A small city of 130,000 people at the edge of the North Atlantic — compact enough to walk across in an afternoon, but dense with museums, geothermal pools, restaurants, and some of the world's most accessible natural landscapes right on its doorstep.
Tours in Reykjavík
Hand-picked trips that showcase what this region does best.
What Is Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital of Iceland and the northernmost capital city in the world, sitting at 64°N latitude. It is also the westernmost capital in Europe. The city and its surrounding municipalities hold roughly 60% of Iceland's total population, making it by far the most significant urban centre in the country.
The name means "Smoky Bay" in Icelandic, a reference to the steam rising from the hot springs that the first settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, saw when he arrived from Norway in 871 AD.
Reykjavík received city rights in 1786 but remained a small fishing settlement for most of its history. Rapid growth only came in the 20th century, driven by the industrialisation of the fishing industry and the expansion of the Icelandic state.
Today, the greater Reykjavík area has a population of around 230,000. The city centre — the part most visitors spend their time in — is compact and mostly walkable. The main shopping street, Laugavegur, and the old harbour area cover much of what there is to see on foot. Most cultural institutions, pools, and restaurants sit within a radius of about 2 kilometres from the city hall.
Reykjavík is also the departure point for most of Iceland's major day trips and tours — the Golden Circle, the South Coast, and the Blue Lagoon are all within an hour or two of the city centre.
Hallgrímskirkja Church
Hallgrímskirkja is the most visible building in Reykjavík. It stands 74.5 metres tall on the hilltop of Skólavörðuholt and is visible from nearly every point in the city. It is the tallest church in Iceland and the sixth tallest structure in the country overall.
The church was designed by State Architect Guðjón Samúelsson, whose commission was signed in 1937. He drew direct inspiration from Iceland's volcanic landscape — specifically the hexagonal basalt columns found at places like Svartifoss in the south. The stepped wings flanking the tower are a direct architectural reference to these formations.
Construction began in 1945 and took 41 years to complete. The crypt was consecrated in 1948, the tower and wings finished in 1974, and the nave was finally consecrated in 1986. Samúelsson died in 1950 and never saw his most significant work completed.
The church was made taller than originally planned because the leaders of the Church of Iceland wanted it to exceed the height of Landakotskirkja, the Catholic cathedral in Reykjavík — also designed by Samúelsson. The building's construction was controversial from the start, with critics objecting to both its cost and its unconventional design. One poet of the era ended a critical poem with the line: "State architect, no more, no more."
Inside Hallgrímskirkja
The interior is deliberately plain — white walls, narrow windows, and simple wooden pews that seat around 1,200 people. The main draw inside is the pipe organ, built by German organ builder Johannes Klais of Bonn. It stands 15 metres tall, weighs 25 tonnes, and has 5,275 pipes across 72 stops. It was installed in 1992.
Entrance to the church is free. A lift takes visitors to the observation tower for a 360-degree view over Reykjavík, the harbour, and the mountains beyond. The tower ticket costs around 1,500 ISK (approximately €10) for adults.
The Leif Erikson Statue
Standing in front of the church is a bronze statue of Leifur Eiríksson — the Norse explorer credited with reaching North America around 1000 AD, five centuries before Christopher Columbus. The statue was a gift from the United States to Iceland in 1930, marking the 1,000th anniversary of the Althing parliament established at Þingvellir in 930 AD. Unusually, the statue predates the church itself by 15 years.
Harpa Concert Hall
Harpa is a concert hall and conference centre on the Reykjavík waterfront, opened on 4 May 2011. It was the first purpose-built concert hall in the city's history. The building was designed by Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects in collaboration with Danish-Icelandic artist Ólafur Elíasson, whose influence is most visible in the exterior glass façade.
The façade consists of 714 geometric glass panels in varying colours, inspired by Iceland's basalt column formations. The panels reflect and refract light differently throughout the day — shifting from gold in the morning, to blue-grey at dusk, to multi-coloured under its night-time lighting system. Harpa won the Mies van der Rohe Award in 2013 for European contemporary architecture.
