath away.

The hinterland around Reykjavik has been likened to the lunar surface and Tolkien’s Mordor and with the arctic winds sweeping in the sense of being at the edge of civilisation is palpable. The city itself has a charming toy-town feel. Everything is tiny: the multi-storey carparks, the shop fronts, even the skyscrapers (the city’s tallest building Smáratorg 3 is mere inches taller than the Elysian in Cork).

Reykjavik has a reputation as hipster’s getaway destination of choice, a status it has enjoyed since Damon Albarn, of Blur and Gorillaz, discovered the city during the ’90s and sang its praises to anyone who would listen. However, during the day what’s most noticeable is the beatific hush hanging over the town, a maze of narrow walkways — a place that makes Patrick Street or Grafton Street feel like Fifth Avenue on Christmas Eve. Because Reykjavik is compact, the sights are easy to take in. Hallgrímskirkja , the iconic Lutheran Cathedral whose design is inspired by the lava flows from a volcano, is a good starting point, offering an impressive perspective of the urban landscape laid out below.

Facing the swooping edifice is a statue of Norse explorer Leif Ericsson, gifted to the people of Iceland by the United States in 1930, on what was supposedly the 1,000th anniversary of the first Icelandic parliament.

Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Centre, which won major awards for its design.

A 15-minute walk away stands Harpa, a gorgeously minimalist concert hall part-designed by the Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, which looks out over the harbour and the crisp blue sea. While you’re in the neighbourhood, check out Whales of Iceland, the world’s only natural history museum devotes to the ocean going mammals.

Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon is half way between Reykjavik and the airport, so you’ll need to take a bus or taxi. It’s worth the effort — this man-made lake is heated by the water from a nearby geothermal power plant and is located in a lava field, so that it looks as if it has been plopped on the surface of a desolate planet. Splashing around in the 39 degree water is an experience — but don’t forget to shower before and after bathing (Icelandic people take their hygiene seriously).

As the sun sets, Reykjavik undergoes a curious transformation. The locals shed their previous introversion and embrace the party animal within. They truly know how to let down their hair, with the main drag Laugavegur quickly coming to resemble a sort of Nordic Noir Temple Bar, with puffa-jacketed natives jamming the pavement as honking monster trucks rumble by (it seems every citizen of Iceland is obliged to drive a super-sized SUV with tricked-out tyres).

One thing you won’t have to worry about is finding a watering hole. Bouncers have a hands-off approach in Reykjavik and there really isn’t a dress code. As long as you can stand upright and speak in complete sentences, they’ll wave you through.

With long, dark winters, the locals have had to learn how to make their own fun and the city’s bar scene is varied and imaginative.

A perennial favourite is Kaffibarinn, recognisable by its famous London Underground style logo. A coffee shop by day, as dusk settles, Kaffibarinn transforms into a packed drinking spot, with a line in signature house cocktails.

Reykjavik Cathederal, and the Harpa,

A more sedate experience is offered at the Gallery Bar at the Hotel Holt, which offers comfy red leather seating and artwork by prominent local painters.

Among Irish visitors a popular stop-off is Lebowski Bar, the world’s only theme pub inspired by a Coen Brothers film. Lebowski is divided into four themed areas: a bowling alley, a “southern” porch, a ’50s diner, and a Mad Men-esque playboy lounge (yes, Virginia, the bowling alley is real).

Reykjavik isn’t a city to instantly blow you away. Its people and its sights are low-key. This is a place that wins you over on its own terms and in its own time.

But it’s like nowhere else and, with direct flights on the way, it would be a shame to miss out.