Reykjavík
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Reykjavík - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Hallgrímskirkja
MiðbærCompleted in 1986 after more than 40 years of construction, the church is named for the 17th-century hymn writer Hallgrímur Pétursson. It has a stylized concrete facade recalling both organ pipes and the distinctive columnar basalt formations you can see around Iceland. For ISK 1,000, you can climb to the top of the church for incredible views of greater Reykjavík. You may luck into hearing a performance or practice on the church's huge pipe organ. In front of Hallgrímskirkja is a statue of Leif Erikson, the Icelander who discovered America 500 years before Columbus. (Leif's father was Eric the Red, who discovered Greenland.) The statue, by American sculptor Alexander Calder, was presented to Iceland by the United States in 1930 to mark the millennium of the Alþing parliament.
View Tours and ActivitiesHallgrímstorg 1, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 101, Iceland354-510–1000Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tower ISK 1,000 -
2. Icelandic Printmakers Association
MiðbærEstablished in 1984, there are now more than 100 members creating work in the Icelandic Printmakers Association community. This is their gallery, studio, and event space, which is located inside of the Reykjavik Art Museum and has a bustling calendar of exhibitions, workshops, and studio hours.
Tryggvagata 17, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 101, Iceland354-552–2866Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon.–Wed. -
3. Imagine Peace Tower
A powerful light installation on Viðey Island, created by Yoko Ono, the Imagine Peace Tower is dedicated to the vision of world peace the artist passionately shared with her late husband, John Lennon. The artwork features a large stone wishing well with the words "imagine peace" etched into its white, shiny surface in countless languages. Inside the well are 15 powerful beams that merge into a magnificent force of light when switched on. Yoko visits every year on John's birthday (October 9) to lead the lighting ceremony, where about 2,000 people gather to watch and sing along to Lennon's "Imagine." The impressive tower of light illuminates the skyline until the date of John Lennon's death on December 8th. Yoko provides a free ferry service for those who wish to attend the annual lighting ceremony. The ferry departs from Skarfabakki pier, less than a 10-minute drive from the city center.
View Tours and ActivitiesViðey Island, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 104, Iceland354-533–5055 -
4. Laugardalur Park
LaugardalurActually several parks in one large area, Laugardalur Park has one of the best swimming pools in the city as well as a recreational expanse that includes picnic and barbecue areas. There's also an amusement park and a botanic garden with an extensive outdoor collection of native and exotic plants.
View Tours and ActivitiesLaugardalur, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 104, Iceland354-411–8650Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
5. Perlan
MiðbærGlittering like the upper hemisphere of a giant disco ball, Perlan (the Pearl) is a grand construction of steel and mirrored glass. Perched atop Öskjuhlíð, the hill overlooking Reykjavík Airport, it's also one of the first landmarks to greet visitors when they arrive to the city. Supported by six massive water tanks and illuminated by 1,900 light bulbs, this impressive building opened in 1991 as a monument to Iceland's invaluable geothermal water supplies. It has since become a major tourist attraction, offering guests a host of amenities beneath its shiny surface, including souvenir shops, a café, an ice cave, a massive exhibition space, and a viewing platform with telescopes. Its crowning glory, though, is its revolving restaurant—it's pricey, but the panoramic views of the city and beyond are second to none.
View Tours and ActivitiesVarmahlíð 1, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 101, Iceland354-566–9000Sight Details
Rate Includes: ISK 4,500 -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Reykjavík Art Museum
MiðbærAlso known as Hafnarhús, this former warehouse of the Port of Reykjavík now houses the city's main art museum. The six galleries occupy two floors, and there's a courtyard and "multipurpose" space. The museum's permanent collection includes a large number of works donated by the contemporary Icelandic artist Erró. There are also regular temporary exhibitions. Admission is free with the Reykjavík City Card.
Tryggvagata 17, Reykjavík, Capital Region, IS-101, Iceland354-411–6400Sight Details
Rate Includes: ISK 1,950 -
7. Saga Museum
VesturbærIn addition to exhibits that explore important moments throughout Iceland's history, this museum also lets you try on clothing from Viking times. The wax models illustrating events of the Sagas are oddly endearing.
Grandagarður 2, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 107, Iceland354-511–1517Sight Details
Rate Includes: ISK 3,000 -
8. Árbær Open Air Museum
ÁrbærAt the Open-Air Municipal Museum, 19th- and 20th-century houses furnished in period style display authentic household utensils and tools for cottage industries and farming. During the summer you can see demonstrations of farm activities and taste piping-hot lummur (chewy pancakes) cooked over an old farmhouse stove. To get to the museum, take Bus 12 or 19.
View Tours and ActivitiesGrandagarði 8, Reykjavík, Capital Region, IS-110, Iceland354-411–6300Sight Details
Rate Includes: ISK 1,950 -
9. Ásmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum
LaugardalurSome of Ásmundur Sveinsson's original sculptures, depicting ordinary working people, myths, and folktale episodes, are exhibited in the museum's gallery and studio and in the surrounding garden. It's on the southwest edge of Laugardalur Park, opposite the traffic circle at its entrance. Entrance is free with the Reykjavík City Card.
