{"id":98898478,"date":"2018-11-08T20:00:36","date_gmt":"2018-11-09T01:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/?p=98898478"},"modified":"2018-11-14T16:31:34","modified_gmt":"2018-11-14T21:31:34","slug":"off-the-beaten-path-in-reykjavik-weird-obscure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/off-the-beaten-path-in-reykjavik-weird-obscure\/","title":{"rendered":"Off the Beaten Path in Reykjavik: A Guide to the Icelandic Capital&#8217;s Unique &#038; Obscure"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>While the Icelandic capital is a must-see destination that consistently makes it on to travel bucket lists, there&#8217;s a lot more beneath its pristine surface that can astound, amaze, and amuse. So while you&#8217;re likely to enjoy the spaceship-like Hallgr\u00edmskirkja, the modern-looking Harpa concert hall, the quaint commercial street of\u00a0Laugavegur, the iconic hot dog stands, and a lengthy list of breathtaking waterfalls and natural sites that are just a few hours away; there are tons more to see that may evade the typical tourists&#8217; radar. So if you&#8217;re attracted to the unique and obscure sights that really make a city special, then step into our little journey on to the road less traveled in Reykjavik!<\/p>\n<h2>The Icelandic Phallological Museum<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_98898573\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-98898573\" class=\"size-full wp-image-98898573\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Icelandic-Phallological-Museum_FINAL.jpg\" alt=\"Outside of The Icelandic Phallological Museum\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Icelandic-Phallological-Museum_FINAL.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Icelandic-Phallological-Museum_FINAL-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Icelandic-Phallological-Museum_FINAL-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Icelandic-Phallological-Museum_FINAL-810x486.jpg 810w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-98898573\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image via The Icelandic Phallological Museum<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Yes, the name is EXACTLY what it means; welcome to what is \u201cprobably the only museum in the world to contain a collection of phallic specimens belonging to all the various types of mammal found in a single country.\u201d For an admission cost of 1700\u00a0Icelandic kr\u00f3nur (a little under $13), you can check out the detailed collection of more than 200\u00a0penises and penile parts belonging to almost all the land and sea mammals on Iceland, including\u00a056 specimens belonging to\u00a017 different kinds of whales. There&#8217;s also an additional &#8220;350 artistic oddments and practical utensils related to the museum&#8217;s chosen theme,&#8221; which make\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/phallus.is\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\">this museum<\/a>\u00a0an excellent stop on your quirky quest when in town!<\/p>\n<h2>Reykjavik Poetry Brothel (Rau\u00f0a sk\u00e1ldah\u00fasi\u00f0)<\/h2>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BZeW-F0jsdZ\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"12\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\"><a style=\"background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BZeW-F0jsdZ\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BZeW-F0jsdZ\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Raudaskaldahusid (@poetrybrothelreykjavik)<\/a> on <time style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;\" datetime=\"2017-09-25T18:39:02+00:00\">Sep 25, 2017 at 11:39am PDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\" async=\"\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>For an immersive theater experience that brings together poetry, live music, and cabaret, prepare to be enthralled at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/raudaskaldahusid.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Reykjavik Poetry Brothel<\/a>\u00a0(the Icelandic name &#8220;Rau\u00f0a sk\u00e1ldah\u00fasi\u00f0&#8221; translates to &#8220;Red House of Fiction&#8221;). There is a rotating troupe of burlesque dancers, magicians, body painters, sketch artists, and acrobats who complement the bilingual poetry and music at every performance. You can also embrace your theatrical flair by dressing up (in fact, you are encouraged too!). If you visit in late November, you can be a part of the annual Masquerade Ball that features a mystery in which the audience has a role to play. Shows are spread out to once in\u00a0three months and ticket prices vary (they seem to run between 1,500 to 3,000 kr\u00f3nur, which $12 to $25), so be sure to check their website for updates.<\/p>\n<h2>Elfschool\u00a0(\u00c1lfask\u00f3linn)<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-98898574\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/shutterstock_61565206.jpg\" alt=\"Icelandic wood statue of troll\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/shutterstock_61565206.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/shutterstock_61565206-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/shutterstock_61565206-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/shutterstock_61565206-810x486.jpg 810w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Many Icelanders are serious about their belief in elves, so\u00a0you owe it to yourself to pay a visit to &#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/theelfschool.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">the Elfschool<\/a>! The school, which has been in existence for more than 30 years, is open most every Friday afternoon throughout the year.\u00a0 For a fee of 54\u20ac \/64$ (or\u00a0 202\u20ac\/240$ for a special session), you can get schooled about elves and hidden people, as well as gnomes, dwarfs, fairies, trolls, and other mythical entities that have been a part of Icelandic folklore for thousands of years. Visitors also learn about interactions between humans, elves and other mythical beings that have been recorded and studied\u00a0in depth by the school&#8217;s Headmaster, Mr. Magnus Skarphedinsson. For an interesting visit that will\u00a0surely open your eyes to the importance of\u00a0elves and other supernatural beings in Icelandic culture, you have to slot this in your Reykjavik itinerary.