Reykjavík Holidays
Reykjavík
Holidays
The world's northernmost capital — a compact, colourful city of geothermal pools, volcanic landscapes, the Northern Lights on your doorstep, extraordinary seafood and a nightlife scene that punches far above its size
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Flight Time
2h 45min from London (Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted — multiple daily flights)
Best Time
June to August (midnight sun, warmest weather, all roads open); September to March (Northern Lights season); February to April (best Northern Lights probability with some daylight)
Country
Iceland
Suppliers
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Reykjavík Holiday Guide
Reykjavík is one of the most rewarding short-break destinations in Europe — close enough for a long weekend (under 3 hours from London), compact enough to explore on foot, and with enough day trip options to fill a week. The city works in every season: summer for the midnight sun and hiking, winter for the Northern Lights and the cosy café culture.
Getting there: Multiple airlines fly direct from London to Reykjavík Keflavík International Airport (KEF) — Icelandair (from Heathrow), easyJet (from Gatwick) and PLAY (from Stansted and Gatwick) all operate year-round services. Flight time is approximately 2 hours 45 minutes. The airport is 45 minutes from the city centre by the Flybus shuttle (approximately £20 one way) or taxi (approximately £80). The Blue Lagoon is directly on the route between the airport and the city — many visitors stop there on arrival or departure.
Getting around: Reykjavík city centre is compact and very walkable — most of the main attractions (Hallgrímskirkja, Laugavegur, the Old Harbour, the National Museum) are within 20 minutes' walk of each other. The city bus network (Strætó) is good for reaching the outer suburbs. For day trips, a rental car gives the most flexibility — Iceland drives on the right, roads are well-maintained and signposted, and a standard car is sufficient for the Golden Circle and South Coast (a 4WD is needed for the Highlands and F-roads). Guided day tours from Reykjavík are excellent and remove the need to drive.
Packing: Iceland's weather is famously unpredictable — pack waterproof outer layers, warm mid-layers and sturdy waterproof footwear regardless of season. In winter (October to March), add a serious down jacket, hat, gloves and thermal base layers. In summer, pack sunglasses and a sleep mask (the midnight sun means it never gets dark in June and July).
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Average Temperatures
Jan
2°C
Feb
2°C
Mar
3°C
Apr
6°C
May
9°C
Jun
12°C
Jul
13°C
Aug
13°C
Sep
10°C
Oct
7°C
Nov
4°C
Dec
2°C
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Call 01282 960 460Top 8 Things To Do in Reykjavík
The Northern Lights, geothermal pools, volcanic day trips, extraordinary food and the unique energy of the world's most northerly capital city.
Northern Lights — Aurora Borealis Over the City
Reykjavík is one of the best-placed cities in the world for Northern Lights viewing — its position just south of the Arctic Circle, combined with Iceland's low light pollution outside the city centre, means the aurora borealis is visible on clear nights from September to March. The lights appear as shimmering curtains of green, pink and purple across the sky — caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with gases in the Earth's atmosphere. The best viewing spots near the city are Grótta lighthouse (a 20-minute walk from the city centre), Öskjuhlíð hill (the Perlan dome area) and the Seltjarnarnes peninsula. Northern Lights forecast apps (Vedur.is, the Icelandic Met Office) give hourly aurora activity predictions — a KP index of 3 or above with clear skies gives good viewing chances. Guided Northern Lights tours depart nightly from the city centre.
Hallgrímskirkja & the City Skyline
Hallgrímskirkja is Reykjavík's most iconic building — a 74.5m Lutheran church whose dramatic concrete tower, inspired by the basalt lava columns found throughout Iceland, dominates the city skyline and is visible from almost everywhere in Reykjavík. The church took 41 years to build (1945-1986) and is the largest church in Iceland. The tower lift (small fee) gives the best panoramic views over the city, the harbour, the surrounding mountains and (on clear days) the Snæfellsjökull glacier 100km to the north. In front of the church stands a striking statue of Leifur Eiríksson (Leif Erikson), the Norse explorer who reached North America 500 years before Columbus — a gift from the United States to Iceland in 1930 to mark the 1,000th anniversary of the Alþingi parliament. The surrounding Skólavörðuholt neighbourhood has the best independent shops and cafés in the city.