Sigtún 105, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 104, Iceland354-411–6430Sight Details
Rate Includes: ISK 1,950 -
10. Aurora Reykjavík
VesturbærAn absolute must-see for northern lights seekers, here visitors get to play with technology simulating the intensity and color spectrum of the auroras while panels explain the physical variations. A high-definition movie of the extraordinary lights in action over Iceland is the highlight of the exhibition, but perhaps even more useful is the practice booth where you can (with the help of detailed instructions) learn the exact settings required to successfully photograph the northern lights.
Grandagarður 2, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 107, Iceland354-780–4500Sight Details
Rate Includes: ISK 2,000 -
11. Aðalstræti 10
MiðbærThis museum and exhibition space was put together by the National Museum of Iceland and the Reykjavík City Museum to help celebrate the country's 100th anniversary as a sovereign state. Aðalstræti 10 is the beginning of a five-location museum that covers Icelandic life through the ages and includes turf houses.
Aðalstræti 10, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 101, Iceland354-411–6375Sight Details
Rate Includes: ISK 1,000 -
12. Fjölskyldugarðurinn Family Park
LaugardalurAdjacent to Laugardalur Park, Fjölskyldugarðurinn has rides and games, such as Crazy Bikes—a driving school complete with miniature traffic lights—and a scale model of a Viking ship. You can also purchase joint admission to both the Farm Animal Park and Family Park.
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13. Grasagarður Botanic Garden
GardenThe free Grasagarður botanic garden in Laugardalur Park has an extensive outdoor collection of native and exotic plants. Coffee, cakes, and other snacks are sold at the cozy Flóran Café, which is open only in summer and on weekends in December.
Laugardalur, Reykjavík, Capital Region, IS-104, Iceland-411–8650Sight Details
Rate Includes: May–Sept., 10–10; Oct.–Apr., 10–3 -
14. Grasagarður Botanic Garden
LaugardalurThis free botanic garden in Laugardalur Park has an extensive outdoor collection of native and exotic plants. Coffee, cakes, and other snacks are sold at the cozy Flóran Café, which is open only in summer and on weekends in December.
Laugardalur, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 104, Iceland354-411–8650Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
15. Ingólfur Arnarson Statue
MiðbærIngólfur Arnarson is renowned as the first Nordic settler in Iceland. Beyond this statue lies the city's architectural mélange: 18th-century stone houses, small 19th-century wooden houses, and office blocks from the 1930s and '40s.
Arnarhóll, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 101, Iceland -
16. Kjarvalsstaðir
HlíðarInside this modernist building you'll find an impressive permanent exhibit dedicated to the life and works of Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval (1885–1972), one of Iceland's most beloved landscape painters. In addition to Kjarval's key works, there's also a rotation of temporary exhibits featuring the works of both local and international artists. Entrance is free with the Reykjavík City Card.
Flókagata 24, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 105, Iceland354-411–6420Sight Details
Rate Includes: ISK 1,950 -
17. Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach
At Reykjavík’s geothermal beach at Nauthólsvík, where runoff from the city’s hot water supply is used to heat a small lagoon of seawater, temperatures can reach up to 22°C (71.6°F) during the summer. Facilities include changing rooms; showers; hot tubs; a steam room; a barbecue grill; and a small shop selling swimwear, light snacks, and refreshments. Access to the beach and lagoon is free all year round, but the use of the beach facilities is free only between May and September. A small fee (ISK 740) is charged for winter services, with significantly reduced opening hours. Lifeguards are on-site during open hours only.
Nauthólsvík Ylströnd, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 101, Iceland354-511–6630Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
18. Nýló
VesturbærAlso known as the Living Art Museum, Nýló is located inside the Marshall House and displays some of the more experimental works by local artists. Media range from paint and plant-flavored ice cream to video and sculpture.
Grandagarður 20, Reykjavík, Capital Region, 107, Iceland354-551–4350Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
19. Reykjavík 871±2: The Settlement Exhibition
MiðbærThe core exhibit here features the remains of a Viking longhouse dating from around 871. Unearthed in 2001 during the construction of the Hotel Centrum, this remarkable find was preserved in situ and now occupies an oval-shaped basement designed specially to frame the excavation site. A large, backlit panoramic image, showing how Reykjavík might have looked during the age of settlement, encircles the longhouse, and an illuminated strip installed in the surrounding walls marks the layer of tephra used to determine the approximate date of the remnants. Sounds and aromas add a multisensory dynamic to the experience, while high-tech media installations provide historical insight into life in Iceland's Saga Age.
Aðalstræti 16, Reykjavík, Capital Region, IS-101, Iceland354-411–6370Sight Details
Rate Includes: ISK 2,500 -
20. Reykjavík Maritime Museum
VesturbærHoused in an old fish freezing plant with great views of the harbor, the city's maritime museum has exhibits on Icelandic fisheries and trading vessels. There's also a whole Coast Guard vessel that can be explored.
Grandagarður 8, Reykjavík, Capital Region, IS-101, Iceland354-411–6300Sight Details
Rate Includes: ISK 1,950
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