Skip to main content

Top things to do in Reykjavík

Attractions, tours and activities in Reykjavík

Recommended museums in Reykjavík

Where to discover culture and the arts in Reykjavík

Reykjavík: the city's best neighbourhoods

Find a great area to stay in Reykjavík

About Reykjavík

Including tips for the best time to visit Reykjavík

The planet's most northerly capital offers boundless history, culture and Icelandic charm. Most streets are filled with multi-hued houses which add splashes of colour all over the city. Reykjavik's compactness means it's easy to explore on foot, with a variety of cosy cafés and restaurants serving up traditional dishes like Brauðsúpa – delicious soup poured into a hollowed out loaf of bread.

You can explore the city's Viking origins at The Settlement Exhibition, where ancient ruins combine with digital technology. Other main sights include the towering Hallgrímskirkja Church and the National Museum, which tells the story of the country's foundations and unique culture.

A huge number of excursions run from the city to help travellers experience the best things to do outside of the capital. These include the famous geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon, spectacular ice caves, geysers and giant waterfalls.

The main airport is located 50 km outside the city at Keflavik, with many arriving or departing travellers taking a dip in the nearby Blue Lagoon.

Tonight

From £167 per night

This weekend

From £581 per night

Next weekend

From £647 per night

Most popular time to visit October–December
Cheapest time to visit January–March
Local currency € 10 = £8.62
Language Icelandic
Average weekend price £195 per night
Average weekday price £193 per night
Typical stay 2 nights

Points of interest in Reykjavík

Stay near the top sightseeing spots in Reykjavík

Reykjavík reviews

What other travellers say about Reykjavík

8.0

Everything is within walkable distance inside Reykjavik.

7 August 2023

Everything is within walkable distance inside Reykjavik. Parking is annoying , P1-4 zone, have to pay if parked between 9am-6pm. Got a parking ticket because accidentally slept in one morning. Pain in the ass to try to look for a parking spot close to the hotel.

Wong
Wong Canada
8.0

Reykjavík is a nice small town, clean and quiet, easily...

4 August 2023

Reykjavík is a nice small town, clean and quiet, easily visitable on foot. It is worth going there at least once in a life time, together with visiting raw nature sites in Iceland (i.e., glaciers, waterfalls, black sand shores, geysers, asleep / active volcanos). Definitely it is preferable to visit it in summer.

Cristian
Cristian Romania
10

We love Iceland!

2 August 2023

We love Iceland! If you're going plan to tour the countryside. The ring road is easy and the scenery is stunning. We got as far as the Glacier Lagoon (roughly a quarter of the way around the country) in about four days of travel with plenty of time for sightseeing. If you can make it to the Westman Islands do. They're glorious and the puffins are adorable. Prices are high but this is a gem of a country and well worth the time and money. Take advantage of Icelandair's stopover policy and you can go to Europe, too. We have found the airline to be super efficient and nice. Reykjavik itself, by the way, is charming and easy to get around with lots of good restaurants and shops. Try the rye bread and/or licorice ice cream. Yum -- I promise.

Michelle
Michelle United States
10

Reykjavik is a lovely city, wonderful to walk around.

1 August 2023

Reykjavik is a lovely city, wonderful to walk around. English is used everywhere in Iceland so makes it very easy for English speaking people. Bars and restaurants are great and people are friendly. The phallogical museum was very interesting. Just about everything in Iceland is quite expensive but I was aware of this before I visited. I find the heating in the accommodation is very warm and at times a little too warm for summer but I believe this is the very good insulation in the houses.

Annette
Annette Australia
10

Very friendly and helpful people , clean city , can easily...

30 July 2023

Very friendly and helpful people , clean city , can easily explore by walking,clean free water easily available,very polite drivers giving way to pedestrians , reasonable fair price of foodstuff and groceries are available in supermarkets

Gan Siow Keong
Gan Siow Keong Malaysia
10

I really wanted to visit Perlan and for some reason it...

30 July 2023

I really wanted to visit Perlan and for some reason it wouldn't work with our schedule. It takes a short while to understand the travel options with the bus system but then it is super, and easy to get to the day trips.

The family planner
The family planner United States

Popular places to stay in Reykjavík

Stay in some of the best accommodation Reykjavík has to offer

Other attractions and activities in Reykjavík

More things to see and do in Reykjavík