Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons
The 4-day plan, rearranged for 6 days: every place stays and a few more are added, and each day keeps to one part of town.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A glass dome on a hill above the city, with a museum of Iceland's nature and a viewing deck with a wide look over the bay and the mountains. Check ahead for what is open.
Go when Morning, on a clear day, when the view is widest.
Local tip Go up to the viewing deck first and look all the way round. If the cloud is low, save the deck for a clearer hour and see the museum first.
The tall white church on the hill, shaped like the basalt columns of the Icelandic coast. It is the landmark of the city. Look at it from the street, then step inside. The tower can be closed in winter, so check ahead.
Go when Morning, in the first light, before the tour groups arrive.
Local tip Walk around the outside and look up at the tower first. Go up it only on a clear day, and check ahead, since the tower can close in winter.
Kjotsupa is a thick, warming soup of lamb and root vegetables. Many cafes serve it on a cold day, with bread on the side.
Local tip Many cafes offer a refill of the soup, so ask.
Every neighborhood has a public pool heated by the ground, with hot pots of different warmth where locals talk through the dark months. The Blue Lagoon is a lasting alternative, but it needs a booking, so check ahead.
Go when Late afternoon, with the first stars and a long warm soak.
Local tip Rinse without your swimsuit before you get in, as is the custom in every pool in Iceland. Try the hot pots from the coolest to the warmest.
A harbor town a short ride from the capital, with lava rocks in its gardens and old wooden houses by the water. A calm half day.
Go when Afternoon, with a slow walk by the harbor.
Local tip Walk the streets around the harbor and look for the lava rocks beside the houses.
A small beach on the edge of the city with warm water piped in and a hot tub beside the sea. A local way to warm up on a cold day. Check ahead for when it is open.
Go when Afternoon, with a hot soak at the end.
Local tip Bring a towel and a warm layer for the walk back. A beach walk here is good even if you stay dry.
The cold waters around Iceland give excellent cod, haddock and arctic char. A simple dinner of pan-fried fish and potatoes, near the harbor, tells you a lot about the country.
Local tip Ask what came in that day and choose the plainest preparation.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The story of the country from the first settlers to today, told through objects. A good indoor choice on a cold, dark day.
Go when Morning, when you are fresh.
Local tip Start with the main exhibition on the settlement and the centuries after, and leave the rest if your energy runs low.
The main shopping street, with small shops, cafes and murals on the side walls. Walk it slowly and turn into the lanes on either side.
Go when Midday, while it is bright, with a stop for something warm.
Local tip Turn into the side streets, where the small shops and the murals are. Mind the ice on the pavements.
A steel sculpture of a ship on the seafront, with the bay and the mountains across the water behind it. Stand a little back from it as the light fades.
Go when Afternoon, as the light fades, around sunset (about 6:08 PM).
Local tip Stand a little back and look through the frame of the ship toward the mountains across the bay. Wear gloves, because the wind off the water bites.
A small lake in the middle of the city, with ducks and geese and the city hall at its edge. Walk the shore as the lamps come on.
Go when Afternoon, as the lamps come on around the pond.
Local tip Walk the shore slowly and watch the birds on the open water. In a hard frost, part of the pond can freeze over.
A plain white house by the sea, where the leaders of two great powers met in the nineteen eighties. A quiet stop on a walk along the shore.
Go when Afternoon, on a walk along the coast path.
Local tip It is best seen from the outside, with the sea behind it. Wrap up, because the wind off the water is strong.
Eat before you go out for the sky, since the night can be long. A bowl of fish stew or a plate of lamb, with bread and butter, keeps the cold away.
Local tip Order something hot, and leave the heavy desserts for another night.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Boats leave from the old harbor to look for whales and dolphins. Season and sightings vary, and the sea can cancel a trip, so check ahead. Dress far warmer than you think you need.
Go when Morning, if the sea is calm enough for the boats.
Local tip Ask the crew about the sea before you board, and take a warm hat. Sightings vary and are never certain.
A small green square in front of the parliament house, a good place to sit and watch the city go by.
Go when Morning, with a coffee.
Local tip Look at the parliament house across the square, then step into the cafes on the street behind.
A small square in the old town, with cafes and bakeries around it and lanes leading off. A good place to find a window seat and sit out the cold.
Go when Midday, with a warm drink.
Local tip Pick a window table in one of the cafes around the square and let the morning go slowly.
The concert hall on the harbor, covered in glass panels that catch the light. Walk in and look at the walls from the inside, then step out onto the quay.
Go when Evening, when the glass is lit from inside.
