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A photograph of Reykjavik

City guide · Iceland

Reykjavik

Reykjavík's old centre lies between Tjörnin and the harbour, with Hallgrímskirkja rising uphill to the east. Museums and waterfront architecture extend along th...

Photograph · Hedwig Storch · CC BY-SA 3.0

895 Places
Suggested stay
2–3 days
Getting around
Walking and Strætó bus

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Reykjavik

Editorial responsibility: Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Reykjavík's old centre lies between Tjörnin and the harbour, with Hallgrímskirkja rising uphill to the east. Museums and waterfront architecture extend along the shore, while Laugardalur and outer neighbourhoods sit beyond the compact core. The Golden Circle, Reykjanes peninsula and south coast are regional routes outside Reykjavík itself. Weather and daylight can change how much of even a short urban route is practical.

Checked 2026-08-26

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

November · November falls to a 3.4°C mean high and -1.3°C mean low in Reykjavik, with 72.5 mm of precipitation.

  1. January: recurring difficult conditions
  2. February: recurring difficult conditions
  3. March: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  4. April: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  5. May: good time to visit
  6. June: best time to visit
  7. July: best time to visit
  8. August: best time to visit
  9. September: good time to visit
  10. October: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  11. November: viable with meaningful trade-offs — current month
  12. December: recurring difficult conditions

Sources

Top things to see

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

Filter the list

59 places match

Category

Historic sites 6 Museums 20 Places of worship 5 Nature sites 12 Viewpoints 3 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 1 Entertainment 1 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 2 Art and culture 6 Activities 3

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 31 1 to 2 hours 27 Half a day or more 1

Good for

Good for families 7

Interests

History 7 Art 2 Museums 5 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
  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
  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
  4. Perlan Perlan
    04 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
  5. National Museum of Iceland National Museum of Iceland
    05 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
  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
  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
  8. Laugavegur Laugavegur
    08 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
  9. Reykjavik Art Museum Reykjavik Art Museum
    09 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
  10. Sky Lagoon Sky Lagoon
    10 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
  11. Imagine Peace Tower Imagine Peace Tower
    11 45 min

    Imagine Peace Tower

    Friðarsúlan

    The Imagine Peace Tower is an outdoor memorial light installation on Viðey Island, reached from Reykjavík across the water. Yoko Ono conceived it as a tribute to John Lennon and a gesture for world peace.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  12. Höfði Höfði
    12 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
  13. Tjornin Pond Tjornin Pond
    13 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
  14. Austurvöllur
    14 30 min

    Austurvöllur

    Austurvöllur is a public square in central Reykjavík and a popular gathering place for the city's residents, especially in good weather, thanks to the many cafés on Vallarstræti and Pósthússtræti.

    • Notable
    • Historic site
  15. Althing Parliament House Althing Parliament House
    15 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
  16. Reykjavík Cathedral Reykjavík Cathedral
    16 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
  17. Whales of Iceland Whales of Iceland
    17 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
  18. Saga Museum Saga Museum
    18 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
  19. Reykjavik Maritime Museum Reykjavik Maritime Museum
    19 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
  20. Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Center
    20 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
  21. FlyOver Iceland FlyOver Iceland
    21 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
  22. Þúfan
    22 1 hour

    Þúfan

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  24. Icelandic Phallological Museum Icelandic Phallological Museum
    24 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
  25. Árbæjarsafn Árbæjarsafn
    25 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
Show 25 more places

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

Walk the old centre, Tjörnin and the harbour as one compact circuit, allowing for the climb toward Hallgrímskirkja. Place Laugardalur or an outer museum in a second block reached by bus. Do not count a Golden Circle, Reykjanes or south-coast tour as spare time around Reykjavík: each leaves the urban area and is vulnerable to road and weather conditions.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Central Reykjavík is primarily explored on foot, with Strætó buses linking Laugardalur, outer districts and transfer points. The city has no urban rail network, so a missed bus can materially change an outer-neighbourhood plan. Consult Strætó's current timetable and ticket information before boarding. Regional tours and airport journeys are separate services and should not be inferred from the city-bus route map.

Checked 2026-08-26

More city guides

More places to explore in Reykjavik

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Reykjavik?

Suggested stay for a first visit: 2–3 days. Give the old centre, harbour and central museums priority, then add Laugardalur or an outer district. Regional Iceland routes require additional time beyond the Reykjavík visit.

How should I organise sightseeing in Reykjavik?

Make one walking circuit around Tjörnin, the old centre and harbour, with Hallgrímskirkja on the uphill side. Use a separate bus-led block for Laugardalur or an outer museum.

How do I get around Reykjavik?

Walk through central Reykjavík and use Strætó for districts beyond the core. Check the current bus timetable and ticket instructions directly, since there is no urban train alternative when a connection is missed.

Can I explore Reykjavik mainly on foot?

The old centre, harbour and major central landmarks form a manageable walk. Laugardalur and outer neighbourhoods are better reached by bus, especially when wind, rain, snow or limited daylight affects the route.

Which Reykjavik trips need separate planning?

The Golden Circle, Reykjanes peninsula and south coast are separate regional journeys. Check road conditions, daylight, pickup arrangements and the return plan rather than attaching one to a central sightseeing schedule.