Reykjavík Region Things to Do

The uninvited sea-gulls.

by Regina1965

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The uninvited sea-gulls.
by Regina1965
The Pearl
by JessieLang
View from the Pearl
by JessieLang
From Öskjuhlíð - Perlan on the top of...
by Regina1965
The Sun Voyager on solstice.
by Regina1965

Most Viewed Things to Do in Reykjavík Region

76.

Hallgrimskirkja Reykjavík

53 Reviews There is a statue in front of Hallgrímskirkja church of Leifur Eiríksson or "Leif the Lucky". Amercians gave us this statue of Leifur Eiríksson. Leifur was the son of Eirik the Red and was born at...

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77.

Perlan - The Pearl Reykjavík

19 Reviews Öskjuhlíð hill is the hill around Perlan - it is a true gem in the middle of Reykjavik and a very popular outdoor area. Reykjavík - and Iceland on the whole - hasn't got many trees or forests so...

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78.

Blue Lagoon Reykjavík

15 Reviews After you go in there are mens and womens changing rooms that are very nice and there are locks on all the lockers and they give you towels and robes. You are required to take a shower naked before...

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79.

Lake Tjornin Reykjavík

21 Reviews Lake Tjornin is a lovely lake right in the center of Reykjavík; it's a natural feature, which has been there since earliest times, and it's a haven for ducks (and other water birds) and those who...

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80.

Golden Circle Tour Reykjavík

13 Reviews It is a circle of sights that is most achievable in one day out of Reykjavik. I did the golden circle and then drove on as far as Hella - this was a perfect distance and amount of sight seeing in one...

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81.

Sólfarið - The Sun Voyager Reykjavík

12 Reviews Reykjavík is surrounded by sea and we have many beautiful waterfronts. The northern waterfront is a popular place for jogging and strolling. From there you have a great view of Esjan, which is...

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82.

Churches Reykjavík

16 Reviews The church at Bessastaðir is right in front of the Presidential residence in Álftanes area. The church is open for visitors. A church was first built there in the year 1000, but the current church...

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83.

National Museum of Iceland Reykjavík

10 Reviews The National Museum conserves a varied selection of relics that testify to the cultural history of the Icelandic nation. It is an extremely interesting museum on 3 floors displaying all kinds of...

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84.

Radhus - City Hall Reykjavík

10 Reviews Our City hall is located in the pond "Tjörnin" really. It was inaugurated on April 14, 1992 and not everybody here was happy about this location and it caused a lot of controversy, but now the nation...

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85.

Harbor Reykjavík

10 Reviews 112 Reykjavík is the postcode for the suburb Grafarvogur "Grave-cove". A part of Grafarvogur is Bryggjuhverfið "Wharf district". It is a quaint little district, really colourful and lovely. I often...

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86.

AlÞingi - Parliament Building Reykjavík

8 Reviews The Parliament building was built in 1881 and the architect was the Danish F. Meldahl. The building was made out of dolerite which was found in Skólavörðuholt a little below where Hallgrímskirkja...

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87.

Geysers Reykjavík

3 Reviews Geysir is another one of the highlights on most people's trip to Iceland. The thousand year old area of Geysir is located at the foot of the Bjarnfell and is dotted with hot springs from which bubbles...

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88.

Laugardalslaug Pool Reykjavík

2 Reviews There is an excellent spa called Laugar Spa next to and connected with one of our swimming pools, Laugardalslaug in Laugardalur valley. In the same building is the fitness center World Class. I have...

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89.

Adalstraeti 10 Reykjavík

3 Reviews Aðalstræti is Reykjavík's oldest street and thus Iceland's oldest street. We believe that the first settler of Iceland, Ingólfur Arnarson lived here. The thing is that when digging for new houses in...

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90.

Whale and Puffin Watching Reykjavík

4 Reviews You don't have to go far to see puffins in Iceland, just pop down to the Reykjavík Old Harbour and hop on the Puffin express which takes you for an hour-ride in the Reykjavík bay to the nearby...

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91.

Free Things To Do. Reykjavík

3 Reviews There are a lot of free things to do in Reykjavík, check out these museum etc. I have added tips on most of these places. The National Gallery of Iceland. This is a museum of contemporary art. Free...

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92.

Reykjavik 871 Reykjavík

5 Reviews During construction for a new hotel in 2001, a Viking-era longhouse was discovered under the streets of Reykjavík, and it has been preserved right where it was found (the hotel was completed,...

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93.

Árbæjarsafn - Reykjavík City Museum. Reykjavík

4 Reviews Árbæjarsafn museum is an open-air museum - it was opened in 1957 and old houses from Reykjavík have been relocated there from the center of Reykjavík - and form a small village. In the summer time...

