Bonfires in Reykjavik - Map and location

Reykjavik is famous for its bonfires on New Year's Eve.

A dosen or so bonfires are lit up around 20:00 in the evening. Two hours later everyone leaves for home to watch Áramótaskaup on tv. This is a comedy show that makes fun of things that happened in Iceland during the year. Around 23:30 the firework display starts and lasts for about one hour.

But where are the bonfires?

A map is published every year in a Pdf-file but the bonfires are generally always in the same place.

Here's a map from last year.

Bonfires in Reykjavik - Map

What's open over Christmas and New Year in Reykjavik

Want to know which restaurants are open in Reykjavik over Christmas and New Year? You've come to ther right place. Luckily, there are several restaurants that stay open during the holidays.

Some are open every day, while some are closed on December 24, 25 and 31 and 1 January. If you're looking for a restaurant that is open then there is a list which you can find here.

Click on the link - to get the list of restaurants open over Christmas and New Year in Reykjavik.

Things to do in Reykjavik over Christmas and New Year

Reykjavik Bike Tours Holiday Schedule 2012 / 2013

Come ride with us over the holidays! You'll get a close up look at the Christmas lights in the city centre. You'll learn a few practical and interesting things about special Icelandic Christmas customs, and you get to be outside while doing light exercise.

We include the harbour area, city centre, University of Iceland campus, City hall, Parliament building and much much more on this 2.5 hour tour.


• When: December 24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31. Jan 1, 2.
• Duration: +/- 2.5 hours
• Distance: 7 km / 4.5 miles
• Starting time: 11:00 – (please see details below).
• Meeting time: 15 minutes before scheduled departure
• Meeting point: See a map of Reykjavik here.
• Difficulty: Easy
• Price: ISK 4,500 • Please note we do not accept credit cards, prior booking essential.
• Personal insurance is not included.
• Wear warm clothes and shoes. We have extra clothes just in case.

Please contact us if you'd like to rent a bike over the holidays.

We're #1 on Trip Advisor for all activities in and out of Reykjavik.
Winner Certificate of Excellence 2012

Reykjavik Bike Tours December 2012: 24,25,26,27,28 - at 11:00. December 29 - at 14:00, December 30 – at 10:00. January 2013: 1 January - at 14:00, and 2 January - at 11:00

Contact: Stefan @ Reykjavik Bike Tours – 694 8956 – bike@icelandbike.com – www.reykjavikbiketours.is

Tina Dico loves Iceland's south coast

Singer Tina Dico from Denmark loves the south cost of Iceland. Watch Skogafoss waterfall, lava fields covered with moss, national road number one and some rusted old trucks.

Tom Cruise Oblivion

Tom Cruise's new film the Oblivion screens in theatres in 2013. Parts of it was filmed in the amazing landscape in Iceland.

Two landmarks from the northern part of Iceland can be identified in the film:

 1 – Hrossaborg crater. Looks like an amphitheatre. It is about 400 meters / 1.400 ft. above sea level and rises about 40 meters / 120 ft. above its surroundings. The crater is north of glacier Vatnajokull, Europe’s largest glacier, and south of the Ring road. The crater is a popular place for travellers to have a picnic lunch sheltered from the wind.

2 – Dettifoss waterfall, Europe’s most powerful waterfall. This waterfall also appeared in the 2012 Hollywood film Prometheus.

Please contact Reykjavik Bike Tours for exciting off road bike tours in this amazing region of volcanic formations and stark beauty.

Lauren McCowan's pictures from September

Lauren McCowan visited Iceland in September 2012. She snapped a few photos while in Reykjavik and the Blue lagoon. Lauren took a couple of photos on her bicycle tour in Reykjavik.

First Reykjavik By Night - Cool weather and Northern Lights

Three brave Americans joined the first scheduled "Reykjavik By Night" tour offered by Reykjavik Bike Tours. The temperature was around freezing point and there was a bit of wind - luckily always in our back.

