Updated February 7th, 2025

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Reykjavík is the capital city of Iceland and most likely your gateway to the rest of the country. The city name may be hard to pronounce and even harder to spell, but it is a safe and fun place to visit. With a population of around 139,849 the city has a more relaxing, town vibe. It’s the first European city that I have been to where the majority of the people are wearing athletic and outdoor wear.

There has been a lot of information lately about Iceland, but not as much about how to spend a day in Reykjavík. Travelers usually arrive in Iceland with the intent to take a tour or drive around the country. In reality, Reykjavík is the perfect place to base yourself to spend one week in Iceland. You can easily take day tours from Reykjavík to all the amazing natural wonders and adventure activities around the country.

Did you know there are a lot of things to do in Reykjavík? There are actually quite a few cultural places to visit that become overshadowed by the incredible nature experiences you can have around the country.  While you could easily spend several days discovering the city, make sure to spend at least one day in Reykjavík!

Reykjavík in One Day

How to Save Money in Reykjavík in One Day

If you haven’t heard it already you will find out pretty quick how expensive Iceland is. One of the best ways to save money is with the 24 hour Reykjavík city card. After paying for the card you can do many of the top things to do in Reykjavík for free! The city card includes free admission to eight thermal pools, the majority of museums in Reykjavík, and other city attractions.  It also includes free use of the public transportation system and discounts for various shops, services, and tours. Under each activity below I wrote if it was discounted or included with the card.

If you have extra time, purchase the 48 or 72 hour cards instead. You won’t run out of things to see and do in Reykjavík! You’ll be happy if you have more than one day in Reykjavik. 

What to Do in Reykjavík in One Day

Reykjavík Walking Tour

Start your one day in Reykjavík with a walking tour so you become familiar with the city and gain a few more suggestions for the rest of your time.

There are several companies to choose from, with tours taking place mostly from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. The meeting point is similar for the tours, so don’t be like me and have an “oops I think I am on the wrong tour” moment. I initially booked one of the free walking tours with City Walk because the timing worked and it allows an online tip option. I ended up on a tour with Free Walking Tour, which is no longer running. A free walking tour is one of the numerous cheap things to do in Reykjavík. While they are technically free you are expected to tip at the end. 

All confusion aside, on the tour I got a feel of the city and a really good overview of the country and its people. Some interesting information about the political system and beliefs was given. For example, Iceland is the first country to elect a female president and is one of the most progressive and open countries in regards to female and LQBT rights.

If the free tours don’t fit in your schedule, sign up for a  walking tour with a Viking! You’ll receive a lot of local tips for what to do and what not to do. If you are a big foodie the Reykjavík food tour is an even better option, because food makes everything better! You’ll sample Icelandic foods AND see the best spots in Reykjavík.

Hours: Depends on the tour you choose. Most tours last about 2 hours. 

Book: City Walk, Viking Walking Tour, Reykjavík Food Tour 

Reykjavík Museums

When people talk about what to do in Iceland, museums rarely come up on people’s lists. I only had time to visit the National Museum of Iceland, but Iceland has a very interesting history that can be learned about in numerous museums throughout Reykjavík. There are many more museums, but here are a few that caught my attention. If you’re exploring Reykjavík in one day, make sure to allow time for a museum or two. They make for the perfect afternoon activity. 

National Museum of Iceland & Culture House

The National Museum of Iceland gives the history of Iceland from its discovery until more recent days. The main exhibit uses informational panels in English and Icelandic alongside the artifacts to show the creation of and changes within the politics and religion of the country. For additional information and my experience visiting the museum click here. 

Hours: 10am – 5pm

Book: Buy tickets or use your city card for free admission.

The Saga Museum

A museum that focuses on the Viking settlers through life-like historical replicas.

Hours: 10am – 5pm

Book: Buy tickets or use your city card for discount admission.

Reykjavík Maritime Museum

Here you can gain insight into Iceland’s seafaring history.

Hours: 10am – 5pm

Book: Buy tickets in person or use your city card for free admission.

Arbaer Open Air Museum 

Located outside of the city, the museum has more than 20 historical Icelandic buildings to visit.

Hours: 10am – 5pm in June through August and 1pm – 5pm September through May

Book: Buy tickets in person or use your city card for free admission.

The Icelandic Punk Museum

Located underground in a former public bathroom, you can learn about the country’s punk scene. Mini display rooms are located in the stalls.

Hours: 10am – 6pm (until 10pm on Monday nights)

Book: Buy in person

Harpa Concert Hall

In the late afternoon or evening of your 24 hours in Reykjavik head to the Harpa Concert Hall, a modern building along the water that was built in 2007 to look like an iceberg. My free walking tour guide said there is a lot of construction going on next to the concert hall, including a new hotel. He said he thinks they should make it look like the Titanic!

You can visit the inside of the hall for free during the day and pay to take a guided tour. There are performances in the evening with some in English. A long running comedy show at Harpa that I would have liked to see is “How to Become Icelandic in 60 minutes”.

Hours: 45 – 60min tours start at 11am or 1pm for guided tours. Performances on select dates.

Book: Buy Tickets

Whale & Puffin Watching from Reykjavík

If you want an outdoor activity during your Reykjavik one day itinerary, then you need to go whale watching!  The city of Húsavík in northern Iceland is apparently the best place to see whales. If you are staying around the capital city, you can still have a fun experience seeing whales right from the city. Many companies along the harbor sell different kinds of whale and/or puffin watching tours. I went with Special Tours on the classic whale watching trip that lasted about three hours. The boat was a larger boat with snacks for sale and toilets on-board.

