Reykjavik City Experience

• Reyjavik has a lot to offer museum-lovers. Visit the National Museum of Iceland to learn about Icelandic cultural heritage, from the earliest evidence of a pagan burial site to Björk’s music career. Whales of Iceland is the largest museum dedicated to whales in Europe. Located in a building that previously housed the Reykjavik Municipal Fishing Company, the Reykjavik Maritime Museum explores how the sea is woven deeply into Iceland’s history and culture. For those who enjoy quirky museums, the Icelandic Phallological Museum is a must-see. As chronicled in a recent documentary, a driven and determined collector amassed the world’s largest collection of specimens of animals’ reproductive organs. The museum has been in its current home since 2020, and an on-site bistro continues the museum’s theme.

• Consider timing your visit to coincide with one of Reykjavik’s many festivals: Dark Music Days in January, a winter lights festival in February. The Food and Fun Festival in March. Fringe Festival in the summer. An international film festival in the fall. A blues festival in April. A jazz festival in August. Or the Iceland Airwaves music festival in November, to name a few. (Note that scheduling may be subject to change, so event dates for the current year should be confirmed before you book!)

• There’s plenty to see just walking around the city at any time of year. See the major landmarks, such as the Harpa concert hall, Hallgrimskirkja church and the Sun Voyager sculpture on the harbor front. But make sure you also reserve time to simply wander and explore, popping into bookstores, coffee shops and other local businesses — and admiring the colorful Icelandic houses along the way. Enjoy the lilting sounds of Icelandic, but when it’s time to order and pay, English is more or less universally spoken. Keep an eye out for the Northern Lights in the late evening, because they are sometimes visible even in the city!

• The festive season is an especially lovely time to wander the streets of Reykjavik. Icelanders take Christmas very seriously. You may start seeing winter holiday decorations go up in windows as early as October, to bring some light to the long winter. If you’re there in December, keep an eye out for references to the Yule Lads. One of whom arrives on each of the 13 nights leading up to Christmas, according to Icelandic lore. These diminutive characters are named according to their mischievous traits, such as “spoon-licker,” “pot-scraper,” and “door-slammer.”

• When in Reykjavik, you must visit a public bath (and preferably more than one). These bathhouses are a fixture of Icelandic culture. Many offering extensive facilities with indoor and outdoor geothermally heated mineral water soaking pools as well as lap pools. There are three major ones in the city center: Sundhöll, where you can take in views of Hallgrimskirkja while soaking in the rooftop hot tub. Laugardalslaug in the eastern part of the city near the botanical gardens and zoo. And Vesturbaejarlaug to the west, known for its hot tubs, sauna and steam bath. Also check out Nautholsvik geothermal beach on the south side of the Reykjavik peninsula. Hot water from Lagoon mixes with the cold seawater to create a more comfortable swimming temperature, and there’s also a natural geothermal hot tub.

• From central Reykjavik, it’s a 20-minute ride on the No. 1 bus to Hafnarfjorður, where you can find a contemporary art museum as well as an open-air museum featuring cultural artifacts from Iceland’s history inside historic buildings. Visit Hellisgerði to explore a botanical garden alongside lava caves; stroll through Víðistaðatún to view sculptures by artists from all over the world. Take a Hidden Worlds guided walking tour to learn about the role of gnomes, elves, trolls and fairies in Icelandic culture. Make sure to bring your bathing suit, since this area has one of the newest and largest public pool and bath complexes in greater Reykjavik, Asvallalaug. Hafnarfjorður is also home to a Christmas village. Open during Advent (so roughly the four weeks leading up to Christmas), it offers handicrafts and treats for sale in lavishly decorated cottages.

Day trips:

• Thingvellir National Park: This UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you can see the Continental Divide between the North American and Eurasian Tectonic Plates, which is less than an hour’s drive from Reykjavik. This is a site of political as well as geological significance: The Icelandic parliament was formed in this spot more than a thousand years ago. See Thingvallavatn, Iceland’s largest natural lake, and depending on the weather, you can even snorkel or dive in the crystal-clear waters of Silfra Fissure. The only place in the world where you can go snorkeling or diving between two tectonic plates. Along the way, stop at the Halldor Laxness Museum, a tribute to the Nobel Prize-winning Icelandic author located in his former home.