Construction started in 2007 but stalled when the 2008 financial crisis hit Iceland — among the hardest affected countries in the world. The half-built structure stood abandoned for a period before the Icelandic government stepped in to fund its completion. Harpa became a symbol of the country's recovery. The main concert hall seats 1,800 people.
Harpa is home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the Icelandic Opera, and the Reykjavík Big Band. The building is free to enter and walk around. Guided tours of the interior — led by musicians who work in the building — run regularly and take about an hour.
The Old Harbour
Reykjavík's Old Harbour (Grandi) is a short walk west of Harpa along the waterfront. It was the city's working fishing harbour for most of the 20th century and retains its industrial character — corrugated metal warehouses, working boats, and the smell of the sea. Over the past decade it has been gradually converted into a cultural and food district while keeping much of its original texture.
The harbour is the departure point for whale watching tours from April to October. Several operators run 3-hour tours into Faxaflói Bay, where humpback whales, minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbour porpoises are regularly spotted. Success rates in summer run at 85 to 95%. Tours cost around 10,000 to 12,000 ISK (€67 to €80) per person.
The harbour area also has some of the best casual eating in the city. The Grandi Mathöll food hall on the harbour offers a range of vendors in a converted warehouse — fish and chips, lobster soup, Vietnamese food, and craft beer. The Saga Museum and the Reykjavík Maritime Museum are also in this area.
Sun Voyager Sculpture
Between Harpa and the Old Harbour, set on the waterfront path, stands the Sólfarið (Sun Voyager) — a stainless steel sculpture by artist Jón Gunnar Árnason, installed in 1990. It resembles the hull of a Viking longship and is one of the most photographed spots in the city.
The sculpture faces west across Faxaflói Bay, with the Snæfellsnes glacier visible on clear days across the water. It is best visited at sunset, when the steel catches the low light. Entry is free and it is accessible at all hours.
Geothermal Pools — A Local Essential
Swimming in geothermal pools is one of the most deeply embedded parts of everyday Icelandic life. Reykjavík has 18 geothermal pools across the city — most neighbourhoods have their own local facility. The water is heated by geothermal energy and maintained at consistent temperatures year-round. Entry at city pools costs around 1,430 ISK (approximately €10) per adult. Children under 15 are free.
The pools are not tourist attractions — they are where locals go to socialise, decompress, and talk. Sitting in a hot pot alongside Reykjavík residents discussing news, politics, and football is as much a part of the experience as the warm water.
Laugardalslaug
Laugardalslaug is the largest municipal pool in Reykjavík, located in the Laugardalur valley about 2.5 kilometres east of the city centre.
It has two 50-metre outdoor pools, multiple hot tubs at different temperatures, a sauna, a steam room, a cold seawater tub, and an 86-metre water slide. It is busy in the evenings when locals come after work. A good option for seeing the pool culture as it actually functions.
Sundhollin
Sundhollin is the oldest pool in the city centre, a short walk from Hallgrímskirkja. It was built in 1937 — the same year Hallgrímskirkja was commissioned — and has a handsome art deco interior for the indoor pool. The outdoor pool and hot pots were added more recently. It is the most conveniently located option for those staying in the downtown area.
Sky Lagoon
Sky Lagoon opened in 2021 and is a premium geothermal spa about 10 kilometres west of the city centre, overlooking the North Atlantic. The main pool sits at the cliff edge with an unobstructed view over the ocean.
Entry includes a seven-step Skjól ritual: geothermal lagoon, cold plunge, sauna, steam room, skin scrub, and a final warm soak. Tickets start from around 7,990 ISK (approximately €54). Advance booking is required in summer.
Perlan — Museum of Icelandic Nature
Perlan sits on Öskjuhlíð Hill — the highest point in the city — about 2 kilometres south of the centre. The building was originally constructed in 1991 as a storage facility for six geothermal hot water tanks that supply heating to the city. The tanks were given a glass dome roof and converted into a museum and restaurant. Some of the tanks still hold geothermal water.
