Botanical Gardens, Reykjavík

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Hortus Botanicus Reykjavíksensis :)

Botanic gardens are my favourite and I always seek them out when travelling abroad. The botanic garden in Reykjavík is right opposite "Reykjavík Zoo and Family park" in Laugardalur valley and was founded in 1961 and conserves ca 5.000 plant species. Of them ca 300 species are from the Icelandic Flora. T

here are perennial plants, roses, Rhododendrons, Woodland Garden, Arboretum, Rock Garden and Vegetable-, spice and medicine-plants in an area wich covers 3 ha but they are expanding it to 5,4 ha. My absolute favourite flower here is the peony (we call it bóndarós). It is amazing!

There is a café in the botanic garden "Café Flora" with a lovely conservatory. The café is open in the summer time only from 10-22 and some herbs they use in the food are grown in the botanic park. On sunny days this is a very busy area.

The botanic park is open April-September 10-22 and October-March 10-17.
Admission is free.

Although Akureyri makes claims about the variety of plants that grow in its (relatively) warm micro-climate in northern Iceland, Reykjavik's botanical garden is much lovelier. It is beautifully cared for and has an excellent variety of plants, including appealing rock-gardens of Icelandic plant-life. It's situated in a large park area that also has a soccer stadium, a large pool, and the zoo, so it's a great way to get away from the crowds and take it easy among the ducks or in a quiet, leafy corner. Given the variety of plants, there's almost always (in summer) something in flower.

At the center of the gardens, there's a very nice restaurant with good food (at pretty fair prices) in a very appealing location, with plants growing around and over the tables; it's the perfect way to replenish your energies on a day of exploring!