Top 10 Things to see and do in Reykjavík

Reykjavík is the world’s northern-most capital of a sovereign state. It is a very walkable city and has plenty on offer so is well worth a visit.

Depending on how quick you pace yourself, I think 1-3 days is enough to see what the city has to offer, although you can easily extend this if you plan to do day trips outside the city. Reykjavík  can offer a good base to do tours if you don’t hire a car!

If you plan on visiting lots of museums, then it is well worth purchasing the City Card (The City Card | Visit Reykjavík). You can get this for 24, 48 or 72 hours and it gives you free entry into an extensive list of museums, galleries, city thermal pools and free city bus transport. It also offers discounts on additional museums (including Perlan museum, aurora Reykjavík and the Icelandic Phallological museum), concerts and tours (whale watching and wildlife adventures).

1 – Walk around the coast & city

If you enjoy walking, the coast offers a well maintained track to see a lot of the city. 

My favourite route was to start at the Sun Voyager on the northern part of the city, then follow the coastline towards Grotta Island Lighthouse (this is approximately 6km). Definitely make sure you stop to enjoy the Kvika footbaths (a nice spot to take off the shoes and dip your feet into a thermal footbath) and a view of the ocean. If you have the time, you can continue the track from the lighthouse around the golf course – you can catch a really nice sunset or views of the northern lights if you’re lucky!

2 – Check out art sculptures, notable streets, shopping areas and museums

Reykjavík is full of lots of little art sculptures and interesting streets. It’s worth just wandering around to get lost. A few ideas may include Skólavörðustígur (Rainbow Street), Sun Voyager and Lake Tjörnin. The walking track along the harbour and coast is covered with little sculptures and things to look at. If you are interested in shopping, go to Laugavegur Street (notable street), which has a variety of shops, bars, restaurants and cafes. It’s also a really picturesque area.

If the weather is bad and you want indoor shopping – one of main shopping centres ‘Kringlan’ contains retail shops, boutiques, food and supermarkets. If you’re a budget traveller, the ‘discount’ supermarket is a store called Bonus (look for the yellow sign with a pig!).

The city is also covered in different museums and art centres. Depending on your interests, some options may include Whales of Iceland, Saga Museum (History), Reykjavík Museum of Photography, House of Collections, The National Gallery of Iceland, National Museum of Iceland and the Reykjavík Art Museum Kjarvalsstaðir. It even has the largest Phallological museum in the world (The Icelandic Phallological Museum).

3 – Visit a City Thermal Pool

The city is scattered with multiple thermal pools used by locals, which is a great way to experience a thermal pool without paying tourist fees that are charged at places like the Blue Lagoon or Secret Lagoon.

My favourite (and one of the largest) is a public swimming pool called Laugardalslaug which has multiple areas of varying temperatures (indoor & outdoor), a sauna and water slides. Other options may include Vesturbæjarlaug, Sundhöllin, Alftaneslaug and Seljavallalaug (plus more).

4 – Perlan Museum

This is the natural history museum, and is well worth a visit (especially on a rainy/cold day). Contains a lot of interesting history, ice caves, northern lights theatre, interactive displays and has a nice rooftop 360’ view of the city!

I walked here from the city (approximately 3km, 40 mins from the city centre), however, if you have a City Pass then feel free to take Bus 18 to the Perlan Bus stop. They also have parking on site if you have hired a car.

5 – Visit Hallgrímskirkja Church

Definitely visit Hallgrímskirkja, a 74.5 metre (244 ft), the largest Church in Iceland (and 2nd tallest building) that also houses the largest organ in the country. It’s worth going to admire the architecture and is free to enter the chapel. You can also pay an admission fee to go up the top to the observation deck, however, the queue can be busy in peak season but may be worth it if the weather is clear.

6 – Aurora Reykjavík – The Northern Lights Centre

This was one of my favourite museums and is worth visiting if you love aurora and the science behind it. (You also get a discount with a Reykjavík city card). It has lots of interactive displays explaining aurora and the history behind it. Even includes complimentary photos and a VR goggle experience.

7 – FlyOver Iceland

This is a flight simulation over mountains, fjords and glaciers in Iceland. You hang suspended over a spherical film screen with 4D effects (wind, mist & more). It is a cheaper alternative to a helicopter tour (with guaranteed good weather) and costs about ISK 5690 (€39).

8 – Lava Show

Worthwhile if you are interested in geology and are wanting to see some lava in an immersive and educational experience. The show superheats real lava (up to 1100°C) to recreate a volcano eruption. It is also worth purchasing tickets in advance if you are interested.

9 – Reykjavik Escape

If you’re looking for something to do with a group, then consider an escape room. It is pretty comparable to escape rooms in other countries. They have 7 different rooms, and you get 60 minutes to escape.

10 – Bæjarins Beztu (Famous hot dog stand)

Bæjarins Beztu (translates to the bezt in town!) is worth a visit to taste an Icelandic hot dog. This small stand hasn’t moved since 1937. Bill Clinton even visited back in 2004. The hot dogs are made out of Icelandic lamb meat, crispy onions and sweet mustard, along with raw onion, ketchup (made from apples instead of sugar) and Remolaði sauce.The line can be long but it’s worth the wait! You can find it on Tryggvagata 1, 101 Reykjavík. It is open from 9am to 1am (and even longer on weekends).