Reykjavík
A small northern capital with a whole volcanic island at its back door.
Reykjavík is a low, colourful town on a bay ringed by mountains, and the base for almost everything people come to Iceland for: the geysers and waterfalls of the Golden Circle, the black beaches of the south coast, the lagoons, the glaciers and, in winter, the northern lights.
Why go
The town itself is easy: a church on a hill, a harbour, a main street of cafés and design shops, and a swimming culture built on geothermal water. A day is enough for the city; the point is what lies beyond it.
Within a day's drive are landscapes that look like the beginning of the world. In summer the light never quite goes; in winter the dark brings the aurora. Either way it is a place to hire a car, or to let someone else drive, and go and look.
Highlights
What people go for, in no particular order.
01Hallgrímskirkja and the old town
The concrete church on the hill, with its tower open for the view over the coloured roofs to the bay and Mount Esja. Below it, Laugavegur and the streets down to the harbour hold most of the cafés, bars and shops.
02The Golden Circle
A loop east of the city taking in Þingvellir, where the continental plates pull apart, the geyser field at Geysir and the two-tier waterfall of Gullfoss. A full day, with the car back by dinner.
03The south coast
Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, the black sand at Reynisfjara and the glacier tongues beyond. Further on, the lagoon at Jökulsárlón and the mountain of Vestrahorn reward an overnight stay.
04Geothermal bathing
The lava-field lagoons near the airport and the newer ones on the edge of the city are the famous version; the town's own heated pools are the local one, and open late most days of the year.
05The harbour and the whales
Boats leave the old harbour for whale and puffin watching in the bay. The harbour sheds have become restaurants and the concert hall glints on the waterfront.
06The northern lights
From late autumn to early spring, on a clear dark night, the aurora can appear anywhere away from the town's glow. Nothing is promised; the chance is the reason to go in winter.
Areas
Where to base yourself, and what each area is like.
Miðborg, the centre
The old town around Laugavegur and the harbour. Everything on foot, and the base most visitors choose.
Vesturbær
A residential quarter west of the centre with its own pool and a quieter pace, a short walk from the harbour.
Beyond the city
Many trips split time between Reykjavík and a night or two on the south coast or at the glacier lagoon, where the distances make an overnight worthwhile.
When to go: Reykjavík
- SummerJune – August
- Near-endless daylight, open mountain roads and the fullest choice of tours. Also the fullest months on the ring road.
- Shoulder monthsApril, May, September and October
- Cooler and quieter, with the roads still mostly open. September brings the first dark nights and the first chances of the aurora.
- WinterNovember – March
- Short days, snow and ice, and the northern lights. Some highland roads close; the Golden Circle and the south coast stay reachable with care.
Getting there
Airports
One airport in our search serves Reykjavík. Distances are measured in a straight line.
- KEFKeflavík International
Distance from
- LHRLondon1,880 km
- CDGParis2,230 km
- JFKNew York4,200 km
- DXBDubai6,890 km
- BOMMumbai8,330 km
- JNBJohannesburg10,940 km
- SINSingapore11,520 km
- SYDSydney16,620 km
Getting around: Reykjavík
The airport is a coach or transfer ride from town along the lava fields. The city is walkable; buses cover the rest and taxis are easy to find.
For the countryside a hire car gives freedom in summer; in winter a guided tour with a driver used to the conditions is the simpler choice. Roads can close in weather at any time of year, so plans stay loose.
Practical facts
The country, its currency and languages, the time zone and the time there now.
- Country
- Iceland
- Currency
- ISK · Icelandic Króna
- Languages
- Icelandic
- Time zone
- Greenwich Mean Time
- Local time now
- Calling code
- +354
The atlas
Reykjavík in figures
The figures under this guide: the climate on modelled 2001–2020 averages, how far it is from the UAE, and the places around it.
Climate
The weather in Reykjavík, month by month
- Jan2°
- Feb2°
- Mar3°
- Apr5°
- May8°
- Jun12°
- Jul14°
- Aug13°
- Sept10°
- Oct6°
- Nov3°
- Dec2°
- Mild to warm and dry
- Mild to warm, humid or showery
- Hot
- Cool
- Wet
- Cold
No month is both mild to warm and not wet, on these averages.
Mean highs run from 2°C in January to 14°C in July, with about 1,638 mm of rain in a year.
These are modelled averages for 2001–2020; the seasons described above are our own reading of a typical year.
Month-by-month climate for ReykjavíkModelled averages for an area about 50 km across, not a weather station's record: NASA POWER climatology, 2001–2020.
The figures are modelled at Reykjavik, the atlas city this page's place is measured from.
Airports
How far it is from the UAE
From DXBReykjavík
6,890 km
8 hrs 50 mins · Estimate
From AUHReykjavík
6,930 km
8 hrs 55 mins · Estimate
The great-circle distance, and a rough flying time: the distance at an average 850 km/h plus 45 minutes for take-off and landing. Real flights follow airways, meet headwinds and wait for traffic, so schedules differ.
On the map
Places near Reykjavík
Plan this trip: Reykjavík
Open the trip builder with Reykjavík already filled in. Flights, stays and everything else are priced together in one quote, prepared by a person on our team.
