Join this exciting and educational tour discovering the cultural life and literary history of Iceland's picturesque capital city, Reykjavík, and see for yourself what makes this small island such an aesthetic powerhouse. This is a fantastic tour opportunity for visitors looking to gain a deeper insight into Reykjavík's background, as well as those who are merely passionate about foreign literature.

After pick-up, you will begin the day in Hljómskálagarður, the park south of the Reykjavík pond, Tjörnin. Here, you will meet your guide, Mr Pall Valsson, holder of the Iceland President Literature Award for his biography of the 19th Century poet Jonas Hallgrimsson, as well as many other books.

The first stop is the statue of the poet Jonas Hallgrimsson and, thankfully, your guide is up to date with his latest knowledge. From there, you will walk to the mosaic wall mural on the Customs House in Hafnarstræti, from 1973. You will also pass by the Eymundsson bookstore; this is where the guide will show you translations of Icelandic literature, history and visual arts.

The tour continues to the office of the Prime Minister, which used to be a prison. From there, you will walk to the National Theatre and the former National Library, before shifting the focus to contemporary Icelandic literature. 

You will visit the café “Kaffibarinn”, from the film "101 Reykjavík", based on the book of the same name, by the author Hallgrímur Helgason. Your guide will also present the work of some of Iceland's most famous writers, e.g. Arnaldur Indriðason, Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir, Auður Jónsdóttir and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir; an excellent list of recommendations!

You will walk your way up the street Skólavörðustígur to the famous Hallgrímskirkja Church, perhaps the most recognisable landmark in Reykjavík. Given that, at this point, it will be coming to midday, you will likely stop at Café Loki for lunch.

Now it´s time to visit one of the museums in Reykjavík, though the choice is up to your guide's discretion. You could be visiting the charmed halls of the Reykjavík Art Museum or, instead, the Iceland Art Museum, or even the Kjarvalsstadir Art Museum depending on the current exhibition. 

After visiting the art museum, you will be driven to the former home and present museum of the writer, Halldór Laxness, who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1955 for his novel "Independent People". You will finally conclude your tour with a visit to Iceland's only UNESCO World Heritage site, Þingvellir National Park. This is the location of many of the Icelandic sagas, as well as the site of the first democratically elected parliament on earth. 

After your time at the national park, you will be driven back to Reykjavík and dropped off at your hotel or guesthouse. So don't delay any longer! Hurry now to dive deep into the pages of Icelandic literary history with this amazing, educational culture tour.  Check availability by choosing a date.