Sightseeing in Reykjavik

& Iceland city tours for the complete holiday

•  1 hour tour from £19pp
Depart: May-Sep daily at 13:30

Get your bearings on the layout of the capital and its main attractions, including the futuristic Perlan restaurant and observatory, offering spectacular views across the city; the giant Hallgrimskirkja – Reykjavik’s main landmark, the Parliament building, and the harbour. We offer a comprehensive 3 hour tour or a shorter 1 hour tour depending upon the time of year. Includes: bus fare and guidance / 3 hour tour includes short walks around the city – weather dependent.

Iceland’s cool capital is a friendly & cosmopolitan destination. Reykjavik is an intimate city, easily negotiated on foot, making it a perfect place to discover on a weekends adventure break. This cultural-village like capital is constantly bubbling with activity and has many tourist attractions to discover all year round. By day, the capital has a pleasant buzz; offering tax free shopping to foreign guests, cosy cafes, art galleries and interesting museums. Furthermore, the city lies close to the wonders of nature and offers its visitors a wide range of outdoor and leisure activities and tours to experience. In the evenings, the attractions continue, from the famous Northern Lights, Viking Feasts to trendy chic nightclubs and midnight outdoor explorations. Below you’ll find information about all our favourite land and tourism hotspots. We hope you join us and visit Iceland soon, so you can experience for yourselves Iceland’s natural delights and fascinating historical sites. You will not experience a dull moment in Reykjavik, it is the most exclusive, luxury, fun-packed short break destination, anybody could wish for.

Exclusively throughout the year, Vamos Travel can provide private guided sight seeing and wilderness tours, which can range from a few hours to even a week long Icelandic tour. If you would like a private guide at your disposal, please add this to your enquiry form and contact Vamos Travel today. “Let’s Go!”

Iceland’s unique ecology, friendly citizenry and unmistakable sense of style combine to form a short break like no other on the planet. Where else in one place will you find 800 hot springs, 10,000 waterfalls, 15 active volcanoes, and 4,500 square miles of glaciers? Iceland is a place you could go on discovering forever. Vamos Travel dedicates itself to knowing everything about Iceland. It’s not work, when it’s a passion. See the best of Iceland’s breath taking landscapes, beautiful sunsets and natural wonders with our friendly guides or planned itineraries. Some of the highlights you’ll enjoy on your holidays in Iceland: Blue Lagoon, Stokkur Geyser, Gullfoss Waterfall, Lake Myvatn, Geysers, Njardvikurskidur and the Domadulur Valley.

The Austurvollur Square is also home to Iceland's Althing (House of Parliament). What’s surprising about this building is its lack of architectural presence. The building is a very ordinary gray stone building, which seems too small to be a place that serves as a national seat of government. Althing is more of a point of interest, not really a major holiday hotspot by any means. Across the street and adjacent to the Althing is Reykjavik’s oldest church the Domkirkjan and is worth venturing inside to see its beautiful interior. It’s worth taking a few snapshots inside here, to capture the stone neoclassical designs.

The Arni Magnusson Institute contains the Icelandic manuscripts, which were written near the end of the 14th century. The largest and most complete of all the Icelandic manuscripts, is the Book of Flatey, containing sagas of the Norwegian kings and includes a narrative describing the discovery of Finland and Greenland. For travelers with a keen interest in history and Icelandic culture, then don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Arni Magnusson Institute.

In the old mid town there is a modest leafy green square, which looks of little importance. It’s a place favoured by local city workers to catch a bit of sun and fresh air during their lunch hours. However, appearances are deceiving as Austurvollur Square has significant historical importance. It is generally believed that Ingolfur Arnarson, the Viking that founded Reykjavik had his farm on this very spot. This for many is enough to believe that Austurvollur is the centre of the capital. If you see the statue of Jon Sigurрsson, then you have found the Austurvollur Square (as it stands in the middle).

A short distance from the Laugar Spa is the Botanical Garden where one can see numerous plants and flowers. Admission is free and the atmosphere is peaceful and could be a good place to rest from your sight seeing adventures in Reykjavik. Nearby is the family Zoo and fun-park, which is offers a couple of hours of light entertainment. Every species of distinct Icelandic farm animal is kept at the Zoo, along with several wild native species. There at the Zoo, visitors can see the distinctive Icelandic horses, sheep, along with wild animals like seals, foxes and reindeer. Both the Botanical gardens and the zoo are great ideas during your holidays in Iceland.

The exhibitions in the Culture House emphasize the history and culture of the country, as well as its ancient and modern literature. At present, the Culture House's feature attraction are the Medieval Manuscripts, Eddas and Sagas. These National treasures contain a massive amount of ancient Northern heritage that provide written evidence of society & religion, from Iceland’s early beginnings. The culture house is an excellent museum and we can recommend the guided one-hour tour in English every Monday and Friday at 3:30 pm.

Einar Jonsson Museum is dedicated to Iceland’s first modern sculptor, Einar Jonsson. Jonsson drew inspiration from the Icelandic folklore heritage for outlaws, mythological figures and religious motifs. He emphasized the need for artists to forge their own path and cultivate their originality and imagination instead of following in the footsteps of others. The museum contains close to 300 art works spanning a 60 year career. Undoubtedly, this is a fascinating place to visit during any type of holidays to Iceland. Whether a short city escape, luxury tours or a romantic break, the Einar Jonsson Museum is worth investigating.

