Reykjavík is the world’s northernmost capital, and you can walk the centre end to end in an hour and a half. That makes three days more than enough, as long as you rescue the list from the postcard spots.
Day one: the west side
Start the morning with a swim at Vesturbæjarlaug. Listen to the city’s conversations in the hot tub; even without Icelandic you pick up the rhythm.
In the afternoon walk to the Grandi harbour. The old fishing warehouses have become galleries and coffee shops. Marshall House holds three floors of contemporary art and is usually empty.
In the early evening, walk out to Grótta lighthouse: an hour of coastline, and in winter one of the few spots within the city limits where you can see the lights.
Day two: the centre and museums
Þjóðminjasafn (the National Museum) tells the story from colony to independence well. Then follow the lakeside through Hljómskálagarður park and on to Kjarvalsstaðir.
In the evening, skip Laugavegur and wander the side streets of Grettisgata and Frakkastígur instead.
Day three: the outskirts
A nature day without leaving the city: the Heiðmörk reserve is half an hour away by bus. Walking trails, birch plantations and almost nobody around.
Notes
- You don’t need cash in the city; cards work everywhere.
- The tap water is among the best in the world. Don’t buy bottled water.
- The hot water smells faintly of sulphur; it’s geothermal, so that’s normal.
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The person behind icelandify.com. Here I share the experience I’ve gained exploring every corner of Iceland since my first year here, and my passion for photography.
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