Iceland · Travel guide

Reykjavik travel guide

Separate a Reykjavík city stay from an Iceland driving itinerary. A compact local day and an outdoor excursion need very different margins for weather and transport. Our suggested approach starts with a city orientation day, then reserves a separate day for a chosen excursion. Keep the order flexible where bookings allow, and do not use an ambitious national route as a substitute for checking each day's conditions.

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Planning your time in Reykjavík

By Outstation · Updated

A suggested route

Use these as separate blocks, then adapt them to your dates and interests. They are planning suggestions, not confirmed bookings.

  1. A city orientation day

    Choose a central walk, a museum or indoor stop, and a meal near the route. Keep an indoor alternative for the walking block. A relaxed first day is useful after an overnight flight and before a long driving day.

  2. One excursion

    Choose a tour or a driving loop that fits the season and your group's comfort. Read the pickup, equipment, and cancellation instructions before booking. Do not add a second remote outing just because two sights appear close on a national map.

  3. A flexible final block

    Use spare time for a local visit or a previously postponed activity. Keep airport departure travel protected. A forecast-dependent experience is a poor last-minute anchor if a delay would jeopardize your flight.

Choose a base

For a city stay, compare the accommodation's walking routes and tour pickup instructions. For a road trip, also check parking and the practical departure route. Confirm whether a tour collects from the accommodation or from a designated stop. Airport arrival, luggage, and check-in should be accounted for before a first-day excursion.

The tradeoff

A guided excursion reduces the need to handle the driving yourself; self-driving allows more choice but still depends on roads, weather, and your ability. Do not promise a particular outdoor sighting. If the trip is short, a Reykjavík base with one outing may be more practical than frequent overnight moves.

Before you book

  • Check Safetravel's current alerts and road information before outdoor travel.
  • Check the weather again on the day; an itinerary is not a conditions report.
  • Verify pickup points, equipment, and operator advice for the specific activity.

Sources and current details

Our route choices are suggestions. Use the sources below for destination information and verify date-sensitive details with the operator. Sources checked on . How we prepare our content.

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Top experiences

What to do in Reykjavik

Places suggested in Outstation’s featured plans for Reykjavik. Inclusion in a plan does not mean a completed visit or a personal recommendation.

  1. Bara Borgarnes in Reykjavikrestaurant01 / 🍽️

    restaurant

    Bara Borgarnes

    Borgarnes' most popular **bar and restaurant** — rated 4.9 and a genuine local favourite. A relaxed atmosphere perfect for a well-deserved end-of-ring-road dinner. The menu includes **lamb, fish, and burger options** that can easily be made dairy-free.

    Brákarbraut 3, 310 Borgarnes, Iceland

    Show on Google Maps ↗
  2. Chickpea in Reykjavikrestaurant02 / 🍽️

    restaurant

    Chickpea

    Reykjavik's highest-rated **plant-based restaurant** (4.9 stars), serving creative, flavour-packed vegan dishes in a casual setting — fully dairy-free by nature. The **falafel wrap and the chickpea curry** are signature dishes beloved by locals and travellers alike. Perfect final lunch.

    Entrance from Ingólfsstræti, Hallveigarstigur 1, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

    Show on Google Maps ↗
  3. Dettifoss in Reykjavikattraction03 / 📸

    attraction

    Dettifoss

    **Europe's most powerful waterfall** — the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river thunders 44m into the Jokulsargljúmur canyon at 200 cubic metres per second. The roar and mist are felt long before you see it. This is Iceland at its most elemental and untamed.

    Dettifoss, 671, Iceland

    Show on Google Maps ↗
  4. Dettifoss (West Side) in Reykjavikattraction04 / 📸

    attraction

    Dettifoss (West Side)

    The **western viewpoint** of Dettifoss offers a dramatically different perspective — you can get much closer to the falls here, with the full force of the water visible from a rocky ledge. Look upstream for views of the gorge and downstream for the canyon carved by millennia of erosion.

    671, Iceland

    Show on Google Maps ↗
  5. Diamond Beach in Reykjavikattraction05 / 📸

    attraction

    Diamond Beach

    Just across Route 1 from Jökulsárlón, this **black sand beach** is where icebergs wash ashore and shimmer like diamonds against the dark volcanic sand. In June's long light, the photographic conditions are extraordinary at any hour. Seals are often spotted here too.

    Diamond Beach, 781, Iceland

    Show on Google Maps ↗
  6. Earth Lagoon Mývatn in Reykjavikactivity06 / 🎯

    activity

    Earth Lagoon Mývatn

    A **geothermal bathing lagoon** carved into an ancient lava field near Mývatn, fed by natural hot springs at 36–40°C. Far less crowded than the Blue Lagoon but equally magical, with views over the volcanic landscape. The milky blue-green water glows in the evening light.

    Jarðbaðshólar, 660 Mývatn, Iceland

    Show on Google Maps ↗
  7. Earth Lagoon Mývatn in Reykjavikactivity07 / 🎯

    activity

    Earth Lagoon Mývatn

    Return for an **evening soak** in Mývatn's geothermal lagoon — this time in the golden glow of the midnight sun light filtering over the lava fields. Temperatures are perfect at 36–40°C and the evening crowds are far thinner than midday sessions.

    Jarðbaðshólar, 660 Mývatn, Iceland

    Show on Google Maps ↗
  8. Garðurinn in Reykjavikrestaurant08 / 🍽️

    restaurant

    Garðurinn

    A beloved **plant-based restaurant** on Klapparstígur in central Reykjavik — one of the city's highest-rated eateries (4.9 stars). **100% dairy-free** by nature. Try the daily soup and the signature veggie bowl after a long day on the road.

    Klapparstígur 37, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

    Show on Google Maps ↗
  9. Geysir Hot Springs in Reykjavikattraction09 / 📸

    attraction

    Geysir Hot Springs

    The original **geyser** that gave its name to all geysers worldwide. The active **Strokkur** erupts every 5–10 minutes shooting boiling water 15–40m into the air — utterly mesmerising. The entire area is a geothermal wonderland of bubbling mud pots and steaming vents.

    333, 806, Iceland

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  10. Goðafoss in Reykjavikattraction10 / 📸

    attraction

    Goðafoss

    The **'Waterfall of the Gods'** — a broad, shallow horseshoe arc where the Skjálfandaflfjót river drops 12m in a spectacular 30m-wide fan. In June the surrounding cliffs are carpeted in green and the white water glows brilliantly against the clear sky. One of Iceland's most photogenic waterfalls.

    MCMX+4W7, 645 Fossholl, Iceland

    Show on Google Maps ↗
  11. Grjótagjá in Reykjavikattraction11 / 📸

    attraction

    Grjótagjá

    A **geothermal lava cave** with a steaming turquoise hot spring inside — made world-famous by its appearance in **Game of Thrones** Season 3. The cave water is now too hot for bathing (50°C+), but it's one of Iceland's most atmospheric places just to witness.

    J4G8+GQX, 660 Reykjahlíð, Iceland

    Show on Google Maps ↗
  12. Gullfoss Waterfall in Reykjavikattraction12 / 📸

    attraction

    Gullfoss Waterfall

    Iceland's most powerful waterfall — the **'Golden Falls'** — crashes in two tiers into a 70m deep canyon, sending permanent rainbows drifting through the mist. The roar is heard from the car park. In June, the snowmelt swells the Hvítá River to its most dramatic volume.

    Gullfoss Nature Reserve, 35, 846, Iceland

    Show on Google Maps ↗

Itineraries

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