HOW TO SPEND A WEEKEND IN ICELAND - THE ULTIMATE ITINERARY

On a Reykjavik city break, we’d suggest you take a walk through the centre of city, visit Perlan to get a sense of what Iceland’s like beyond the capital. Relax in a geothermal lagoon such as Sky Lagoon or Blue Lagoon and take a day trip to the Golden Circle.

Within downtown Reykjavik, city buses are frequent, reliable and affordable, though most sights are walkable. For maximum flexibility, a rental car enables you to set your own agenda and determine how long you wish to stay at each location. Organised tours can also be a great time-saver, with the advantage that you may be able to use the travelling time between sights for a rest within a packed schedule.

Book a Reykjavik food tour or order a tasting menu in a restaurant to try a range of traditional Icelandic dishes in one sitting. Be sure to try tender, locally-reared lamb and fish such as Arctic char. Alternatively, visit one of the city’s trendy food halls, or for an iconic yet cheap culinary highlight, grab a hot dog. Make sure you also have at least one ice cream – Icelanders are big fans.

Definitely, so long as your weekend falls within the aurora season from September to March. You can sometimes spot the Northern Lights from downtown Reykjavik, though light pollution can be an issue. You may wish to improve your chances by booking a tour out into the countryside where it is likely to be darker.

If you’re staying in Reykjavik, it’s hard to beat a relaxing soak, whether that’s in the local swimming pool, at a luxury spa such as Sky Lagoon or Blue Lagoon, or in summer, Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach. Prefer to stay dry? The wraparound terrace on the 7th floor of the swanky Hotel Edition promises views over the water and mountains beyond; walk-ins are welcome.

Check out local listings during your stay. In Reykjavik, the main venue is Harpa, with a varied programme of concerts, plays and dance performances. Nordic House – part library, part cultural institution – also hosts literary events and concerts.

Even within the space of a weekend, travellers to Iceland are likely to experience changeable conditions. Plan for all eventualities by packing co-ordinating, versatile layers of clothing that can be pulled on or taken off as needed no matter what the weather throws at you. It’s also a good idea to wear sturdy hiking boots and bring a warm, waterproof and windproof outer layer.

Reykjavik makes a convenient base for accessing many of Iceland’s top attractions, whether you plan to book guided tours or go it alone. Try to be as close to downtown as possible where you’ll find the densest concentration of restaurants, bars, museums and other visitor attractions; anywhere between BSI and the Old Harbour is ideal.

Reykjavik is a great option for a weekend city break and in three days you can get under the skin of the city. Those spending three days here would probably opt for a day trip or two to take them out of the city to sights like the Golden Circle and south shore adventures.

Compared to most other European destinations, Iceland can be quite expensive. For example, a cup of black coffee costs an average of $5 and beer is particularly expensive at $9 for the average pint in 2023. However, there are plenty of ways to stick to a budget and still have a good time in Reykjavik. Finding happy hours in pubs across the city can keep the cost of entertainment down and dining at Reykjavik’s food halls rather than upmarket restaurants offer a budget alternative.

You’ll probably recognise the striking, stacked facade of Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik’s main church, from the front covers of guidebooks and photography books. But that’s not the only striking building in the city. Amidst the low-rise houses there’s the Harpa Concert Hall on the waterfront. Despite its small population (around 140,000 people), there’s a vibrant art scene in Reykjavik on show in the street murals and wall poetry.

Reykjavik has a cold oceanic climate with cool temperatures throughout the year.

Winter (November to March): Cold temperatures often hover near freezing. The first snow might fall in October or November, but continuous snow cover typically starts in December or January and lasts until late March. Storms and high winds are frequent.Daylight lasts only 4-5 hours in December and January, but starts lengthening significantly in February.

Spring (April to May): As temperatures warm, the days grow longer. The weather can be very variable, sometimes experiencing all four seasons in a single day. By May, the "Midnight Sun" provides continuous daylight.

Summer (June to August): The climate is mild, with temperatures ranging from 10°C to 17°C. There's less wind, fewer clouds, and reduced precipitation. Daylight persists for 24 hours, continuing through July until mid-August.

Autumn (September to October): The weather turns cooler with increasing rain and wind. Daylight hours decrease fast, and the first snowfall can occur by late October.

