One step away from the Arctic Circle, Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is a city where nature is truly the main protagonist. An ideal destination for adventurous tourists looking for new places to explore. Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland, the northernmost in Europe. It has only 120,000 inhabitants but is at the same time very dynamic and interesting to visit.
- What to visit in Reykjavik: places of interest
- 1 Hallgrim Church
- 2 Icelandic National Museum
- 3 Old Harbour of Reykjavik
- 4 Maritime Museum
- 5 Perlan Museum
- 6 Austurvollur Square
- 7 Adalstraeti Museum
- 8 Reykjavik what to do
- Information in brief: where to sleep in Reykjavik, how to get there, what to eat.
- 9 How to get around Reykjavikk
- 10 How to get to Reykjavik
- 11 Where to eat in Reykjavik
- 12 Where to sleep in Reykjavikk
It is a green and evocative place, bright in summer and extremely dark in winter, offering sunrises and sunsets that will leave you speechless. Through our guide, we want to take you to discover these magical places and suggest what to see in Reykjavik.
What to visit in Reykjavik: places of interest
There are really numerous things to do in Reykjavik. We created this guide exactly to suggest the best and most important ones.
1 Hallgrim Church
The Hallgrim Church is the main one in the city and is the symbol of Reykjavik. Also known as Hallgrímskirkja, it is visible from every corner of the city.
2 Icelandic National Museum
The Icelandic National Museum is the cornerstone art gallery of Iceland’s history. It houses numerous works from 800 AD to the present day, including several Viking ships. It is among the important things on the list “Reykjavik things to see“.
3 Old Harbour of Reykjavik
The Old Harbour of Reykjavik is the heart of the city and from there you can walk to reach the most interesting spots in the capital.
4 Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum is located near the Old Harbour of Reykjavik and every year becomes bigger and more important. Inside you can observe works related to the maritime history of the Icelandic capital.
5 Perlan Museum
The Perlan Museum is a particular and modern building, equipped with a dome from which you can observe Reykjavik from above. It houses one of the city’s biggest museums: the Viking Saga Museum. Visiting this museum is among the main activities in the list “Things to do in Reykjavik“.
6 Austurvollur Square
The Austurvollur Square is the main one in the city, surrounded by gardens and trendy venues.
7 Adalstraeti Museum
The Adalstraeti Museum occupies one of the oldest buildings in the historic center of Reykjavik and is recognizable by the color of its facades, completely black.
Reykjavik is very special also for its natural attractions. Here is a list of the three excursions that you must absolutely not forget to include in your list “Reykjavik things to do“.
8 Reykjavik what to do
- Visit the Blue Lagoon: it is a real thermal pool 40 km from the center of Reykjavik and is among the main attractions of the Icelandic capital. A must-see!
- Photograph Lake Tjörnin: a small but very famous lake. At sunset it becomes the ideal place to take your souvenir photos.
- Walk in the Laugardalur Valley: it is the area of geysers located about 100 km from the center of Reykjavik. It is a fenced area due to the hot water that gushes from the pools. A mandatory stop on your Icelandic tour.
For your day trips, the best thing to do to get around is to take advantage of the Reykjavik rent car services, so as to quickly and independently reach the chosen areas.
Information in brief: where to sleep in Reykjavik, how to get there, what to eat.
9 How to get around Reykjavikk
If you are wondering how to get around Reykjavik, we recommend doing it on foot, to fully enjoy the many small details this city has to offer.
10 How to get to Reykjavik
Once you reach Reykjavik airport, you can easily get to the city center using one of the 2 bus services available or by taking a taxi. The distance is about 50 km.
11 Where to eat in Reykjavik
We suggest choosing typical restaurants to enjoy true traditional Icelandic cuisine in Reykjavik. Among the must-try dishes, remember to try: pylsur, a classic Icelandic street food hotdog; Fiskisúpa, a fish soup, a staple of Icelandic cuisine; Skyr which resembles yogurt.
12 Where to sleep in Reykjavikk
For choosing your hotel in Reykjavik, we recommend the Old Harbor area; staying there you can easily reach all the main attractions of the city.
Given the high rainfall and the low temperatures of Reykjavikk, we suggest organizing your clothing before departure, to be able to enjoy your stay in green Iceland without discomfort.