Karen Hill (Colorado), Louis (New York), Stan Hill (Colorado) at the start of the tour keeping warm in padded overalls supplied by Reykjavik Bike Tours.

From Reykjavik Bike Tour's headquarters at Reykjavik's Old Harbour, the small group cycled along the northern coast of the Reykjavik peninsula. First stop included the new and amazing Harpa concert, opera and conference centre.

Norther lights over Faxafloi Bay, and John Lennon s Peace tower on Videy Island to the right (the bluish steak to the right). The picture above was taken with a hand held camera and exposed for 15 seconds.

Lady Gaga received the John Lennon peach award from Yoko Ono here in Reykjavik 9 October. Lady ga then left the country with her dog in a private jet before the symbolic switching on the light ceremony on Videy Island. A record 1.800 people attended the ceremony this year - undoubtetly some went there especially to see Lady Gaga.

Second stop was at the famous sculpture "Sun Voyager", where the group enjoyed a reasonably good display of northern lights and a view of Yoko Ono's / John Lennon's Peace memorial called the Piece Tower. The memorial is a giant light strobe located on Videy Island, just off the coast of Reykjavik's import and export harbour. The light is switched on John Lennon's birthday 9 October, and switched off the day that he was killed in New York. It is possible to get to Videy Island by ferry operated by Elding Whale Watching Company.

Then on to Hofdi House, the place where the leaders of the two superpowers met in October 1986. Then to Reykjavik's central bus station, and Laugavegur the main shopping street. And the evening was rounded off at a bar in the centre of town. Three hours after we set off the tour ended at Reykjavik Bike Tour's headquarters at Reykjavik's Old harbour.

Thank you Karen and Stan, and Louis for joining the first Reykjavik By Night tour by bike!

Stefan

Gravity Biking someting new to watch

Gravity Biking is a new sport in which able bodied persons as well as handicapped persons can compete on even footing - so to speak.

News on 4 TV presenter described the sport as a "cross between mountain biking and go-carting".

"Anyone who wants a challenge will end up trying this," says Dave Buchanan the endurance mountain bike world record holder.

Seeing is believing, watch the video.
.

Reykjavik's Mayor Jon Gnarr Speaks on Bicycling in the City

Reykjavik's Mayor, Jon Gnarr, is a bicycle enthousiast. Wasn't always, but in this video (in Icelandic) he speaks about his recent love of cycling. Getting to a meeting in the city is way faster than riding in a car. Getting wet and sweaty is no problem - it doesn't happen very often, but when it does, then it is a novelty and the rest of the members at the meeting make comments like: "I should start cycling".

What I noticed is that he's got an electric bike. There's a sticker with the coat of arms for the city of Reykjavik on the powerpack. Gnarr is dressed in a suit with a stylish black helmet, and the clip was shot on the north-west side of the City Hall (Ráðhús Reykjavíkur).

Reykjavik Bike Tours on Iceland TV

Reykjavik Bike Tours was featured on a favorie TV show "Ísland í dag" on Stöð 2 (Channel 2) Thursday 2 October. The theme of the programme, hosted by Sigríður Elva Vilhjálmsdóttir, is Reykjavik as a tourist attraction for the local people. Bicycling is one of the best things to do on Reykjavik for both foreign and local tourists. Reykjavik Bike Tours offers scheduled and private guided bicycle tours around Reykjavik and to places such as Gullfoss and Geysir geothermal area for local and foreign travelers. Watch minute 1:45-4:45 to see the bicycle part and an interview with Stefan. Click here to watch.

Rick Steves Bicycle on How to Fight Jet Lag

Rick Steves, the great American travel guru, has the perfect solution against jet lag, namely biking! This video is posted here especially for all our North American visitors who usually arrive at around 6.30 AM :-)

RIFF Iceland Movie Locations in Reykjavik Explored by Bicycle

Tour participants, organisers and guides, on the first guided bicycle tour of Reykjavik film locations get ready for the ride.

