Reykjavík Day Tour

How can I spend a great first day in Reykjavík?

I get asked this question every now and then. I have a few ideas and will keep putting them on paper from now on, for many wonderful days in Iceland’s capital. Even more importantly, I’ll bring them straight to your smartphone: have you heard of the Iceland App?

My first recommendation for a day in Reykjavík — here we go…

Reykjavík day tour: general info

Length: Approx. 8-10km
Duration: Approx. 6-8 hours
Focus: Overall impression, overview of the city
Budget: Mostly optional: approx. 10,000ISK / 70€ (exact prices below)
Bring along: Weatherproof clothing, cash, smartphone, camera

You can check out all stops of the tour on Google Maps, but the route the service suggests isn’t quite right at the beginning: you can cross the main road directly and don’t have to walk all the way to Harpa first.

I recommend taking your smartphone along on the tour, so you always know exactly where you are and can keep your bearings with Google Maps. I recommend buying a local SIM card in Iceland so you can stay online the whole time. Alternatively, you can also download maps for offline use in Google Maps.

Stop 1: Hallgrímskirkja

We start at what is probably the city’s most famous landmark, the big church in the city center. For 900ISK you can take the elevator up and get a great overview of the city from above: if you look pretty much due north from here, towards the sea, and then turn about 90° to the west, you’ll see the entire area of today’s tour. But feel free to take in the rest as well — it’s all well worth seeing!

Stop 2: Reykjavík Roasters

Now that you’ve gotten an overview from above, it’s time to get going. I suggest a first stop just a few hundred meters later, at Reykjavik Roasters, where in my opinion you’ll get the best coffee in town. It’ll cost you about 500ISK and warms you up for the next leg.

We head north, towards the water…

Stop 3: Sun Voyager

This leads to another well-known landmark of the city: the Sun Voyager. This sculpture was created in 1986 by an Icelandic artist for a competition, and the story behind the ship is very interesting. Just this much up front: it is not a Viking ship, as many people think.

From here we continue west, along the waterfront promenade…

Stop 4: Harpa

The next stop is Harpa. The concert hall at the harbour opened only recently and is not without controversy among the locals. Construction had to be halted during the 2008 financial crisis, and both the financing and the location of the property were a thorn in many people’s side.

We continue west, along the Atlantic towards the old harbour (see also the day tour around Reykjavík’s old harbour). By now you should slowly be getting hungry…

Stop 5: Sægreifinn

At Sægreifinn, loosely translated “the Sea Baron”, you’ll get the best lobster soup in town, along with other local delicacies. Fresh fish is the house specialty, and the story behind the place is worth hearing too.

Sægreifinn - the best lobster soup in Reykjavík

Freshly fortified, we now head into the industrial area…

Stop 6: Whales of Iceland

At Whales of Iceland you can take a look at a large number of life-size replicas of the whales that live in and around Iceland. The exhibition only opened in 2015 and, alongside the impressive models, also offers great interactive media that teach you all about these marine mammals. All of this might just whet your appetite for a whale watching tour departing from the harbour right next door…

I hope you’ve saved room for dessert…

Stop 7: Valdis

At Valdi you get ice cream. Icelanders love ice cream. No matter how cold it is outside — and once you’ve tried it at Valdi, you’ll understand why. There are dozens of flavours here, from classics like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry to liquorice ice cream and “Blue Angel”. Two scoops cost 600ISK and give you energy for the next leg, which can be as long as you like.

We continue west, along the Atlantic…

Stop 8: Göngustígur

Here you can stroll along for as long as you like. On your left you’ll see the outer walls of the residential houses, some of them covered in murals, and on your right the wide Atlantic. After a few hundred meters you’ll find a kind of lighthouse. From here you have a great view into the bay. There’s also a small hot spring here.

At some point you should turn around and make your way south / south-east. Your route takes you through the small side streets back into the city center…

Hidden artworks in the side streets of Reykjavik

Stop 9: Laundromat

After a job well done — exploring the city — you’ll surely need a little pick-me-up, and for that I recommend my absolute favourite café in Reykjavík: Laundromat. Here you get good coffee, delicious cake, but also something for a more serious appetite: burgers, fish, steak. Like so many things in Iceland, none of it is a bargain, but the quality is spot on! The burger will cost you 2700ISK.

Afterwards you can either head home or into the city center…

Stop 10: Hallgrímskirkja

Haven’t had enough yet and don’t want to miss out on Reykjavík’s nightlife? Then keep going towards the city center from here. You’ll pretty much automatically find your way to the party mile, Laugavegur.

So my next tour will probably be a pub tour!

Iceland Ringroad