10 Best places to visit in Reykjavik- The Capital of Iceland!

Best places to visit in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland-The land of fire and ice. Reykjavik is home to many famous monuments, national museums with a rich history of the Vikings. With the famous settlements of the Icelanders that dates back centuries, Reykjavik is also home to beautiful mountain and sea views and the world-famous geothermal pool – The Blue Lagoon! Let’s know more about the 10 best places to visit in Reykjavik.

10 Best places to visit in Reykjavik that will sweep you off your feet!

1. Hallgrimskirkja Church
2. Laugardalslaug Thermal bath
3. Mount Esja
4. Bruarfoss Waterfall
5. Sun Voyager
6. Grotta Lighthouse
7. Aurora Reykjavik
8. Perlan
9. National Museum of Iceland
10. Whales of Iceland Exhibition

1. Hallgrimskirkja Church

Hallgrimskirkja Church is the largest church in Iceland that stands tall at a height of 244 feet. This church is one of the most famous attractions of Iceland. You can view this tower from any part of the city. Did you know that this church took 41 long years to complete the construction? The work was started in the year 1945 and was completed by 1986. The interior of this church spans to a height of 18,070 feet which makes it the largest church in the country.

Though it was initially very controversial and criticised for being built in an old fashioned structure, as years passed it became the most popular attraction in Iceland and is still used as an observation tower too. This is definitely one of the 10 best places to visit in Reykjavik! So when you plan your trip to Iceland, do not forget to visit this architectural marvel.

Opening hours of the Church

October to April- 9 AM to 5 PM

May to September- 9 AM to 9 PM

2. Laugardalslaug Thermal bath

As a result of natural occurrences and formations, Iceland has the most thermal baths. So just know that Iceland is famous for geothermal sea baths, hot springs, geysers and glaciers. When you visit Iceland, you can never miss out on a hot and relaxing bath in any one of these. Laugardalslaug in Reykjavik is a large public complex that includes a 50-metre swimming pool and many public baths. There are also many hot bath options in various temperatures for the convenience of tourists. Constructed in the year 1958, it was later expanded to a bigger size as the popularity and tourists rate was increasing. This public bath also stands as one of the top 10 places to visit in Reykjavik! The light blue waters contain plenty of minerals and salts making the bath a healthy one too.

How much does the ticket cost?

For adults- 1060 ISK (624 INR)

For children- 165 ISK (97.5 INR)

3. Mount Esja

Mount Esja, most commonly known as Esjan is one of the famous attractions in Reykjavik. This massive mountain range spans to a height of 3000 feet and is made up of ice, dust, lava and tuff. It is a very popular destination for mountain climbers, trekkers and hikers. Also, people who love adventurous activities should definitely give it a try climbing these mountain ranges. They are actually volcanic mountain ranges that erupted and when hot lava and magma gushed out of the volcano, they eventually cooled down and thus formed the Esjan ranges. And this clearly states the reasons why someone should go visit the gigantic mountain ranges because it will surely win your heart! One of the top famous 10 places to visit in Reykjavik!

How much time does it take to climb up the mountain range?

Around 2 to 4 hours depending upon the person.

4. Bruarfoss Waterfall – Why is Bruarfoss so beautiful?

Because we are exploring Iceland to a greater extent, it is good to know that they have amazingly beautiful waterfalls. As a result, we can surely say that Dettifoss is one of the most elegant waterfalls in Reykjavik. Bruarfoss means Bridge waterfall because it flows through a bridge and drops from a height of 30 feet. The flowing glacial water is the reason for this falls to be so pretty, therefore, we can know where it gets its blue colour waters from. As a result of cold waters flowing with string currents, people are not allowed to swim here because it might turn into a dangerous one at any time. So, this is one of the most beautiful and breathtaking falls in Reykjavik. As a result, this is one of the10 best places to visit in Reykjavik because you can spend hours together just by admiring its beauty!

