Things to do · Reykjavík · Iceland
18 best things to do in Reykjavík
18 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: United States Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Strang, Public domain
Quick answer
The essential sights in Reykjavík are Hallgrímskirkja, Sun Voyager and Northern lights tour. Of the 18 picks below, 6 are free, 6 work on a rainy day and 7 suit children. Allow about 5 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Hallgrímskirkja
- Free sights
- 6
- Good on a rainy day
- Harpa Concert Hall
- Time to see the highlights
- 5 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallgrímskirkja | Skólavörðuholt | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Sun Voyager | Sæbraut | 20 minutes | Free |
| Northern lights tour | Outside the city | 3–5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Harpa Concert Hall | Old Harbour | 30–60 minutes | Free |
| National Museum of Iceland | Vesturbær | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Perlan | Öskjuhlíð | 2–3 hours | Expensive |
| Whale watching from the Old Harbour | Old Harbour | 3–3.5 hours | Expensive |
| Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur | Downtown (101 Reykjavík) | 1–3 hours | Free |
| Tjörnin and City Hall | Downtown (101 Reykjavík) | 45 minutes | Free |
| Laugardalslaug geothermal pool | Laugardalur | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| Sky Lagoon | Kópavogur | 2–3 hours | Expensive |
| Reykjavík Art Museum – Hafnarhús | Downtown (101 Reykjavík) | 1–1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes | Seltjarnarnes | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Viðey Island | Kollafjörður | Half a day | Low cost |
| Árbær Open Air Museum | Árbær | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Whales of Iceland | Grandi | 1 hour | Mid-priced |
| Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo | Laugardalur | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Einar Jónsson sculpture garden | Skólavörðuholt | 20–30 minutes | Free |
The 18 best things to do
Religious site · Skólavörðuholt
1.Hallgrímskirkja
Iceland's largest church rises about 74 metres above the city, its concrete facade modelled on basalt columns. The bright, plain interior holds a huge pipe organ, and a lift (paid) takes you up the tower for the best panorama of Reykjavík's coloured roofs, the harbour and Mount Esja. The statue of Leif Erikson in front was a gift from the United States.
Go up the tower on a clear morning; on cloudy days the view is short and the queue is long.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Landmark · Sæbraut
2.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. Unveiled in 1990, it is described by the artist as a dream boat and an ode to the sun.
Walk the shoreline path from Harpa to the sculpture around sunset, which in winter happens mid-afternoon.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Couples
Experience · Outside the city
3.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. Sightings depend on solar activity and clear skies, and most operators offer a free rebooking if nothing appears.
Check the Icelandic Met Office aurora and cloud forecast, and book early in your trip so a rebooking is still possible.
- Time needed
- 3–5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Nature
- Couples
- Iconic
Architecture · Old Harbour
4.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. The foyers are free to wander, and it is home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera.
Climb to the upper foyers for framed views of the harbour and Mount Esja, then come back after dark to see the facade lit up.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- After dark
- Photo spot
Museum · Vesturbær
5.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.
Start at the settlement-era rooms and allow time for the medieval Valþjófsstaður church door.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Öskjuhlíð
6.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. A 360-degree observation deck looks over the city and bay.
Use it as a rainy-day substitute for glacier and aurora experiences, especially with children.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Views
- Nature
Experience · Old Harbour
7.Whale watching from the Old Harbour
Boats leave the Old Harbour for Faxaflói Bay, where minke whales, white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises are the most frequent sightings and humpbacks appear at times. From about May to August, many trips also pass the puffin colonies on the small islands of Lundey and Akurey.
Take seasickness tablets beforehand and wear the warm overalls the operators provide; it is much colder on the water than in town.
- Time needed
- 3–3.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Trips are often cancelled for rough seas; book early in your stay so you can rebook if needed.
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Street · Downtown (101 Reykjavík)
8.Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur
Laugavegur is the city's main shopping and dining street, running east from the centre past knitwear stores, record shops, bakeries and bars. Skólavörðustígur, which climbs from it to Hallgrímskirkja, is painted with a rainbow and lined with galleries, wool and design shops.
Many bars on Laugavegur have happy hours in the late afternoon, the best-value time for a drink in Reykjavík.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- After dark
Park · Downtown (101 Reykjavík)
1.Tjörnin and City Hall
The city-centre pond is home to swans, ducks and geese and is ringed by painted houses and the Hljómskálagarður park. On its northern shore, the modern Reykjavík City Hall has a large free 3D relief map of Iceland that helps you understand the island's glaciers and mountains before a road trip.
In hard winters the pond freezes and locals skate on it; part is kept ice-free by geothermal water for the birds.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
Experience · Laugardalur
2.Laugardalslaug geothermal pool
Reykjavík's largest public pool has a 50-metre outdoor pool, a row of hot tubs at different temperatures, a steam bath, a cold tub and a water slide, all heated by geothermal water. Soaking in a hot pot and chatting with locals is a core part of Icelandic daily life.
