I love Reykjavik and have been there seven times now with my wife, Leashia. [2009, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2024]. We returned in 2025 to see in the new year [again] which was another wonderful experience.
If you have never been to Iceland before you need to be prepared for extreme and sudden changes in weather. I have tips on airport transfers, car hire, what to wear and lots more HERE.
Oh yes- Icelandic music is great too- click HERE to find out more.
Things to see and do in Reykjavik.
Reykjavik is not a big city but is charming and there is plenty to see and do. There are wonderful Museums, record shops, pubs and great restaurants. It’s an expensive city so I have a page dedicated to things to see and do for free where I also have info on suggested walks. If you are staying in Reykjavik for a few days and have not had time to sort out an agenda, you should take a peek at my 4 Day Itinerary.
The Fly Over Iceland attraction near the Old Harbour has been getting good reviews so on a recent visit to Reykjavik Leashia and I gave it a go.
Our verdict- It was fun but the ride itself lasted only a few minutes and the short films that that you watch before the actual ride were well presented but were clearly aimed at kids. So do it if you want an Epcot style theme park ride, but we preferred a walk around Tjornin.
This show is also near the Old Harbour. It advertises itself as ‘the only live lava show in the world’, but the same company also has a similar show in Vik on the south coast so I am not sure what that’s about! The show lasts about an hour and is very enjoyable and educational and yes, you do get to see real molten lava.
| Click on the links at the bottom of this page for more info on exploring Reykjavik- things to see and do, Museums, excursions, eating and drinking and lots more. |
THERMAL POOLS in Reykjavik
There are several options if you want to take a dip in a hot [or cold] thermal pool in Reykjavik and they are not all expensive. Click HERE and you will be taken to my page on Bathing in Reykjavik.
The Northern Lights
You have a chance of seeing the lights anytime between the autumn and spring in Iceland. You need to be somewhere dark and cloudless sky for the best chances of spotting the aurora. There are apps that are pretty good at predicting the lights- see my practicalities page for more info. You can book a Northern Lights excursion of course but you could also head to a park [Klambratún is a good one that is central].
Grotta Lighthouse is about 6km northish of the city and is a popular spot for Aurora watching and is easy to get to if you have a car and there is a car park. You can also get bus 25 which takes you pretty near but the last bus back is before midnight, so you need to bear that in mind. When we visited we grabbed a Hopp scooter to get there, saw a lovely display and still managed to get the last bus back into the city. The aurora photos above were taken at Grotta in January 2026.
Grunty notes- The aurora often looks more vibrant on camera. Please don’t get taken in by all of the amazing aurora photos that are splashed over the interweb- they have often been heavily tweaked.
OUTSIDE REYKJAVIK
Reykjavik is the perfect base to get beyond the city and explore-
The Golden Circle is a short drive away where you will find the mesmerising Geysir. Reykjanes Peninsular, where you can visit the site of the recent volcanic eruption and The Blue Lagoon. The road east of Reykjavik with its stunning scenery and beautiful glaciers and waterfalls are all within reach.
The road East of Reykjavik is wonderful- see photos below.
It’s bloody expensive of course but there are a few ways to keep the prices at a near sensible level. Read on, I have some tips for you – Just click on the links below…..
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