Ever wanted to know where young Hlynur (Hilmir Snær Guðnason) in the film Reykjavik 101 lived with his mom and Lola the flamenco dancer (Victoria Abril)?

The small number of participants who joined this first ever guided Reykjavik film location bicycle tour got to see just that... and plenty more. What an amazing whirlwind tour of locations made possible by a fantastic invention - the bicycle.

The tour was organised by "Icelandic Cinema Online" in co-operation with Reykjavik International Film Festival (RIFF), and Reykjavik Bike Tours.

Two guides, Sunna Guðnadóttir and Eysteinn Guðni Guðnason, kept the the tour interesting throughout. They spoke knowledgeably about films, scenes, characters and storylines which included locations from movies Mamma Gógó (Mother Gógó), Börn náttúrunnar (Children of Nature), Djöflaeyjan (Devil's Island), Bíódagar (Moviedays), 101 Reykjavík, Englar alheimsins (Angels of the Universe), Bjarnfreðarson, and Mýrin (Jar City).

A high point of the tour, in more ways than one, was a visit to the Grillið restaurant on the top floor of Saga Hotel. The place afforded the participants a great view of Reykjavik bathed in the orange glow of the late afternoon sun. At least three scenes from memorable Icelandic films were filmed at this restaurant.

The house of Hlynur in the film 101 Reykjavik was the last stop on the tour. The owners recently replaced the corrugated metal sheets on the entire house except they've kept the entrance, the part of the house seen in the film, intact - obviously proud of the fact their house was used in the film.

After enjoyable two hours of cycling, sightseeing and learning about Icelandic films and film locations in Reykjavik the tour ended. Most participants then went to Kaffibarinn bar to view the screening of the film 101 Reykjavik and socialise.

Hopefully this event will be repeated at the RIFF 2013

Icelandic Cinema Online is a non-profit organisation who's aim it is to make Icelandic films available worldwide through the Internet.

Pictures from the Reykjavik Bicycle Ride, click on the link to see them on Facebook.

Barack Obama: First European in America - Leif Erikson

Leif Erikson was the first European in America and 9 October is the official Leif Erikson Day in the United States. This was acknowledged recently by the US President Mr. Barack Obama.

Many people believe that it was Christopher Columbus who was the first European in the Americas, thus "discovered the Americas." Columbus was there in 1492 whereas Leif Erikson was there around the year 1000.

In 1964 the White House publicly declared 9 October as Leif Erikson's Day to comemmorate the fact that Leif was indeed the first European in the Americas.

In a statement released in 2009, Mr. Obama said: "Today, our Nation continues to welcome those descendents of Leif Erikson to our shores. Nordic Americans have contributed immeasurably to the success of America. Their cultural accomplishments have enriched the diversity of our country. And their pioneering spirit continues to embody our Nation's unbounded enthusiasm for discovery and learning."

And continued: "To honor Leif Erikson and celebrate our Nordic-American heritage, the Congress, by joint resolution (Public Law 88-566) approved on September 2, 1964, has authorized the President to proclaim October 9 of each year as "Leif Erikson Day.""

"NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 9, 2009, as Leif Erikson Day, and I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to honor our country's rich Nordic-American heritage."

Best place to see the northern lights

Northern lights in Iceland over one of Reykjavik Bike Tour's favorite hotels in Iceland.

Northern lights are best viewed from Iceland, Canada, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Alaska, Scotland and Greenland. Iceland is surely one of the most accessible places to view the elusive northern lights since it only takes 2.5 hrs to fly from Scotland, 3 hours from London, 3.5 hours from Frankfurt and 5.5 hours from New York.

On a clear night in winter you may experience the northern lights as soon as you‘re out of the terminal building at Keflavik International Airport 35 miles from Reykjavik.

