About

About ULTIMATE Reykjavík City Guide

ULTIMATE Reykjavík City Guide is an independent guide for visitors to Reykjavík, Iceland. We publish 14 curated lists: restaurants, cafés, bars, hotels, sights, arts & culture, outdoors, walks, shopping, health, property, developments, driving & tours and getting around. We cover the old centre (Miðborg), the Old Harbour and Grandi, Hlíðar and Öskjuhlíð, Laugardalur, Vesturbær, Seltjarnarnes and Kópavogur with Hafnarfjörður, with day trips to the Golden Circle, the Blue Lagoon and Reykjanes, the south coast and Snæfellsnes.

Our editor

Jai Michael is Editor-in-Chief of the ULTIMATE City Guides. With more than 25 years in the media industry, he founded ABSOLUTE brighton and London TV, and has worked with leading luxury brands around the world.

How we choose

Every place in our lists has been checked against its own website or an official source such as Visit Reykjavík, the City of Reykjavík, Safetravel (ICE-SAR), the Icelandic Met Office, the Icelandic Road Administration, Isavia, Neyðarlínan (112), Registers Iceland or The MICHELIN Guide. MICHELIN stars are quoted only from the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Nordic Countries. We use no ratings, and we leave out anything we can’t confirm.

Before you go

Opening hours, weather and road conditions change often in Iceland, sometimes within the day. Please check directly with each place, and with safetravel.is, vedur.is and umferdin.is, before you travel. Prices are in Icelandic krónur (ISK).

For venues

Run a venue in Reykjavík and spotted something to update? We review our lists regularly and welcome corrections.

