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A photograph of Iceland

Country guide

Iceland

Iceland holds roughly 395,000 residents, about 35% of them in Reykjavik, which makes it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. It lies on the Mid-Atlant...

Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0

895 Places
1Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Iceland holds roughly 395,000 residents, about 35% of them in Reykjavik, which makes it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. It lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, on the rift between two tectonic plates, and that fact is the itinerary: geysers, frequent volcanic eruptions, and an interior of volcanic plateau, sand and lava fields, mountains and glaciers that no one crosses casually. Almost everything a visitor reaches sits on the coastal lowlands, threaded by glacial rivers running to the sea. The Gulf Stream keeps the climate temperate at a latitude just south of the Arctic Circle, which in practice means chilly summers rather than mild winters.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Icelandic
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+354
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Icelandic króna (ISK)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and F · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Safe from the mains
Cold mains water is the normal drinking supply

Planning a visit

Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.

  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: seasonal closure recorded
  4. April: seasonal closure recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: seasonal closure recorded
  9. September: seasonal closure recorded
  10. October: seasonal closure recorded
  11. November: seasonal closure recorded — this month
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

Filter the list

53 places match

Category

Historic sites 3 Museums 20 Places of worship 5 Nature sites 11 Viewpoints 3 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 1 Entertainment 1 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 2 Art and culture 5 Activities 2

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 27 1 to 2 hours 26

Interests

History 5 Art 1 Museums 4 Nature 0 Sea and beach 0 Viewpoints 0
  1. Hallgrímskirkja Hallgrímskirkja
    01 30 min

    Hallgrímskirkja

    Hallgrímskirkja is Reykjavík’s striking working church, rising above the central streets on the city’s uphill side.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Reykjavik
  2. Harpa Harpa
    02 1 hour

    Harpa

    Harpa is Reykjavík’s distinctive concert hall and conference centre on the city’s waterfront, immediately beside the central harbour.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Reykjavik
  3. The Sun Voyager The Sun Voyager
    03 1 hour

    The Sun Voyager

    Sólfar

    Sólfar, widely known in English as Sun Voyager, is a steel sculpture on Reykjavík’s waterfront, east of the Old Harbour.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Reykjavik
  4. National Museum of Iceland National Museum of Iceland
    04 1 hr 30 min

    National Museum of Iceland

    Þjóðminjasafn Íslands

    The National Museum of Iceland, known in Icelandic as Þjóðminjasafn Íslands, is a museum west of Reykjavík’s compact old centre. Its main purpose is to interpret Icelandic history through museum galleries and cultural presentation.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  5. Perlan Perlan
    05 2 hours

    Perlan

    Perlan is a museum and exhibition destination on Öskjuhlíð hill in Reykjavík. Its glass dome rises above former hot-water storage tanks, giving the building a distinctive profile.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  6. the Settlement Exhibition the Settlement Exhibition
    06 1 hr 30 min

    the Settlement Exhibition

    Reykjavík 871±2

    The Settlement Exhibition, Landnámssýningin, is an archaeological museum in central Reykjavík. Its main attraction is the preserved remains of a Viking Age longhouse discovered during excavation at the site.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  7. Reykjavik Old Harbour Reykjavik Old Harbour
    07 2 hours

    Reykjavik Old Harbour

    Gamla höfnin

    Reykjavik Old Harbour, known locally as Gamla höfnin, is a working harbour and visitor district on the northern edge of central Reykjavik.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Reykjavik
  8. Reykjavik Art Museum Reykjavik Art Museum
    08 1 hr 30 min

    Reykjavik Art Museum

    Listasafn Reykjavíkur

    Reykjavik Art Museum Hafnarhus is one of three sites comprising Listasafn Reykjavíkur, the Reykjavik Art Museum. Located at Tryggvagata 17, this harbour house occupies a former warehouse and offices building dating from the 1930s.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  9. Sky Lagoon Sky Lagoon
    09 1 hr 30 min

    Sky Lagoon

    Sky Lagoon is a coastal geothermal bathing destination south-west of central Reykjavík, built around warm water, open air, and Iceland’s changing weather.

    • Must see
    • Family attraction
    • Reykjavik
  10. Laugavegur Laugavegur
    10 2 hours

    Laugavegur

    Laugavegur is Reykjavik's principal shopping street and one of Iceland's best-known urban thoroughfares. Running through the heart of the capital's downtown district, it functions as the city's commercial and social spine.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Reykjavik
  11. Tjornin Pond Tjornin Pond
    11 2 hours

    Tjornin Pond

    Tjörnin

    Tjörnin is a prominent pond in central Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. The local name Tjörnin translates to the pond or the lake in Icelandic.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Reykjavik
  12. Whales of Iceland Whales of Iceland
    12 1 hr 30 min

    Whales of Iceland

    Hvalasýningin

    Whales of Iceland is Reykjavík’s dedicated indoor whale exhibition in the harbour-side visitor area. Its signature experience is an encounter with life-sized whale models, giving visitors a clear sense of the animals’ immense scale at close range.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  13. FlyOver Iceland FlyOver Iceland
    13 1 hour

    FlyOver Iceland

    FlyOver Iceland is a ticketed immersive flight-ride attraction located in Reykjavik. The experience uses motion seating and sweeping aerial visuals to simulate flying over Icelandic landscapes.