Best time to view the northern lights is around midnight and the best place to view the northern lights is anywhere away from the city lights in Reykjavik.

Northern lights cannot be seen every night due to cloud cover, unfavourable magnetic field conditions or lack of solar activity. But man! When you do see the northern lights it is all worth it.

The 2013 winter season is forecasted to be particularly good for viewing.

Reykjavik Bike Tours offers private northern light tours in winter.

To enquire, or to book a northern ligths tour, please send an e-mail to bike_at_icelandbike_dot_com

Russel Crowe bicycles around Reykjavik

Actor Russel Crowe enjoyed his stay in Iceland during the filming of the big Hollywood film Noah's Ark in many different ways. Russel Crowe spent time cycling around Reykjavik and he sang with the famous singer Patti Smith in small local places. Patti Smith has been to Iceland before and given concerts.

Noah's Ark is one of the largest film assignments in Iceland ever. Director Darren Aronofsky is said to have been particularly happy with the quality of the work of his Iceland production team, and the hospitality of the Icelandic people.

One third of Noah's Ark was shot in Iceland at these locations: Djúpavatnsleið, Sandvík, Sandvíksklofi, Lambhagatjörn og Undirhlíðanáma við Kleifarvatn; Sandvíkurskarð, Stapahraun, Stampar, Hafursey, Reynisfjara, Raufarhólshellir, Leirhnjúkar, Hamragarðaheiði and Svartiskógur.

Thank you Darren for such a great write up and photos!

Darren Alf joined Stefan at Reykjavik Bike Tours for the Classic Reykjavik Bike Tour. He took some pictures (see photo above) and wrote the text. See here: Darren Alf Blog Page.

Tour de Ormurinn Bicycle Race East Iceland

Tour de Ormurinn is a new bicycle race in the East of Iceland. It will be held 12 August 2012 for the first time. There are a couple of routes but the main one surrounds the Lake Logurinn. Those interested should have a look at the Facebook website for the event - Tour de Ormurinn.

Eine geführte Fahrradtour durch die Stadt bietet eine willkommende Abwechslung zu Shopping und Musemsbesuch. Hier bekommt man mehr zu sehen als man zu Fuß je sehen würde. Und die Erläuterungen unserer Reiseleiterin auf Englisch und Deutsch bereichern den gemütlich-sportlichen Ausflug mit viel Wissenswertem.

Bitte lesen Sie den ganzen Artikel auf der Webseite inreykjavik.de

Tom Cruise, Russel Crowe and Ben Stiller in Iceland

Reykjavik or Tinseltown? Amazing number of big screen stars have decended on Reykjavik. Tom Cruise spent a couple of weeks filming his new flick - Oblivion. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were seen walking about in Reykjavik shortly before they announced their break-up.

Ben Stiller checked out the nightlife in Reykjavik last week-end. He's in Iceland filming The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. He was in Seydisfjordur where he kindly agreed to be in a photograph with the staff of the local supermarket.

Russell Crowe is presently in Reykjavik and went for a 20 km bicycle ride this morning. He's here to film Noah's Ark. The source of this information is mbl.is, that quotes Crowe's twitter. Crowe is in Iceland with Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson and Jennifer Connely, according to webmedia dv.is. Read Russell Crowe's twitter.

Darren Aronofsky directs the film. See one of Aronofsky's pictures from the set on Twitter. Protect the ancient moss.

Bicycle Touring in Iceland - Crazy Guy on a Bike

Ian Mitchell (Crazy Guy on a Bike) is escaping the British cloud and rain this summer in Iceland. It so happens that Iceland has seen less rain than usual. Some places have seen less rain than in about 160 years. Stykkishólmur for example.

The trip is supposed to last 1-2 weeks starting July 10, 2012.

You can read about Ian's trip on a bicycle on his website.

See:  Heading to the North of Iceland.

Rent A Bike in Reykjavik

Need to rent a bike in Reykjavik?

