Hallgrímskirkja
InexpensiveThe church on the hill
Iceland's largest church, shaped after basalt columns; take the lift up the tower for the view.
SkólavörðuholtArchitectureView
Reykjavík, Iceland
Ideal: 3 daysBest: Jun–Aug, Sep–Mar for northern lightsPrice: Very expensive
In 60 seconds
Reykjavík in 60 seconds
Reykjavík is small enough to walk across in an hour, with corrugated-iron houses painted bright colours, the soaring Hallgrímskirkja church, the glass Harpa concert hall and a lively bar scene. Most visitors use it as a base for day trips: the Golden Circle's geysers and waterfalls, geothermal lagoons and, in winter, the northern lights. Public buses barely reach the sights outside town, so plan those days as self-drive or small-group tours, and book the lagoons ahead. In town, climb the Hallgrímskirkja tower, swim in a geothermal pool as the locals do, and eat at the old harbour. Prices are high; supermarkets and hot-dog stands keep a budget. Three days is the minimum.
DesignNightlifeFood
Best for
- Nature
- Hiking
Known for
- Hallgrímskirkja
- Geothermal pools
- Northern lights
Skip if
You are on a tight budget — Iceland is very expensive — or want the city itself to be the main event.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Reykjavík fits them. Choose interests
See
Must experience
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Harpa
Concert hall of glass
The harbourside concert hall whose glass façade, by Olafur Eliasson, changes with the light.
HarbourArchitectureFree
National Museum of Iceland
ModerateIceland from settlement to today
The clearest introduction to the island's history, from Viking settlers to the modern state.
VesturbærHistoryRainy day
Eat
Where to eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Local
Where to eat the food this city is actually known for.
Matur og Drykkur
ExpensiveIcelandic food, revived
Old Icelandic recipes reworked with care, in the Saga Museum building on Grandi.
GrandiBook aheadIcelandic
Messinn
ExpensiveFish pans
Fish served in sizzling pans — plaice, cod, salmon — just off Lækjargata.
MiðborgCasualSeafood
Café Loki
ModerateIcelandic home cooking
Traditional plates — rye-bread ice cream, fish stew, flatbread with smoked lamb — opposite Hallgrímskirkja.
SkólavörðuholtIcelandicView
Casual
No booking, no ceremony, reliably good.
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
InexpensiveThe hot-dog stand · Since 1937
Lamb hot dogs 'with everything' from a harbourside stand; a queue at any hour.
MiðborgCheapStreet food
Grandi Mathöll
ModerateFood hall in a harbour warehouse
Small counters of fish, burgers and more in an old fish-processing hall on the harbour.
GrandiFood hallLunch
Chickpea
InexpensiveFalafel and house pickles
A family-run spot for falafel in many variations and homemade pickles.
MiðborgCheapVegetarian
Special occasion
Worth planning the evening around.
Dill
Very expensiveNew Nordic with a Michelin star
Gunnar Karl Gíslason's tasting menu of Icelandic produce, with a circular-kitchen philosophy.
MiðborgBook aheadTasting menu
ÓX
Very expensiveSixteen seats at the counter
A Michelin-starred kitchen-counter tasting menu, hidden behind Sumac on Laugavegur.
LaugavegurBook aheadTasting menu
Fish Company
Very expensiveSeafood with global influences
A seafood-focused restaurant cooking Icelandic fish with flavours from around the world.
MiðborgSeafoodTasting menu
Coffee & fika
Mornings, and the slow hour between things.
Reykjavík Roasters
InexpensiveSpecialty roaster
The city's best-known roaster, with a café near Hallgrímskirkja.
SkólavörðuholtFilterRoastery
Sandholt
ModerateFamily bakery · Laugavegur
A family bakery for sourdough, pastries and coffee on the main shopping street.
LaugavegurBakeryBreakfast
Brauð & Co.
InexpensiveCinnamon buns from a painted bakery
Sourdough and famous cinnamon snails from a bakery covered in murals.
SkólavörðuholtBakeryBuns
Beyond the obvious
Hidden gems
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Grótta
Lighthouse at the edge of the city
A tidal island and lighthouse on the Seltjarnarnes peninsula, good for birds and the northern lights.
SeltjarnarnesFreeNature
Perlan
ExpensiveNature museum on a hot-water tank
A glass dome on top of hot-water tanks, with an ice cave exhibition and a panoramic deck.
ÖskjuhlíðFamiliesView
Sky Lagoon
ExpensiveGeothermal lagoon by the sea
An infinity-edge geothermal pool facing the ocean, a short bus ride from the centre.
KópavogurBook aheadSpa
After dark
Bars & nightlife
Kaffibarinn
ModerateReykjavík's legendary bar · 1993
A small bar under a London Underground-style sign, a café by day and packed with DJs by night.
MiðborgBarLate
Kaldi Bar
ModerateIcelandic craft beer
A friendly bar on Laugavegur pouring beer from the Kaldi brewery in the north.
LaugavegurBeerLively
Skál!
ExpensiveGastropub with foraged cocktails
Small plates, natural wines and cocktails with foraged ingredients, in Hlemmur food hall.
HlemmurCocktailsSmall plates
Orientation
Neighbourhoods
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Miðborg
The old centre
Laugavegur's shops, bars and painted houses down to the harbour.
Grandi
Harbour district reborn
Old fish-processing halls turned into food halls, galleries and the Saga Museum.
Vesturbær
Residential west side
Quiet streets, the university and the city's favourite geothermal pool.
Stay
Where to stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Miðborg
Very expensiveCentral and walkable
The obvious base for walking, nightlife and tour pick-ups.
CentralNightlife
Around Laugavegur
Very expensiveShops and bars on the doorstep
Busy, central and lively at night; ask for a quiet room.
CentralLively
Hlíðar
ExpensiveQuieter, better value
A residential district a short walk or bus ride east of the centre.
QuietValue
Practical
Know before you go
- Getting in
- Flybus and other airport buses run from Keflavík airport to the city in about 45 minutes.
- Getting around
- The centre is walkable; Strætó runs city buses. Most day trips need a tour or a rental car.
- Money
- Icelandic króna. Cards are accepted everywhere, even for small amounts.
- Weather
- It changes fast in any season: bring layers, waterproofs and good shoes.
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
History in 5 minutes
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
- c. 874
Ingólfur Arnarson settles at Reykjavík, the 'smoky bay'.
- 1944
Iceland becomes an independent republic, with Reykjavík as its capital.
- 1986
Reagan and Gorbachev meet at the Höfði house in Reykjavík.
Further out
Nearby escapes
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
The Golden Circle
Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss
The classic loop: a rift valley national park, an erupting geyser and a vast waterfall.
By tour or rental carFull dayNature
Blue Lagoon
Milky-blue geothermal spa
The famous lagoon in a lava field near the airport; book a slot ahead.
By bus or rental carBook aheadSpa
Reykjanes Peninsula
Lava fields and recent eruptions
A UNESCO Global Geopark of lava, hot springs and sea cliffs. Check volcanic activity warnings first.
By rental car or tourFull dayVolcanoes