Travel guide · Iceland
Reykjavík travel guide
A small, walkable capital and base for geysers, waterfalls and northern lights
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Olga Ernst, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Reykjavík is the world's northernmost capital and home to about a third of Iceland's population, but its centre is small enough to walk across in 20 minutes, from Hallgrímskirkja church down Skólavörðustígur and Laugavegur to the Old Harbour and Harpa concert hall. Most visitors use it as a base for day trips to the Golden Circle, the south coast waterfalls and geothermal lagoons, returning in the evening to geothermal pools, seafood and small bars. Expect high prices, fast-changing weather and extreme daylight swings between summer and winter. Plan 5 days for a first visit; the best months are June–September.
Key facts
- Country
- Iceland
- Best time to visit
- June–September
- Ideal stay
- 5 days
- Main airports
- KEF, RKV
- Mid-range daily budget
- $220–$400 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Northern lights, Midnight sun, Hallgrímskirkja and Geothermal pools
Why visit Reykjavík
- The Golden Circle — Þingvellir, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall — makes an easy day loop from the city.
- Between roughly September and April, clear dark nights can bring the northern lights, sometimes visible from the city's edges at Grótta.
- Geothermal swimming pools such as Laugardalslaug are a daily ritual for locals and one of the best-value experiences in an expensive country.
- In June the sun barely sets, so you can hike, walk the harbour and take whale-watching trips late into the evening.
- Harpa, Hallgrímskirkja and the Sun Voyager sculpture give a compact city a striking modern architecture.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 18 things to do.
Religious site · Skólavörðuholt
Hallgrímskirkja
Iceland's largest church rises about 74 metres above the city, its concrete facade modelled on basalt columns.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Landmark · Sæbraut
Sun Voyager
Jón Gunnar Árnason's stainless-steel sculpture of a skeletal Viking-style ship stands on the seafront path along Sæbraut, facing Mount Esja across the bay.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Couples
Experience · Outside the city
Northern lights tour
From roughly September to April, bus and small-group tours drive out of the city to dark locations when the aurora forecast and cloud cover look promising.
- Time needed
- 3–5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Nature
- Couples
- Iconic
Architecture · Old Harbour
Harpa Concert Hall
The harbourside concert and conference hall, opened in 2011, is wrapped in a geometric glass facade designed with artist Ólafur Elíasson that reflects the changing sky and lights up after dark.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- After dark
- Photo spot
Museum · Vesturbær
National Museum of Iceland
The permanent exhibition 'Making of a Nation' runs from the Viking-age settlement to the present day, with carved church doors, drinking horns, early Christian artefacts and everyday objects that show how Icelanders survived on a remote island.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Öskjuhlíð
Perlan
A glass dome built on top of hot-water storage tanks on Öskjuhlíð hill houses the Wonders of Iceland nature exhibition, with a man-made ice cave, exhibits on glaciers and volcanoes and a planetarium show about the northern lights.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Views
- Nature
Where to stay
Downtown (101 Reykjavík) is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, food lovers and shopping
Downtown (101 Reykjavík)
Laugavegur shops, small bars and colourful corrugated-iron houses around the Tjörnin pond
$$$ · Best for couples, first-timers and culture
Skólavörðuholt
Hilltop streets around Hallgrímskirkja with wool shops and galleries on Skólavörðustígur
$$$ · Best for families, food lovers and first-timers
Old Harbour and Grandi
Whale-watching docks, fish restaurants and converted warehouses on the waterfront
$$ · Best for quiet stays, budget and solo travellers
Vesturbær
Residential west end with Vesturbæjarlaug pool, the university and sea walks to Grótta
What to eat
- Icelandic lamb soup — A hearty broth of lamb on the bone with root vegetables, rice or oats and herbs.
- Fish stew — Flaked cod or haddock mashed with potatoes, onions and béchamel, traditionally served with buttered rúgbrauð.
- Icelandic hot dog — Lamb, pork and beef sausages in a bun with crispy and raw onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard and remoulade.
- Skyr — A thick, high-protein cultured dairy product, technically a soft cheese but eaten like yogurt, often with berries or cream.
- Geothermal rye bread — A dense, dark, slightly sweet rye bread traditionally baked slowly in the ground near hot springs.
- Dried fish — Wind-dried cod or haddock torn into strips and eaten with salted butter.
When to go
For road trips, hiking and long days, the best time to visit Reykjavík is June to early September, though it is also the busiest and most expensive season. For the northern lights and lower prices, go between late September and March, accepting short days, storms and possible tour cancellations. September is often the best compromise, with dark nights returning and summer roads still open.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | April–May | Fast-lengthening days, migrating birds and puffins arriving, quieter roads and lower prices, but snow in the highlands and many mountain roads still closed. |
| Summer | June–August | Midnight sun, mild 12–15 °C days, open highland roads and whale and puffin trips; the busiest and most expensive season. |
| Autumn | September–October | Autumn colours, darker nights for the aurora and fewer visitors, with rising wind and rain by October. |
| Winter | November–March | Short days, snow, ice caves on organised tours and the best northern lights season; storms can close roads and cancel tours at short notice. |
Getting there and around
Keflavík International Airport (KEF) is about 50 km southwest of the city, roughly 45–50 minutes by road. Airport coaches such as Flybus run to the BSÍ bus terminal with optional hotel drop-offs, and Strætó route 55 offers a slower public bus. Reykjavík Airport (RKV) in the city handles domestic flights.
Downtown Reykjavík is small and best explored on foot. Yellow Strætó buses cover the wider capital area, and most visitors join tours or hire a car for trips beyond the city. There is no metro or tram.
Plan your days
Three days allow one day in the city, a Golden Circle day and a lagoon or whale-watching trip. Five days add the south coast waterfalls and Snæfellsnes and leave a buffer for weather, which in winter can cancel tours and close roads.
Practical information
- Currency
- ISK
- Language
- Icelandic and English
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Cold tap water is excellent to drink; hot water is geothermal and may smell faintly of sulphur.
- Emergency number
- 112 (emergency number in Iceland)
- Tipping
- Tipping is not customary in Iceland; service is included in prices and wages.
Crime levels are low; the real risks are weather and nature. Check road conditions and weather warnings daily, respect barriers at waterfalls and geothermal areas, stay far from the waterline at black-sand beaches, and never walk on glaciers without a guide.
Flights to Reykjavík
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Reykjavík?
Three days allow one day in the city, a Golden Circle day and a lagoon or whale-watching trip. Five days add the south coast waterfalls and Snæfellsnes and leave a buffer for weather, which in winter can cancel tours and close roads. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Reykjavík?
For road trips, hiking and long days, the best time to visit Reykjavík is June to early September, though it is also the busiest and most expensive season. For the northern lights and lower prices, go between late September and March, accepting short days, storms and possible tour cancellations. September is often the best compromise, with dark nights returning and summer roads still open.
+What is Reykjavík known for?
Northern lights, Midnight sun, Hallgrímskirkja, Geothermal pools, Golden Circle, Whale watching and Harpa concert hall. The Golden Circle — Þingvellir, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall — makes an easy day loop from the city.
+Is Reykjavík expensive?
Reykjavík is very expensive for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $220–$400 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Reykjavík?
Not for the city itself, but a car is the most flexible way to see the Golden Circle, the south coast and Snæfellsnes. In winter, inexperienced drivers may prefer guided tours, as storms and ice make driving demanding.