Updated March 31st, 2021

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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 spell and pronounce, but it is a safe and fun place to visit. With a population of around 123,000 the city has a more relaxing, town vibe. It’s the first city abroad 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 what to do 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!

24 Hours in Reykjavík

The 24 hour Reykjavík city card will save you money on all the top things to do in Reykjavík. It includes free admission to all the National Museum of Iceland, all the city museums and more attractions in Reykjavík. It also includes free use of the public transportation system, discounts at independent museums and additional food, shopping and tour discounts. If you have extra time, purchase the 48 hour card instead. You won’t run out of things to see and do in Reykjavík!

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. It is one of the numerous free things to do in Reykjavík.

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 with City Walk because the timing worked and it allows an online tip option. I ended up on a tour with Free Walking Tour.

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.

Due to Covid many of the free tours are not running like usual. If they are not available or do not fit with your schedule try City Walk’s highly rated VIP walking tour which includes lunch. If you are a big foodie give the Reykjavík food walk a try and sample Icelandic foods while seeing the best spots in Reykjavík.

Visit: Mid-Morning – Mid- Afternoon and depending on which tour you take allow about two hours.

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. They make for a perfect afternoon activity during your one day in Reykjavík. 

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. The culture house, which is an additional exhibition space showcasing the country’s history, is also included in the price of admission. You can visit the two locations on separate days.

Visit: 10am – 5pm

The Saga Museum

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

Visit: 10am – 6pm

Reykjavík Maritime Museum

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

Visit: 10am – 5pm

Arbaer Open Air Museum 

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

Visit: 10am – 5pm

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.

Visit: Weekdays 10am – 10pm, Weekends 12pm – 10pm *Check the hours, they could change with the season. With the City Card most of these museums are free or have a discount.

Harpa Concert Hall

In the late afternoon or evening head to the Harpa Concert Hall, a fairly new building along the water that was made 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”.

Visit: Daytime – inside & tours, Evening – Performances

Whale & Puffin Watching

If you are wondering what to do in Reykjavík for a day that is outdoors, 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.

Visit: Mid-morning to evening, 1 – 5 hrs (options to combine a whale tour and a puffin tour). If you don’t have much time in Reykjavík, I recommend you go in the evening because there are not a lot of museums/attraction type activities available in the evening. 

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.

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

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 sized allowed me leftovers for a meal the next day.

Lemon Juice Bar

Laugavegur 44-62, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

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 

If you haven’t heard it already you will find out pretty quick how expensive Iceland is, accommodations included! 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.

Where to Find a Toilet

Good news, it is much easier to find a free toilet in Reykjavík, than most other European cities! Reykjavík City Hall which has a visitor center (Tjarnargata 11, 101 Reykjavík) has free toilets, water fountains, seating and tourist information. It is open from 8am – 8pm. In Mæðragarður park a minute away from city hall is a free toilet pod. Another one is located by Hallgrimskirkja church. The Northern Lights Center (Grandagarður 2, 101 Reykjavík) located in the Old Harbor has a gift shop, free toilets and a exhibit you can visit for a fee. It is open from 9am – 9pm.

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! 

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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