Reykjavik: Latitude 64°08′ North: Sometime after midnight
The bar pulses with the heat of bodies pressed close. Club goers revel in the warmth of each otherâs company; and spirits mixed by a statuesque bartender whose cheekbones could be cut from the glaciers lining Icelandâs famous fjords. Ordering a cold one from a long list of lagers, itâs hard to believe beer was banned in Iceland until 1989!
You can now find over one hundred bars and clubs in Reykjavik. Most, crowded in and around trendy Laugavegur Street. Earlier in the evening, as rays from the setting sun lit up the northern sky in a moody twilight, we watched restaurants flip their establishments over to bars. Soon, a hot crush of locals and tourists from across the globe would descend upon them from the shadows.
Take note. Icelanderâs like to go out late!
The heat of the club clings close as we step out in the midnight blue of the early morning. Itâs cold, but not arctic cold. Iceland has a sub-polar, oceanic climate. Temperatures even in winter rarely dip below -15 degrees Celsius. Winding our way back down Laugavegur we join the crowds emptying into the street. Even at this late hour the streets of Reykjavik feel safe. This urban capital is among the cleanest and safest in the world.
After a long night of revelry, a hot attraction awaits. Icelandâs famous Blue Lagoon. Any excess of the previous night will soon be forgotten after a soak in these ethereal, geothermal pools. You will leave ready for another night on the town.