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94.

Mt. Esjan Reykjavík

2 Reviews Now, Esjan is Reykjavík's mountain and we are proud of it. We have been getting some insults from Icelanders living in other parts of Iceland saying that Esjan is just a hill compared to their...

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95.

Imagine Peace Monument Reykjavík

3 Reviews I arrived in Reyjkavik on October 8th amidst what in my neck of the woods would be called a Nor'easter-gale force winds and torential downpours. Horrific landing and trip to the city from Keflavik....

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96.

Þjóðleikhúsið - National Theater Reykjavík

2 Reviews The beautiful National Theater of Iceland opened on April 20th, 1950. Is has been my all time favourite since I visited it and watched its childrens' plays when I was very young. It is so magical...

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97.

Hofdi House - Höfði House Reykjavík

3 Reviews A bit further east of the Sun Voyager is Höfði House (1909) which is best known amongst foreigners as the meeting place between Presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbatsjov in 1986, the meeting...

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98.

Austurvollur Reykjavík

4 Reviews Reykjavík's main square, Austurvöllur, is located in the heart of the old city, and contains the city's main cathedral and the Parliament building. The square was originally part of the hay fields of...

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99.

Arnarhóll Hill and Settlement Reykjavík

3 Reviews Arnarhóll hill is a small hill in the center of Reykjavík. On top of the hill is a statue of Ingólfur Arnarson, the first settler in Reykjavík. The statue was raised in 1924, by our beloved sculptor,...

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100.

Domkirkja Reykjavík

4 Reviews The majority of the Icelandic nation is of the Lutheran religion. The Lutheran Cathedral is in the very center of Reykjavík, next to the Parliament bulding. The episcopate of Iceland used to be in...

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Árbæjarlaug

by brazwhazz

Reykjavík has many exterior geothermal pools, but Árbæjarlaug is by far our favourite. Located on the outskirts of Reykjavík, this modern complex has, along with the traditional swimming pool, a steam sauna, hot pots, jacuzzi and even a water slide for the kids. An extra incentive to visit this mostly non-touristic spot is the nearby Elliðárdalur Valley with its many walking (and horse-riding) paths and salmon river.Árbæjarlaug is open from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on weekdays at from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (summer) or 8:30 p.m. (winter) on weekends.

A church shaped like an erupting volcano

by brazwhazz

The highest building in Iceland was completed in 1986 - so surely it's some skyscraper or some sort of business centre, you say? On the contrary: it is the Hallgrímskirkja, a geologically-themed church that stands 75 m (244 ft) high.Made of white concrete, its interior is simple, yet elegant, featuring tall white columns. However, the main reason to enter the church is to go up its tower, which probably gives the best views of the city this side of the Perlan restaurant.In front of the church you will find a statue of Leifur Eiríksson, which was donated to Iceland by the United States in 1930 to mark the 1000th anniversary of the Alþing (Icelandic parliament).Hallgrímskirkja is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. As of Jan. 2007, the cost to go up the tower is 350 IKR.

Bláa lónið (Blue Lagoon)

by brazwhazz

Pretty much every organized tour in Iceland will take you there, but if you're travelling on your own, make sure you don't miss this! The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa which was seemingly built in the middle of nowhere (actually, it was built right next to the original, natural blue lagoon where locals used to bathe): if you take time to walk around the pool, you will see volcanic rock all around you. It's a fantastic setting for a fantastic place. Since it's not far from Keflavík Airport, you can even go there between connecting flights with Reykjavík Excursions (visit www.re.is or call 580-5400), a local travel agency.If you get hungry between dips, there is an indoor café as well as an upmarket restaurant specializing in Asian dishes.Blue Lagoon is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with slightly longer hours from mid-May to the end of August (9 a.m. to 9 p.m.). Swimsuits, towels...

An unavoidable stop, for many reasons

by brazwhazz

Perlan (literally, "the pearl") is one of Reykjavík's most striking buildings. You will no doubt see it as you come in the city from Keflavík Airport. Built atop the water tanks that supply Reykjavík's hot water, it is home to an upscale restaurant, an observation deck (with an indoor café, thank goodness), a souvenir shop and the Saga Museum.We skipped the upscale restaurant, but we had breakfast one morning at the observation deck's café. After indulging in some excellent Belgian waffles, we took in breath-taking views of Hallgrímskirkja, Mount Esja behind central Reykjavík, the adorable Kópavogur Church and the wild landscape.The Saga Museum, which we didn't have time to see, contains dioramas of major events in Iceland's history. For more info: http://www.sagamuseum.is/enska/english.html.Everything at Perlan opens at 10 a.m., with the Saga Museum closing at 6 p.m. and the café at 9...