Given Reykjavik's unpredictable weather, it's wise to dress in layers.

If you are planning to rent a car, anywhere in the capital area is ideal. Even including its surrounding towns, Reykjavík is small compared to typical European or US capitals; you can drive through it in 15-30 minutes. If you have a car, it's wise to avoid the downtown area because parking can be a challenge. However, if you're not renting a car, ensure your accommodation is near a tour pickup bus stop. The downtown area has numerous pickup stops, but there are none in the suburbs.

The most popular attractions in Reykjavik are the main shopping street of Laugavegur, lined with clapboard shops selling puffin paraphernalia and cosy little restaurants and cafés. Hallgrímskirkja is one of the most striking buildings in the city, attracting photographers from far and wide. Spa-seekers flock to one of Iceland’s newest geothermal hot springs at the Sky Lagoon, jutting out over the Atlantic Ocean just outside the centre.

Although Iceland and the UK are in the same time zone, they do not always share the same time. Iceland uses GMT+0, and does not use daylight savings time so during some months of the year Iceland is an hour behind the UK. It is either four or five hours ahead of New York, depending on the time of year.

Ideally, you would spend two or three days dedicated to exploring Reykjavik. Ideally, allocate two or three days to explore Reykjavik thoroughly. For those who prefer a leisurely pace, wish to immerse themselves in the ambiance, visit museums, and mingle with the locals, you can easily spend even more days without getting bored. Many visitors who prefer not to drive use Reykjavik as a base, taking day trips to other parts of the island.

Reykjavik is on the southwest coast of Iceland and stretches in a horseshoe shape around Faxaflói Bay. Iceland’s only international airport, Keflavik Airport (not to be confused with Reykjavik Airport which is for domestic flights only), is 50 kilometres from Reykjavik and it takes around 45 minutes to drive from the centre to the airport.

The best month to visit Reykjavik depends on what you want to do. Those seeking the Northern Lights will need to visit in the darker months of late autumn and winter. It’s possible to see the ethereal green lights dancing in the night sky between September and March, but the deeper in winter (late November, December and January) you are, the more likely you are to spot them. The middle of summer is the peak season for whale watching when the sealife is at its most active and the weather tends to be more reliable and warm.

Two days is enough to see the highlights of Reykjavik – boat tours out into Faxaflói Bay to watch the wildlife, walks along the seafront to snap the perfect picture of the Sun Voyager glowing in the light at sunset, learning the Viking history of the island at the Saga museum and sampling some of the Icelandic food and drink on offer.

Reykjavik offers several convenient options for getting around:

Hop-On Hop-Off Bus: Ideal for sightseeing, this bus service allows tourists to explore major attractions at their own pace. You can hop off at a site of interest and then hop back on to proceed to the next location.

Walking: Thanks to its compact size, Reykjavik is a highly walkable city. You can easily traverse the city center from one end to the other in about ten minutes.

Public Transport: While Reykjavik's public transportation system is efficient, it may not run as frequently as those in larger capitals. However, it remains a viable option for getting from point A to B.

Electric Scooters & Bicycles: Especially popular in the summer months, rentable electric scooters and bicycles provide a fun and eco-friendly way to navigate the city streets.

Regardless of your preferred mode of transportation, Reykjavik offers a pleasant and manageable experience for visitors.

A day is the absolute minimum you should spend in Reykjavik. It may be a small city, but there is much to see and do, from whale-watching to sampling local cuisine and hitting the museums.

Pronouncing "Reykjavík" can be a bit tricky for those unfamiliar with Icelandic phonetics. Here's a basic guide:

Reykjavík: [ˈreiːkjaˌviːk]: “raikeyow-veek”

Reyk - Sounds like "raike" but with a rolled "r"; avík - Sounds like "yow-veek".

Emphasis is on the first syllable: REYkjavík.

Activity-wise, there is plenty to do in Reykjavik. Join the hop-on hop-off bus to hit the highlights of the city from the beautiful Hallgrimskirkja church to the modern Perlan building offering sweeping views from atop a hill. Whale watching boat tours leave from the old harbour out into Faxaflói Bay and there are myriad museums covering everything from Vikings to whales and punk music. Then there’s rest and relaxation on offer at the Sky Lagoon, a geothermally heated lagoon on the outskirts of the city.