10 Best Things To Do In Reykjavik, Iceland: Yours To Explore

Iceland truly lives up to its nickname, “the land of ice and fire,” the “ice” being the glaciers, while the “fire” being the volcanoes. This destination, a 4,000-square mile island nation located in the North Atlantic, is a realm of contrasts. Endowed with a rich history, Iceland is home to some of the most breathtaking glaciers in the continent (if not the entire planet), icy waters where tourists can take a plunge, and where the world’s most picturesque volcanoes are. Iceland, as a whole, is beautiful. But, if you are looking for a place to get started with your tour, head to Reykjavik, its capital and largest city. So many things to do in Reykjavik. 

One of the characteristics that sets Reykjavik apart from other cities in the world is its small population. It is a booming metropolis, yes, but visiting here feels more like it is a town. Nonetheless, its people have made sure to cram a lot of happenings in this space, providing a backdrop for every tourist wanting to discover the frozen north. From insightful museums to the transcendental northern lights to trips to the wilderness, Reykjavik knows how to make the most of what it has, without forgetting its Icelandic attitude. Let’s get to know some of the best things to do in Reykjavik.

Some Of The Best Things To Do In Reykjavik

The largest city in Iceland has a lot to offer. Find out the best things to do in Reykjavik. 

1. Be Dazzled By The Famous Northern Lights

Conversations with other travelers who have been to Iceland or Reykjavik will bring up the famous northern lights, the aurora borealis, a cascade of emerald green swirls coloring the dark skies. So, one of the first things to do in Reykjavik is to view the northern lights. 

The northern lights have been featured or mentioned in the blockbuster Disney animated movie, “Frozen,” set in the region where Iceland is. This country is among the best places on Earth to see the northern lights. You don’t have to travel out of Reykjavik to see this wonder. You can easily spot them from downtown. But if your itinerary includes places outside the city, there are also various vantage points to see the aurora borealis there. 

Remember, though, that the northern lights are only visible between late August to early May. If you happen to be in Reykjavik in summer, enjoy the midnight sun instead. Here are more of the best things to do in Reykjavik.

2. Let The Grandeur Of Hallgrimskirkja Church Fill You With Wonder

If there’s a church in the world that’s breathtakingly and uniquely beautiful, that has to be the Hallgrimskirkja Church. 

The largest church in the whole of Iceland, it towers over the city’s center, and is visible from every vantage point of Reykjavik, making it very easy to spot in the skyline. Of the many things to do in Reykjavik, visiting Hallgrimskirkja Church is one of the most popular. 

Hallgrimskirkja Church is named after Hallgrimur Petursson, a minister and poet who is also the author of the renowned “Passion Hymns.” You can see that it’s distinctly designed. The alluring basalt columns of the Svartifoss waterfall on the country’s southern coast inspired this church’s architecture. It was in 1986 when this church was designed by Gudjon Samuelsson, a renowned architect in the country. 

Aside from the largest concert organ in Iceland that the church has inside – with over 5,000 pipes – the front of Hallgrimur Petursson features the statue of Icelandic voyager Leif Eriksson, accounted in history as the first European to reach North America, over 500 years before the Italian, Christopher Columbus, did.

Other than those, you may also climb the top floors of its 244-foot church to be on a viewing platform that boasts 360-degree views of the entire Reykjavik. 

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3. Take An Excursion To Viðey Island

When you think of a city, you normally think of towering skyscrapers. Take Reykjavik differently. Why? Its metropolitan area covers some few islands worth checking out, such as Viðey island, reachable via just a five-minute ferry ride. 

Interestingly, Viðey island used to be inhabited, but its village was abandoned some time during the mid-1900s. You ask about the stately white mansion you see here? This was constructed in the mid-1700s and now stands as a café during the summer season.

Feel free to stroll around the island, explore its history and outdoor art, including the Imagine Peace Tower by Yoko Ono, a Japanese multimedia artist. The excursion to this island is one of the best things to do in Reykjavik. 

4. Feel The Groove Of The Grandi Fishing District

You know about the fishing villages of Hong Kong and Singapore. Iceland also has its own fishing district, the Grandi. This fishing district has eventually become a haven for hipsters, artists, and foodies without it forgetting its maritime culture. There are lots of things to do in Reykjavik while you are here. 

For one, it houses some museums, such as the Reykjavík Maritime Museum, Whales of Iceland, and the Living Art Museum. There are also unique experiences here like the FlyOver Iceland, where you soar across Iceland’s most spectacular sceneries and natural wonders via a simulated flight. 

For foodies, you may visit Coocoo’s Nest for brunches, the Grandi Mathöll food hall for views of the harbor while dining, Kaffivagninn – the oldest restaurant in the country – Valdís for some scoops of ice cream, and Omnom Chocolate for what it has in its name, all located within Grandi. 

A visit to this fishing district, moreover, won’t be complete without summiting Þúfa, a grassy hillock located at the far end of the district. The artwork outdoors, that by Ólöf Nordal, invites tourists to come and climb to its top to enjoy some of the greatest views of downtown Reykjavík.

Can’t get enough of this “things to do in Reykjavik” guide? We have also listed southern Iceland as one of the best photography locations in the world. Check it out here!

5. The Waters Of Iceland Offer The Best Opportunities For Whale Watching

Looking for things to do in Reykjavik that your family will enjoy? Try whale watching. The waters around Iceland are so rich that, as you search, you will find a lot of operators offering whale watching. Commonly, you’ll start from Reykjavik’s harbor. 