Photo credits

• A turf-roofed timber church at the Árbær Open Air Museum, by Ymblanter, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The coast and village of Arnarstapi from the air, below the mountains, by Steinninn, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The great Klais organ above the west door of Hallgrímskirkja, by Manuelarosi, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hallgrímskirkja rising over Reykjavík at sunset, seen from Perlan, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The northern lights over the Sun Voyager and the bay at Reykjavík, by john.purvis, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A fireside lounge with red banquettes and lantern lights at The Reykjavik EDITION, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• The milky-blue water of the Blue Lagoon among the lava, below Þorbjörn, by Jakub Hałun, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The white Art Deco façade of Hotel Borg on Austurvöllur, by TommyBee, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The black church of Búðir behind its lava-stone wall, with Snæfellsjökull beyond, by Bernd Thaller, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A yellow Strætó bus on Vonarstræti in central Reykjavík, by Raf24~commonswiki, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Blue banquettes and a pastry counter in the lobby lounge of The Reykjavik EDITION, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• Kirkjufell mirrored in still water by Grundarfjörður, by Ivars Krutainis krutainis, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Oslo Christmas tree lit on Austurvöllur beside Reykjavík Cathedral, by Helgi Halldórsson from Reykjavík, Iceland, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Reykjavík City Hall and the old houses reflected in the still Tjörnin, by Ziko van Dijk, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Cruise ships at Reykjavík’s harbour, seen from Viðey, by Slawojar, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Gullfoss falling into its canyon, with a rainbow in the spray, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Cruise ships at Reykjavík’s harbour, seen from Viðey, by Slawojar, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A tug passing the harbour light at Reykjavík, with Mount Esja under the clouds, by Gordon Leggett, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Tables among the tomato vines in the Friðheimar greenhouse, by Pierre-Selim Huard, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Strokkur erupting in low sun in the Haukadalur geothermal field, by Andreas Tille, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Grótta lighthouse at low tide, at the tip of Seltjarnarnes, by Olga Ernst, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Gullfoss falling into its canyon, with a rainbow in the spray, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Hafnarhús, the Reykjavík Art Museum’s harbour building on Tryggvagata, by TommyBee, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hallgrímskirkja rising over Reykjavík at sunset, seen from Perlan, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The great Klais organ above the west door of Hallgrímskirkja, by Manuelarosi, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The tall white nave and lancet windows of Hallgrímskirkja, by Prosthetic Head, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Boats in the Old Harbour of Reykjavík on a still day, with Harpa behind, by Aapo Haapanen from Tampere, Finland, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Harpa’s glass façade beyond the boats of the Old Harbour, by Aapo Haapanen from Tampere, Finland, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The milky-blue water of the Blue Lagoon among the lava, below Þorbjörn, by Jakub Hałun, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden sand of Nauthólsvík geothermal beach from the air, with Perlan on the hill behind, by Berserkur, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The white timber house of Höfði on the Reykjavík shore, by Rob Young from United Kingdom, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Reykjavík at sunset from Perlan, with the spire of Hallgrímskirkja against the bay and the mountains, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Reykjavík at sunset from Perlan, with the spire of Hallgrímskirkja against the bay, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur stand dressed for Christmas in the December snow, by Bryan Ledgard, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The penthouse dining room of The Reykjavik EDITION, with the harbour lit at dusk beyond the windows, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• The penthouse dining room of The Reykjavik EDITION, with the harbour lit at dusk beyond the windows, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• The beam of the Imagine Peace Tower rising from Viðey at night, by Helgi Halldórsson from Reykjavík, Iceland, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The blue lake in the red crater of Kerið, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Kirkjufell mirrored in still water by Grundarfjörður, by Ivars Krutainis krutainis, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden sand of Nauthólsvík geothermal beach from the air, with Perlan on the hill behind, by Berserkur, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Sundhöll Reykjavíkur, one of the city’s geothermal pools, by Akigka, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Cafés and shops along the rainbow street of Skólavörðustígur, off Laugavegur, by Holger Uwe Schmitt, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The penthouse dining room of The Reykjavik EDITION, with the harbour lit at dusk beyond the windows, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• The painted rainbow street of Skólavörðustígur, leading up to Hallgrímskirkja, by Holger Uwe Schmitt, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The white National Gallery of Iceland across the Tjörnin, by Richard N Horne, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The National Museum of Iceland on Suðurgata, with its banners, by Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden sand of Nauthólsvík geothermal beach from the air, with Perlan on the hill behind, by Berserkur, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Canal houses and bridges in Amsterdam, by Michielverbeek, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Alhambra in Granada in the evening light, by Jebulon, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos Hill, by Giles Laurent, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The pink sand beach of Harbour Island, the Bahamas, by Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open sea, by Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Grand Palace reflected at dawn, by Nawit science, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. James, by Barry haynes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sagrada Família lit up at night, by Maksim Sokolov, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunset, photo: © ULTIMATE International Media.
• The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin against a blue sky, by Berthold Werner, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Royal Pavilion in Brighton under a blue sky, by Qmin, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Romanian Athenaeum in its garden, by Jorge Franganillo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the Danube, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coast, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro, by Gzzz, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hour, by Robert Bock, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A schooner silhouetted against the sunset off Key West, by Joe Parks from Berkeley, CA, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es Vedrà, by Beni Marull, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Baie des Anges, Nice, by Tobi 87, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini caldera, by Norbert Nagel, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Helsinki Cathedral above the South Harbour, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria Peak, by Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sun, by Charles from Port Chester, New York, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hagia Sophia and its minarets in golden evening light, by Nserrano, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Varenna on Lake Como, by Daniel Case, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Las