In spite of some stories saying that the city has legendary nightlife, Reykjavik should primarily looked at as the place to start and end your Iceland visit, rather than the focus of it. The rest of the island is as magical as any place on earth and you should absolutely visit if you can.
In such an unusual country, it’s natural to want to see what the capital and largest city looks like, so spending a day or two here is a good idea if you have the time. If you are short on time you can skip it entirely and focus on the natural sights and oddities.
Reykjavik itself is a somewhat charming small city and you’ll enjoy a short visit here, but it’s important to see as much as you can of the rest of the island as well.
| Population | 120,000 |
| Area | 200,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+0 |
| Currency | Iceland kronur |
Reykjavik is a historic port city and fishing area, so taking a tour of the town is worthwhile.
The Hallgrímskirkja church is by far the tallest structure in the city and the best place to take a photo from its easily accessible observation deck.
Most people only stay in the city for a day or two and then they circle the island in a bus or a rental car. Once outside Reykjavik prices do ease a bit, but the whole experience is so amazing that it’s hard to feel bad if you can afford it somehow.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 23.44 - 43.95 |
| 44.22 - 84.19 |
| 59.16 - 165.11 |
| 128.42 - 184.74 |
| 37.36 - 391.19 |
Hotel Reykjavik Centrum Doubles from €120/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central 3-star hotel in Reykjavik |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 16.05 - 36.66 |
Reykjavik Hostel Village Beds from €26/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central hostel in Reykjavik |
Food is quite expensive, as is any kind of alcohol. Think about the duty free shop on your way in and start off in your hotel room.
| Budget breakfast | Breakfast will likely be included with your hotel. If not fast food is your best budget option. | $6.01 - $11.35 |
| Budget lunch | Hot dogs are excellent, fairly cheap, and abundant in Reykjavik, but other casual choices are there. | $7.33 - $12.82 |
| Budget dinner | If you want a proper sit-down meal the Icelandic cuisine tends to be pricey. Thai and other international options are cheaper. | $16.12 - $24.17 |
| Beer (pint) | Look for happy hour deals or you'll pay at the top of this range. | $5.27 - $9.52 |
| Pizza for one | Many places serve really good small pizzas that are worthwhile. | $14.65 - $17.58 |
The hop-on, hop-off tour of Reykjavik is a good way to see more than just the small historic center, although there aren’t many notable highlights outside of that area.
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35 | 27 | 3.0 |
| February | 37 | 28 | 2.8 |
| March | 38 | 28 | 3.2 |
| April | 42 | 33 | 2.3 |
| May | 49 | 39 | 1.7 |
| June | 53 | 44 | 2.0 |
| July | 56 | 47 | 2.0 |
| August | 55 | 46 | 2.4 |
| September | 50 | 41 | 2.6 |
| October | 44 | 36 | 2.4 |
| November | 38 | 30 | 2.9 |
| December | 36 | 27 | 3.1 |
Even though winter temperatures in Reykjavík aren’t nearly as cold as most people would expect for a place near the Arctic Circle, it’s still not a good time to come. It can be very windy and the days are very short, even if you don’t get great snow pile-ups. Summer is the best time to come, of course, with warm days and reasonable nights. Spring and fall are fine as long as you are dressed properly.
| 21 Mar | 7:26am | 7:46pm |
| 21 Jun | 2:25am | 12:04am |
| 21 Sep | 7:08am | 7:33pm |
| 21 Dec | 11:22am | 3:29pm |
Hotels in Reykjavik can actually be reasonably priced if you shop early to find a good deal, or if you come outside of the main tourist season in summer. Shared bathrooms are pretty much the norm all over Iceland in the budget category, and you rarely even get a sink in the room, so get used to that. There are a few hostels in Reykjavik as well, which can keep from exploding your budget. Take note of the fact that most of the cheaper hotels and hostels are actually some distance from the city proper, so they may not be ideal even if they are cheap.
Hotels in Reykjavik generally consider the period between May and September to be the high season, though prices can be even higher in June and July. Many hotels drop their prices significantly during the rest of the year, so if the midnight sun isn’t important to you then you can save money coming between October and April.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| 23.44 - 43.95 |
| 44.22 - 84.19 |
| 59.16 - 165.11 |
| 128.42 - 184.74 |
| 37.36 - 391.19 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 16.05 - 36.66 |
All visitors will arrive through Keflavík International Airport, which is about 50 kilometers southwest of Reykjavik. It’s a very modern airport with plenty of services. Buses from the airport into Reykjavik run frequently.
Rental cars directly from the airport are a popular way of avoiding the higher hotel prices of the city and going directly to the scenery instead.
The central shopping and historic district of Reykjavik is flat and small so it’s easily walkable for most visitors. Taxis are available, although fairly expensive.
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 109.88 |
| FlyBus from airport to city center | 21.61 |
| 3km taxi ride in Reykjavik | 9.52 - 13.92 |
| Bus ride in Reykjavik | 3.30 |
| One day bus and museum pass | 25.64 |
| Weekly car rental (high season) | 439.53 - 879.06 |