<\/p>\n<h2>B\u00ed\u00f3 Parad\u00eds<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_98898577\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-98898577\" class=\"size-full wp-image-98898577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/bio-paradis_FINAL.jpg\" alt=\"exhibit at the bio paradis\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/bio-paradis_FINAL.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/bio-paradis_FINAL-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/bio-paradis_FINAL-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/bio-paradis_FINAL-810x486.jpg 810w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-98898577\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image via Flickr &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">CC BY 2.0<\/a> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/131619471@N02\/44398303834\/in\/photolist-2aDoSBo-2aDjPdh-N3BNyt-PEFxe9-2bH5WCR-2ampDqV-MZ4aM4-PzcyRU-28WWuiG-2aDpvmq-2bDUqGC-2aDpuQL-2bJZ6GT-N3BJKM-2aDoSLw-2aExtTy-PEFyjA-2bFUdnf-MYZuG6-2bNDrpp-2aJfsXf-2bJZZXV-2ajz5Xk-28YEAk1-PG8fkw-2aDjUV9-N1egdD-28WHoi1-2bJVTFK-2bJZ88P-2ajwSUg-2aDpuA7-28TowGb-MX3NWD-2aHe8kY-28YECpG-2bCKDgE-2aDfoR9-PAXcjm-MZ2qMZ-2bH2X6F-Pvxjm5-MX5VoH-2ampwBV-2aBgi3f-2bCQkNy-2bDUqzd-2ajwMBT-2bKKAgE-28ZLULm\" target=\"_blank\">Reykjavik IFF<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>If you find yourself\u00a0bumping elbows with too many tourists hunting for puffin souvenirs on the busy\u00a0Laugavegur street, then turn into the parallel, less-busy Hverfisgata. The neighborhood is home to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bioparadis.is\/\" target=\"_blank\">B\u00ed\u00f3 Parad\u00eds<\/a> &#8212; an arty cinema and gallery that showcases independent and international films, cult classics from the past, and eye-opening art exhibits. You can also check out the movie house&#8217;s very cool collection of posters while enjoying a glass or two of beer on tap. If you&#8217;re artistically inclined and looking to make new friends that can introduce you to the cool underground goings-on of Reykjavik,\u00a0then you&#8217;re most likely to find some like-minded souls here.<\/p>\n<h2>A\u00a0Piece of The Berlin Wall at Hofdi House<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_98898575\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-98898575\" class=\"wp-image-98898575 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hofdi-house_FINAL.jpg\" alt=\"hofdi house in reykjavik\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hofdi-house_FINAL.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hofdi-house_FINAL-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hofdi-house_FINAL-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hofdi-house_FINAL-810x486.jpg 810w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-98898575\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image via Flickr &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">CC BY 2.0<\/a> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/plastictubing\/32919307435\/in\/photolist-S9Y4d8-de2vp-dca98t\" target=\"_blank\">Ron Miller<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Reykjavik also\u00a0had a special role to play in the history of modern Germany; it hosted a 1986 meeting between Ronald Reagan and Michael Gorbachev, which is said to have led to the end of the Cold War and the ultimate reunification of Germany. The meeting took place at <a href=\"https:\/\/visitreykjavik.is\/hofdi-house\" target=\"_blank\">Hofdi House<\/a>, a beautiful home that has been the place of diplomatic residence and visits. The park on which the house sits is also home to a unique gift from the New West Berlin art gallery in Germany &#8212; a four-ton block of the Berlin Wall itself! You can\u00a0find this colorful\u00a0piece of the wall between the city&#8217;s old harbor and the new harbor, along the coastline.<\/p>\n<h2>Reykjav\u00edk Kabarett<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-98898578\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/shutterstock_66824650.jpg\" alt=\"cabaret dancer over dark background\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/shutterstock_66824650.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/shutterstock_66824650-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/shutterstock_66824650-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/shutterstock_66824650-810x486.jpg 810w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>While cabaret and burlesque are not things that first come to mind when you think of\u00a0Reykjavik, they have seen a rise in popularity in this\u00a0adventurous city. If you&#8217;re curious, you can get a humorous, raunchy, and colorful dose of some great performances\u00a0with <a href=\"https:\/\/tix.is\/en\/event\/3262\/reykjavik-kabarett\/?fbclid=IwAR3m9Il2nj_A3-jN1XCLHHC0tvJZ5pFW4bvzGL8sAwr5obc3wscLxnTq-E4\" target=\"_blank\">Reykjav\u00edk Kabarett<\/a>.\u00a0With a motley collection of talented dancers, comedians, and clowns, you&#8217;re sure to be enthralled with these one-of-a-kind performances. Shows are usually held at the\u00a0R\u00f3senberg Reykjav\u00edk and they&#8217;re adults-only. As the wesbite explains: &#8220;You must be over 20 to attend&#8230;You don&#8217;t need to understand a word in Icelandic to enjoy&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Know of any other places and experiences that slip under the regular tourist radar? Share them with us in the comments!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While the Icelandic capital is a must-see destination that consistently makes it on to travel bucket lists, there&#8217;s a lot more beneath its pristine surface that can astound, amaze, and amuse. So while you&#8217;re likely to enjoy the spaceship-like Hallgr\u00edmskirkja, the modern-looking Harpa concert hall, the quaint commercial street of\u00a0Laugavegur, the iconic hot dog stands, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":98898580,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[1037],"class_list":["post-98898478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-tips-intel","tag-rek"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98898478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98898478"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98898478\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98898665,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98898478\/revisions\/98898665"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98898580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98898478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98898478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98898478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}