7 Best Sights in Greater Reykjavík, Reykjavík

Clinging to the rocky shoreline of Kópavogur, across the bay from Reykjavík’s Nauthólsvík geothermal beach, you’ll find this beloved local wellness destination. Though an entirely man-made attraction, the stunning architecture and design of Sky Lagoon transports visitors to an oasis of warm geothermal waters, sweeping sea views, and utter relaxation. Its most unique feature is the seven-step Skjól ritual that transports bathers from the main lagoon area through a cold plunge, sauna, misting rain room, and steam room, punctuated with breaks for a luxurious body scrub and refreshing juice. Navigating the “ritual” at your own pace means you can gaze a little longer out the panoramic, floor-to-cieling windows in the sauna or just enjoy the sensory delight of standing in the rain room beneath a mammoth boulder that somehow floats several feet in the air overhead.

Some of Ásmundur Sveinsson's original sculptures, depicting ordinary working people, myths, and folktale episodes, are exhibited in the museum's gallery and studio and in the surrounding garden. It's on the southwest edge of Laugardalur Park, opposite the traffic circle at its entrance. Entrance is free with the Reykjavík City Card.

Located in the verdant Laugardalur Park, the Reykjavík Botanic Garden features outdoor beds planted with domestic and exotic plants where visitors are free to wander around and enjoy. Open year-round, the beautifully landscaped gardens are frequented by plant enthusiasts, families out for a stroll, and joggers alike.

Located on the tip of Seltjarnarnes Peninsula, this nature reserve is a fantastic destination for nature-lovers and bird-watchers. Here you can look beyond the outline of a lighthouse and take in Iceland’s seasonal natural wonders: the northern lights and the midnight sun.

Inside this modernist building you'll find an impressive permanent exhibit dedicated to the life and works of Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval (1885–1972), one of Iceland's most beloved landscape painters. In addition to Kjarval's key works, there's also a rotation of temporary exhibits featuring the works of both local and international artists. Entrance is free with the Reykjavík City Card.

One of Reykjavík’s most recognizable landmarks, Mt. Esja (pronounced ess-ya) stars in just about every promotional shot or picture postcard of the city. It holds a special place in the hearts of locals, who often take a day trip there to ramble along its network of winding trails. However great it looks from the city, the view from the top of this mountain—not actually a single mountain but a range of many peaks—is even better. To get here, take bus 57 from Mjódd to the Kléberksskóli stop and transfer to Bus 29 to Esjurætur.

At this charming domestic zoo, visitors can meet horses, cows, sheep, and other Icelandic farm animals as well as reindeer, foxes, and seals. The park is wildly popular with local children, who flock to the climbing structures year-round and enjoy the merry-go-round, drop tower, and other small rides in the summer months.