The final leg of our trip was Reykjavík, the capital and largest city in Iceland. As the largest city, it is still relatively small by our standards, with a population only around 123,300. For many travelers, this is the only part of Iceland they see. As the cultural center of the country, it is a very colorful and interesting city, but I do urge people to venture beyond.

Reykjavík is known for fabulous street art.

We spent one night here before heading out around Ring Road and then another two nights at the end of the trip. Starting with the Vikings, Reykjavík has a long history as a shipping town. When we first arrived, we explored the docks before walking to the main tourist strip for dinner. What was once a trade town, is now a bustling cultural center with a happening nightlife.

On the morning before we left to get our rental car, we ate breakfast at this delightful little cafe.

Here is a final shot from our rental care before we returned it and enjoyed our last two nights in Reykjavík.

Upon our return, we took advantage of the time we had left to more thoroughly explore the city.

We visited the famous church Hallgrímskirkja, which has architecture designed to reflect the octagonal basalt columns so prevalent around the country.

A statue of the explorer Leif Erikson is in the front of the church and a beautiful organ is the centerpiece inside.

We had an amazing dinner at one of the fancier restaurants. We opted for their chef’s choice seven course meal. As we did not choose the menu contents, one of the courses centered around a serving of whale, which we admittedly have some moral issues with. That aside, it was a fantastic meal.

On the other end of the food spectrum, we also tried a street hot dog. The Icelandic people love their hot dogs.

As a special treat at the end of our camping adventures, we visited the Blue Lagoon. It is a huge hot springs. Many visitors go here at the beginning of their trip, but I recommend it at the end.

We ate at the restaurant at the springs after our soak. It was good, but mostly it was worth it for the view.

We watched the sunset and had an Icelandic beer at a little pub on our last night as we said goodbye to this magical country. We hope to be back someday to share it with our son.