Remarkable Reykjavik
The world’s northernmost capital is in fact more like a regular town in size and population. Established by a 9th century Norse chieftain and isolated for centuries by its remote location, the city is now Iceland’s centre not only of power, but of culture, too. It also soaks up the majority of tourists coming into the country on planes and cruise ships, and suffers from overtourism.
Our Iceland Holidays
Northern Lights photography holiday in Iceland, coast & ice
Photographic trip in the stunning west and southeast Iceland
From
£2950 to £3150
10 days
ex flights
Iceland holiday, small group
Delve into the ancient land of Vikings and volcanoes
From
£2830 to £3055
10 days
ex flights
Highlights of Iceland self drive holiday
Amazing self-drive to discover the best of Iceland
From
£1300 to £5000
10 days
ex flights
Northern Lights, glaciers & ice photography holiday Iceland
Incredible photographic trip in stunning south/east Iceland
From
£2700
8 days
ex flights
Iceland cruise, Circumnavigation
An unforgettable journey around the island of fire and ice
From
£1679 to £1759
10 days
ex flights
Northwest Iceland photography tour
Incredible photography trip Icelands remote Northwest corner
From
£2950
11 days
ex flights
Northern Lights & orca photography holiday, Iceland
Incredible photographic trip in stunning West Iceland
From
£2450
7 days
ex flights
West Greenland photography tour
Incredible photographic adventure in stunning West Greenland
From
£4250
10 days
ex flights
Northern lights and whale watching cruise in Iceland
A cruise and coach journey to see whales & northern lights
From
£1805
7 days
ex flights
Myvatn Marathon running holiday, Iceland
Combine a visit of natural sites and a famous run race
From
£1200
5 days
ex flights
Iceland holiday, Valentine's Day special
Adventure and romance in the northernmost capital
From
£1100 to £3000
6 days
ex flights
Iceland new year holiday, Northern Lights explorer
Hunt the northern lights in Iceland At New Year
From
£1375
5 days
inc UK flights
East Iceland Fjords Midsummer Landscapes photography tour
Photograph landscapes birds flowers remote fjords E. Iceland
From
£3250
12 days
ex flights
Highlands of Iceland small group holiday
Discover the heart of Iceland, off the beaten track
From
£2390
9 days
ex flights
Northern Lights tour in Iceland
Springs, waterfalls, volcanoes and Europe’s biggest glacier!
From
£842 to £1285
6 days
ex flights
Iceland hiking holiday, Fjallabak
Amazing trek behind the mountains and off the beaten path
From
£2300
8 days
ex flights
North Iceland bird and landscape photography tour
Midsummer bird & landscape photography trip in Iceland
From
£3250
11 days
ex flights
Horse riding holiday in Iceland
Ride in a hidden nature reserve surrounded by glaciers.
From
£1215
6 days
ex flights
Cruising Iceland's Wild West Coast
Discover a different side of Iceland
From
£2935 to £3475
8 days
ex flights
Northern Lights photography tour, waterfalls & landscapes in Iceland
Incredible Winter photography trip to Iceland's remote North
From
£2800
8 days
ex flights
Iceland Highlands photography tour, waterfalls & canyons
Incredible photographic expedition into Iceland's wilderness
From
£3100
13 days
ex flights
Grand Tour of Iceland
Explore the landscapes and geographical phenomena of Iceland
From
£5899
15 days
inc UK flights
Northern Lights small group holiday with expert astronomer
View the Northern Lights with an expert astronomer
From
£1120 to £1450
4 days
inc UK flights
Iceland photography holiday and Northern Lights
Photograph Iceland's stunning landscapes and Northern Lights
From
£2600
8 days
ex flights
Iceland walking holiday, West Fjords
Explore Iceland's stunning and preserved West Fjords
From
£1400
6 days
ex flights
Walking holiday in Iceland
Explore the best walking areas in Iceland
From
£4349
14 days
inc UK flights
Midnight sun photography holiday in Iceland
Photograph amazing landscapes in Iceland's midsummer light
From
£3450
12 days
ex flights
So if you’re planning to visit Iceland’s capital, on a short break or as part of a longer exploration of the island, try to visit during quiet months – July and August remain peak season – and once here, evade the crowds by strolling off the main tourist drags, often lined with souvenir shops and little else. Reykjavik lends itself to exploration on foot. If booking through a responsible holiday company, they will help you discover hidden gardens and parks, colourful houses clad in corrugated iron, waterfront routes where locals jog and cycle, and dramatic views of the mountains that rise up just beyond the city’s boundaries. For a brush with Iceland’s wilder side without leaving the city limits, explore Ellidaardalur Valley, popular with walkers and cyclists, and Laugardalur (Hot Spring Valley) to the east of the city centre, the capital’s go-to spot for sports and recreation.
Explore
the past
the past
Explore the city’s past
Reykjavik’s reputation as a fun, cool place for a whistlestop weekend has grown up since the banking crisis of 2008, when prices dropped and visitors were invited in with open arms, but it hardly does justice to the long and rich history of this city. If you’re spending time in Reykjavik, show it the respect it deserves by investigating its past. Mug up on life in Viking times at the Settlement Exhibition, built around a carefully excavated longhouse from the 10th century or at the National Museum, which romps through Iceland’s history, from the Vikings right up to contemporary times. Families will appreciate the Saga Museum, which recreates key moments in Iceland’s history and helps kids imagine how life was once lived on this remote, volcanic island.