Reykjavik's most imposing structure is the Hallgrimskirkja Church, found at the top of Skolavoroustigur Street. The Hallgrimskirkja is the largest church in Iceland and it dominates the city skyline, with its 75m high tower. The Hallgrimskirkja Church offers a great viewing platform, which we recommend you utilize on your weekend breaks in Reykjavik, to take some amazing photographs. This amazing church has a unique design and is both loved and hated by the Icelandic locals. It’s a major symbol and must be seen up close whilst on your Iceland holidays. In front of the church, is the statue of Leifur Eiriksson, who discovered America. This is one of the highest parts of Reykjavik and on a clear day there are great panoramic views over the capital and is a great place for those Kodak magic moments. Hallgrimskirkja Church is an sight seeing hot spot, don’t miss it.

Located in Laugardalur Valley, is Reykjavik’s recreation and athletic park. Laugar Spa is a place that everyone interested in improving their wellness should visit, whether you are on your own or part of a group. Laugar Spa is one of the largest spas in Europe and has a whole range of facilities, which include: an olympic-size indoor pool, outdoor pool, hot pots, 5 star beauty and massage salon, fitness centre. Pamper yourself and concentrate on your well being in Iceland. Spoil your mind, body and soul and visit the Laugar spa. Iceland is truly the number one holiday destination for well being and relaxation.

The first Reykjavik Marathon was held in 1984, which attracted 214 participants from Iceland and other nations. Today, the Reykjavik Marathon attracts well over 3000 runners and its popularity and international status progressively grows each year. As an amazing extra, on the day of the marathon the annual Cultural Night Festival is held in the centre. This awesome festival lasts the whole day and it ends with a spectacular fireworks show at midnight! So, whether you’re participating in the marathon or spectating, coming here during the marathon weekend is a great idea.

The National Gallery of Iceland owns a sizeable collection of 19th & 20th century Icelandic art and international art aswell. The museum owns the most valuable collection of works by Icelandic artists in the country. The collection also includes an impressive array of works by internationally renowned artists, such as, Pablo Picasso. We advise our clients to view the many colourful exhibitions in the National Gallery, especially travelers with a keen interest in arts & culture.

The National Museum is a modern and innovative museum, providing a comprehensive picture of cultural history through the ages to the present day. This new state of the art museum has thousands of national treasures, never seen before artifacts and inventive exhibits, making it an amazing source of inspiration and discovery for your Reykjavik holidays. Of particular interest is the research on the DNA, which was extracted from bones dating back to the first centuries of settlement.

Arbæjarsafn was established as an open-air museum to preserve and show selected old houses, to give visitors an opportunity to learn about the architecture and lifestyle of the past. The exhibits offer something for everyone, providing an in depth insight into the life and work of past generations. In recent years Arbæjarsafn has produced various exhibitions, festivals and visitor programs, which have become quite popular among our clients. Among them are the handicraft days, the haymaking days and the Christmas Exhibition. Contact Vamos Travel, about including an excursion to the open air museum as part of your amazing city break in Reykjavik.

If you want to see the capital from an impressive view point, then we recommend you head to the top of Oskjuhliр hill, where guests will find the pearl of the island. The Perlan, is a multi functional facility, it has a museum, hosts concerts, has a rotating restaurant and a 360 degree viewing deck. The views are fabulous and are a must-see tourist attraction in Iceland. The fact that entry is free and the telescopes on each corner of the deck have recorded descriptions in English, makes the Perlan a ‘off the beaten’ track hotspot.

The Saga museum is located in The Perlan and is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm. Visitors to the museum are guided through the museum’s many attractions as well as through a chronological history of the country. In this vibrant, multidimensional museum, foreign weekend breaks visitors are given an opportunity to learn about Icelandic history in a way that is both educational and fun. Life-like replicas of historical Icelandic figures have been created, based on descriptions found in the Viking sagas and chronicles. In order to achieve authenticity, clothing, weapons and everyday objects were constructed using traditional methods passed down through the ages. Make your short break stay in Reykjavik educational aswell as fun.

The Asmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum is dedicated to the works of the sculptor Asmundur Sveinsson, who bequeathed his studio home and a large number of his sculptures to the city. Adjoining the museum is a sculpture garden featuring large scale copies of some of the artist's key works. Most of his sculptures were conceived as works for public spaces, an integral part of their environment or designed for utility. Throughout his life, Sveinsson remained loyal to his belief that art should be for the people and have its place among them. This fascinating collection will be of great interest to culture & art enthusiasts.

Although shopping might not be really sightseeing, it’s an important part of any kind of holiday. A lot of our clients who have returned from their holidays in Iceland, have utilized the ‘Tax free shopping’ which is widely available. Definitely a clever way to save some money during a weekends breaks adventure. The city centre is always vibrant and has lots of shops carrying souvenirs, woolens and handicrafts, especially on streets like; Austurstraeti and Hafnarstraeti. For designer clothes and for modern street wear, then try Laugavegur, it’s a great street for the holiday shopping enthusiast and you’ll be surprised that the prices are not that high. Along Skolavoroustigur street, which leads up to the famous Hallgrimskirkja church, you’ll find many galleries and work shops, selling a whole host of artwork.

Due to the capital having enormous reserves of thermal water, there are many private and public thermal pools & spas dotted all around the city. It’s a great place to meet real Icelandic people, recharge the batteries and feel in tune with your body. These hot open spas have a direct positive influence on health: strengthening the heart and respiratory system, relaxes tight muscles, reduces stress and basically makes you feel better. Thermal Baths are an outstanding cultural phenomenon and add a great inexpensive diversion to your holiday break in Iceland.