With its ever-changing facets glistening on the water's edge, Reykjavík’s sparkling Harpa concert hall and cultural centre is a beauty to behold. In addition to a season of top-notch shows (some free), it’s worth stopping by to explore the shimmering interior with harbor vistas, or take a 45-minute tour of the hall (Ikr1500; 9am, 11am, 1.30pm & 3.30pm daily June to August, 3.30pm Monday to Friday, 11am & 3.30pm Saturday and Sunday September to May).
Harpa dazzles the eye with an intricate lattice of convex and concave glass panels that sparkle at night like the switchboard of an alien spaceship. Designed by Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects, Icelandic firm Batteríið Architects, and Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, Harpa opened in 2011. The lobby houses design boutiques and a branch of 12 Tónar music store, and gourmet restaurant Kolabrautin perches on the upper level.