Capital culture
Enjoy some capital culture
As well as being geothermally active, Iceland is a veritable hothouse of creativity, with Reykjavik its epicentre and its museums and galleries a window onto the island’s unique cultural life. Reykjavik Art Museum and National Gallery is a great place to start, with shops featuring cutting edge Icelandic design, and do swing by the big statement modernist centrepiece that is Harpa Concert Hall, too.
Our top Iceland Holiday
Northern Lights photography holiday in Iceland, coast & ice
Photographic trip in the stunning west and southeast Iceland
From
£2950 to £3150
10 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2018: 26 Oct
2019: 1 Feb, 15 Feb, 3 Mar, 30 Sep, 10 Oct, 20 Oct
2018: 26 Oct
2019: 1 Feb, 15 Feb, 3 Mar, 30 Sep, 10 Oct, 20 Oct
Helpdesk
Hello. If you'd like to chat about Iceland or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help. Rosy & team.
Then be sure to make time for a potter through the city’s quieter streets, popping in and out of small galleries, independent shops and contemporary spaces to see what’s happening at grass roots level. Keep your camera handy, too, so you can snap some of the sensational graffiti gracing the city’s walls and be sure to extend your stroll to include sculpture ringed Tjornin Pond and the waterfront. Here, you’ll find the Sun Voyager sculpture, which looks like a Viking ship, but was created by sculptor Jón Gunnar Arnason as a dream boat and ode to the sun. As you explore, stop off for a coffee or a snack in small, neighbourhood cafes, placing your tourist money directly into local hands, where it’s most appreciated.
Reykjavik has been designated a UNESCO City of Literature – the first non native English speaking city to receive this prestigious title. Discover some of its original medieval manuscripts at the Culture House, including the Poetic Edda, a collection of old Norse poems brimming with important Nordic mythology. Bring some more up to date reading with you, too; the Reykjavik based crime novels of Arnaldur Indridason would be ideal.
Festivals
Take in a festival
Reykjavik hosts a huge number of festivals – they’re hard to miss, so join in. Film, food, jazz and blues, literature and children’s literature, a Viking festival and winter lights events all keep the capital hopping throughout the calendar. As the first country in the world to elect an openly gay head of state, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir in 2009, Iceland also hosts a wonderful Pride festival in August each year.
Strip off
for a dip
for a dip
Strip off for a dip
Thermal baths pepper volcanic Iceland and the most famous is the Blue Lagoon, a large pool and spa which is fed by the futuristic Svartsengi geothermal plant. It’s certainly beautiful and otherworldly, but it’s also one of the most visited attractions in Iceland, conveniently located close to Keflavik airport. To avoid contributing to its crowds, dip into an equally warm and wonderful experience, and a more authentic one, too, by visiting one of the many public pools in Reykjavik. Here, for a few krona you can enjoy a swim, sauna, steam room and hot pools heated to various temperatures alongside locals who come here every week. Just be sure to have a full shower before diving in, to ensure the water stays perfectly clean.
Out of town
Get out of town
Reykjavik is tiny, so you’re never far from the great outdoors. Dramatic mountains, stormy seas and populations of puffins exist just on its fringes and although two thirds of Iceland’s population lives here, they remain intimately connected to this wilderness on their doorstep, which informs their art, culture and lifestyle.
Even if you are only in Reykjavik for a short time, try to travel beyond its boundaries. You’ll have the joy of seeing extraordinary landscapes in clear, clean light, while also easing the pressure on the busy capital. The best option is to join a guided tour. Many of these head to the famous Golden Circle, which includes Thingvellir National Park, where two tectonic plates meet, regularly spurting Geysir and the waterfall Gullfoss. This is very much a go-to day trip circuit, but a good local guide will lead you to lesser known viewpoints and know when the crowd numbers drop, so you can have a more intimate experience of these rightfully popular spots.
Better yet, seek out a tour that takes you to lesser known places within striking distance of the capital, to walk, explore and learn more about the landscape from an in-the-know local guide. If you prefer to drive yourself, choosing an organised self drive holiday rather than just hiring a car is the best option. You’ll benefit from carefully planned routes designed with insider knowledge, that lead you away from overtourism hotspots and towards little visited treasures.
More about Iceland
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Self driving in Iceland lets you follow nature, not crowds. In summer, follow the midnight sun. In winter, head for the hills to spot the Northern Lights...
With tourist numbers swamping local residents, we look at overtourism and explore how travellers can visit Iceland without contributing to this problem...
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These tips come directly from our friends in Iceland who have shared their wisdom on all things hot, from geothermal pools to contemporary culture...
Avoiding places clogged with day trippers, and months when visitor numbers shoot up like a spouting geyser, is the responsible way to visit Iceland...
Despite being hugely controversial, whaling still occurs. We look at the justifications for whaling and what visitors to Iceland can do in response...
Find all of our Iceland guides in one place for more information on the different types of holidays such as walking or cruising in Iceland...
Why book with Responsible Travel
Photo credits: [Page banner: MartinPutz] [Remarkable Reykjavik : Rose Breen]
[Reykjavik street and shops: Ruth Hartnup]
[Explore the city's past: Jessica Simpson]
[Enjoy some capital culture: David Phan]
[Reykjavik graffiti: Emmanuel Eragne]
[Take in a festival: Orlyguyr Hnefill]
[Strip off for a dip: Luke Flitter]
[Get out of town: Theo Crazzolara]
[Gullfoss waterfall: KLMNT!]
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