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Top 10 things to do near Reykjavik for a complete Nordic experience
Discover the best things to do near Reykjavik. Explore lava and ice caves, walk through Iceland national parks, and take in the local culture.
The black sands and glaciers of Snæfellsnes are just a two-hour drive from downtown Reykjavik. Iceland’s capital may be where your flight lands and where you’ll be based, but for a true Nordic experience you’ll need to explore the entire island. Luckily, there are plenty of things to reach within just a few hours in the car.
We prepared a guide with the top 10 things to do near Reykjavik, including how to get there and interesting facts for an unforgettable experience.
Plus, we include the best way to stay connected while moving around Iceland.
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1. Visit the Golden Circle
- Distance from Reykjavik: 140 miles (230 kilometers)
- How to get there: 3-hour drive via Þingvallavegur/Route 36 and Route 35 and Biskupstungnabraut
- Time required: Full-day
One of the best things to do in Iceland is visit the Golden Circle in Reykjavik. It includes Thingvellir National Park, the Gullfoss Waterfall, and the Geysir geothermal area.
Let’s give a quick breakdown of what you’ll find in these natural wonders:
- Thingvellir National Park: Locally known as the Þingvellir National Park, this UNESCO World Heritage Site allows you to walk around volcanic landscapes, a green or snowy landscape, and even visit locations that appeared in famous series in a single place.
- Gullfoss: Also known as the “Golden Falls,” this glacier-carved waterfall is a unique sightseeing location. Seasonally, the water coming from the Langjökull glacier changes color, and you can watch it from any of the three platforms in the area or walk the open hiking routes.
- Geysir: Thanks to Iceland’s geothermal activity, the Geysir area in the Haukadalur Valley is worth visiting. The Strokkur geyser erupts every 5 to 10 minutes, spraying hot water up to 66 feet into the sky, making it the main attraction in the valley.
The Golden Circle tour can be done in one day, making it one of Iceland’s most popular sightseeing routes. Most tours go from 9 AM to 5 PM, but you can rent a car and visit these iconic landscapes at your own pace.
2. Relax on the Blue Lagoon
- Distance from Reykjavik: 31.25 miles (50.3 km)
- How to get there: 45-minute drive through Reykjanesbraut (Highway 41) to Grindavíkurvegur (Highway 43) or with a BSÍ bus
- Time required: 2-3 hours
Located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is one of the top natural attractions near Reykjavik.
To get there, you can take a bus at the BSÍ Bus Terminal in Reykjavik downtown and enjoy the 45-50 minute ride, where you’ll appreciate some of the most beautiful landscapes in Iceland.
Once at the Blue Lagoon, you’ll find an otherworldly attraction with milky blue waters and healing properties surrounded by a volcanic landscape where you can spoil yourself in this natural geothermal spa.
Travel tip: Book your entry tickets to the Blue Lagoon in advance, as it’s one of the most visited attractions in Reykjavik.
3. Go whale watching in the Faxa Bay
- Distance from Reykjavik: 36.22 miles (58.3 km)
- How to get there: Ferry from the Reykjavik Old Harbour
- Time required: 3 hours
Faxa Bay, or Faxaflói in Icelandic, is a year-round destination for whale and other marine life watching.
Over 20 species of whales and dolphins visit the bay throughout the year, but these are mostly active during the summer months, so plan your Iceland travel dates properly.
The best way to enjoy this activity is with a private tour. These last around three hours on average, and even though it’s a year-round activity, it’s better to book a tour from February to September, when whales and other marine life are more active.
4. Visit the Katla Ice Cave
- Distance from Reykjavik: 116.56 miles (187.6 km)
- How to get there: 2:30-hour drive on the Hringvegur/Route 1 and later a jeep to get to the glacier
- Time required: Full-day.
Vík, a small village two hours from Reykjavik, has one of the most magnificent places to visit for nature lovers.
Located under the Mýrdalsjökull, Iceland’s fourth-biggest glacier, and on top of the Katla volcano, it’s home to a unique icy cave.