The oldest parliament?

by Rob&Giz

Thingvellir, or the Parliamentary plains, was from 980 AD, till 17something the spot for meetings of the tribe chiefs. They called it the Althing. No idea why they met so far away from Reykjavic. When you shout from the meeting place it echo's over the whole plains. Maybe that was the reason for the meeting location.When you walk over the heights looking down on the small houses you see how big these plains are.

Alltinget - Iceland's parliament

by Saagar

Downtown Reykjavik is an attractive stone building that doesn't appear as most parliament buildings in the world - it is, however, the house of the world's oldest parliament. Well worth taking a look - and chill down with a beer at the Red Chilli restaurant witha view to the Alltinget if it is closed the day you try to gain entry...

Hallgrimskirkja

by Saagar

So many others have written about this magnificient church overlooking Reykjavik, that I leave out details here. However, I will recommend a visit here any time; it's perhaps t h e power place of Reykjavik. It is also a good place to gain an overview of things in Reykjavik if you are on the first walk in town. Easy to find and see - it will be your reference point for the rest of your time in Reykjavik.

The Blue Lagoon

by maryellen50

The Blue Lagoon is perhaps the most supernatural looking body of water on Earth. Descriptions of its waters range everywhere from “the same color as the new Gatorade drink” to “frosty blue.” The temperature averages about 40C (104F), and the soothing, mineral-rich water is rumored to have curative powers. Though the lagoon looks like something born from Iceland’s otherworldly landscape, it is actually man made. It was created by run-off from the Svartsengi power plant, which pumps up the geothermally heated water from a full mile below the surface. After being used to generate both heat and electricity, the excess (which is absolutely clean) is ejected into the lagoon.

Wonderful Icelandic Horses!

by maryellen50

Considered the world's purest breed, Icelandic Horses were brought by Viking ships to serve as the sole source of transportation over Iceland's rough terrain. Isolated by law, nature gifted these horses with no natural predators, but in turn challenged them with sparse forage and a harsh climate. Survivors of this natural selection process, the calm, sure-footed Icelandic Horses learned to stop and think rather than panic and flee.In addition to walk, trot, and canter, Icelandic Horses also tölt, a four-beat running walk that produces fluid, rhythmic, forward movement. Many Icelandic Horses also pace, an exhilarating racing gait which can be performed at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. I did two rides with this company - Ishetar - so I highly recommend them for horseback riding.

Iceland Geysirs

by maryellen50

The Great Geysir has been somewhat shy in recent decades. When Geysir does perform, it lives up to its name, spewing a jet of steaming water 200 feet skyward. A less spectacular geysir is Strokkur (“the churn”), which spouts a 60-100 foot jet about once every five minutes. The geyser area has walking paths that lead past steaming vents and colorful, mineral-rich mud formations. This is part of the Golden Circle tour of the Reykjavik area.

Top 3 Hotels in Reykjavík Region

Castle House Luxury Apartments Reykjavík Region

2 Reviews and 195 Opinions We have just returned from a long weekend break in Reyjavik and thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the...

Hotels in Reykjavík Region

Hilton Reykjavik Nordica Reykjavík

4 Reviews and 608 Opinions I am now staying in this Hilton hotel which was part of the package tour that I booked with...

Hotels in Reykjavík

101 Hotel Reykjavík Region

1 Review and 84 Opinions The 101 hotel is new and designed by the owner. Everything is very modern but warm and each piece of...

Hotels in Reykjavík Region

106 Hotels in Reykjavík Region

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Reviews and photos of Reykjavík Region attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Reykjavík Region sightseeing.

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Questions and Answers

Q: We have 5 days in Iceland starting Jan. 25. What are the top 3 things we should see or do? Interests are nature, photography,...

A: The obvious top couple are the Golden Ring, the Blue Lagoon and the Northern Lights. These can easily be booked by a number of tour companies in Reykjavik. I went with...

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Reykjavík Region Hotels

Reykjavík Region Things to Do

Most Viewed Things to Do in Reykjavík Region

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Árbæjarlaug

A church shaped like an erupting volcano

Bláa lónið (Blue Lagoon)

An unavoidable stop, for many reasons

The oldest parliament?

Alltinget - Iceland's parliament

Hallgrimskirkja

The Blue Lagoon

Wonderful Icelandic Horses!

Iceland Geysirs

Top 3 Hotels in Reykjavík Region

Explore the World

The Place

Experience Reykjavík Region

Things to Do: Cities in Reykjavík Region

Questions and Answers