1 Day in Reykjavik: 24-Hour Reykjavik Itinerary
Planning a visit to Reykjavik but have just a day to spare? If you only have 1 day in Reykjavik, here’s exactly how to spend your time in the Icelandic capital.
While many people visit Iceland for its outstanding nature and scenery, Reykjavik is a destination you shouldn’t overlook. The capital has so much to offer from unique museums to funky street art, gorgeous architecture, and delicious food.
Even with just one day in Reykjavik, you can explore many of its top attractions, making it an ideal stop at the start or end of your Iceland adventure.
Having spent considerable time in Reykjavik over multiple trips to Iceland, we’ve discovered something new and exciting each time. It’s a city of surprises, bursting with character, and a must-see northern gem.
So, if you’re planning on exploring Reykjavik in a day, here’s exactly how to spend 24 hours.
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Reykjavik Must-Do’s!
Short on time? These are 4 bucket-list things you NEED to do in Reykjavik! ❤️
Our fave hotel: Center Hotels Plaza
9:00 – Perlan
Start your day by visiting one of the best museums in Iceland. Perlan is hands down our favourite museum in the capital and one of our favourites in the country. There’s so much to see and exploring it will take half a day at least.
Perlan is a little bit outside Reykjavik. It’s located in a former cluster of hot water tanks on top of Oskjuhlid Hill. Inside, you’ll find exhibits dedicated to Iceland’s past, present, and future.
There’s lots of information about the country’s landscapes, the volcanoes, the glaciers, and the impact humans are having on the environment.
You’ll also be able to learn about the wildlife that calls Iceland home, including arctic foxes, reindeer, puffins, whales, and even polar bears that used to live there.
The museum is also very interactive. You’ll find a Northern Lights theatre display, a volcano show, a realistic display of seabirds on a cliff, and even a real ice cave that you can walk through. Plus, on top, there’s an observation deck over the city.
❤️ This is one of our favourite museums in Reykjavik and a must-visit!
TOP TIP: To get there, it’s quite a long walk from the city centre. However, you can take a bus to the Perlan stop, which is right outside the museum. There’s also a great cafe here where you can grab lunch.
13:00 – Hallgrimskirkja
From Perlan, head back into the city centre. This will take you around 25 minutes on foot. But you can shave 10 minutes off the journey by taking the bus to Snorrabraut, and then walking the remainder of the way.
Hallgrimskirkja is the iconic symbol of Reykjavik and an absolute must-see during your time in Iceland. The church’s design was influenced by the basalt columns along the south coast and you can instantly see the resemblance.
You can admire the church from the plaza out front, but we also highly recommend climbing to the top of the tower for panoramic views over the city.
Tickets for this cost 1600 ISK (around £9 or $11).
👉 If you’re looking to spend longer than 1 day in Reykjavik, check out our 2-day and 3-day itineraries.
13:30 – Rainbow Street
Next, head to Rainbow Street. This is one of Iceland’s most popular streets and the perfect place to do a bit of window shopping.
You can find all sorts of things here from Icelandic wool jumpers and other knitwear to souvenirs and magnets. There are also several restaurants and cafes, perfect for grabbing a snack and a hot drink.
With the views of Hallgrimskirkja in the distance, Rainbow Street is also a great place for photography.
14:15 – Sun Voyager
Once you’ve had a wander down Rainbow Street, head to the waterfront. This is one of our favourite areas of Reykjavik. With the views over the water and Mount Esjan in the background, it’s a very pretty spot.
Here, you’ll find the Sun Voyager, a funky metal sculpture dedicated to the explorers of Iceland’s past. It looks like the skeleton of a ship and symbolises both adventure and freedom. It’s also another great photography spot in Iceland, especially at golden hour.
14:30 – Harpa Concert Hall
Just an 8-minute walk along the waterfront from the Sun Voyager and you’ll find Harpa Concert Hall. This, like the church, is another building in Iceland inspired by nature.
When we first visited Iceland in December, we visited just as the sun was setting. The combination of the wet pavement from the rain and the setting sun made the entire scene glow bright purple. It was beautiful.
You can also explore the inside of Harpa. It’s where a lot of the concerts and performances in Iceland happen but, even if you’re not attending an event, it’s well worth seeing. The architecture is so impressive.
