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Reykjavík
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Reykjavík, IcelandOpen-Meteo forecast.
Reykjavík city overview
Reykjavík is Iceland's compact capital, where colourful rooftops climb toward the twin spire of Hallgrímskirkja above the North Atlantic. First-time visitors should climb the church tower for rooftop views, catch a concert inside Harpa's glass facade, and stroll the waterfront past the Sun Voyager sculpture and Old Harbour fishing boats. Keflavík Airport sits under an hour away, making Reykjavík an easy base for Golden Circle day trips.
Worth seeing
Hallgrímskirkja
Hallgrímskirkja is a named stop in Reykjavík worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
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Harpa
Harpa is a named stop in Reykjavík worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
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Sun Voyager
Sun Voyager is a named stop in Reykjavík worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
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Old Harbour
Old Harbour adds the water-facing side of Reykjavík, making it a good break from museums, traffic and dense historic streets.
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Sky Lagoon
Sky Lagoon is a named stop in Reykjavík worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
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Golden Circle trips
Golden Circle trips is a named stop in Reykjavík worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
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Base in 101 Reykjavík for an easy first stay near Laugavegur's shops, bars and museums, then consider Vesturbær for a quieter university-area stay, Skuggahverfi for newer hotels near Harpa, or Laugardalur for pools and parks with families.
Hotels & areas
Reykjavík hotel choice depends on priorities: 101 Reykjavík suits first-time visitors wanting downtown nightlife and museums within walking distance, Vesturbær and Laugardalur suit quieter family stays near pools and parks, while Skuggahverfi offers newer waterfront hotels close to Harpa and the Old Harbour.
101 Reykjavík
101 Reykjavík is the downtown postcode covering the old city centre, Laugavegur's shops and bars, and most museums, ideal for a first stay without a car.
Best for: first visits, nightlife, shopsSee hotel optionsVesturbær
Vesturbær is a quiet residential quarter west of downtown, home to the university, the Grandi harbour food scene and the Vesturbæjarlaug thermal pool.
Best for: university area, local feel, quiet staysSee hotel optionsSkuggahverfi
Skuggahverfi is a modern waterfront district around Harpa concert hall, with newer apartment hotels and an easy walk to the Old Harbour.
Best for: harbour views, new hotels, Harpa eventsSee hotel optionsLaugardalur
Laugardalur is a green valley east of the centre with Iceland's largest thermal pool, a small zoo and a botanical garden, good for families.
Best for: families, pools, parksSee hotel optionsFlights & airports
Keflavik International Airport (KEF) arrival plan
- Keflavik International Airport (KEF)About 38 km from the centre
Compare airport access against hotel location, arrival time, rental car pickup, late flights and onward driving before choosing the first night base.
- Reykjavík Domestic Airport (RKV)About 2 km from the centre
Compare airport access against hotel location, arrival time, rental car pickup, late flights and onward driving before choosing the first night base.
Rental cars
Reykjavík day-trip car use
A rental car is optional for downtown Reykjavík but useful for Golden Circle day trips, South Coast waterfalls, or exploring beyond the capital region.
Compare rental carsTravel tips
Best base
Stay in 101 Reykjavík for walkable access to Laugavegur's shops, restaurants and museums without needing a car for evenings out.
Airport transfer
Book a Flybus or private transfer from Keflavík in advance, since the airport sits about 45 minutes from downtown with limited taxi availability.
Weather layers
Pack windproof layers year-round, as Reykjavík's weather changes quickly; check forecasts before Golden Circle trips or whale-watching tours from the harbour.
Day trips
Build in a full day for the Golden Circle route or a Sky Lagoon soak, both easy additions to a Reykjavík stay without an overnight.
Nearby ideas
Nature · about 45 min · car or coach east on Route 36
Thingvellir National Park
The rift between the American and Eurasian plates, and the site of the parliament founded in 930.
View on mapSpa · about 50 min · coach from BSÍ terminal to Grindavík
Blue Lagoon
Milky geothermal water at 38°C in a lava field; booking ahead is required.
View on mapSpa · about 45 min · car to Hveragerði, then a 3 km uphill walk
Reykjadalur hot river
A steaming valley where you bathe in the river itself, hotter the further up you go.
View on mapNature · about 1 h 15 min · car or Golden Circle coach east on Route 35
Geysir and Gullfoss
Strokkur erupts every few minutes, and Gullfoss drops in two steps into a canyon.
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City history
According to legend, the first permanent Norse settlement in Iceland was established at Reykjavík by Ingólfr Arnarson circa AD 870, as described in the Book of Settlement.
The Danish Crown abolished monopoly trading in 1786 and granted six communities around the country an exclusive trading charter.
In 1845 the Alþingi, the general assembly formed in 930 AD, was re-established in Reykjavík; it had been suspended a few decades earlier when it was located at Þingvellir.
In 1874, Iceland was given a constitution; with it, Alþingi gained some limited legislative powers and in essence became the institution that it is today.
The next step was to move most of the executive power to Iceland: Home Rule was granted in 1904 when the office of Minister for Iceland was established in Reykjavík.
On 1 December 1918, Iceland became a sovereign country, the Kingdom of Iceland, in personal union with the Crown of Denmark.
In 1944, the Republic of Iceland was founded and a president, elected by the people, replaced the king; the office of the president was placed in Reykjavík. Post-war development In the post-war years, the.
In the 1750s, several houses were built to house the wool industry, which was Reykjavík's most important employer for a few decades and the original reason for its existence.
Ingólfr is said to have decided the location of his settlement using a traditional Norse method: when land was in sight, he cast his high seat pillars overboard and promised to settle where the.
Two of his slaves then searched the coasts for three years before finding the pillars in the bay which eventually became the site of Reykjavík.
This form of the name fell out of use shortly after settlement, and the estate was referred to as Vík á Seltjarnarnesi until the name Reykjavík was revived when urban development began centuries later.
All the important events in the history of the independence struggle were important to Reykjavík as well.
The location of Alþingi in Reykjavík effectively established the city as the capital of Iceland.
The British built Reykjavík Airport, which remains in service today, mostly for short-haul flights (to domestic destinations and Greenland).