Reykjavik was not ideal for handicap accessibility. The buildings almost all had thresholds, and there were often stairs going up to them. Although there were ramps on most of the sidewalks, they weren’t often smooth.The stone sidewalks were hard to manuver on and often times crosswalks were made of cobblestones. An assistant would be recommended.
The following are some of the places we visited while we were in Reykjavik:
Hallgrimskirkja – This impressive church, with a statue of Leif Erikson in front of it is very accessible. Gradual ramps lead up to the entrance and there is only a small threshold.
Great Fish and Chips – Kebabhusid Off the shopping street, at Laekjargata 2, great fish (Haddock) at a good price! The restaurant has great accessibility but if you want to eat inside they only have tall chairs and tables.
National Museum of Iceland -Great wheel chair access including bathrooms and elevators. Only difficulty was reading some of the display signs and text (if you are short). Natl Mueseum Of Iceland Website
Blue Lagoon – This is a short drive or tour bus ride from Reykjavik. This is where the hot, geothermal water, comes from that is pumped to the city for heating. A very large, shallow (3 – 4 feet deep), swimming pond was built there for tourists to soak in. It is built in volcanic rock, looks very natural and is worth a visit! The Blue Lagoon is very wheelchair friendly including showers, lockers and even a ramp to enter the water. There is even a waterfall to sit under and white silica that is rubbed on your skin and beleived to be a great cleanser. http://www.bluelagoon.com/
Reykjavik and it’s sites are somewhat spread out so I suggest you take a tour bus that is handicap accessible. If you are traveling with friends or an assistant you may also decide to rent a car. Driving is very easy in Iceland and there isn’t very much traffic (except for sheep and horses that sometimes cross the road). A car is the way to go when you are traveling around the island on the Ring Road!
Official Reykjavik Tourist Information Website
Mark–
I really enjoyed looking at your website. I think that the practical tips you gave should help immensely in planning a trip. What a great idea!I love the photo of you and your mom in the steamy pool. See you at school….art is Tuesday!
Ciao, Ms. Conti
Hallo Mark,
). Deine Beschreibungen und Deine Fotos machen wirklich Lust und Mut zu verreisen. Weiter so!!
habe gerade Deine website bewundert. Wirklich ein schönes Stück Arbeit. Gefunden habe ich die Seite, weil ich nach dem Namen des kleinen Restaurants gesucht habe, in dem es die “besten Fish & Chips der Welt” gibt. Es war ein kalter und regnerischer Tag in Reykjavik als meine Frau und ich dort Zuflucht fanden. Wir waren in einigen guten Restaurants in Island aber an diese kleine Pizzeria erinnern wir uns immer noch gerne. Wir waren in guter Stimmung und der Fisch war wirklich hervorragend und wie Du gesagt hast: gar nicht teuer
Sorry for writing in german, but doing so in english would be much hard work for me. If you don’t speak german and have nobody to translate I will do it, but it will take some time because I have to do it word by word with the help of a dictionary und it’s not shure the result is really better to understand. Go on doing your pretty work.
Max
This is the translation for the German comment {using Google Translator}
Hi Mark,
Have just admired your website. Really a nice piece of work. I found the site because I am named after the small restaurants, which is the “best fish and chips in the world”. It was a cold and rainy day in Reykjavik as my wife and I found refuge there. We were in some good restaurants in Iceland but in this small pizzeria remember we are still happy. We were in a good mood and the fishing was really excellent and as you have said: not at all expensive). Your descriptions and photographs really your desire and courage to travel. Keep up!
Sorry for writing in english, but doing so in english would be much hard work for me. If you do not speak english and have nobody to translate I will do it, but it will take some time because I have to do it word by word with the help of a dictionary, and it’s not shure the result is really better to understand. Go on doing your work pretty.
Max