Reykjavik Bike Tours has a wide range of bicycles that suit everyone's pocket and need. Reykjavik city bikes, Iceland touring bikes and racing bikes for rent.

You can contact Ursula and Stefan, see their website here.

Reykjavik Bike Tours

Bicycle Touring around Iceland

Austin and Stephanie Lehn from Canada are currently biking around Iceland on bicycles from Reykjavik Bike Tours and Bicycle Rentals in Iceland. They chose the sturdy Trek 4300 mountain bike for the Iceland journey as they were planning to cycle on the tarmac around Iceland as well as some gravel roads in Iceland. You can read about their bicycle journey on their blog website - Bicycle Touring in Iceland.

Their blog is called "whereisstheice."

Austin and Stephanie started in Reykjavik 3 July 2012. They then bicycled north and west around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula (Snæfellsnes), and had a close look at the Snaefellsjokull glacier. Then on Arnarstapi, then to Grundarfjordur, Stykkisholmur, Bildudalur and Dynjandi waterfall in the Western fjords in Iceland.

Why hire a professonal tourist guide?

The practice of guiding, as a profession, is not to be overlooked or underappreciated. Guiding is a skill, an often academically-accredited qualification that elevates a destination’s capability to showcase attractions and other areas from baseline to beyond expectation. Read more on this in the article "Tour guides: Noticing or Knowing" on eTurboNews.

Islandia - Alan Estrada takes a bicycle tour around Reykjavik with Ursula Spitzbart

Alan Estrada explores Reykjavik on a bicycle with Reykjavik Bike Tours. Ursula Spitzbart of Reykjavik Bike Tours explains to Alan how to order a hot dog at Bæjarins bestu pylsur - Reykjavik's Best Hot Dogs - established in 1937. Alan then stays in town to enjoy Culture Night (Menningarnótt), Páll Óskar, fireworks and more.

Hjólað í vinnuna - Bicycle to Work 2012

Hjólað í vinnuna, or Bicycle to Work, is an annual bicycle event in Iceland. The aim is to get people to bicycle to work. The event is promoted in the spring, probably with the purpose that those who start cycling to work in spring, may continue all summer and perhaps all winter too. Some 666 workplaces took part this year and the total distance covered in 13 days was 741.450 km. About 133 tons of Co2 emissions was not added to our athmosphere and 55.597 liters of fuel which would have cost about 116 thousand US dollars. The winner this year was the Family- and Domestic Animal Zoo. The highest average per participant over the 13 days was Meistararnir (The Champions), who cycled 804,7 km on the average. More information here: www.hjoladivinnuna.is

Denver television station checks out Reykjavik from a bike saddle

Television host Natalie Tysdal from Fox's KDVR in Denver Colorado enjoyed a bicycle tour with Stefan and Reykjavik Bike Tours last week. Check out the video.

Fahrrad Island

Noch keine zwei Jahre alt, doch schon gehören Fahrrad ("Lala") und Helm ("Elm") zum Wortschatz des kleinen Andri David. Kein Wunder, ist der doch der jüngste Spross der Reykjavik Bike Tours Familie.

Von der Familie für Familien: bei Reykjavik Bike Tours sind Kinder jeden Alters willkommen – vom Baby über das Kleinkind bis zum Teenager. Ausgerüstet mit Fahrrädern und Fahrradhelmen in verschiedenen Größen, Fahrradsitz, Fahrradanhänger und Babyschale zeigen wir gerne auch Familien mit kleinen Kindern Islands Landeshauptstadt.