The museum inside, Wonders of Iceland, covers Iceland's geology, glaciers, volcanoes, wildlife, and the Northern Lights through interactive exhibitions. The main draw is a real ice cave built inside the building — the only indoor ice cave in the world, carved from actual ice blocks. Admission to the museum costs around 6,990 ISK (approximately €47).
The observation deck on the fourth floor encircles the entire dome and gives a 360-degree panoramic view over Reykjavík, the harbour, and the mountains surrounding the city. The deck is free to access without a museum ticket.
Museums in Reykjavík
The Settlement Exhibition
The Settlement Exhibition (Landnámssýningin) is built around the ruins of a Viking-age longhouse discovered beneath central Reykjavík during construction work in 2001.
The longhouse dates to around 871 AD — the same era as Ingólfur Arnarson's arrival — and is one of the oldest human structures found in Iceland.
The exhibition displays the original ruins in situ and uses digital projections to reconstruct life in the settlement era. Entry costs around 2,200 ISK (approximately €15). Located on Aðalstræti, one of the oldest streets in the city.
National Museum of Iceland
The National Museum (Þjóðminjasafn Íslands) covers the full sweep of Icelandic history from the Viking settlement to the present day. Key artefacts include Viking-age swords and tools, medieval church carvings, traditional costumes, and objects from the fishing industry that shaped the 20th-century economy.
The museum's collection includes over 2,000 objects on display from a total collection of around 2 million artefacts. Entry costs around 2,500 ISK (approximately €17). Free for children under 18.
Reykjavík Art Museum
The Reykjavík Art Museum operates across three buildings in different parts of the city: Hafnarhús near the Old Harbour, Kjarvalsstaðir in Klambratún park, and Ásmundarsafn in Laugardalur.
Hafnarhús is the largest and most visited, known for its permanent collection of works by Icelandic post-modernist painter Erró. A single ticket covers all three locations and costs around 2,000 ISK (approximately €14).
The Phallological Museum
The Icelandic Phallological Museum (Hið Íslenska Reðasafn) holds the world's largest collection of mammalian phallological specimens — over 280 specimens from 93 species of animals.
It includes examples from the full range of Icelandic land and sea mammals, including a sperm whale specimen and a polar bear.
The collection was assembled over decades by retired teacher Sigurður Hjartarson, who began collecting in 1974 as a joke that grew into an obsession. It is considered one of Iceland's most unusual museums. Entry costs around 1,500 ISK (approximately €10).
Laugavegur and City Centre
Laugavegur is the main commercial street in Reykjavík, running eastward from the city centre toward Hallgrímskirkja. It and the streets around it concentrate most of the city's independent shops, cafés, bars, and restaurants. The street name means "Hot Spring Road" — it was originally the route people walked to wash clothes at the hot springs in Laugardalur.
The city centre has no single dominant neighbourhood character — it shifts quickly from tourist-facing souvenir shops and restaurants to local bakeries, bookshops, and vintage stores within a block or two.
The streets running off Laugavegur to the north, particularly around Skólavörðustígur (also called Rainbow Street for its painted surface), have a concentration of independent design shops and galleries.
Kolaportið Flea Market
Kolaportið is Reykjavík's indoor flea market, operating on weekends in a warehouse on the Old Harbour. It sells secondhand goods, vintage clothing, old books, military surplus, and traditional Icelandic food items including hákarl (fermented shark) and dried fish.
It is a popular spot for locals and one of the more unpolished, non-tourist-facing experiences available in the city centre. Open Saturdays and Sundays, typically 11:00 to 17:00.
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur ("The Town's Best Hot Dogs") is a hot dog stand near the Old Harbour that has been operating since 1937. The hot dogs are made with a blend of lamb, pork, and beef, giving them a distinct flavour.