• Take a glacier hike: Day trips from Reykjavik to hike on Solheimajokull are common. You’ll also get to see the stunning Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls on the way. With an organized tour, you’ll have all the equipment you need. Plus a guide for safety and assurances that your trip will only go if weather conditions are suitable.

• Visit the Blue Lagoon: Although this attraction is man-made, with the heated water coming from a nearby geothermal power plant, it’s still downright magical. Mineral-rich waters have restorative qualities no less powerful. If time allows, spend a night or two at the on-site spa hotel instead of taking a day trip. The cafe offers delicious food, and you’ll be able to spend more time appreciating the vibrant blue waters and their volcanic surroundings. Plus, you’ll have a short trip to the airport when it’s time to fly out, and you’ll feel extra relaxed for your flight home.

• Grillmarkadurinn has received plenty of attention in international media write-ups. It lives up to the hype, with a chefs tasting menu of delicacies such as smoked arctic char, reindeer sliders, grilled puffin and marinated seared horse meat, delivered in an effortlessly chic setting.

• The Perlan revolving restaurant offers a simple menu with stunning views. A café, a bar and an ice cream parlor are also located on the premises for those who don’t need a full meal with their city views.

• Forrettabarinn serves up Icelandic cuisine with a global twist (from a kitchen headed up by a French chef).

• The Michelin guide-listed Matur og Drykkur will be a splurge, but go there for memorable items such as Icelandic twisted donuts or, on the more adventurous side, a fish head braised in chicken stock with berries.

• Café Loki, in the shadow of Hallgrimskirkja, is a good place to try fermented shark and other Icelandic delicacies. Even if you just try one bite, it’s worth it to say you’ve tried!

• For an even more immersive experience, head to Fjörukráin for a three-course Viking-style feast. Concluding with Brennivín (the spirit also known as the Black Death) served in a lamb horn.

• You’ll wonder what all the fuss is about with the hot dog stand on the harbor. The official name is Baejarins Beztu Pylsur — but these are truly transcendent hot dogs. It’s worth stopping by even if you don’t like hot dogs, and the popular stand now has a dozen branches in Reykjavik and its surroundings (including at the airport).

• It’s worth seeking out the fish and chips at Reykjavik Fish Restaurant (formerly known as Icelandic Fish & Chips, if you happen to see that name mentioned in reviews). The fish is unbelievably fresh and the batter is impossibly light and crispy.

• Take the ferry to Viðey Island for a meal at the Gallery Restaurant, where you’ll dine in a thoroughly unforgettable setting. An 18th-century country house that was the first building ever constructed of stone in Iceland.

• Reykjavik has fantastic coffee, so you really can’t go wrong — but especially excellent coffee shops include Reykjavik Roasters (with three locations in different parts of the city center), Café Babalu (with vegan-friendly options down the street from Hallgrimskirkja), Kaktus Espressobar (where the picture window is perfect for people-watching), Mokka Kaffi (where you can also get hot chocolate and waffles to enjoy with your coffee in Mid-Century Modern surroundings), and Kaffibrenslan (where the tables are adorned with candlesticks and I’m partial to the licorice latte).

• In the evening, many of Reykjavik’s hotels have bars where you can grab a drink in a stylish setting. Head over to Kex Hostel for drinks, food, a happening scene and insanely beautiful water views. The Roof at the Reykjavik Edition boasts panoramic mountain and ocean views from a seventh-floor terrace. Kastrup offers a range of mörrebröd open-faced sandwiches (including curry herring, duck confit, and grilled cauliflower). Plus bar snacks and a bistro menu in the same streamlined contemporary vibe as the surrounding 101 Hotel. At Telebar at the Iceland Parliament Hotel, you can sip cocktails while admiring modern Icelandic artwork in the former headquarters of the Icelandic Telecommunications company. Come on Thursday for live jazz. Cocktail connoisseurs will want to be sure to head to Slippbarinn, where everything served on site is distilled from scratch (located in the Hotel Reykjavik Marina).