15:15 – Whales of Iceland
Next head a little further along the coast to our second favourite museum in Iceland – Whales of Iceland. This museum is, as you may have guessed, dedicated to the gentle giants that visit Iceland’s oceans. It’s fascinating, especially if you love wildlife.
Inside, you’ll find over 20 to-scale models of whale species around the world, from bottlenose dolphins to the mighty blue whale. There is lots of information about these creatures and where you can find them in Iceland.
There’s also a cinema where you can watch a short film about how whales are affected by modern technology and boats. It’s quite eye-opening and well worth watching.
Tickets to the museum cost 4300 ISK which is around £25 or $31.
17:00 – Evening Activity
For the final thing on this 1 day Iceland itinerary, Reykjavik offers plenty of evening activities. Here are just a few suggestions to help you wrap up your day
Sky Lagoon
This is one of the newest geothermal spas in Iceland and it’s located right outside of Reykjavik. To get there from Reykjavik city centre, you can either take a bus or a taxi. The walk is almost 2 hours long, so using public transport will be much easier.
The bus journey is still quite time-consuming and will take around an hour. The taxi ride will only take 20 minutes, but it will be much more expensive. You could also book tickets with a transfer from the city centre, which is the easiest way to get there.
Once you arrive, you’ll realise why we recommend this place. It’s located overlooking the ocean and you can effectively bathe in a beautiful infinity pool with stunning sea views.
Sky Lagoon also has a 7-step ritual including a sauna and a cold plunge which is a wonderful way to relax after your day in Reykjavik.
❤️ The Sky Lagoon can be quite popular, so you’ll need to book in advance.
TOP TIP: If you choose this option, we recommend heading back to Reykjavik for dinner after your spa experience. Apotek is a fantastic choice!
Reykjavik Food Tour
If you don’t fancy soaking in a geothermal spa, you could always check out Reykjavik’s culinary scene. Iceland is known to have some weird and wonderful foods and going on a food tour is a great way to try a lot of different things in one setting.
We went on this food tour during our last trip to Iceland and it was fantastic. We tried lamb soup with traditional sourdough bread, arctic char, chocolate liquorice, skyr, and the dreaded fermented shark.
It was quite an experience and doubles as dinner, which is a bonus!
❤️ This was the food tour we did in Reykjavik, and we loved it!
The Lava Show
Last but not least, you could end this itinerary with a trip to the Lava Show. If you’ve ever been fascinated by volcanos and want to see the reality of what an eruption might look like in Iceland, I highly recommend this place.
It’s located right next to the Whales of Iceland, so this is certainly the easiest to get to in terms of location. Shows are available every two hours with the latest being 8pm.
There are several ticket options. When we visited, we had premium tickets which came with a drink, premium seating overlooking the show, and a backstage tour of the furnace room.
These cost 9,900 ISK which is around £57 or $72, but you can opt for standard tickets which cost 5,900 ISK (£34 or $43).
The show is amazing. They pour a stream of lava down a tunnel into the showroom and then show you how it behaves. The host creates a mini lava tunnel, puts ice into the lava, and trails strings of it through the air. It’s fascinating.
Plus, it’s the only show like it in the world, so definitely one of the more unique things to do in Reykjavik.
❤️ We highly recommend this incredible experience in Iceland.
TOP TIP: For dinner, if you choose this option, you’ll walk right past Kopar along the waterfront which serves a range of delicious set menus. Alternatively, head to Apotek in town or Icelandic Street Food.
After you’ve eaten, head back to your hotel after a wonderful 24 hours in Reykjavik!
Is 1 day in Reykjavik enough?
Honestly, this depends on what you want from the city.
If you’re using Reykjavik as a base to explore the surrounding areas of Iceland (like the south coast or the Golden Circle), then no, one day is nowhere near enough.
However, if you only want to explore the city centre itself, then you can see many of Reykjavik’s top sights in just 24 hours.
Of course, there’s no way to see everything in just a day. Reykjavik has so many wonderful museums and hidden gems to explore and we recommend spending 2 days or more in the city. But for a quick overview, one day is a decent amount of time.
If you have any further questions about your trip to Reykjavik, check out our free Facebook Group.
👉 Haven’t decided where to stay yet? Check out all of our favourite hotels in Reykjavik.
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