Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is a young hip city full of great nightlife and culture.  It is also the center of everything wonderful that nature has to offer in Iceland itself!

Iceland might be small, but it is certainly a mighty country. It is full of culture and the most amazing sights of nature that compare to very few places on earth.

The capital city of Iceland is Reykjavik. It is a small enough city to walk around in the city center, yet it boasts the most amazing restaurants, bars, museums and so much more.

Reykjavik is full of amazing architecture, colorful homes and pretty wild nightlife.  It is just an hour away from the main airport, and close to so many amazing sights all throughout Iceland. 

While I would encourage you to explore all that Iceland has to offer if you take a trip there, staying in Reykjavik is actually a great central base from which to explore all of Iceland.  It is also a great place to spend a few days of exploration, as it really is an incredible little town.

Here are some of the best things to see and do in Reykjavik:

Halgrimskirkja Church

Halgrimskirkja is an amazing church that sits in the center of Reykjavik.  It stands so tall that you can see it from far and wide, and it looks amazing on the skyline.

The church took 40 years to build, and was finally completed and consecrated in 1986.

The design is beautiful – designed to mimic the natural flow of the landscape. It also gives the impression of a rocket taking off into space.

At the very top is a tower where you can go to see amazing 360 degree views of Reykjavik itself, probably the best view in the entire town.

See also: Visiting the Blue Lagoon in Iceland

The Sun Voyager

The Sun Voyager is an abstract stainless steel sculpture of a ship, that sits on a man-made headland on the harbor waterfront.

It was placed in 1990 to celebrate the 200 year anniversary of Reykjavik.  It makes for beautiful photo ops (it is great from any angle!), either on its own, or with you standing beside it. Behind the sculpture are beautiful sweeping views of Iceland.

Night Life

The night life in Reykjavik is really something to see and experience!  For such a small place it has numerous bars and restaurants. Most of these are concentrated on or around the main shopping street of Laugavegur.

Because Iceland stays light for so many hours of the day year-round, it seems to encourage people to be out all the time! 

Most of the bars don’t close until around 5am on weekends. Because everything is so central it is so easy to bar hop and visit numerous places.

Drinks and food are expensive in Iceland, and you very quickly rack up a huge bill on alcohol.  But the food and drink are so amazing, and you can find all kinds of bars – from modern contemporary to cozy little nooks.

Local food specialities are seafood and lamb in Iceland.  As you can imagine the seafood here is pretty fresh and spectacular.  If you want to try something a bit more Icelandic you could go for the ram’s testicles or sheep’s head too!

Northern Lights

Iceland is one of the best countries in the world in which to see the Northern Lights.

You are more likely to see them further out from Reykjavik, where there are less lights and pollution (not that there is a lot in Iceland), but at certain times of the year I am told you can see them from Reykjavik.

There are numerous forecasts online for when you can see the Northern Lights. They are also not so visible at certain times of the year (I went in May which was a very bad month apparently to see them – and I saw nothing!).

Golden Circle

The Golden Circle is a 300 kilometer loop that runs from Reykjavik into the southern uplands of Iceland.

The Circle itself includes the Pingvellir National Park, the Gulfoss double waterfall, and many springs and geysers also.

You can do the entire Golden Circle in a few days.  There are numerous guided tours available. You can also rent a car and drive around yourself.

National Museum of Iceland

If you want a sense of the entirety of Iceland’s history, this is the museum to head to.

The museum has two whole floors with over 2000 artifacts from all around the country. The museum is designed as a journey through time, so you can explore the history of Iceland from Viking times up to contemporary times.  

You can see how the first settlers to Iceland lived, their homes and their boats, and follow Iceland through its transformation into modern times.  

There is also a great little cafe inside the museum which sells coffee and tea, soft drinks and light refreshments, and also beer and wine.

Icelandic Phallological Museum

Yes this in fact is a museum of penises!  I mean where else could you go to a museum like this! This is one of the many weird and wonderful things about Iceland itself – they have some pretty weird museums!

The museum itself has 282 penises from 93 different species of animals, with the largest ones being whales. It even contains small elf penises!

The whole place is really a mixture of serious study and also humor too!

Kolaportio Flea Market

This eclectic flea market is located in an old warehouse in the harbor area.  It has antiques and collectibles, as well as new items, souvenirs, used books, and food.

If you want to buy something in Iceland this is one of the cheapest places to find it (did I mention that Iceland is very expensive?!).  The food area has great buys on all kinds of food, including the flavored salts and lots of candy.

It is also a great place to pick up a traditional hand knitted Icelandic sweater, as well as cheaper second-hand sweaters and clothing, which would normally cost you a fortune in the other stores. 

See also: What to Pack for a Trip to Iceland.

Harpa Concert Hall

Harpa Concert Hall is situated on the harbor, and has a marvelous glass facade which was designed by Olafur Eliasson.

You can get some amazing pictures inside and outside at the concert hall. You may also be able to check out a live concert if you are lucky enough while visiting.

Just Walk Around

Reykjavik is a great place to explore on foot.  It isn’t a very big little town, so it is easy to get around without transportation.  If you prefer a more guided walking experience, there are many free (and also paid) walking tours available around Reykjavik.

If shopping is what you want to do there are lots of stores in the city center that you explore, including lots of outdoor clothing stores, clothing stores, souvenir stores and more.

Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is a young hip city full of great nightlife and culture.  It is also the center of everything wonderful that nature has to offer in Iceland itself!