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Reykjavík after midnight

Nobody in Reykjavík goes out early. The evening often starts at home with a pre-party, because a beer in town costs a fair bit, and people rarely head downtown before midnight. Then Laugavegur, Bankastræti and Austurstræti fill up, and at weekends the night runs until nearly morning.

In Iceland everyone knows everyone, or at least someone who knows you, and few walk up to a stranger at the bar. Winter is long and dark, so it takes a good reason to leave the sofa, but in summer it is light all night and nobody wants to go home. In August Culture Night (Menningarnótt) fills the centre, and all year round people also meet in the hot tubs.

YesTonite is the good reason. Switch on "I'm out tonight", see who else is out and send one message. Your name is not shown until you decide to share it in the chat.

Friday and Saturday nights are the biggest, and few head downtown before midnight. At weekends places stay open far into the night, and in summer it never gets properly dark.

Where people go out

• LaugavegurThe main street downtown, bars and restaurants side by side.
• Bankastræti and AusturstrætiThe heart of the weekend nightlife, where almost everything is within walking distance.
• SkólavörðustígurThe slope up to Hallgrímskirkja, with cafés and quieter bars for the first drink.
• GrandiThe old harbour area in the west of town, with a food hall, breweries and sea views.
• Akureyri centreThe capital of the North, with bars downtown and student life in winter.