It was fun getting dressed in the warm overalls they provide. There was a general sense of excitement when a whale was spotted and everyone gasped and the cameras went clicking away. I could probably sit on a boat all day so even though it was drizzling I enjoyed the trip. The ~3 hours could seem long to some people though. Also I noticed that the whales got closer to the smaller boats, so you may want to consider a RIB tour to get closer to the whales and have a shorter boat trip.

Hours: Mid-morning to evening, 2 – 7 hrs . If you only have a a day in Reykjavik, I recommend you go in the evening because there are not a lot of museums/attraction type activities available in the evening. 

Book: Whale Watching Cruise (3 hours with indoor & outdoor seating and toilets), Whale Watching & Northern Lights (7 hour combined tour), Whale Watching on a Yacht, (smooth sailing) RIB tour (smallest boat and fastest tour)

Shopping

My mom will be happy that I included shopping on the list. Reykjavík is a cute town to wander around in and visit some of the stores. The main shopping streets are Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur. Within these streets you will mostly find souvenir shops, athletic/outdoor wear stores, and a few quaint little shops. If you don’t come prepared for the weather in Iceland I definitely recommend these stores located in/near those streets: 66° North, Icewear, Cintamani, and ZO•ON.

Hours: Most stores close at 6pm, but some, including a couple of the activewear places are open until 8 or 9pm.

Public Pools

If you want to be like the locals and avoid the touristy Blue Lagoon head to one of the numerous public pools in the city. Filled with geothermal water the warm pools and hot tubs are an option all year long!

Hours: Many of them are open from early in the morning to later in the evening so you can maximize your 1 day in Reykjavik.

Book: 8 public pools (Árbæjarlaug, Breiðholtslaug, Dalslaug, Grafarvogslaug, Klébergslaug, Laugardalslaug, Sundhöllin, Vesturbæjarlaug) are included on the city card for free admission.

Where to Eat in Reykjavík

Seabaron

Geirsgata 4a, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

Seabaron is a seafood restaurant along the old harbor. Their main speciality is the lobster soup served with bread. You can also add on grilled skewers of vegetables or fish. 

Krua Thai

Skólavörðustígur 21, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

It might not seem like the obvious choice when visiting Iceland, but I really liked this Thai place. The interior was boutique like, the servers were friendly, and the portion size allowed me leftovers for a meal the next day.

Lemon Juice Bar

The location I went to is closed, but there are other locations. Unfortunately they are not as centrally located. 

I broke my rule about going to a restaurant more than once and went to Lemon twice in my one week trip. It’s great for a solo traveler or anyone wanting a quicker and cheaper meal that is still delicious and healthy. It is mostly a sandwich and smoothie place that uses a lot of superfoods such as avocado, spinach, and ginger. The best part is that sandwiches and smoothies are two for one in the evenings!

Hlemmer Food Hall

 Laugavegur 107, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland

Hlemmer is a food hall with a variety of options. There is seating by the different establishments and some common seating areas. I went with the bacon and lobster sandwich!

*The seafood and lamb are both delicious in Iceland, so when in doubt order one of those. Also I don’t know if I just lucked out or if it is actually a thing in Iceland, but anything I ate with caramel was exceptionally good. I never heard of Iceland specializing in caramel baked goods, but even a caramel muffin I got from a tourist place was worthy of the hefty price tag.

Where to Stay in Reykjavík

One of the biggest expenses when traveling in Iceland is the accommodations! In order to have a reasonably priced place I went with Eric the Red Guesthouse. I was leary about the experience at first, because I haven’t stayed in guesthouses very often and didn’t know if I could handle conversation with fellow guests at breakfast. But it was really nice to talk to other travelers and trade stories. While the hosts were friendly and made me breakfast to go on the mornings I couldn’t make the breakfast time, there also was a lot of privacy. The homemade bread in the morning was a huge plus!

The location, only 2 minutes from Hallgrímskirkja church, was perfect for all my day tour pick-ups and a convenient walking distance from the main part of the city.

Booking.com

Where to Find a Toilet in Reykjavík

Reykjavík used to be much easier than most other European cities to find a free toilet, but unfortunately it seems that has changed since my visit. Reykjavík City Hall is your best bet. They have a visitor center, free toilets, water fountains, seating, and tourist information. Hours vary by season and day of the week. The city libraries are another good option for free restrooms.

There is a toilet pod in Mæðragarður park a minute away from city hall. Another one is located by Hallgrimskirkja church. These used to be free, but I am seeing online that they aren’t anymore. It seems like they are pricey too so you might as well go and buy a bit to eat or a drink if you need to pay anyway.

While you won’t be able to see and do everything, Reykjavík in one day can be done! After one day you may wish you had more time though! If I helped you plan your Reykjavik one day itinerary, please consider supporting me by Buying Me a Coffee. 

More About Iceland

• Incredible Iceland
• How to Get from Keflavík Airport to Reykjavík, Iceland
• National Museum of Iceland in Reykjavik
• Day Tours from Reykjavík
• SUP
• Kayaking in Iceland
• Hot Springs Hike & Glacier Hike, 
• Jökulsárlón & South Island
• Books about Iceland & Finland

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