Iceland’s bond with cetaceans are quite complicated. It is among the few places on Earth still eating them, but these whale watching tours you are learning about are purely educational. In these tours, expect to see minke whales, and, if the odds are in your favor, even humpback whales and the gigantic blue whales as well. Dolphins, including the Atlantic white-sided variant, may also roam the area. If you are really fortunate, you may also meet some killer whales. 

6. Hop Aboard A Helicopter That Will Fly Over An Active Volcano

Helicopter tours in various cities in the world may feel so monotonous because they mostly take you to views of the skyline from above. But here in Reykjavik and Iceland, there’s a helicopter tour that will fly over an active volcano. How does that sound?

When in Reykjavik, give yourself some valuable treat by taking a helicopter tour over Fagradalsfjall Volcano and see some of the hottest fissure openings of Iceland. You’ll see Iceland’s fire side here. 

Here, you will fly for around 20 minutes over the volcano while your tour guide tells you all about it. You’ll also hover above Reykjavik and over the aquamarine waters of Faxafloi Bay. Don’t forget to take some good snapshots!

7. Literally Snorkel Between Continents

If the previous item on this list of the best things to do in Reykjavik was about its country’s fire side, this tour is all about the waters, but not just about any underwater experience. In this tour, you will explore one of the most unique geological features of Iceland. You will be snorkeling between the North American and European tectonic plates at the Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO-listed site. 

This area is also renowned for the Silfra Fissure, and is home to quite a number of unique marine species. Snorkeling gear and GoPro photography are going to be provided.

Iceland is home to seemingly endless strips of lagoons, rivers, geysers, snow, and mountains. So, aside from the best things to do in Reykjavik, the country also offers great moments for drone photography. 

8. Listen To The City’s Soundtrack At The Harpa Concert Hall 

If the sounds of Iceland’s natural landscapes, its fire and ice sides, already are music to you, wait until you hear about Reykjavik’s soundtrack playing at the Harpa Concert Hall. Visiting this venue is also one of the best things to do in Reykjavik. 

Few buildings in this city demonstrate its rapidly modernizing looks as dramatic as how the Harpa Concert Hall does it. Opened just recently in 2011, it is a shimmering example of modern Scandinavian architecture and design, with its astonishing glass exterior that often reflects the waters from the harbor front. 

What’s even more fantastic is that it occasionally hosts free shows, classical concerts, and gigs from touring bands. Harpa Concert Hall is also among the focal points of the Iceland Airwaves music festival, happening every November of the year. It has also featured local artists who are known worldwide, such as Bjork and Of Monsters And Men. Listen to the city’s beats at Harpa Concert Hall.

9. Meet The Vikings At The Saga Museum

In history, it has been said that the Icelanders are the descendants of the Vikings, a group of Scandinavian seafaring warriors who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe between the ninth and 11th centuries. With that being said, the Vikings are woven with a major role in Iceland’s history. 

If you want to learn more about the nation’s Viking period, venturing to the Saga Museum is one of the best things to do in Reykjavik. Well, almost every museum in Iceland refers to this era, but nothing is more in-depth that what the Saga Museum offers. 

The museum displays armor and weaponry, brandished by eerily lifelike figures made of silicone, bringing the prodigious story of Viking settlement in Iceland to life. Kids will also love it here.

Should you wish to learn more about the Vikings, you can head over to the Sun Voyager, locally known as Sólfar, which is just a five-minute drive from the museum. The sculpture here is one of the finest in town, designed by Icelandic sculptor Jon Gunnar Arnason. The sculpture mimics a Viking ship that pays home to the sun.

10. Pamper Yourself At The Blue Lagoon 

Blue Lagoon, located in the town of Grindavík, just a 50-minute drive from Reykjavik, is also one of the items you should tick off on your things to do in Reykjavik list. 

It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland. Its geothermal mineral spa gives off an almost otherworldly look with its azure waters and steam rising from the surface. 

As you arrive at the place, you will be handed a key to a locker where you can deposit your valuables and clothing. Then, you can go ahead, take a shower and help yourself to the buckets of silica mud Blue Lagoon provides, which is said to condition and exfoliate the skin. Afterward, you can now hop into the lagoon to soak. This is one of the things to do in Reykjavik that you should not miss.

Loving this “things to do in Reykjavik” guide? Head over to this link to see how we listed Iceland’s Vestrahorn as one of the best places for landscape photography. 

Know These Important Tips Before Exploring The Things To Do In Reykjavik

First time traveling to Reykjavik? You are in the right place. Before you go ahead explore the many exciting things to do in Reykjavik, find out some essential travel tips. Even frequent travelers to this city will benefit from these details. Read on!

• First, decide when to go. The experiences and things to do in Reykjavik you will get depend on which part of the year you choose to visit. Want to see the northern lights and visit the ice caves? Be sure to visit during the winter months. Want to hike in 24-hour sunlight and go puffin watching? Visit between June and August. 
• Be prepared for unpredictable weather. To be safe, make sure you’ve packed for wind, snow, and rain. 
• It’s a place where cards are king. Iceland, not just Reykjavik, is very expensive. If you don’t feel like exchanging all your cash to the local currency, debit and credit cards are accepted in many places here. But just be mindful of the charges. 
• Take a tour. It is recommended that, if you find yourself in Reykjavik, you take a tour. Many tour operators know how to schedule a day filled with amazing destinations, so you don’t miss out on everything great, and so you can make the most of your limited time here.

Visit Reykjavik In The Land Of Ice And Fire

Also a term that is a direct translation to “Smokey Bay,” Reykjavik offers an endless opportunity for adventure. There are lots of things to do in Reykjavik, from a vibrant art and music scene to a treasure trove filled with world-famous cultural and historical attractions. If you are heading to Iceland, don’t forget to drop by Reykjavik! In Reykjavik, things never go out of style. Reykjavik is yours to explore.