The standard order is ein með öllu — "one with everything" — which adds raw onion, crispy fried onion, yellow mustard, ketchup, and a remoulade sauce made with mayo and capers.
Former US President Bill Clinton stopped here during a 2004 visit. There is usually a queue. A hot dog costs around 700 ISK (approximately €5).
Tjörnin Pond
Tjörnin is a small lake in the city centre, bordered by the City Hall on one side and residential streets on the others. Around 40 to 50 bird species nest or stop at the pond throughout the year, and it is permanently populated with ducks, geese, and Arctic terns in summer.
The City Hall building has a large topographical relief map of Iceland on the ground floor, which is free to view. The pond is a local walking spot used by residents year-round.
Day Trips from Reykjavík
The Golden Circle
The Golden Circle is the most popular day trip from Reykjavík, covering roughly 300 kilometres in a loop and connecting three major sites: Þingvellir National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the tectonic rift), the Geysir geothermal area (where Strokkur erupts every 5 to 10 minutes), and Gullfoss waterfall (which drops 32 metres into a canyon at 140 cubic metres per second).
The loop takes 8 to 10 hours including driving time. Self-drive rentals start from around €50 per day. Guided tours run from around €70 to €90 per person.
The Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa in a lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 50 kilometres southwest of Reykjavík — roughly 45 minutes by car. It is one of Iceland's most visited attractions.
The milky blue water sits at 37 to 40 degrees Celsius and is rich in silica, sulphur, and other minerals. The spa is built within the landscape of the lava field and has indoor and outdoor areas, multiple pools, saunas, and restaurants.
Entry to the Blue Lagoon must be booked in advance — it sells out weeks ahead in summer. Basic admission starts from around 12,000 ISK (approximately €80). Because it sits between Keflavík Airport and Reykjavík, many visitors stop there on their arrival or departure day to avoid making a separate trip.
South Coast
The South Coast is a popular day trip or overnight destination east of Reykjavík. Key stops include Seljalandsfoss (a waterfall you can walk behind), Skógafoss (a 62-metre waterfall with a walking trail to the top), the Reynisfjara black sand beach with its basalt columns and dangerous surf, and the village of Vík.
Further east, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon — where icebergs calve from the Vatnajökull glacier and float to the sea — is about 4 to 5 hours from Reykjavík and typically requires an overnight stay to do properly.
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula extends about 90 kilometres west of Reykjavík and is dominated by the Snæfellsjökull glacier — a glacier-capped stratovolcano made famous by Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth as the entrance to the underworld.
The peninsula has sea cliffs, lava fields, small fishing villages, and the glacier national park at its tip. It is a long day trip from Reykjavík — around 12 to 14 hours including driving — and better experienced as an overnight trip.
Food and Drink in Reykjavík
What to Eat
Icelandic cuisine centres on lamb, fish, and dairy. The most traditional dishes include kjötsúpa (lamb soup with root vegetables), hangikjöt (smoked lamb), plokkfiskur (a creamy mashed fish stew), and skyr — a thick, high-protein dairy product similar to Greek yoghurt, eaten as a breakfast food and available in every supermarket. Lamb in Iceland is grass-fed and free-ranging; it has a distinctly cleaner, milder flavour than commercial lamb from elsewhere.
Fresh fish — cod, haddock, arctic char, and salmon — is available across the city at all price points. The best seafood restaurants cluster around the Old Harbour area. A bowl of lobster soup from one of the harbour vendors is a reliable, affordable lunch for around 2,500 to 3,000 ISK (€17 to €20).
Reykjavík's Restaurant Scene
Reykjavík has a surprisingly strong restaurant culture for its size. The city has produced several internationally recognised chefs and has a handful of restaurants that would stand up in any major European city. The tasting menu scene — led by restaurants like Dill (which held a Michelin star) — focuses on hyper-local Icelandic ingredients prepared with contemporary Nordic technique.
