Photos: Michal Gorski, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Bernd Thaller from Graz, Austria, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Izsonzo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Michal Gorski, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Bernd Thaller from Graz, Austria, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Izsonzo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Höfði House and the 1986 summit
Your local guide
Guðrún Ágústsdóttir
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Highlights
- A house that hosted a 1986 summit
- Reagan and Gorbachev's Reykjavik meeting
- A quiet building's unlikely history
- The bay and mountains behind Höfði
- Cold War history, explained on site
About this tour
This session looks at a quiet waterfront house that briefly became the centre of world attention during the Cold War. You see the building's understated exterior and the shoreline setting behind it, with the documented history of the 1986 summit explained on site. It stays outdoors, working from the grounds around the house.
After a short sound check on the waterfront path, I walk the site stop by stop, explaining what happened here and why the location was chosen. I take questions live as they come and send a short note afterwards on the summit's outcomes for anyone who wants to read further.
It suits anyone interested in Cold War history, and anyone who enjoys a quieter historical session away from the busier city centre.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Reykjavik before heading out.
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Höfði House exterior 15 min
The camera takes in the white timber house on the waterfront, and I explain how it hosted the 1986 summit between Reagan and Gorbachev that is often credited with easing Cold War tensions.
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The shoreline view from Höfði 15 min
You see the bay and mountains behind the house, and I point out the setting that made this quiet building an unlikely stage for a major world event.
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Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Reykjavik: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Rye bread and Old Harbour, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Reykjavik time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 9 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Reykjavik, showing you Höfði House exterior and The shoreline view from Höfði live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Reykjavik live with my phone.
Times shown in Reykjavik time (GMT)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Tue 27 Oct · 9 seats left From 23,00 €
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