1 Day in Reykjavik, Iceland Itinerary- Reykjavik, Iceland can easily be visited in one or two days. We made a schedule for one day the the city of Reykjavik, Iceland. Reykjavik is not very big but has lots to offer. We wanted to spend our time creating an itinerary for 24 hours where we could see everything in one day, eat some great affordable and cheap food, and have some local drinks during our short time there. I don’t think you need more than one day in the city, but many spend a weekend finding great places to see and fabulous food to eat.

This itinerary will take you to some of the main sites and buildings in Reykjavik. It will also give you a few options of affordable places to eat and drink in the city. Eating and drinking in Reykjavik is expensive, so we tried to mix it up with some affordable classics with some local craft brews.

You may be interested in What to Pack for Iceland in the Summer.

Where To Stay

Camping

We actually visited Iceland via GoCampers campervan. I honestly thought it was the best way to see Iceland in the summer. You can check out my post of schedule our 9 Days in Iceland Itinerary. So when visiting Reykjavik we needed a campground to stay at. Luckily Reykjavik has a great campground right outside the city, Reykjavik Campsite. We actually stayed at Tjaldsvaedi as we went to the Blue Lagoon late at night.

Hotel

If not camping there are tons of great options of places to stay in Reykjavik. There are plenty of AirBnB’s (use this link for $55 off your first stay) or on booking.com.

Booking.com

Where To Park

If you come into the city for a day like we did you can find some local parking spots in town. Do be careful as they do have towing hours and zones. Check out Free Parking and Laugavegur parking garage for public spaces to park.

What To Do

Morning

Start your day right with some delicious local breakfast foods and some classic Reykjavik sights.

Brauð & Co.

Brauð & Co’s colorful building cannot be missed, and often has a line out the door. There is a reason so as their homemade baked goods will have you drooling before you even get to the door. I love that you can watch them make their delicious pastries right in front of you.

Reykjavik Roasters

Stop for a fresh coffee right next to Brauð & Co. at Reykjavik Roasters. Enjoy your breakfast while you walk to the next stop.

Hallgrimskirkja

The Hallgrimskirkja Church is probably the most well known buildings in the city. This is a Lutheran parish church that stands at 74.5 meters high. It is the tallest church in Iceland, and one of the tallest buildings in the country. My favorite part about visiting this church was the views from the top. For a small fee you can pay for an elevator ride up to the top. I loved the overlook here as you can see the sea, mountains and the colorful buildings in Reykjavik.

Leif Eriksson Monument

The Leif Eriksson Monument stands right outside of the the Hallgrimskirkja Church. This monument was a gift from the United States of America to commemorate the 1000 year anniversary of the parliament of Iceland. For more interesting facts about this monument check out 10 Fascinating Facts on the Leif Eriksson Monument.

Afternoon

Pylsuhúsið

Iceland cannot be visited without trying their iconic Icelandic street hot dogs. We love trying hot dogs from different countries and see how they top them all differently. But Iceland by far has the best hot dog! And in Reykjavik there are a few options for street hot dogs. Our first stop was at Pylsuhúsið. Often a line but the line moves fast. Have some cash on you as these stands do not always accept cards. Eat at their picnic tables or enjoy while you walk.

Ingólfur Square

The Ingólfur Square is surrounded by lots of options of bars, shops and restaurants. Often events are happening inside of this square, when we were there it was during the World Cup, we we watched a match here on the big screen while enjoying our lunch. In the winter this becomes an ice skating rink.

Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur

For your second course of lunch, check out Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur for you guessed it more hot dogs! This stand is right in the Ingólfur Square. There was a difference between the two hot dog stands, but it was a toss up to us for which one was better. If you don’t get into town for Iceland Hot dogs just stop at almost any gas station and they serve up a pretty great dog!

Skúli Craft Bar

For some drinks to wash down our hot dog course lunch we stopped at Skúli Craft Bar. This is located right off of the Ingólfur Square as well. Iceland does make some great craft beers but they are quite a splurge as most craft beers cost over $10 a pint! We really enjoyed this quiet little bar to rest our feet.

Sun Voyager

Before dinner you can spend some time checking out some more famous Iceland sights. The Sun Voyager is located right on the water and was sculptured by Jón Gunnar Árnason. He intended it to convey the promise of undiscovered territory, a dream of hope, progress and freedom.

Harpa Concert Hall

Harpa Concert Hall is probably one of my favorite buildings. Take a look around and you can even go inside. Check out the lovely light reflections on the glass sides of this building.

Murals

Reykjavik is also known for its colorful and plentiful murals. We got to see a few wandering the streets but for a complete guide check out this article on Colorful Murals in Iceland.

Evening

Dinner & Drinks

Reykjavik has so many great restaurants and bars, pick from this list of recommendations:

We ate at Bryggjan Brugghús while we watched Iceland’s first World Cup Game ever! So much fun!

Blue Lagoon

We didn’t stay super late in Reykjavik but felt like we saw all that we needed to. We had late reservations at the Blue Lagoon this same evening after dinner. Which turned out to be perfect for our last evening in Iceland. The hot waters felt great after a week of hiking and being in a campervan.