Mid-range dining is expensive by most standards. Expect to pay 3,500 to 6,000 ISK (€23 to €40) for a main course at a sit-down restaurant. Budget options include bakeries, the Hlemmur food hall, the Old Harbour food hall at Grandi, and supermarkets. The bakery Brauð & Co and Sandholt are widely considered the best in the city for pastries and bread.
Nightlife and Music
Reykjavík has a well-established nightlife scene concentrated around Laugavegur and the streets immediately north of it. Bars and clubs typically don't fill up until midnight or later, and the city's proximity to the Arctic Circle means summer nights never get fully dark — adding a surreal quality to late-night socialising in June and July.
The city is also known for its live music scene. Iceland Airwaves, held every November, is one of Europe's most respected independent music festivals, using both Harpa and small venues across the city. Several Icelandic artists who started playing Reykjavík venues — including Björk, Sigur Rós, and Of Monsters and Men — have reached international audiences from here.
Best Time to Visit Reykjavík
Summer — June to August
The most popular period, with daylight lasting up to 22 hours around the solstice. Temperatures average 10 to 15°C. The city is at its most vibrant, with outdoor events, festivals, and the full range of day trips available. The midnight sun makes evening walks along the harbour genuinely otherworldly.
The downside: prices are at their highest, accommodation books out months in advance, and the Blue Lagoon requires booking weeks ahead. Crowds are noticeable at popular sites.
Autumn — September to October
One of the best times to visit. Prices drop, crowds thin, and the Northern Lights become visible on clear nights from late August onward.
Daylight runs to around 12 hours in September, dropping to 10 hours by late October. Temperatures average 5 to 10°C. All day trips and tours remain available. The city's cultural season — theatre, concerts, and exhibitions — picks up in autumn after the tourist summer.
Winter — November to February
Daylight shrinks to 4 to 5 hours in December. Temperatures average -1 to 3°C — cold but not extreme, largely kept mild by the Gulf Stream. The Northern Lights are most reliably visible in winter, though clear skies are not guaranteed.
The city itself remains fully functional and open year-round. Prices are at their lowest. The December atmosphere — Christmas markets, steaming outdoor pools, and the faint light of winter — has its own appeal.
Spring — March to May
Daylight increases quickly through spring, from around 13 hours in March to nearly 20 hours by late May. Temperatures average 2 to 8°C. The Northern Lights are still possible through April.
Prices are low and crowds are smaller than summer. The landscape around the city starts greening up from late April. A good period for those who want reasonable weather, manageable crowds, and fair prices.
How to Get to Reykjavík
Getting to Iceland
International flights arrive at Keflavík International Airport (KEF), about 50 kilometres southwest of Reykjavík — roughly 45 minutes to an hour by road. Icelandair and PLAY are the main Icelandic carriers, with direct routes from North America and across Europe. Budget airlines including Wizz Air and Ryanair serve Keflavík from select European cities.
From the airport, the Flybus shuttle runs directly to the city centre and to most hotels, taking around 45 to 50 minutes. Taxis and ride-hails are also available but significantly more expensive.
Getting Around the City
The city centre is walkable. Most of the main attractions — Hallgrímskirkja, Harpa, the Old Harbour, the National Museum, and Laugavegur — are within a 20-minute walk of each other. The Strætó bus network covers the wider city, including routes to Laugardalslaug and the suburbs. A single adult bus fare is around 590 ISK (approximately €4) and can be paid by app or on-board card reader.
A Reykjavík City Card covers free entry to all city pools, free city bus travel, and free or discounted entry to most municipal museums. It is available for 24, 48, or 72 hours and costs 5,900 to 9,900 ISK (€39 to €66). Worth considering for anyone spending 2 or more days in the city and planning to use the pools daily.
For day trips, a rental car is the most flexible option. Most major rental companies have desks at Keflavík Airport. Driving in the city itself is manageable but parking is limited and paid in the centre. Many visitors rent a car specifically for the day trips and walk around the city otherwise.