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With incredible sea views, and memorable architecture, Reykjavík, the world’s northern-most capital city, is a seriously cool destination. This is a place with a fascinating history, and an exciting and culturally rich present. Reykjavík has some seriously cool design hotels, many of them around the neighbourhood of Miðbær, which is the city centre. Miðbær has the Hallgrimskirkja church and the Harpa Concert Hall. In the evening, it becomes an even cooler place to be, with nightlife, and cultural offerings as colourful as the Northern Lights.
If you’re looking for a quieter base, consider Vesturbær and Laugavegur, which are both central and family-friendly. Vesturbær has traditional Icelandic homes and apartment buildings, on tree-lined streets, as well as the National Museum, and the Vesturbæjarlaug swimming pool, which is an easy place to try out the local spa and sauna traditions, along with cold water bathing. Laugavegur has a pool too, but it’s a geothermal one, plus a large park, the botanical gardens, and the zoo. Grandi is a good choice if you’re looking for a waterside neighbourhood to stay in. It’s trendy, and has a great maritime museum and attractions. This is a good pick for foodies too. Árbær is more suburban again, further outside of the centre, but further into nature, with historic architecture as well, and Seltjarnarnes is its ocean-side equivalent.
Ideal for: city breaks, sightseeing, short stays, families, photographers, shopping, nightlife
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Miðbær is the vibrant, walkable neighbourhood at the heart of Reykjavík. It’s got plenty of major sights within its boundaries, and is within a short walk of more, as well as having great restaurants and shopping opportunities — seek out Laugavegur, one of the city’s oldest streets, and a fantastic destination for shopping and restaurants. Some of Miðbær’s best-known attractions include a memorable sculpture: the Sun Voyager, an incredible piece of architecture: the white, pointed Hallgrímskirkja church, plus the Harpa Concert Hall, the Icelandic parliament building and the town hall. If you’re keen to explore museums and galleries you might like to start with The Settlement Exhibition, an open excavation of Viking age ruins, and the National Museum of Iceland. With its lively nightlife, Miðbær is a great option for people who want to experience Reykjavík day and night.
Did you know? Quite a lot of Miðbær is heated using nearby geothermal hot springs. And there's no McDonalds. In fact there are no McDonalds in the whole of Iceland!
Ideal for: families, sightseeing, city breaks, history lovers, sea views, foodies
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Loads of cool cities have revitalised ex-docklands, and Reykjavík’s is the Grandi neighbourhood, also known as the Old Harbour. There is still an active fishing fleet, so it’s not entirely taken over with contemporary attractions; you can see the fish come in off the boat, and follow them right into one of the city’s finest seafood restaurants, then top it all off with a whale safari or a puffin cruise. Or you can stay on land and appreciate the city’s shipping history at the Reykjavík Maritime Museum, housed in a one-time fish-freezing plant, or visit the Saga Museum, which tells the story of the earliest inhabitants of Iceland. Some of Grandi’s newer attractions include Aurora Reykjavík: a northern lights immersive experience, and Lava Show: a recreation of a volcanic eruption — in a controlled way, they promise! Grandi is also close to Miðbær.
Did you know? Grandi is home to Iceland's oldest operating restaurant, Kaffivagninn
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Ideal for: families, sightseeing, traditional architecture, longer stays, a relaxed break, meeting the locals
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Vesturbæ is just to the west of Miðbær, close to the coast and the Grandi Old Harbour, but still a central base, within walking distance of many of Reykjavík’s main attractions and sights. This was the first neighbourhood the city expanded into, once the population grew too large for the city centre in the 19th century, so it’s still quite old and traditional-feeling. The reason to choose Vesturbæ is that it’s a more residential neighbourhood: quieter, with traditional Icelandic houses on tree-lined streets. It’s great for families who might need a bit of extra space, young folk (there’s a local university), and luxury lovers. Even if you don’t stay here, it’s worth visiting the Vesturbæjarlaug swimming pool; it’s a sort of geothermal pool complex, with waterslides, hot tubs, steam baths and saunas.
Did you know? Vesturbæ is one of the most desirable places to live in Reykjavík, so it's a good place to star spot.
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Ideal for: living like a local, city breaks, sightseeing, cool kids, shopping, night owls, foodies
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Laugavegur is one of Reykjavík’s main central shopping and dining streets. It’s also historic and colourful, decorated with street art and traditional Icelandic architecture. As well as Laugavegur street itself, there are parallel and perpendicular roads, some with specific types of shops, and some just a continuation of Laugavegur. There are plenty of accommodation options on Laugavegur itself too. Stay in this immediate neighbourhood for a central base that’s also surrounded by vintage shops, galleries, Icelandic brands, trendy boutiques and bookshops. As well as more cafes, bars and restaurants than anyone could possibly visit in less than three weeks.
Did you know? Laugavegur translates to 'wash road', 'water road' or 'laundry road': named for the women who used to carry their laundry up to the geothermal springs to wash.