5. Sun Voyager – Uniqueness of Reykjavik

Sun Voyager is a stainless steel sculpture that is located on the outskirts of the city Reykjavik. In a competition that was conducted to choose the best sculpture to celebrate the city’s 200th anniversary, Sun Voyager won the competition and as a result, it was unveiled on August 18, 1990, marking the city’s 200th birthday. This is one of the most unique structures in Reykjavik that makes it so special. As a result, it also became popular because of the controversies that were starting to roam around. Do you wish to see this beautiful piece of art that the city treasures? It is definitely close to heart and one of the 10 best places to visit in Reykjavik.

6. Grotta Lighthouse

Grotta Lighthouse in Reykjavik is one of the rare attractions. Grotta, an island, is famous for the settlements of Icelanders during war times. It is located in a very isolated area and on a high rock. Because of its sophisticated location, it also became a very popular spot for viewing the Aurora Northern Lights. As a result, when the tides are low, people come here in groups to admire the beauty of the island and the Aurora lights too. If you can view the whole sea, Northern lights and the calming ocean tides together from one place, how can you miss it? Absolutely one of the 10 best places to visit in Reykjavik!

Best time for visiting the lighthouse?

Any time of the year during the evenings (from 5 PM onwards)

7. Aurora Reykjavik- The best thing about Reykjavik

Yes! We have finally arrived at the best thing about Iceland! Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights can be viewed from Reykjavik! Because of the perfect location and viewpoints, Reykjavik is one of the best places to view the Aurora lights. When the sky is dark and clear, all you have to do is to find a good spot and wait till you get to see the Aurora lights. People who visit Iceland never come back without witnessing this exceptional beauty that nature has to give you! Hands down, one of the 10 best places to visit in Reykjavik. Let us know more about the viewpoints.

Where can you view the Aurora Borealis in Reykjavik?

From Grotta island lighthouse – Observation Point

Reykjavik Downtown

Best months to view the Aurora Lights?

September to April are the best months and days that are close to a New Moon because the nights are darker and clearer during winters.

8. Perlan

Perlan is something very special that belongs to Iceland. Before Iceland was developed, it was just huge tanks of hot water that was used for the Icelanders. Later it was converted into a beautiful building and was opened to the public. It gets its name Perlan (Pearl) because of its perfect dome-shaped structure. It includes an observation deck, a restaurant and an exhibition. The exhibition’s purpose is to educate the people about the History of Iceland and how Iceland was formed and developed. It also has a planetarium that conducts shows about nature and our solar system. In the restaurant, you can try authentic cuisine of Iceland and continental foods. This is so special that it is one of the best places to visit in Reykjavik and learn more about the city and the country.

How much does the ticket cost to visit Perlan?

The average cost is 490 ISK (288 INR)

9. National Museum of Iceland

The National Museum of Iceland is a pride to the whole country. It was established on February 24, 1863, with a curator that had collections of arts by various artisans. You can spend hours together in this museum looking at the valour and history of the country. One of the most unique pieces in this museum is a carving of a knight slaying a dragon with his sword and freeing a lion therefore the lion becomes his friend. Our list of the best places to visit in Reykjavik definitely includes this.

What is the cost of the ticket to National Museum Of Iceland?

Adults- 2000 ISK (1178 INR)

Children below 17 – Free

Students- 1000 ISK (589 INR)

10. Whales of Iceland

As a result of being the world’s best place to whale watch, Reykjavik is also home to the largest Whale Exhibition in Europe. In this museum, you can see 23 hand-painted life-size models of different species of whales. The museum has real-time audio of underwater sounds and the noises that whales make therefore it gives you an experience for a lifetime. They also educate you about the cetaceans and you are free to touch the models and observe their huge structure! Thus completing our best places to visit in Reykjavik with such a unique place in the country!

So why wait? Go and explore. Do check out Pickyourtrail for more such wonderful offers and deals! You are free to do the quick groundwork and customise your Iceland trip on your own! How cool is that? Do visit the Reykjavik and Reykjavik tour packages page to know more about Reykjavik!

checkout other places to visit in iceland

21 Places to See Northern Lights | Best Places to See Northern Lights in Iceland | Iceland’s Most Instagrammable Spots | Top 10 Icelandic Hot Springs | 10 Best Lakes in Iceland | 10 Best Museums in Iceland | Ice Caves in Iceland | Travel to the Blue Lagoon | Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon | Elephant Rock Iceland | Explore Vatnajokull National Park