The Land of the Long Sunset - Cycling the Golden Circle - Iceland

The classic cycle trip is as old as the trails themselves. Planning a trip should not be a daunting task, but for any cycling newbie out there here is one idea for an easy introduction that will leave you feeling ‘on top of the world’ quite literally. Downhill gradients, panoramic sky, the big wide open, stunning evocative landscapes and almost non-existent traffic; Sounds good? Well trust me it is. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you ‘The Golden Circle Cycle Tour’ courtesy of ‘Reykajavik Bike Tours’ in Iceland, which provides highlights of the south west of Iceland. In the summer months of course you are also blessed with virtual 24 hours daylight this far geographically north, giving rise to the longest most impressive sunsets I have ever witnessed where the sun momentarily dips to the horizon before re-mounting it’s ascent once more.

Big Stefan Valsson the tour leader and owner (with a helmet and hammer, Thor comes to mind), in his laid-back imposing presence extols ‘let us go and soak up the scenery’. Few Icelanders have original surnames so directories list individuals by their first name. So names are based on the father’s first name plus ‘son’ or ‘daughter’. So Andrew, the son of Magnus would be known as Andrew Magnusson while Joanna would be known as Joanna Magnusson.

A native of Iceland and accredited tour guide, Stefan really enthuses visitors with obvious love of his homeland. Our start was from the Old Harbour in Reykajavick (Iceland’s Capitol). This delightful accessible city is home to some 60% of the country’s population. The Old Harbour is close to being 100 years old. Its’ charm is self-evident, the ocean, boats, the view and smell, historic buildings, with the nostalgia of the fishermen of yesteryear around you everywhere, sitting mending their nets and telling tales of the sea.

 

We travel by mini-bus and bike trailer to Gullfoss, the queen of Icelandic waterfalls, our start for the ride. Not unlike the world renowned Victoria Falls in appearance, a wide fall with a high volume of water and respectable drop, this is a classic scene. There are convenient staircases to access the falls to allow you to be brave/foolish to look over the edge. You do revel in the sheer beauty, so cliché I know. The journey there of a few hours traverses the surreal volcanic landscape, which is like no other. Along the way, Stefan provided engaging stories and history updates, often humorous in his engaging affable manner.

 

Once on to our superb suspension hybrid cycles, we set off for the Geysir geothermal area where hot springs are in abundance, geysers explode and pools of mud bubble. We continued through Thingvellir National Park (Parliament plains), this is where Iceland’s most important historical events have taken place and is in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. All in all a heady few hours of invigorating clean air and stimulating vistas of rugged age-old volcanic landscape, feeling and smelling nature from the saddle with the added bonus of exercise.  With the ever vigilant Stefan never far away watching his ‘flock’ in the support vehicle, we wend our merry way along a swoopy tarmac ribbon that feels painted-on to the undulating panorama a total distance of approximately 27km.  

This is a great introduction to the many wonders of the uniqueness that is Iceland and all it has to offer the visitor looking for ‘something different’. Just the simple fact this island does not possess any trees tells the tourist to be ready to expect the unexpected. On any new adventure, don’t ask yourself ‘why?’ Ask yourself ‘why not?’ Sometimes the best experiences are the ones you almost missed. Given the option of a sanitised car or coach and sensible clothes, I would choose cycling every time. There is a lot to be said for viewing life anywhere in this leisurely way, but especially if you are trying to unravel the densely woven historical and mythical strands that compose the legacy of this most individual and eccentric country.

Graham Swain-Broadcaster & Journalist

www.grahamswain.com

INFORMATION  

Ursula & Stefan Valsson

Reykjavik Bike Tours

Old Harbour (BehindElding Whale Watching)

Aegisgardur 7

E mail:  Bike@IcelandBike.com

T +(354) 694 8956

Web www.IcelandBike.com

Geführte Fahrradtouren in und um Reykjavik und Island

Stolz präsentiert Anna Karlotta, bald 6 Jahre alt, ihr neues Kinderfahrrad - freilich ohne Stützräder. Sie wird auch in der Saison 2012 wieder ihre Eltern Ursula Spitzbart und Stefan Helgi Valsson, die Gründer von Reykjavik Bike Tours tatkräftig unterstützen.