Local tip Go in and look up at the honeycomb of the front wall, then step out onto the quay. The building changes color as the clouds move.
Back in town, book a table for the evening and take your time. A tasting of fish, lamb or the catch of the day, by candlelight, is a fitting end to the day. Check ahead for a table.
Local tip Say it is a special evening when you book, and ask for a quiet corner.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A column of light on Videy island, reached by a short ferry. It is lit on set dates in the dark season, so check ahead before you cross.
Go when Late afternoon, so you cross in the light.
Local tip The lit dates vary and the ferry may not run in rough weather, so check ahead. Wrap up well for the island.
A night drive out of the city lights with a guide, on a tour or on your own with a forecast. The guide watches the clouds and moves you to clearer sky, and some nights show nothing. Dress for a long, cold wait.
Go when Evening, after dinner, on a night when the sky is forecast to be clear.
Local tip Look at the aurora forecast from the Icelandic Met Office before you go, and be ready to try again on another night. Dress for a long, cold stand in the dark.
The old harbor, where fishing boats and sightseeing boats tie up. After dark the lamps and the water make a quiet, romantic walk.
Go when Evening, after dark, when the lamps are on the water.
Local tip Walk the length of the quay slowly and look in at the small shops and museums. Hold the rail on icy days.
A small lighthouse on a tip of land at the western edge of the city, away from most of the street lights. A quiet place to watch the sky and the sea, with the tide in mind.
Go when Evening, on a clear night.
Local tip The path to the lighthouse can be cut off by the tide, so check ahead and mind the time. Wrap up well against the wind.
End the trip where it began, near the harbor, with a meal of the catch of the day and a warm drink. Take a slow walk along the quay in the dark.
Local tip Leave time for a last look at the sky on the way back.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A volcanic crater lake with red rock walls and blue-green water. A short stop on the way to the Golden Circle.
Go when Morning, on the way out of town.
Local tip Walk the rim and then down to the water. The path is short but can be icy and loose.
A field of hot springs and geysers. The one called Strokkur erupts every few minutes, so you will not wait long. Stay on the paths and away from the hot water, which is slippery with ice in winter.
Go when Midday, between the two big stops.
Local tip Stand upwind and stay behind the ropes. The big one blows every few minutes, so watch the water swell before it goes.
The Icelandic hot dog is a national snack, made partly with lamb and served in a soft bun with crisp onions and sauces. A quick lunch between sights.
Local tip Ask for one with everything, and eat it standing, as the locals do.
A wide waterfall that falls in two steps into a deep canyon. The paths can be icy and may close, so check ahead, or skip it and head home early to rest before dinner.
Go when Afternoon, before the low sun goes at sunset (about 6:08 PM).
Local tip The spray freezes on the paths in winter. Wear shoes with grip, keep to the barriers and turn back if the lower path is closed.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A national park in a rift valley where two plates of the earth pull apart, and where the first parliament of Iceland met in the open air. A UNESCO World Heritage site. Winter roads can close, so check ahead.
Go when Morning, in the low winter light.
Local tip Walk down the path through the rift and stand where the old parliament met. Check the road and the paths ahead in winter, since ice and snow can close them.
A geothermal area on the Reykjanes peninsula with hot springs, mud pools and a large steam vent. A good short stop on the way to the Blue Lagoon.
Go when Morning, on the way to or from the airport.
Local tip Stay on the boardwalk. The steam can drift across it without warning, and the ground is hot.
A geothermal lagoon of milky blue water in a lava field, on the road to the airport. A soak under a dark sky is a gentle way to end a day. Entry needs a booking, so check ahead.
Go when Late in the day, as the sky darkens.
Local tip Book a time ahead. Shower without your swimsuit before you get in, and keep your hair out of the water if it dries easily.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, July to August are the most comfortable months for walking around Reykjavik. This plan is built for late October, which is less comfortable, so check the forecast before you go. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 6 days in Reykjavik, planned for late October. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 1.2 to 103.5 kilometers between its stops, and 194.7 kilometers in all across 6 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
3 days on the Reykjanes PeninsulaAbout 50 km awayAn easy add-on
8 days on Snaefellsnes and in the WestfjordsAbout 130 km away
6 days in Akureyri and North IcelandAbout 260 km awayOther guides with a page about Reykjavik. Each one opens in a new tab.
WikivoyageReykjavik, the free travel guideLonely PlanetReykjavik travel guideTime OutThings to do in ReykjavikThe GuardianReykjavik travel featuresPhoto by Hendrik Alting on Unsplash · Photo: Helmut Seger, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Judith Bourque, CC BY-SA 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: McKay Savage, CC BY 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated October 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
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