Shower thoroughly without a swimsuit before entering, as required; staff and locals take this rule seriously.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Active
Experience · Kópavogur
3.Sky Lagoon
A geothermal lagoon on the Kársnes shore in Kópavogur, about 15 minutes by car from downtown, with an infinity edge facing the open ocean and a multi-step bathing ritual of cold plunge, sauna, mist and body scrub in turf-roofed buildings.
Book an evening slot in winter for a chance of northern lights from the water on clear nights.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Entry is by timed slot and popular times sell out; book online ahead.
- Couples
- Views
- After dark
Gallery · Downtown (101 Reykjavík)
4.Reykjavík Art Museum – Hafnarhús
The Reykjavík Art Museum spreads across three sites; Hafnarhús, a former harbour warehouse near the Old Harbour, shows contemporary art and a large collection by pop artist Erró. A single ticket usually also covers Kjarvalsstaðir and Ásmundarsafn, the sculpture museum, on the same day.
Check whether your ticket covers all three sites and visit Kjarvalsstaðir in Klambratún park the same day.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
Nature · Seltjarnarnes
5.Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes
At the western tip of the capital area, Grótta's lighthouse stands on a small tidal island that you can walk to at low tide. The open shoreline, small geothermal foot bath and low light pollution make it the most popular spot near the centre for watching the northern lights and sunsets over the bay.
Check the tide table before crossing the causeway, and note that the island is usually closed to walkers during the spring nesting season.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- After dark
- Off the beaten path
- Views
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Island · Kollafjörður
6.Viðey Island
A short ferry ride from Skarfabakki pier, Viðey is a grassy, almost car-free island with walking paths, one of Iceland's oldest stone houses, a small church, works by artist Richard Serra and Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace Tower, a column of light usually lit each year from 9 October to 8 December.
Ferries are more frequent in summer; check the schedule and take the return times seriously, as the island has few facilities.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- History
Museum · Árbær
7.Árbær Open Air Museum
More than 20 relocated buildings, including turf-roofed farmhouses, a turf church and 19th-century town houses, form a small village showing how Reykjavík lived before the 20th century. In summer, staff in period dress demonstrate crafts and farm animals graze around the site.
Visit in summer, when the most houses are open and demonstrations run.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Architecture
Museum · Grandi
8.Whales of Iceland
Life-size models of 23 whale species found in Icelandic waters hang in a dimly lit hall in the Grandi harbour district, including a blue whale model of around 25 metres. Audio guides and screens explain their behaviour and migration.
Visit before or after a whale-watching trip; it helps children understand what they will or did see.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Zoo · Laugardalur
9.Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo
A small zoo of Icelandic farm and wild animals — horses, sheep, reindeer, Arctic foxes and seals — with playgrounds, a fun park section with small rides in summer, and the botanic garden next door.
Combine it with Laugardalslaug pool next door for a full day with young children.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
Garden · Skólavörðuholt
10.Einar Jónsson sculpture garden
Next to Hallgrímskirkja, the garden of the Einar Jónsson Museum holds bronze casts of the sculptor's symbolic, often mythological works. The garden is free and quiet, a few steps from the busiest square in the city.
Enter from Freyjugata, behind the museum, when the main square is full of tour groups.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | National Museum of Iceland, Perlan, Reykjavík Art Museum – Hafnarhús and Árbær Open Air Museum |
| History | National Museum of Iceland, Viðey Island and Árbær Open Air Museum |
| Views | Hallgrímskirkja, Perlan, Sky Lagoon and Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes |
| Outdoors and nature | Northern lights tour, Perlan, Whale watching from the Old Harbour and Tjörnin and City Hall |
| Food and markets | Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur |
| After dark | Harpa Concert Hall, Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur, Sky Lagoon and Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes |
| With children | Perlan, Whale watching from the Old Harbour, Tjörnin and City Hall and Laugardalslaug geothermal pool |
| On a rainy day | Harpa Concert Hall, National Museum of Iceland, Perlan and Laugardalslaug geothermal pool |
What to book ahead
- Whale watching from the Old Harbour: Trips are often cancelled for rough seas; book early in your stay so you can rebook if needed.
- Sky Lagoon: Entry is by timed slot and popular times sell out; book online ahead.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Reykjavík?
Hallgrímskirkja. Iceland's largest church rises about 74 metres above the city, its concrete facade modelled on basalt columns.
+What can you do for free in Reykjavík?
Sun Voyager, Harpa Concert Hall, Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur, Tjörnin and City Hall and Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Reykjavík when it rains?
Head indoors to Harpa Concert Hall, National Museum of Iceland, Perlan and Laugardalslaug geothermal pool.
+What is there to do in Reykjavík at night?
Harpa Concert Hall, Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur, Sky Lagoon and Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes are best after dark.