Attractions in Reykjavik

Reykjavik is small enough to walk across in an afternoon, and it's where most trips to Iceland start and end. If you only have a day or two, or you'd rather base yourself in one place and take day trips, you can still see a lot of what the country is about without leaving the capital area. Here's what I'd put on the list, roughly in the order I'd do it. For where everything is, see the map of Reykjavik.

Hallgrímskirkja

You'll see the big white church from almost anywhere in town, which makes it the easiest landmark for finding your way. Take the lift up the tower for the best view in Reykjavik: colourful roofs, the harbour, and Mount Esja across the bay. Tower tickets are 1,500 ISK (200 ISK for kids 7-16), sold in the shop inside the entrance. From September the church is open 10:00-17:00 and the last tower entry is 16:45; in summer it's 9:00-20:00. Don't skip the free sculpture garden behind the Einar Jónsson Museum next door. More on Hallgrímskirkja.

The old town and Tjörnin

Walk down Skólavörðustígur from the church to Laugavegur, the main shopping street, and on to the old town around Austurvöllur, the square in front of Parliament. Tjörnin, the city pond, is a few minutes south, with City Hall on its edge and ducks that expect to be fed. Under Aðalstræti, the Settlement Exhibition shows the remains of a 10th-century longhouse where they were dug up. It's my pick if you only see one museum.

If you like to have someone explain what you're looking at, CityWalk's free walking tour starts at Austurvöllur every day and runs on tips. See guided sightseeing tours in Reykjavik for other options.

Museums

Reykjavik has more museums than a city its size should. The best for understanding the country are the National Museum, the Settlement Exhibition, and World in Words at Edda, which since late 2024 is the only place in Iceland where you can see the medieval saga manuscripts. For art, the Reykjavik Art Museum sells one ticket for its three buildings, and the National Gallery's House of Collections on Hverfisgata covers Icelandic art from the 1800s on. Prices run from 1,400 ISK to about 4,000 ISK.

>> more museums in Reykjavik

Harpa and the old harbour

Harpa, the glass concert hall that opened in 2011, is worth walking through even without a ticket, and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra plays there. From Harpa, walk east along the shore to the Sun Voyager sculpture, or west into the Old Harbour and Grandi district. The whale-watching and puffin boats leave from the old harbour, and the old fish plants in Grandi now hold restaurants, the Maritime Museum (with the coast guard ship Óðinn moored outside), the Saga Museum, Whales of Iceland, Aurora Reykjavik, FlyOver Iceland and the Lava Show. Walk to Þúfa, the grassy art mound at the tip of Grandi, for the view back over the city.

Perlan

Perlan, the glass dome on top of the hot water tanks on Öskjuhlíð hill, now houses Wonders of Iceland, an exhibition with a real ice cave, a northern lights planetarium show, a volcano show and a model of the Látrabjarg bird cliff. It's open 9:00-21:00. The observation deck is included with every ticket and can't be bought separately. It's a good rainy-day choice with kids, and it's a 30-minute walk from the centre, or buses 13 and 18.

Hot pools and lagoons

You can't really come to Iceland without soaking in hot water. The cheapest way is a city pool: 1,500 ISK for adults, and it's where you'll meet locals. The famous option is the Blue Lagoon near Grindavík, about 40 minutes from the city. Before you book, know that the Sundhnúkur crater row by Grindavík erupted nine times between December 2023 and August 2025, and the lagoon has closed more than once because of it. Check safetravel.is and the Icelandic Met Office close to your date.

>> more on hot springs in Reykjavik

Laugardalur

East of the centre, the Laugardalur valley is the city's big green space. It has Laugardalslaug, the largest swimming pool in Iceland, the free Botanic Garden with over 3,000 plant species, and the Family Park and Zoo, where kids can see reindeer, seals and Arctic foxes, with rides in summer. Ásmundarsafn, the sculpture branch of the Art Museum, is on the edge of the park. More on the Reykjavik Zoo.

Viðey island

A short ferry ride from Reykjavik, Viðey is good for an easy walk, and it's home to Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace Tower, a beam of light lit every year from 9 October to 8 December and on a few other dates. The ferry runs daily from 15 May to 31 August and only on weekend afternoons the rest of the year. The adult fare is 2,400 ISK, or free with the City Card.

Shopping

Prices are high, but Icelandic design is good, and a hand-knit lopapeysa is the souvenir I'd buy. Browse Laugavegur, Skólavörðustígur and Hverfisgata for independent shops, and the Kolaportið flea market (Tryggvagata 19, weekends 11:00-17:00) for sweaters, second-hand finds and Icelandic snacks. Visitors can claim back part of the VAT on bigger purchases; see tax-free shopping in Iceland.

>> more on shopping in Reykjavik

Saving money

If you'll do two or three museums and a swim in a day, the Reykjavik City Card (6,100 ISK for 24 hours) probably pays for itself. It covers 17 museums, eight pools, city buses and the Viðey ferry. See free and cheap things to do in Reykjavik for the maths.

Day trips

Iceland is a small country, and a lot of it is within reach of Reykjavik in a day. The Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss) is the classic loop, and the south coast waterfalls, the Snæfellsnes peninsula and the Hengill geothermal area are all doable too. In winter, evening northern lights bus tours leave from the city most nights.

>> more on day trips from Reykjavik

Photo by 😉 SHAGGY