The Katla Ice Cave creates a unique blend of colors, where the volcanic remains in the ground mix with the blue-gray walls of the glacier.
The best way to visit the Katla Ice Cave is by private tour. After the two-hour drive from Reykjavik, you’ll have around three hours to explore the cave, and if the season allows it, you can hop to nearby caves and explore them.
5. Walk on the black sands of Reynisfjara
- Distance from Reykjavik: 116.94 miles (188.2 km)
- How to get there: 2:40-hour drive on the Hringvegur/Route 1 and take the Reynishverfisvegur to reach the beach
- Time required: Two to three hours in the early morning or late afternoon
Vík is home to another of the best things to do in Iceland near Reykjavik, as you’ll find mesmerizing glacier caves and black sand beaches to explore.
At Reynisfjara Beach you’ll find black sands, basalt caves, and some of the world’s most powerful waves.
When visiting the beach, you can relax on the shore, where the black sand is the main protagonist. If you plan to venture into water, don’t go too far.
If you’re into watching the landscape, you can watch the Reynisdrangar, which local legends tell were trolls turned to stone by the sun during the Viking era, or walk to the nearby basalt caves, which are worth an Instagram photo thanks to the surrounding landscape.
You can take a guided tour or drive 3.7 miles from Vík in the early morning or late afternoon, which might be a better option to avoid bigger crowds.
6. Explore Reykjavik street art
- Where to start: Depending on the tour, some start at Ingólfur Square or at Reykjavik downtown
- Time required: 2 hours
In Iceland, especially in Reykjavik, the weather is mostly cold and grey, so street artists have decided to bring colors to the capital streets.
Exploring street art is one of the best things to do around Reykjavik. Paintings and murals highlight many aspects of Icelandic life, from the country’s nature to its ancient culture.
Thanks to the increasing popularity of these paintings, even art initiatives like Urban Nation from Berlin have created murals that are now part of the Reykjavik landscape.
Travel tip: One of the best ways to explore the capital’s street art is with a guided tour, being Örn Tönsberg is the best candidate for this, as he’s also a local artist who has highly contributed with his paintings.
7. Watch the northern lights in Reykjavik’s countryside
- Distance from Reykjavik: Grótta Lighthouse 3.04 miles (4.9 km), Thingvellir National Park 27.71 miles (44.6 km), Snæfellsnes Peninsula 84.44 miles (135.9 km)
- How to get there: Walking to the Grótta Lighthouse, a 45-minute drive to the Þingvallavegur/Route 36 to Thingvellir, or a 2-hour drive to Snæfellsnesvegur/Route 54 to Snæfellsnes. Alternatively, take a guided tour to avoid driving
- Time required: 3-4 hours, starting at 10:00 PM
Because of its location, northern lights, or aurora borealis, are quite easy to watch from most of Iceland, but for those in the capital, it’s one of the best Reykjavik activities to do.
First, note that the northern lights are easier to watch during winter. This means that your Iceland packing list must include warm clothes for staying until late at night to watch the colorful skies.
Light pollution makes it harder to see the northern lights from Reykjavik. Northern lights tours are better; these will take you to two special sightseeing spots for a night you won’t forget in the Icelandic countryside.
Alternatively, if you rent a car to move around Reykjavik, add the Grótta Lighthouse, Thingvellir National Park, or the Snæfellsnes Peninsula to your itinerary to ensure the colorful northern lights so make sure you have a reliable internet connection to move around using Google Maps.
8. Explore the Snæfellsnes Peninsula
- Distance from Reykjavik: 84.44 miles (135.9 km)
- How to get there: 2-hour drive through Snæfellsnesvegur/Route 54 to the peninsula, take a BSÍ bus, or get a guided tour.
- Time required: Full-day
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is located north of Reykjavik. It’s a two-hour drive from the capital city.
The best way to explore the peninsula is by foot since you can see most attractions and enjoy the natural beauty of Kirkjufell Mountain and the Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall, which appeared in the Game of Thrones series.
