(Or great ways to kill some time)
When most people think of a trip to Iceland they think of: the Blue Lagoon, beautiful scenery, waterfalls, and glaciers. Most people don’t even think about the capital city of Reykjavik at all, but chances are you will end up here at some point during your trip.
Reykjavik is a really great ‘transition’ stop as it is in such close proximity to Iceland’s main international airport: Keflavik International Airport. I spent a couple days here at the beginning and at the end of my Iceland trip and loved it. I always like to visit a country’s capital city because it really is the heart of that country and its culture. While Reykjavik isn’t the most interesting city ever, it still has a lot to offer! Whether it is for a quick one night layover or a couple day stay to start your trip, here are the top things I would recommend doing while in Reykjavik.
1. Hallgrimskirkja
If there is any building that defines the (tiny) Reykjavik skyline, this is it. Designed after the Svartifoss waterfall in southern Iceland, this beautiful church looks like it is straight out of Game of Thrones or The Witcher.
Located in the very center of the city, it is very close to all kinds of restaurants, cute cafes, and shops.
You can enter the church for free and if you want to go up to the top it will cost you around 1000 ISK.
Plan to spend around 30 minutes to an hour here.
2. Try Icelandic Cuisine
I will be completely honest, Icelandic food is nothing to write home about or get excited for. Iceland is not known for its food at all. However, one of my favorite things to do in a new country is try the local food because you can learn a lot about a country and the culture through its cuisine.
Did I like the food? Yeah! Did I love it? No. The food is very standard – not a lot of spice or character but it still tasted good. TIP: restaurants and eating out in Iceland is fairly expensive. So I recommend splitting a few different dishes with a group so you can all try a couple different things.
Wander down the streets of Reykjavik until you spot a nice restaurant serving Icelandic classics like fish and chips, artic char (fish), lamb stews, and mashed fish (yes, it is very fish centered). I recommend checking out Cafe Loki (right next to Hallgrimskirkja) and Issi Fish and Chips.
3. Stroll down Laugavegur Street (shopping)
Laugavegur Street is the main commercial street in Reykjavik with tons of restaurants, shops, and cafes. Here is where you can find your tourist trap gift shops but also a lot of other great shops selling Icelandic souvenirs. Many of the shops are centered around outerwear but there are lots of cool shops selling interesting things like cosmetic products made with silica and lava.
The Scandinavian architecture along this street is also very beautiful – it is just a pretty walk to take in. Additionally, this street is great for nightlife as it is lined with fun bars that have live music – more on that down below.
4. Nightlife
Reykjavik is very well known for its nightlife and I can 100% confirm that it lived up to the hype! Icelandic people work very hard during the week and love to let loose on the weekends. There were so many fun bars with live music/DJ’s all over the city center so you will always find someplace fun to party. I recommend to check out Lebowski Bar or Rontgen.
One of the bars we ended up at was full of locals and we were the only tourists which was super cool. We made friends with an Icelandic girl on the street who ended up taking us to this local spot where she was meeting her friends. This was SUCH a fun and cool experience partying and dancing with a bunch of Icelanders. We probably never would have found that place had she not taken us there. Make friends!
TIP: Pregame A LOT. Drinks are very expensive at the bars so get a good buzz going before heading out.
This is probably a no brainer but also keep in mind that the bars and clubs are really only active on the weekends. The first time we went out was a Friday night which was absolutely incredible. The second time was a Tuesday night and it was dead – a night and day difference. So if you want to experience the night life, plan it for a Friday or Saturday.
5. Catch the sunset on the waterfront
A great way to end a long day of exploring or hiking is to go and catch the sunset. Because it is socially acceptable to drink in public here, stop at the convenience store on the way and pick up some beers/beverages and snacks!
One of the best spots to catch the sunset that I found was over near the GRADNAR neighborhood on ANANAUST street. There is a nice pathway to walk along as well as some rocks to sit on (pictured above). Reminder that this is pretty seasonal dependent as the Icelandic winters don’t get much sun!
6. Rainbow Street
This is where you would get your “for the gram” Reykjavik content. I am sure you have seen tons of pictures of people posing in front of (or on) this street – it is a very popular photo spot in Iceland. The street itself has been painted rainbow colors for over 20 years for the Reykjavik Pride event. Only recently have the rainbow colors become a permanent, year round addition.
The street itself leads right up to Hallgrímskirkja church and is lined with all kinds of cafes, restaurants, and shops. It is a very nice street to walk along just like Laugavegur street mentioned above.
Honorable Mentions
Sun Voyager: a viking ship like sculpture down by the waterfront. To be honest this was not that interesting and there were tons of people annoyingly hoarded around it trying to take photos. We maybe spent a total of 5 minutes here. If you have extra time, check it out. Otherwise I say skip it.
Museums: like any capital city, Reykjavik has lots of museums to check out like the Maritime Museum or the National Museum of Iceland. If it is brutally cold out or if you have lots of extra time to allow for museums then go for it!
