The best cycling routes in Hafnarfjörður

Bessastaðir is a manor in the Icelandic municipality of Garðabær (until 2012 Álftanes), a few kilometers southwest of Reykjavík. It is now used as the official residence of the Icelandic President. The area around Bessastaðir was probably first settled before the year 1000.[1] It was probably the first official settler of Iceland, Ingólfur Arnarson, who laid claim to the land. In the 13th century, Snorri Sturluson owned a farm here. This is documented by the mention in the Íslendinga saga of his nephew Sturla Þórðarson. The medieval manor passed to the King of Norway after Snorri's death in 1241. Bessastaðir subsequently became the seat of the royal representatives (first the Norwegian king, later the Danish king) and remained so until the end of the 18th century. From 1785 to 1789, the Danish canon magistrate Hans Christoph Diederich Victor von Levetzow lived here, and his son Dietrich Wilhelm von Levetzow was born here in 1786. In 1805, the country's only secondary school at the time, called Lærði Skólinn (German: the School of Scholars), was founded in Bessastaðir after its predecessor, Hólavallarskóli, was closed down. It remained on this site for 40 years, but was relocated back to Reykjavík in 1846. This eventually became the secondary school Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík, which is still located in the capital's city center today. In 1867, the property became the property of the writer Grímur Thomsen (1820–1896), who lived here for two decades. Later owners were Skúli Thoroddsen and his wife Theodóra Thoroddsen. In 1940, the farm was acquired by Sigurður Jónasson and later donated to the Icelandic state.

Excellent cycling path, allows gaining a lot of speed on the downhills.

The shipwreck is clearly visible from the lookout point. It's not recommended to climb down to avoid damaging the coastline.

Here you can see how they generated energy years ago.

The Leif Eriksson Monument in Reykjavik, Iceland, pays tribute to Norwegian explorer Leif Eriksson. The artwork was created by the American artist Alexander Stirling Calder and was commissioned by the American government as a gift to the Icelandic people on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of the Alþingi in 1930. The statue was unveiled on July 17, 1932, on a hill overlooking the city of Reykjavik. The statue of Leif Eriksson is undoubtedly one of the most photographed attractions in Reykjavík.

The Hallgrímskirkja (Church of Hallgrímur) has a 73 meter high tower and is located near the old center. The church is built on the Skólavörðuholt hill. Construction work started in 1945. However, it was not until 1986 that the church was inaugurated. The church is inspired by the basalt structures in Iceland. The church is soberly furnished with an impressive church organ with more than 5,000 organ pipes. You can take the elevator to the tower (paying). I thought it was funny that half of the pews face the altar and the other half face the organ.

Further information on cycle paths, campsites and public transport in Iceland can be found on the website https://cyclingiceland.is/en/ (as of 2023).

Born around 970 in Iceland, Leif Eriksson is much more than just the son of the famous Viking Erik the Red. While his father discovered and settled Greenland, Leif wrote his own story - a story recorded in two famous Vinland sagas. According to legend, Leif actually only wanted to visit his father in Greenland. But the sea, with its unpredictable currents, led him on a completely different course. Instead of Greenland, he reached an unknown land: America. And so, almost 500 years before Columbus set foot on the American continent, Leif Eriksson already set foot on new, fertile land. This land later became known as Vinland, and although the exact geographical attribution is still disputed today, historians agree that Leif Eriksson was the real discoverer of America. The tales of Eriksson's discoveries are captivating, ranging from rescuing shipwrecked sailors to converting the Grænlendingar to Christianity. There is even an archaeologically confirmed Scandinavian settlement in Newfoundland: L'Anse aux Meadows, a testament to the Vikings' travels and legacy in North America. Back in Reykjavik, in front of Hallgrimskirkja Church, stands the Leif Eriksson Monument. Created by Alexander Stirling Calder in 1930, it not only serves as a tribute to the great explorer, but also symbolizes the deep cultural ties between Iceland and the United States. This gift from the United States to mark the 1,000th anniversary of the Icelandic Parliament is a reminder of how much voyages of discovery can shape history.