Best Things to Do in Reykjavik (2026 Guide)

The best things to do in Reykjavik extend from the city itself to the surrounding landscape that makes Iceland unique. Hallgrímskirkja — the 74.5 m concrete Lutheran church that dominates the skyline, designed to evoke Iceland’s basalt lava columns and completed in 1986 — has a lift to the observation tower with a 360° view over the city and the Atlantic. The Harpa Concert Hall (Henning Larsen Architects, 2011, UNESCO Creative Cities of Design) on the harbour is one of Europe’s most architecturally striking buildings — its honeycomb glass facade reflects the sky and sea. The National Museum of Iceland on Sudurvegur has the most comprehensive collection of Icelandic cultural history from the Settlement Age (871±) to present. The Reykjanes Peninsula’s Blue Lagoon — a geothermal spa in a lava field, 45 minutes from Reykjavik — is Iceland’s most visited attraction (advance booking essential). The Golden Circle day trip (Thingvellir National Park — the Eurasian and North American tectonic plate boundary, Iceland’s original parliament, and the world’s deepest freshwater dive site — plus Geysir and Gullfoss waterfall) is the essential one-day Icelandic experience.

Best time to visit

There is no bad time to visit Reykjavik, but the two main draws are seasonal. Northern Lights (aurora borealis): September-March, visible on clear nights away from light pollution. The best conditions are 3+ hours outside the city; aurora forecasts from the Icelandic Met Office are essential planning tools. Midnight sun: June-July, when the sun dips briefly below the horizon around midnight but never fully sets. Summer (June-August): warmest (12-18°C), longest days, and all outdoor routes open. Iceland’s Airwaves music festival (November, Reykjavik) and Secret Solstice (June) are major events. Winter (December-February): coldest (-1 to 5°C), fewer tourists, and prime Northern Lights season. The Jolabokaflod (Christmas Book Flood) tradition of exchanging books on Christmas Eve is a wonderful Icelandic cultural custom experienced in Reykjavik’s many independent bookshops.

Getting around

Keflavik International Airport (45 km south of Reykjavik) connects Iceland to major European hubs and North America. The Flybus transfers Keflavik to the BSI bus terminal in Reykjavik (45 minutes, ISK 3,500 / £20). Reykjavik city is compact and walkable — the main street Laugavegur, the harbour, and Hallgrimskirkja are all within a 20-minute walk of each other. City buses (Straetobus) cover most areas. A rental car is essential for exploring outside the city: the Golden Circle, the Ring Road, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and the Northern Lights hunting. Reykjavik Excursions and Gray Line operate bus tours for those without rental cars.

What to eat and drink

Reykjavik’s food scene punches far above the size of its population. Dill restaurant (Iceland’s first Michelin-starred restaurant) serves a New Nordic tasting menu of foraged, cured, and fermented Icelandic ingredients. For casual Icelandic: Saegreifinn (the Sea Baron) on the harbour serves langoustine soup and grilled fish skewers from a shack, with extraordinary quality. Baejarins Beztu Pylsur (“The Best Hot Dogs in Town”) on Ingolfstorg square — a one-window hot dog stand serving Icelandic lamb hot dogs with crispy onion, sweet mustard, and remoulade since 1937 — is one of Iceland’s best food experiences. Skyr (strained yoghurt, technically a soft cheese) in various flavours is available at every supermarket and is genuinely Icelandic. Brennivín (“Black Death” — Icelandic schnapps flavoured with caraway) and Icelandic craft beers from Bryggjan are the local drinks.

Neighborhoods to explore

Laugavegur / Skolvordustigur — Reykjavik’s main shopping and restaurant street. Independent design shops, the Kolaportid flea market (weekends only, by the harbour), and the best concentration of bars and music venues for the weekend nightlife that Reykjavik is internationally known for.

The Old Harbour (Gamla Höfn) — The Harpa Concert Hall, whale watching and puffin watching tours, the Sea Baron, Reykjavik Fish Market, and the FlyOver Iceland simulation attraction.

Vesturbær — Reykjavik’s most attractive residential area, west of the main tourist zone. The Settlement Exhibition (Landnamssyning — a Viking longhouse excavated beneath the building), the National Gallery, and the Tjornin city pond with its 40+ bird species.

101 Reykjavik (City Centre) — The cultural quarter around Laekjartorg square. The National Theatre, the Reykjavik City Museum, and the concentration of Icelandic design shops on Laugavegur’s eastern end.