Introduction
This is Five Cents: travel guide to Reykjavik. Think of Reykjavik as a compact cultural capital and a base for Iceland’s great landscapes. We’ll cover where to stay, the walk that best explains the city, one museum, a public pool and the best excursion for an extra day. The key is to keep the city itinerary simple before heading out into the landscape.
Give Reykjavik two full days
Give Reykjavik two full days, and add one to three nights only for the excursions you choose. Stay in 101 Reykjavik, the central district. From here, the main streets, museums and waterfront are all within walking distance. Most international arrivals land at Keflavík International Airport, around fifty kilometres away. Take a scheduled coach into the city.
Once there, explore the centre on foot. Use buses or organised excursions to go farther afield. A car adds little within Reykjavik. On your arrival day, start by the water. Harpa is the glass concert hall beside the Old Harbour. Its façade catches the changing light and captures the city’s relationship with the sea.
Continue east along the bay to Sun Voyager, the steel sculpture facing Mount Esja across the water. Here, you can understand Reykjavik at a glance: contemporary design, an open harbour and mountains in the background, all close to the centre. Your main city walk should lead downhill from Hallgrímskirkja.
The church dominates the centre, and its shape draws inspiration from Iceland’s basalt columns and lava flows. From there, walk southwest along Skólavörðustígur, the sloping street known for its rainbow-painted stretch. Continue along Laugavegur, the main street for cafés, shops and nightlife. These aren’t isolated stops to tick off a list. Together, they show just how small the capital is, and how much everyday life fills its streets.
Continue to Austurvöllur, the civic square beside Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament
Continue to Austurvöllur, the civic square beside Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament. Then head to Tjörnin, the pond and park at the heart of the city. From Tjörnin, the National Museum of Iceland is a short walk west. Make this your one major museum visit. Its chronological collection traces the country from settlement to modern Iceland. It provides context that makes sense of the trip: a North Atlantic society shaped by migration, harsh conditions and a close relationship with the landscape.
This is also a good moment to think about The Sagas of Icelanders. Reading them needn’t be homework, but they help explain why settlement stories, family genealogies and places in the landscape still matter so much in Icelandic culture. Reykjavik is a UNESCO City of Literature, a connection you can feel in its bookshops, cafés and cultural life.
For your second city day, return to the harbour and finish with a geothermal swim. From Sun Voyager, walk southwest to Sundhöll Reykjavík, a municipal pool near the upper part of the centre. Choose it rather than trying several lagoons. Its outdoor bathing areas, hot tubs and steam baths are part of everyday life. People come to swim, relax and talk, rather than visit a staged attraction.
Geothermal energy isn’t just a feature of the landscape: it heats homes and shapes social routines. Sky Lagoon is the alternative for an oceanfront spa designed around a seven-step ritual. But for the cultural experience most closely connected to Reykjavik, choose Sundhöll. If you have a third day, set it aside for the Golden Circle, rather than treating it as another city neighbourhood.
Key stops and decisions
From central Reykjavik, head east and inland on an organised excursion or by car. This full-day circuit takes in Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall. It’s the best first extension because it brings Icelandic history, active geology and iconic landscapes together in one coherent day.
The South Coast is the alternative for anyone who prioritises waterfalls and black-sand landscapes, though it means a longer day out in nature. Remember three decisions. Stay centrally and walk downhill from Hallgrímskirkja to the harbour. Choose one museum and one municipal pool rather than collecting attractions. And reserve the Golden Circle for an extra day, separate from Reykjavik itself.
To continue, you can generate another Five Cents: What can you see on the Golden Circle: Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss?
To explore this further, you can generate: How do Iceland’s public pools and geothermal lagoons compare?