7 days in Reykjavík

Day by day

1. Day 1: Hallgrímskirkja and Einar Jónsson sculpture garden

   Hallgrímskirkja and Einar Jónsson sculpture garden, then Northern lights tour in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hallgrímskirkja

      Skólavörðuholt · 45 minutes · low cost.

   2. Late morning

      Einar Jónsson sculpture garden

      Skólavörðuholt · 20–30 minutes · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Icelandic lamb soup

      Traditional restaurants and cafés in downtown Reykjavík, especially in winter.

   4. Evening

      Northern lights tour

      Check the Icelandic Met Office aurora and cloud forecast, and book early in your trip so a rebooking is still possible.

2. Day 2: Sun Voyager and Harpa Concert Hall

   Sun Voyager and Harpa Concert Hall, then Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Sun Voyager

      Sæbraut · 20 minutes · free.

   2. Late morning

      Harpa Concert Hall

      Old Harbour · 30–60 minutes · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Fish stew

      Lunch menus at traditional cafés and fish restaurants near the Old Harbour.

   4. Evening

      Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur

      Many bars on Laugavegur have happy hours in the late afternoon, the best-value time for a drink in Reykjavík.

3. Day 3: Whale watching from the Old Harbour and National Museum of Iceland

   Whale watching from the Old Harbour and National Museum of Iceland, then Sky Lagoon in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Whale watching from the Old Harbour

      Old Harbour · 3–3.5 hours · expensive. Trips are often cancelled for rough seas; book early in your stay so you can rebook if needed.

   2. Late morning

      National Museum of Iceland

      Vesturbær · 1.5–2 hours · mid-priced.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Icelandic hot dog

      Hot-dog stands such as the long-running Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur near the harbour, and petrol stations across the country.

   4. Evening

      Sky Lagoon

      Book an evening slot in winter for a chance of northern lights from the water on clear nights.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Golden Circle

   A 6–8 hour loop by car or tour each way. Getting there: Hire car or guided tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Golden Circle

      A 6–8 hour loop by car or tour (Hire car or guided tour); about 120 km.

   2. Day

      Golden Circle

      Snorkelling in the clear Silfra fissure at Þingvellir can be booked as an add-on.

   3. Evening

      Back in Reykjavík

      Dinner: try Skyr.

5. Day 5: Perlan and Tjörnin and City Hall

   Perlan and Tjörnin and City Hall, then Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Perlan

      Öskjuhlíð · 2–3 hours · expensive.

   2. Late morning

      Tjörnin and City Hall

      Downtown (101 Reykjavík) · 45 minutes · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Skyr

      Any supermarket for breakfast, and as a dessert in traditional restaurants.

   4. Evening

      Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes

      Check the tide table before crossing the causeway, and note that the island is usually closed to walkers during the spring nesting season.

6. Day 6: Day trip to South coast waterfalls and Vík

   About 2.5 hours each way by car each way. Getting there: Hire car or guided tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to South coast waterfalls and Vík

      About 2.5 hours each way by car (Hire car or guided tour); about 180 km.

   2. Day

      South coast waterfalls and Vík

      Many tours add a guided walk on the Sólheimajökull glacier.

   3. Evening

      Back in Reykjavík

      Dinner: try Geothermal rye bread.

7. Day 7: Reykjavík Art Museum – Hafnarhús and Laugardalslaug geothermal pool

   Reykjavík Art Museum – Hafnarhús and Laugardalslaug geothermal pool, then Laugavegur and Bankastræti in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Reykjavík Art Museum – Hafnarhús

      Downtown (101 Reykjavík) · 1–1.5 hours · mid-priced.

   2. Late morning

      Laugardalslaug geothermal pool

      Laugardalur · 1.5–2 hours · low cost.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Geothermal rye bread

      Bakeries and cafés in Reykjavík; the Laugarvatn Fontana spa on the Golden Circle demonstrates the hot-spring baking method.

   4. Evening

      Laugavegur and Bankastræti

      The main strip of bars, cocktail spots and late-night venues, busiest from late evening on Friday and Saturday.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Whale watching from the Old Harbour and Sky Lagoon before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 7 nights, Downtown (101 Reykjavík) keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Skólavörðuholt ($$$) suits couples, first-timers and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–28 hours of visiting over 7 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 4.2 hours in December to 21 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Reykjavík
• 2 days in Reykjavík
• 3 days in Reykjavík
• 4 days in Reykjavík
• 5 days in Reykjavík

Questions travellers ask