Reykjavík is not the shopping mecca that is Paris or London, but a new wave of boldly conceptual storeowners is gaining almost as much attention as the restaurateurs. Most shops are concentrated on Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur — so don’t hold out much hope for the thrill of a back-alley discovery — but Laugavegur’s offshoots and side streets are quickly building up. Other good shopping streets are Austurstræti (especially for souvenirs), Hafnarstræti, and Bankastræti.

Reykjavík is a good place to buy supplies before hitting the rest of the country, where goods are even more expensive. General shopping hours are 9am to 6pm weekdays and 10 AM to 4 PM Saturdays. Almost everything is closed Sunday except for a few shops, particularly those selling woolens and puffin snow globes.