Reykjavik Bike Tours bietet seit 2009 geführte Fahrradtouren in und um Islands Hauptstadt an. Auch Familien mit Kindern jeden Alters sind herzlich willkommen. Kinderfahrräder, Kindersitz, Kinderhelme und Fahrradanhänger stehen bereit, auch zum Verleih.

Rent a bike in Reykjavik

Rent a bicycle in Reykjavik and explore this bicycle friendly capital city of Iceland. There is no better way to explore the city. At Reykjavik Bike Tours you can rent a bicycle for an afternoon, for the day or for a long-distance bicycle tour along the ring road of Iceland for example.

Reykjavik Bike Tours in Iceland have Trek 4300 and Trek Navigator in several sizes. Also children's bikes and trailers, and luggage trailers.

City tours of Reykjavik by bike and day tours from Reykjavik on a bicycle are also available. The tours in 2012 are: Classic Reykjavik Bike Tour, Coast of Reykjavik Bike Tour, Golden Circle & Bike, Vestmannaeyjar Islands & Bike, and new this year - Blue Lagoon & Bike.

Contact Reykjavik Bike Tours for further information.

Fantastic Northern lights last night in Reykjavik

I was in Reykjavik 9 October 2012 at about 9:20 PM when the northern lights decided to appear. What a wonderful display of greens above the city lake - Tjornin. The green colour is produced as a result of a collision of space particles against some gases 100-200 km above ground, Oxygen in particular.

This display lasted for at least half-hour and I am sure that many tourists in Reykjavik did see the lights on one of the many northern lights tours offered. I was booked to to do a private norhtern lights tour for a family but some of the participants were rather young and could not stay up too late. As a result the cancelled the trip that night. Fifteen minutes later I saw the lights above Reykjavik City Hall.

Stefan Helgi Valsson

Reykjavik Bike Tours

Bicycle path in Reykjavik worth US$ 3 million

The Reykjavik city council agreed today to allow tender for the construction of bicycle- and pedestrian path from Elliðaá river estuary to Hlemmur, mbl.is reported 15 March 2012.

This US$ 3 million project is sure to encourage people to use their bicycles more in Reykjavik. There are already several bicycle paths in Reykjavik although there is still much work to be done. Reykjavik is nowhere near Copenhagen or Amsterdam when it comes to bicycle paths for cyclists.

However, there has been an interesting shift in the mind-set of the public and public officials in recent years and months in Iceland. Bicycling is no longer considered exclusive to children and adults living on the fringe.

Map of bicycle routes in Reykjavik is available at tourist information centres.

Reykjavik Bike Tours

Hjólaverslunin Örninn með bestu reiðhjólin

"Leiðsögn á hjólum um Reykjavík er tilvalin leið til að kynnast borginni," segir Ursula Spitzbart, stofnandi Reykjavík Bike Tours og höfundur bókarinnar Zwischen Licht und Dunkel – Abenteuer Alltag in Island.

Reykjavík Bike Tours hóf starfsemi árið 2009 og hefur síðan boðið uppá ferðir á reiðhjólum með leiðsögn um Reykjavík og nágrenni - aðallega fyrir erlenda ferðamenn og á fjölmörgum tungumálum.

Ursula segist finna fyrir auknum áhuga á reiðhjólaferðum um Reykjavík og nágrenni með leiðsögn. "Viðskiptavinir okkar hafa flestir heyrt um okkur frá vinum og kunningjum eða lesið lofsamlegar greinar um okkur og leita okkur uppi," segir Ursula

Fyrirtækið hefur frá upphafi lagt mikið uppúr leiðsögn um Reykjavík á reiðhjóli og ávalt verið með fagmenntaða leiðsögumenn útskrifaða frá Leiðsöguskóla Íslands, Háskóla Íslands og Ferðamálaskólanum á Bíldshöfða.

"Fagleg, skemmtileg og persónuleg leiðsögn skilar alltaf ánægðum viðskiptavinum og það er það sem við viljum að spyrjist út," segir Ursula.

