Souvenirs to Buy in Iceland
· Updated · BootsnAll
In Reykjavik, there’s no shortage of souvenir shops where you can find everything from postcards and key chains to elf figurines. Anything you can imagine emblazoned with the Icelandic flag? They probably sell it. But if tchotchke souvenirs just don’t do it for you, here are some ideas for Icelandic souvenirs you’ll actually appreciate once you get home.
Lava rock jewelry
Forget the cans of ash from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, for souvenir that really celebrates the volcanic nature of Iceland, pick up some jewelry made of lava rocks. Rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets made of rounded black rock are sold at jewelry and gift shops all over Iceland. Prices can vary widely, and the Kolaportid market is a good place to look for the lowest ones; it’s open Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 5pm.
Icelandic woolen goods
The traditional Icelandic sweater is the most popular wool souvenir for tourists, but they are expensive (hand-knit sweaters from the Handknitting Association of Iceland start at about 43,800 ISK for women's and 47,000 ISK for men's as of 2026), and let’s face it, the odds that you’ll actually wear it back home might not be great. If you aren’t comfortable spending that much on a sweater you might never wear again, you can still get some quality woolen goods, like a knit hat, scarf, or warm mittens. Most souvenir shops sell at least a few wool items. The lowest prices are at the Kolaportid, or at Thorvaldsens Bazar, where the volunteer-run shop gives its profits to charity.
66° North gear
North Face? Patagonia? Please, they’ve got nothing on 66° North when it comes to stylish clothes that will keep you warm and dry no matter what the weather. The gear isn’t cheap; if you plan on buying a lot and have a rental car (or a few folks to share cab cost with), check the outlet shops first.
Icelandic music
Hands down, the best music shop in Iceland is 12 Tonar, at Skólavörðustígur 15. Staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about Icelandic music, you can listen to anything in the store, and in summer they host small concerts out back.
Books
Every tourists shop in town sells some kind of coffee-table-worthy art book of Iceland photos, and prices are about the same everywhere. Collections cover different landscapes and regions, or focus on a theme like horses. Find your favorite and you’ll always have a set of beautiful photos to remind you of your time in Iceland. Or, pick up a book or Icelandic recipes or some literature written by Icelanders like Nobel Laureate Halldor Laxness. Penninn Eymundsson on Austurstræti 18, the oldest working bookshop in Reykjavik, has an extensive collection.
Viking beer glasses
Another ubiquitous souvenir item, Viking beer glasses can be purchased at most tourist shops in Reykjavik…or, for those with a slightly wobbly moral compass, casually collected from any bar where the beer is served.
Blue Lagoon beauty products
The silica found at the bottom of the Blue Lagoon is known to have special properties that help heal and clear your skin. That’s why when you visit you’ll see people slathering the white stuff all over themselves, letting it harden into a beauty mask. The lagoon’s face washes, lotions and masks, now sold as Blue Lagoon Skin Science, are available at the Blue Lagoon, at its shop on Laugavegur 15 in Reykjavik, and at Keflavik airport. If you’re on a budget, just bring a small container into the Lagoon with you, and take a small scoop of silica to go.
Reyka Vodka
Reyka vodka, distilled in Borgarnes in West Iceland, is now easy to find in liquor stores in the US, but a bottle bought at the source still makes a good souvenir. Hit the duty free at Keflavik airport on your way into or out of the country and take a liter or two home with you.
Icelandic hot dog mustard
When I tell people I had to buy some special hot dog mustard in Iceland, they look at me like I’m a bit off. But once you taste the special combination of ketchup, mustard and remouladi that cover Icelandic hot dogs, you’ll understand. The bottles of brown mustard (look for SS pylsusinnep) come in two sizes, last for months unopened (or about 6 weeks once opened), cost just a few bucks, and will bring back fond memories every time you eat a hot dog.
Icelandic design
Like other Scandinavian countries, Iceland is known for its modern, even futuristic design which mixes new and traditional elements in creative ways. Kraum, long the favorite shop for local design, went bankrupt in 2017. These days try Rammagerðin, which has been selling Icelandic gifts since 1940 and stocks wool sweaters, jewelry and ceramics from hundreds of local designers, with a shop on Skólavörðustígur.
If you still have room in your bag, food makes an easy souvenir too. Omnom makes chocolate from the bean at its factory in Reykjavik’s Grandi harbor area and sells it in the shop there at Hólmaslóð 4, and Saltverk hand-harvests flaky sea salt in the Westfjords using geothermal heat, including flavored versions like lava salt and Arctic thyme.