Vegas Strip at dusk, by Dietmar Rabich, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Congress Square, Ljubljana, with the castle on its hill behind, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower lit at dusk across the Thames, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Downtown Los Angeles at sunset beneath the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains, by Alek Leckszas, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran Vía, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la Mar, by Enric, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the Maldives, by Luka Peternel, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Valletta’s honey-coloured skyline, with the dome of the Carmelite church and the spire of St Paul’s, above the harbour at sunset, by Olga Prystai, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Yachts in Puerto Banús, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, Menorca, by Markus Trienke, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, by Robbschultz69, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Duomo di Milano and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on the Piazza del Duomo, by kuhnmi, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountains, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbour, by iMahesh, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Sunset at the Naples Pier, by pmarkham, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The New York City skyline from Top of the Rock, by Dillan Payne, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Eiffel Tower seen from the Trocadéro in Paris, by Chabe01, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Millennium Bridge over the Morača, by Desemeus, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, by Berthold Werner, edit by Böhringer, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peak, by Kabelleger / David Gubler, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Church of St John at Kaneo above Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Reykjavík and Mount Esja from Hallgrímskirkja, by Jakub Hałun, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• St Peter’s Basilica in Rome under a clear blue sky, by Alvesgaspar, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery Spencer, by Christoph Strässler, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sebilj fountain and the square of Baščaršija, by Yukof, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu River, by King of Hearts, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The towers of the Central Business District lit up at night, reflected in Marina Bay, by Bijay Chaurasia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Matterhorn in winter above Zermatt, by JoachimKohler-HB, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Warrior on a Horse fountain in Macedonia Square, Skopje, lit at night, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, under a pink evening sky, by Jose Ligero Loarte, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, Kandy, by Daniel Liabeuf, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed Pitons, by xiquinhosilva, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats on West Railay beach beneath the limestone cliffs, by Krzysztof Golik, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The restored Pyramid of Tirana under a blue sky, by BBB2021, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’Orcia, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Calatrava’s Hemisfèric lit at twilight, reflected in its pool, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Grand Canal and Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, by Irin Acassi, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The tiled roof of St Stephen’s Cathedral and the rooftops of central Vienna, by Dietmar Rabich, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• St Mark's Church and its tiled roof on St Mark's Square, Zagreb's Upper Town, by Jorge Láscar from Australia, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Boats in the Old Harbour of Reykjavík on a still day, with Harpa behind, by Aapo Haapanen from Tampere, Finland, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Reykjavík City Hall and the old houses reflected in the still Tjörnin, by Ziko van Dijk, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Sundhöll Reykjavíkur, one of the city’s geothermal pools, by Akigka, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The penthouse dining room of The Reykjavik EDITION, with the harbour lit at dusk beyond the windows, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• A fireside lounge with red banquettes and lantern lights at The Reykjavik EDITION, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• The dark timber façade and lit entrance of The Reykjavik EDITION at dusk, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• Blue banquettes and a pastry counter in the lobby lounge of The Reykjavik EDITION, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• A guest room at The Reykjavik EDITION, with wool throws and the harbour through the window, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• The white façade of Matur og Drykkur by the Old Harbour, with its name painted on the wall, photo: Courtesy of Matur og Drykkur.
• The open kitchen and counter seats of the restaurant at The Reykjavik EDITION, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• Reykjavík at sunset from Perlan, with the spire of Hallgrímskirkja against the bay and the mountains, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Light falling through the roof of the Raufarhólshellir lava tunnel, by Jakub Hałun, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Reykjavík at sunset from Perlan, with the spire of Hallgrímskirkja against the bay, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The open kitchen and counter seats of the restaurant at The Reykjavik EDITION, photo: Courtesy of The Reykjavik EDITION.
• Reykjanes lighthouse on its hill above the geothermal fields of the peninsula, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The black sand of Reynisfjara and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks, by Frerk Meyer from Buchholz in der Nordheide, Niedersachsen, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Reykjavík’s coloured roofs from the tower of Hallgrímskirkja, with the bay and Mount Esja beyond, by Jakub Hałun, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Seljalandsfoss seen from the cave behind the falls, at sunset, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Grótta lighthouse at low tide, at the tip of Seltjarnarnes, by Olga Ernst, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The painted rainbow street of Skólavörðustígur, leading up to Hallgrímskirkja, by Holger Uwe Schmitt, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Skógafoss pouring over the green cliffs into a cloud of spray, by Martin Falbisoner, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The painted rainbow street of Skólavörðustígur, leading up to Hallgrímskirkja, by Holger Uwe Schmitt, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The ice cap of Snæfellsjökull seen from Hellnar, by Chmee2/Valtameri, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The white façade of Sundhöll Reykjavíkur, the city’s pool of 1937, by Akigka, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sun Voyager sculpture on the Reykjavík shore under the northern lights, by john.purvis, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The path through the Almannagjá rift at Þingvellir, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Skaters on the frozen Tjörnin in winter light, with City Hall on the right, by Anthony Inswasty, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A yellow Strætó bus on Vonarstræti in central Reykjavík, by Raf24~commonswiki, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The National Museum of Iceland on Suðurgata, with its banners, by Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The grassy hill of Viðey, with Reykjavík harbour across the water, by Slawojar, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The church at Vík under the green northern lights in winter, by AstroAnthony, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The painted rainbow street of Skólavörðustígur, leading up to Hallgrímskirkja, by Holger Uwe Schmitt, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A humpback whale blowing in Faxaflói Bay, with the mountains beyond, by Jakub Hałun, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.