Blue Lagoon — Iceland's Iconic Geothermal Spa
The Blue Lagoon (Bláa Lónið) is Iceland's most famous attraction — a vast geothermal spa on the Reykjanes Peninsula, 45 minutes from Reykjavík, where milky-blue mineral-rich water at 37-40°C fills a series of outdoor pools surrounded by black lava rock. The water is a by-product of the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant — rich in silica, algae and minerals that are said to benefit the skin. The main lagoon is the size of a small lake; the facilities include a swim-up bar, silica mud masks (free, applied from dispensers in the lagoon), steam caves, a sauna and the excellent LAVA restaurant. Advance booking is essential — the Blue Lagoon sells out weeks in advance during peak season. The Retreat at Blue Lagoon is the attached luxury hotel for those who want to stay overnight. Book the first slot of the day (7am) for the most peaceful experience.
Golden Circle — Þingvellir, Geysir & Gullfoss
The Golden Circle is Iceland's most popular day trip from Reykjavík — a 300km loop through three of the country's most extraordinary natural and historical sites. Þingvellir National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site) is where the world's oldest parliament (the Alþingi) was established in 930 AD and where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are visibly pulling apart — you can walk between the two continents in the Almannagjá rift valley, and snorkel or dive in the crystal-clear Silfra fissure (one of the world's top dive sites). The Geysir geothermal area has the Strokkur geyser, which erupts every 5-10 minutes to a height of 20-30m. Gullfoss ('Golden Falls') is a double-tiered waterfall of extraordinary power, where the Hvítá river plunges 32m into a canyon. All three sites can be visited in a day by rental car or guided tour.
Whale Watching from the Old Harbour
Reykjavík's Old Harbour (Gamla Höfnin) is one of the best whale watching departure points in Europe — the waters of Faxaflói Bay support a resident population of minke whales, white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises year-round, with humpback whales, fin whales and (occasionally) blue whales present from May to September. Whale watching tours (2-3 hours, from approximately £60pp) depart from the harbour multiple times daily and have a very high success rate — Elding and Special Tours are the main operators, both with excellent guides and comfortable vessels. The Old Harbour area (Grandi) has also become Reykjavík's most exciting food and culture district — the Reykjavík Street Food hall, the Whales of Iceland exhibition (life-size whale models), the Marshall House gallery and several excellent fish restaurants are all within walking distance.
Laugavegur — Shopping, Cafés & Icelandic Design
Laugavegur is Reykjavík's main shopping street and the social spine of the city — a kilometre-long stretch of independent boutiques, design shops, bookshops, cafés, bars and restaurants that captures the creative energy of Icelandic culture. The street and its surrounding neighbourhood (the 101 postcode) is where you will find the best Icelandic design (Geysir, Farmers & Friends, Kronkron), the best bookshops (Mál og Menning, Bókin), the best coffee (Reykjavík Roasters, Kaffihús Vesturbæjar) and the best traditional Icelandic food (Café Loki for hákarl and skyr, Icelandic Fish & Chips for the classic). The street comes alive at night — Reykjavík's legendary 'rúntur' (bar crawl) begins here on Friday and Saturday nights, with the city's bars and clubs staying open until 4-5am.
South Coast Day Trip — Waterfalls, Black Sand & Glaciers
The South Coast of Iceland is the most dramatic and varied day trip from Reykjavík — a 200km stretch of coastline with an extraordinary concentration of natural wonders. Seljalandsfoss is a 60m waterfall with a path behind the curtain of water (wet but extraordinary). Skógafoss is a 25m wide, 60m high waterfall where rainbows form in the spray on sunny days. Reynisfjara is Iceland's most famous black sand beach — a vast expanse of jet-black volcanic sand with towering basalt columns (Reynisdrangar sea stacks) and powerful, dangerous surf. Sólheimajökull glacier (a tongue of the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap) is accessible for guided glacier walks. The Eyjafjallajökull volcano (famous for the 2010 eruption that closed European airspace) looms over the entire route. Most tours return via the Seljavallalaug geothermal pool — one of Iceland's oldest swimming pools, set in a mountain valley.
Geothermal Swimming — Reykjavík's Hot Pot Culture
Swimming in geothermal pools is not a tourist activity in Iceland — it is a fundamental part of daily life, and the city's network of public swimming pools (sundlaugar) is where Reykjavík residents socialise, relax and discuss politics and gossip in the hot pots (heitir pottar). Every neighbourhood has its own pool; the best for visitors are Laugardalslaug (the largest, with multiple outdoor pools, hot pots and a waterslide), Vesturbæjarlaug (the most atmospheric, in a residential neighbourhood) and the new Sky Lagoon (a clifftop geothermal spa with infinity pool views over the North Atlantic, 15 minutes from the city centre). Entry to the public pools costs approximately £6 — extraordinary value. The hot pots are typically 38-44°C; the main pools are heated to 28-30°C. Swimwear is required; showering without swimwear before entering is mandatory.
Explore Reykjavík on the Map
Key areas, beaches and attractions across the island.
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