Things To Do in Reykjavík

Things to See

Hallgrímskirkja
 Probably Reykjavík’s most iconic landmark, Hallgrímskirkja is a 74.5-meter-tall church located in the city center and visible from most of the capital.

Downtown & Old Harbour
 Walking around downtown Reykjavík and the Old Harbour area, you’ll find many restaurants, cafés, and museums, including:

  • National Museum of Iceland, insight into Icelandic cultural history

     

  • Whales of Iceland, life-sized models of 23 cetacean species along with information about their life history

     

  • Perlan, a natural history museum

     

  • or even the The Icelandic Punk Museum

     

Swimming Pools & Lagoons
 While Iceland is famous for spa-like lagoons, visiting a local swimming pool is a great alternative. Reykjavík and nearby municipalities have multiple outdoor pools, with the 25 meter pools typically heated to around 30°C, hot pots to 39–43°C, and cold tubs to 4–12°C

  • Many pools also include a sauna or steam bath

     

  • Single entry: 1,380 ISK

Pools are included in the Reykjavík City Card

 

Rest of Iceland

Day Trips from Reykjavík (by Car)
Golden Circle

The Golden Circle is Iceland’s most famous sightseeing route and includes:

  • Þingvellir National Park – where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet
  • Geysir – a geothermal area in Haukadalur with erupting hot springs
  • Gullfoss Waterfall – one of Iceland’s most powerful and iconic waterfalls

Optional stops along the route:

  • Kerið Crater Lake
  • Laugarvatn Fontana, a geothermal spa between Þingvellir and Geysir
The South Coast

Driving along Iceland’s South Coast, you can visit several major natural attractions:

  • Seljalandsfoss waterfall (and Gljúfrabúi, weather and equipment permitting)
  • Skógafoss waterfall
  • Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, near the village of Vík
  • Dyrhólaey Lighthouse, located on a 120-meter-high promontory with multiple viewpoints

Many additional waterfalls are nearby, though some require short hikes to reach.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula offers a wide variety of Icelandic landscapes and can be visited as a long day trip from Reykjavík.

Popular stops include:

  • Búðakirkja, a black church located early along the peninsula route
  • Gatklettur Rock Arch in Arnarstapi, with coastal cliffs and a scenic walking path
  • Lóndrangar Basalt Cliffs, home to seabirds such as puffins and fulmars
  • Snæfellsjökull National Park, centered around a glacier-covered volcano
  • Djúpalónssandur, a black pebble beach with historic lifting stones once used to test fishermen’s strength
  • Kirkjufell, the most photographed mountain in Iceland, also featured in the Game of Thrones

Suggested Restaurants

Here are some suggested restaurants (and there are many more, as usually most taverns in Heraklion and Crete are very good and traditional)
(30-50 euros per person)

Peskesi

Peskesi

Peskesi

(15-25 euros per person)

Peskesi

Peskesi

Peskesi

Peskesi

Peskesi

Peskesi

This event is a part of EAI Conference series
Join Free
Become an EAI Member
© EAI ICDF2C 2026
Cookies Policy
Terms, Conditions and Privacy Policy
Scroll to Top