Reykjavik itinerary: 1 to 3 days
Plans for one to three days in Reykjavík, day by day: Perlan, Hallgrímskirkja, the Sun Voyager and Harpa first, then the geothermal beach at Nauthólsvík, the National Museum and the Settlement Exhibition, and the open-air museum at Árbær and Viðey island as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Reykjavik in 1 day
Day 1
Perlan
A glass dome on top of hot water tanks on Öskjuhlíð hill, with a nature museum, an ice cave and a 360° viewing deck.
Hallgrímskirkja
Reykjavík's landmark church, with a tower inspired by basalt columns and a lift to a viewing platform at the top.
The Sun Voyager
A steel sculpture of a Viking-like ship on the seafront, a dream boat facing the bay and Mount Esja.
Harpa
The harbour-front concert hall with a glass facade of geometric panels by Olafur Eliasson, home of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.
Lækjartorg
A small square in the old centre, near the Prime Minister's office and the shopping street Austurstræti.
Tjörnin
The small lake in the centre beside the City Hall, home to swans, ducks and geese.
Reykjavik in 2 days
Day 1
Perlan
A glass dome on top of hot water tanks on Öskjuhlíð hill, with a nature museum, an ice cave and a 360° viewing deck.
Hallgrímskirkja
Reykjavík's landmark church, with a tower inspired by basalt columns and a lift to a viewing platform at the top.
The Sun Voyager
A steel sculpture of a Viking-like ship on the seafront, a dream boat facing the bay and Mount Esja.
Harpa
The harbour-front concert hall with a glass facade of geometric panels by Olafur Eliasson, home of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
A famous hot dog stand near the old harbour, serving Icelandic hot dogs since 1937.
Day 2
Nauthólsvík
A geothermal beach with golden sand and a heated lagoon, where locals swim in the sea all year.
Öskjuhlíð
A wooded hill in the city, crowned by Perlan, with walking paths and wartime remains.
National Museum of Iceland
The national museum, telling Iceland's history from the Settlement to today, with medieval treasures.
Tjörnin
The small lake in the centre beside the City Hall, home to swans, ducks and geese.
Reykjavík 871±2
The Settlement Exhibition, built around the remains of a Viking-age longhouse found in the city centre.
Reykjavik in 3 days
Day 1
Perlan
A glass dome on top of hot water tanks on Öskjuhlíð hill, with a nature museum, an ice cave and a 360° viewing deck.
Hallgrímskirkja
Reykjavík's landmark church, with a tower inspired by basalt columns and a lift to a viewing platform at the top.
The Sun Voyager
A steel sculpture of a Viking-like ship on the seafront, a dream boat facing the bay and Mount Esja.
Harpa
The harbour-front concert hall with a glass facade of geometric panels by Olafur Eliasson, home of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
A famous hot dog stand near the old harbour, serving Icelandic hot dogs since 1937.
Day 2
Nauthólsvík
A geothermal beach with golden sand and a heated lagoon, where locals swim in the sea all year.
Öskjuhlíð
A wooded hill in the city, crowned by Perlan, with walking paths and wartime remains.
National Museum of Iceland
The national museum, telling Iceland's history from the Settlement to today, with medieval treasures.
Tjörnin
The small lake in the centre beside the City Hall, home to swans, ducks and geese.
Reykjavík 871±2
The Settlement Exhibition, built around the remains of a Viking-age longhouse found in the city centre.
Day 3
Árbæjarsafn
The open-air museum of Reykjavík, with old turf houses and buildings moved from the city centre.
Viðey
An island a short ferry ride from Reykjavík, with walking paths, an 18th-century house and Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace Tower.
Lækjartorg
A small square in the old centre, near the Prime Minister's office and the shopping street Austurstræti.
Vikin Maritime Museum
The Reykjavík Maritime Museum by the old harbour, about Icelandic fishing, with a coast guard ship to visit.
Watch: Reykjavik
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Reykjavik
June to August is the best time for Reykjavik and road trips around it, with mild weather and almost 24 hours of daylight around midsummer. September to March offers the best chance of seeing the northern lights on clear nights, but days are short and weather can close roads. Prices are high all year and highest in summer.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Reykjavik on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Reykjavik on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Reykjavik on GetYourGuide or on Viator
- From the airport: a private transfer in Reykjavik with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Iceland from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Reykjavik with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Reykjavik
- The weather changes fast; bring waterproof layers even in summer.
- Before entering a pool or geothermal beach you must shower without a swimsuit; this rule is strictly followed in Iceland.
- The Reykjavík City Card covers city museums, public pools and buses, and the ferry to Viðey.
- The ferry to Viðey runs less often outside the summer season; check the timetable before planning that day.
- Tap water in Iceland is clean and very good; there is no need to buy bottled water.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur: Jóhann Heiðar Árnason, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hallgrímskirkja: Someone35, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Harpa: Ivan Sabljak , arkitekt: Hennings Larsens in Denmark, CC-BY-SA-3.0
- Lækjartorg: Fingalo (Christian Bickel), Public domain
- National Museum of Iceland: Szilas, Public domain
- Nauthólsvík: Helgi Halldórsson from Reykjavík, Iceland, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Perlan: Tanya Hart, CC-BY-SA-2.0
- Reykjavík 871±2: Szilas, Public domain
- The Sun Voyager: unknown author, CC0
- Tjörnin: Helgi Hall from Reykjavík, Iceland, CC BY 2.0
- Vikin Maritime Museum: Photographer: Mosbatho, CC BY 4.0
- Viðey: No machine-readable author provided. Akigka assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Árbæjarsafn: No machine-readable author provided. Silli82 assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain
- Öskjuhlíð: Mx. Granger, CC0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
