Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons
The 10-day plan, rearranged for 3 days: the best-ranked places stay, 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.
The tall white church on the hill, shaped like the basalt columns you will see on the coast. It is the landmark of the city. Look at it from the street, then step inside.
Go when Morning, before the tour groups arrive.
Local tip Walk around the outside first and look up at the tower. Go up it only on a clear day, when the view over the colored roofs is worth the wait.
The concert hall on the harbor, covered in glass panels that change with the light. Walk in and look at the walls from the inside.
Go when Afternoon, then a coffee by the harbor.
Local tip Go in and look up at the glass honeycomb of the front wall. The building changes color as the clouds move.
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 and very local lunch.
Local tip Ask for one with everything, and eat it standing, as the locals do.
The cold waters around Iceland give excellent cod, haddock and arctic char. A simple dinner of pan-fried fish and potatoes 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.
A tall, slim waterfall with a wet path that leads behind it. Wear a rain jacket and shoes with grip, and check ahead whether the path behind the fall is open.
Go when Morning, before the car park fills.
Local tip The path behind the fall is wet and slippery. Wear shoes with grip and keep your camera in a bag.
A wide waterfall that drops straight off a cliff, with a staircase up to a platform at the top. On a bright day the spray often makes a rainbow.
Go when Midday, with a short walk to the base.
Local tip Walk to the base for the full height, then climb the staircase for a view from above. A path continues upstream if you want more.
A simple plate of fresh fish in batter with fries, often served from a small cafe or a roadside kitchen. A good lunch on the coast road.
Local tip Eat it at a table with a view of the sea if you can.
A lagoon where icebergs break off the glacier and drift slowly toward the sea. Stand on the shore and watch them go by. Boat trips run in season, so check ahead if you want one.
Go when Afternoon, then stay on for the evening.
Local tip Walk along the shore and look at the colors of the ice, which run from white to deep blue. Keep away from the edge and the water.
A black sand beach with basalt columns and tall sea stacks offshore. The waves here rush much farther up the beach than they look, and have swept people out to sea. Obey the warning signs and stay well back from the water.
Go when Afternoon, in calm weather and with the warning signs read.
Local tip Sneaker waves can run far up the beach without warning, and the water is cold enough to be dangerous. Stay well back, and never turn your back on the sea.
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. Walk the path through the rift.
Go when Morning, when the paths are quiet.
Local tip Walk down the path through the rift and stand at the point where the old parliament met. Read the signs, since the story is half the point.
A field of hot springs and geysers. The one that erupts every few minutes is called Strokkur, so you will not wait long. Stay on the paths and away from the hot water.
Go when Midday, on the way between the two big stops.
Local tip Stand upwind and stay behind the ropes. The big one blows every few minutes, so take a moment to watch the water swell before it erupts.
Kjotsupa is a thick, warming soup of lamb, root vegetables and herbs. It is the kind of lunch served by roadside cafes across the country.
Local tip Many cafes offer a refill of the soup, so ask.
A wide waterfall that falls in two steps into a deep canyon. Walk down to the lower path for a close look, and expect spray. Paths close at times after bad weather, so check ahead.
Go when Afternoon, as the light moves over the falls.
Local tip Bring a rain jacket even on a dry day, because the spray reaches the viewing paths.
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 June, 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 3 days in Reykjavik, planned for late June. 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 1.0 to 363.1 kilometers between its stops, and 435.7 kilometers in all across 3 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 150 km awayAn easy add-on
8 days on Snaefellsnes and in the WestfjordsAbout 170 km away
6 days in Akureyri and North IcelandAbout 180 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: Steinninn, CC BY 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Robert Lukeman robertluke… on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Ivan Sabljak, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: European Commission (Dati…, CC BY 4.0 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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