"Við verslum nær eingöngu við reiðhjólaverslunina Örninn vegna þess að þeir selja - að því að við teljum - bestu reiðhjólin. Við erum með Trek navigator 2.0 borgar / fjallahjól sem eru alveg frábær bæði á malbiki og möl. Ennfremur erum við með 24 gíra Trek 4300 fjallahjól með diskabremsum og góðum framdempurum sem eru tilvalin hjól í miðlungs / erfiðari fjallahjólamennsku, t.d. á stígum í Heiðmörk," segir Ursula.

Aðspurð segist Ursula bjartsýn á komandi ferðasumar enda hlaut landið mikla athygli erlendis vegna Eyjafjallajökuls í fyrra. "Við skulum nú rétt vona að við fáum ekki nýtt eldgost á allra næstu vikum og mánuðum því það mundi bitna illa á fyrirtækjum í ferðaþjónustu og öllu því harðduglega fólki sem starfar í greininni."

Reykjavík Bike Tours býður ferðir með leiðsögn á reiðhjóli um Reykjavík nágrenni, t.d Heiðmörk, Gullfoss og Geysi, Vestmannaeyjar, og Bláa lónið. Ennfremur býður fyrirtækið uppá þjónustu við sérhópa, ferðaskrifstofur, skólahópa, hvataferðir fyrir fyrirtæki, steggjanir og gæsun svo eitthvað sé nefnt.

Reykjavik Bike Tours

More men bicycle than women

Men bicycle a lot more than women according to a survey made in Reykjavik Iceland. The survey focused on commuters within the city. Pressan web media, asked Oddny Sturludottir, a member of the Reykjavik city council. "There's probably many reasons," she said. "The bicycle culture has in some way been based on the assumption that everyone bicycling needs to use expensive bicycle and equipment in order to be able to bicycle all year round. This appeals, it seems, more to men than women. Further, the explanation may be found in the way that the sexes delegate tasks, such as picking up the children from the Kindergarten, shop for groceries etc. And Reykjavik must be a safe city to bicycle in, I'm certain that in this context it is important."

And Oddny Sturludottir continues:

"We must find ways to ensure that women bicycle as much as men. Women bicycle just as much as men in the cities where there is a strong bicycle culture. Role models also matter. If women bicycle less because they think the surroundings are not safe enough, then they're sceptical about cycling with their children. If this is the case we'll struggle to raise new generations of bicycling public."

Cykelturisme og EuroVelo på Island

Islændingene er i gang med at planlægge cykelruter. Måske bliver Island del af EuroVelo nettet. En cyckel konference var in Reykjavik den 24. februar med 100 deltagere.

Stefan Helgi Valsson fra Reykjavik Bike Tours fortalte om cyckle tours i Island. Clik her for video. 

Reykjavik Bike Tours - http://www.reykjavikbiketours.is har rigtig mange udlendinger som tilfredse kunder. 

Reykjavik er islands cykelby nr. 1 og mange mennesker elsker at cykle. Så hvad enten du er på udkig efter cyckel og cykeludstyr for leije, så står vi parat til at servicere dig.

Miljøminister Svandís Svavarsdóttir, der holdt oplæg på konferencen, var ligeledes meget optaget af at få inspiration fra Danmark.

I Reykjavik findes mange flott cycklestier i byen og ud af byen. For exampel til Þingvellir (Pingvellir, Thingvellir), nationalparken, hvor den amerikanske og europæiske kontinentalsokkel støder sammen, de varme springvand ved Geysir samt det berømte vandfald Gullfoss.

Cykel leje i Reykjavik Iceland

Du kan leje cykel i Reykjavik - her for exampel. Cyklernes standard er god. Trek 4300 og Trek Navigator. Og flere sorter kan lejes in Reykjavik.

Du kan ogsa leje cyckel og cykelanhænger til børn.