Reykjavik · IS

Walking loops in Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik

The church tower is visible from everywhere in Reykjavik, its expressionist concrete columns rising like basalt formations — which is exactly what they're modeled on. Leif Erikson's statue stands in front, gifted by the United States in 1930, staring west toward a continent his ancestors reached a millennium ago. The elevator to the top offers the best view of the city's colorful rooftops and the mountains beyond. The organ inside has 5,275 pipes. The neighborhood radiating outward is residential, quiet, and defined entirely by this singular landmark.

3 routes from 1.4 to 2.8 km · 5–14 sights per loop