Reykjavík may be the capital of Iceland, the nation’s only real city, and home to over two-thirds of the population, but for the people who live here, it often feels more like a small town than a metropolis, a place where the landmarks are just as familiar as the faces. It should, therefore, come as no surprise that Icelandic writers often paint Reykjavík just as colorfully as the city’s charming corrugated iron houses, providing armchair travelers with an unusually detailed map of its crooked streets, iconic buildings, and windswept coastlines. But as vivid as these descriptions may be on the page, there is a particular delight that comes with seeing them with your own eyes. This tour will give you a small sampling of Reykjavík as it appears throughout contemporary literature—fiction and nonfiction, prose and poetry—and send you home with lots of to-read recommendations!

Walk led by Icelandic to English Literary translator Larissa Kyzer