    • Must see
    • Entertainment venue
    • Reykjavik
  14. Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Center
    14 1 hr 30 min

    Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Center

    Aurora Reykjavík is an educational museum and exhibition centre in Iceland's capital dedicated to the science and cultural significance of the northern lights.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  15. Reykjavik Maritime Museum Reykjavik Maritime Museum
    15 1 hr 30 min

    Reykjavik Maritime Museum

    Víkin

    The Reykjavik Maritime Museum, known locally as Sjóminjasafnið í Reykjavík, is a museum dedicated to Iceland's seafaring heritage. It is located in the Grandi harbour district of Reykjavik.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  16. Saga Museum Saga Museum
    16 1 hr 30 min

    Saga Museum

    Saga Museum in Reykjavík presents Icelandic history through lifelike historical figures and reconstructed scenes arranged as a narrative visitor route.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  17. Icelandic Phallological Museum Icelandic Phallological Museum
    17 1 hr 30 min

    Icelandic Phallological Museum

    Hið Íslenzka Reðasafn

    The Icelandic Phallological Museum is a highly specialised Reykjavík museum devoted to phallological material and its biological, historical, and cultural interpretation.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  18. Árbæjarsafn Árbæjarsafn
    18 1 hr 30 min

    Árbæjarsafn

    Árbæjarsafn is Reykjavík’s open-air museum in the Árbær district, where historic buildings are arranged across an outdoor setting instead of gathered inside one gallery.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  19. Einar Jónsson Museum Einar Jónsson Museum
    19 1 hr 30 min

    Einar Jónsson Museum

    Listasafn Einars Jónssonar

    The Einar Jónsson Museum, locally known as Listasafn Einars Jónssonar, is an art museum in Reykjavík dedicated to the works of Iceland's first major sculptor, Einar Jónsson.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  20. National Gallery of Iceland National Gallery of Iceland
    20 1 hr 30 min

    National Gallery of Iceland

    Listasafn Íslands

    The National Gallery of Iceland, known locally as Listasafn Íslands, is a major art museum in Reykjavik. It serves as the country's principal institution for collecting, preserving, and exhibiting Icelandic art.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  21. Culture House Culture House
    21 1 hr 30 min

    Culture House

    Safnahúsið

    The Culture House, or Safnahúsið, is a museum and cultural venue in central Reykjavík. It belongs naturally in a city day built around museums, historic streets and other central attractions.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  22. Höfði Höfði
    22 1 hr 30 min

    Höfði

    Höfði House is a historic building in Reykjavík, Iceland, best known as the site of the 1986 Reykjavík Summit between US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Reykjavik
  23. Althing Parliament House Althing Parliament House
    23 2 hours

    Althing Parliament House

    Alþingishúsið

    Alþingishúsið is the seat of Iceland's national parliament, the Althing, which traces origins to 930 CE at Þingvellir. The current building dates to 1881 and stands on Austurvöllur square in central Reykjavík.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Reykjavik
  24. Reykjavík Cathedral Reykjavík Cathedral
    24 30 min

    Reykjavík Cathedral

    Dómkirkjan

    Reykjavík Cathedral, or Dómkirkjan í Reykjavík, is the cathedral church of Iceland’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. It stands beside Austurvöllur in the compact historic centre, where its modest scale feels closely tied to the city.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Reykjavik
  25. Reykjavík City Hall Reykjavík City Hall
    25 45 min

    Reykjavík City Hall

    Ráðhús Reykjavíkur

    Reykjavik City Hall, known locally as Ráðhús Reykjavíkur, is a public municipal building situated on the northern shore of Tjörnin pond in central Reykjavik.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Reykjavik
Show 25 more places

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Iceland be?

Seven to ten days supports Reykjavík, the Golden Circle and south coast; the full Ring Road deserves at least a week of driving and preferably longer. The Westfjords or highlands should be separate additions because weather and road class can transform journey times.

What entry documents are needed for Iceland?

Iceland is in Schengen, but visa need still depends on nationality and travel circumstances. Use Iceland’s official government guidance to identify where to apply and which documents are required; verify the rule before routing through another Schengen state.

What is the best way to travel around Iceland?

Keflavík Airport is outside Reykjavík and is connected by coach. Scheduled buses reach selected towns, but many natural sites require a tour or rental car; check road.is and weather information before departure, and use an appropriate vehicle only where F-road access permits.

When is a practical time to visit Iceland?

Summer offers long daylight and broader road access, while winter provides dark skies but shorter days and more disruption risk. Shoulder-season plans need the same daily road checks: a forecast for Reykjavík cannot establish conditions on a pass or exposed coast.

What money and payment basics apply in Iceland?

Icelandic króna is the currency, and card payment is common even for small purchases. Keep an alternative payment method for unattended or remote services, verify fuel-station card requirements and read the ISK total before accepting conversion.

What practical safety details should I save for Iceland?

The emergency number is 112 and sockets are Type C and F at 230 V. Mains tap water is recorded as safe; at remote facilities follow posted notices, and download road and weather information before entering areas with weak mobile coverage.