Depending on when you visit Snæfellsnes, the peninsula’s volcanic landscape will be painted green during summer or white in winter. But if you move a bit south, you’ll find golden sands on the Ytritunga beach; where to go here is up to you!
Visiting the peninsula can be done alone or with a tour. Tours are better for heading into caves and other waterfalls, while going alone is better for a quick tour around the area.
9. Visit Reykjavik museums
- Distance from Reykjavik downtown: National Museum of Iceland 0.52 miles (850 meters), Perlan Interactive Museum 1.7 miles (2.8 km), Icelandic Phallological Museum 0.21 miles (0.350 km)
- How to get there: Walking to the National Museum of Iceland and the Icelandic Phallological Museum and a 30-minute bus to the Perlan Interactive Museum
- Time required: Full-day
You don’t always have to leave Reykjavik to dive into Iceland’s cultural marvels. Local museums are among the best places to visit in central Reykjavik, and offer a way to connect with the country’s culture and history.
The National Museum of Iceland will take you on a time-travel adventure. You’ll learn about Icelandic history, including exhibitions of Viking artifacts, modern art expressions, and other ways to show the country’s rich culture.
Another top-tier option is the Perlan Interactive Museum. Iceland nature is the main protagonist at the Perlan Museum, creating spaces where you’ll walk through an ice cave, watch the northern lights through the 8K Áróra film, or walk through a lava river.
If you’re up for a funny adventure, the Icelandic Phallological Museum or Penis Museum is quite a unique place to visit. This family-owned museum explores the phalluses from the animal kingdom and laughing will be part of your visit.
Make sure you choose the best eSIM for Reykjavik, as it’ll give you mobile data to buy tickets in advance, especially if unique exhibitions are added to the museums.
10. Walk through the Raufarhólshellir lava cave
- Distance from Reykjavik: 26.28 miles (42.3 km)
- How to get there: Guided tours with the Lava Tunnel or a 40-minute drive through the Hringvegur/Þjóðvegur 1 and Þrengslavegur/Route 39
- Time required: 1-4 hours
Thanks to Iceland’s constant volcanic activity, visiting a lava cave in Reykjavik should always be on your list.
Located 30 minutes from Reykjavik, the Raufarhólshellir is open for exploration through different tours. Here’s a quick breakdown of available options:
- Standard tour, 1 hour: The easier way to explore changing colors and learn how the volcanic activity helped form the cave through a footbridge.
- Standard tour plus transportation, 3 hours: This option includes the same guided activities as the standard option but also includes a bus departure from Reykjavik’s downtown.
- Lava Falls Adventure Tour, 3 to 4 hours: Going through the cave’s beaten path and to the deepest part of the lava cave using head torches. This option is more enjoyable for outdoor enthusiasts with good health.
- Evening Lava Tunnel Tour, 1 hour: Ideal to enjoy during the summer months and worth combining with other activities near Reykjavik, like watching northern lights.
All these tours are available on the Lava Tunnel’s official website and cost $63 to $195 USD.
Explore the best things to do near Reykjavik with Holafly eSIMs
Visiting Reykjavik is a unique experience; if you want to show it to the world, you’ll need a reliable internet connection.
Using an eSIM for Iceland is your best ally. Whether you need it to book a tour to Raufarhólshellir or find out the best route to Snæfellsnes, mobile data will be a priority.
With the Holafly eSIM for Reykjavik, not only you book tours and find the best route to your destination, but you’ll also get unlimited mobile data, 24/7 customer support, and up to 5G connectivity when available.
The eSIM price starts at $6.90, but if you stay for a week to explore Reykjavik, it’ll cost $29.90 – just $4.27 per day. Or you could pay $1.55 for a 90-day eSIM for Iceland if you’re up for hunting all of Iceland’s must-see locations.
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I first started my content creation journey as a freelancer in 2019, before connecting with Holafly in 2021. At Holafly, my travel and tech interests come together in one place as I craft high-quality articles about the eSIM and related markets. My content aims to help travelers stay connected, wherever they are.
