As you might know, Reykjavík is where around the 60% of the population in Iceland lives. However, if you come from a big city, Reykjavík will look quite small for you 😜
Below I will show you some of the best places to visit in 1 day in the Icelandic capital!
BEST PLACES TO VISIT -
Hallgrimskirkja
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Did you know that the design of Hallgrimskirkja is inspired in Iceland's nature? You will know what I talk about when you see your first basalt columns while travelling around Iceland!
Hallgrimskirkja is the most popular cathedral of Iceland, with a good reason, and you can visit the inside for free!
This is also Reykjavík's highest building and you can access the cathedral’s top to see the views (requires a payment of 1.300isk p/p).
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Harpa & Sun Voyager
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Harpa is the Concert Hall and Conference Centre in Reykjavík. The design of the building is quite impressive full of reflective crystals, sometimes showing different colors.
I would recommend to walk along the promenade around the sea shore where you can admire the Mount Esja by the other side of the fjord and you will see the Sun Voyager sculpture which symbolizes a Viking Boat.
This is a popular place to come to see the Northern Lights, too!
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Laugavegur (downtown)
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To walk around Laugavegur Street in the centre of the city is a must when staying in Reykjavík!
Get lost exploring the souvenir shops, artisanal and local stores, coffees, and, of course, stop by the Rainbow Street! 🌈
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Harbour
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If you have enough time during your visit to Reykjavík, you should definitely walk along the harbor, and explore the multiple good restaurants around the area. A good recommendation is Kopar, known for its good food quality and service.
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Panoramic View in Perlan
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For the best panoramic viewpoint, go to Perlan!
Perlan has diverse exhibitions about Iceland's nature, Northern Lights, Ice, etc. In addition to that, there is a souvenir shop, restaurants and, on the top, you'll find a panoramic view of Reykjavík and Kópavogur.
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The Pond (Tjörnin)
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This is a green area in the middle of the city with a large pond. A perfect place to relax (in a sunny day).
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Grótta Lighthouse
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This is Reykjavík's Lighthouse and it's just 5 minutes driving from the city center (around 45 minutes by foot).
During the Northern Lights season, this is a popular place to see the Lights as it's further from the light pollution. However, I must say that you can see the Northern Lights from the city center, too!
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WHAT TO DO -
FlyOver Iceland
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FlyOver Iceland is a thematic attraction ubicated just in front of the Whale Museum, which simulates how flying over Iceland looks like. It shows stunning landscapes of the country.
It is worth to visit in case you don't have any plan or if you travel with kids. But it's also a nice experience for adults!
The show takes around 15 minutes and runs every 30 minutes. You can either book online or walk-in.
*Image from FlyOver Iceland
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WHALE WATCHING TOUR -
If you have the chance to see whales in Iceland, you should do it! Iceland is a great place to see whales in their natural habitat.
*picture taken by Elding/Whale Safari.
Some of the tour companies for doing whale watching in the city are Elding and Special Tours.
You can help stopping whaling in Iceland! -
Whaling is legal in Iceland at this moment, but everytime more, organizations are giving more pressure to the authorities to stop this unnecessary cruelty. And you can help! With just a signature, you can contribute to stop whaling in Iceland.
Whales are killed for economical reasons when exporting the meat to Japan, and, ridicously, whale meat served in Icelandic restaurants is imported from Norway (unlike tourists might think). Actually, whale is not even a traditional food in Iceland!!
By just signing, you can help stopping this cruelty, and ending with commercial whaling in Iceland. 🐋🩵
Whales of Iceland
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Whales of Iceland is Europe's largest Whale Museum! If you have the chance to visit the museum and doing a whale watching tour, you should definitely do it!
For visiting the museum, which includes a movie, you should estimate around 2 hours.
*Picture taken from Internet.
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Sky Lagoon
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Sky Lagoon is a thermal Spa just 15 minutes driving (45 minutes - 1 hour by foot) from Reykjavík.
This Spa has a good price-quality and different packs available like the 7-Ritual step, which I recommend.
The best part of the Spa is the infinite thermal pool over the ocean, so try to visit during sunset time!
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🏖️ Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach
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Who said that there is no beach in Reykjavík? There is actually a white sand beach in the outskirts of the city. During the "warmest" days of Summer, you could take a bath at 8ºC / 46ºF in the cold ocean. Only for the bravest ones😜 (I did it!✌🏼).
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PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION -
Moving around the capital is quite easy and convenient for visitors. Below I share with you the best ways of transport in Reykjavík!
SHUTTLE BUS FROM/TO THE AIRPORT - FLYBUS
FlyBus will be the most convenient and cheapest transportation method when you arrive or need to go to Keflavik Airport.
Price: approx. 30€/USD per person
REGULAR BUS -
Even though you can go by foot almost everywhere around Reykjavík, in case you would like to take the public transport, the regular bus will be the only one, and the cheapest one.
❗️You cannot get bus tickets in the bus, for that, you will need to download the application Klappið, buy the tickets online, and scanning them in the QR code once you hop on the bus.
HOPP - CARS, SCOOTERS & TAXIS
Hopp is a mobile application from which by inserting your Credit Card you can take scooters, cars, and, recently, they launched a taxi service, too.
TAXI -
To finish with, in case you want to take a taxi, this is the most expensive transportation in the city but it can be the most convenient one sometimes.
Taxis are also an option to/from the Keflavik Airport, but the 45 minutes drive can take up to 130-150€/USD.
Hreyfill is one of the taxi companies in the city, and you can contact them by calling to +354 5885522.
I hope this guide is useful for you when deciding what to visit and to do in Reykjavík during your trip to Iceland!
As always, don't hesitate to reach me out on Instagram @evarios14, and ask me anything you would like to know, and sharing your feedback with me!
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