Visitors to Iceland are seduced by everything about it, from the wild glacial beauty of its scenery to its avant-garde art and music scene, and no visit is complete without a stopover in the capital city of Reykjavik. The atmosphere in the many bars, clubs and cafes is young, cool and creative. It’s a beautiful, clean city, with a focus on healthy living and sports including skiing and dog sledding. There are lots of fascinating reminders of the country’s Viking heritage too. You can rent a funky apartment in the city centre or a spacious holiday home with gardens in a leafy neighbourhood – it’s a fairly compact city, so wherever you stay, you’re never far from all the action. Here are some top tips to help you make the most of your visit:

•    Choose the time of year carefully as there are 22 hours of daylight in the summer and a perpetual gloom and blizzards in the winter. The best time of year to see the Northern Lights is between November and February.

•    Why not coincide your visit with an event such as the Arts Festival in May/June, the Independence Day celebrations on 17th June, or the Winter Lights Festival in February?

•    Try some Icelandic culinary specialities including fresh seafood dishes, salt cod and smoked lamb.

•    Visit the Arbaejarsafn for a unique collection of old Icelandic buildings, rebuilt on a site outside the city, complete with arts and crafts demonstrations in the summer.

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