Private Reykjavík City Tour
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2,5-3,5 hours
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Let your driver show you Hallgrimskirkja, Harpa, the pearl and more iconic landmarks of our capital.
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Duration
2,5-3,5 hours
Language
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Perlan

Perlan wonders of Iceland is an exhibition including a bird cliff, a real ice cave, Iceland's glacier exhibition and icelandic nature in general. Reykjavik is the northernmost capital in the world but is fortunately blessed with hot springs which provide heating and electricity. The hot water tanks on which Perlan is built were in full use storing geothermal water up until the late 1980´s when after a few boreholes had been created in various parts of the city which made them mostly obsolete. Instead of tearing them down it was decided to build the glass dome and an observation deck since there is a great view of Reykjavík City from on top of the tanks. The glass dome also opened a restaurant and a café, as well as a gift shop making it a must for any visitor to the city. 


Perlan is one of the most instantly recognisable landmarks in Reykjavík along with Hallgrímskirkja lutheran church, Harpa Concert Hall and The Sun Voyager. Whatever day tours you might be doing and whether you are doing a full tour of the city or not then Perlan is a really great stop. There is free entry to the building itself although there is an admission to the exhibitions and the observation deck. During high seasons in Iceland such as some of the music festivals and the northern lights peak time in mid-winter it is worth checking how busy it is and remember that in Reykjavik pretty much every single neighbourhood has a lovely geothermal swimming pool where there is always time to soak and get to know a few locals.

The Perlan Museum and Planitarium, Reykjavik. This modern building consists of tanks filled with geothermal water in a city that aims to be carbon neutral by 2040
The Perlan Museum and Planitarium, Reykjavik. This modern building consists of tanks filled with geothermal water in a city that aims to be carbon neutral by 2040

The area around Perlan is also of historic importance since to west between the hill on which it is built and the domestic airport was the location were a large portion of the troops stationed in Iceland during World War II stayed and the army barracks stood for quite a few years after the war. The importance of the allied forces coming to Iceland during the war can not be underestimated. Just the amount infrastructure that was accomplished during that time is what helped Reykjavík develop into a modern city. Road construction went on all through the war and both the domestic airport as well as the international airport were built during that time. Foundations that proved to be of immense value to Reykjavík and Iceland in general.

The panoramic view from Perlan is absolutely fantastic. The Reykjanes peninsula to the south west with the international airport and The Blue Lagoon. To the North West there is Snæfsellsnes peninsula with Snæfellsjökull volcano at its end that Jules Verne used as the gateway to central earth in his novel Journey to the Center of the Earth. Also to the north lies Mount Esja and to the east towards the south coast and Golden Circle is Hellisheiði pass with one the biggest Geothermal Power Plants in Iceland easy to spot due to the great columns of steam rising from it.



Perlan
Perlan
Perlan is a Reykjavík Landmark sporting a great panoramic view and topped with a glass dome resembling a flying saucer.
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Harpa Concert Hall

Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Centre is home to The Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, The Icelandic Opera and various events throughout the year including stand up comedy, theatre and live music of various musical genres. 


The design of Harpa is a collaboration between Icelandic artist and designer Ólafur Elíasson and danish architectural firm Henning Larsen Architects. The design has won various international awards and has quickly become a Reykjavik landmark. The financial crisis in 2008 put a stop to the project leaving the building only half-built for a few months until the state decided to step in and finish the construction which made Harpa a symbol of Iceland working its way out of the crisis. 

Reykjavik, Iceland - August 31, 2016 Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre in historical downtown in Reykjavik at warm Summer sunset in Iceland
Reykjavik, Iceland - August 31, 2016: Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre in historical downtown in Reykjavik at warm Summer sunset in Iceland

The location is by the Old Reykjavik Port between land and sea overlooking the North Atlantic and the vibrant life of the northernmost sovereign capital in the world. There is a thriving icelandic music scene and out of the various music venues in Reykjavik Harpa is by far the best. During Iceland Airwaves music festival international crowds of music lovers flock to Reykjavik and Harpa is one of the main venues used. Despite being built for concerts and conferences the building has also become a tourist attraction because of its intriguing design inspired by elements of Icelandic nature and a glass facade with built in lights doing patterns and shapes often matching whatever is going on inside.

For those visiting Reykjavik during the darker months of the year the northern coastline going from Harpa towards the Sun Voyager and further, is a great spot for Northern Lights viewing should they appear.


Harpa Concert and Conference Hall has been a gamechanger for the Reykjavik music scene. The original idea was always to make it a home for all music and this has truly come to fruition. The Icelandic Symphony Orchestra desperately needed a base of operations and many of the larger conferences held in Reykjavik had long since outgrown all venues. The music scene in Reykjavik first started to get attention in the 80´s when bands like Mezzoforte and The Sugarcubes started exporting their music and making it to international charts. The city has proven to be fertile ground for musicians ever since with a long list of musicians of all genres. Björk might still be the biggest name but there are for example bands like Sigur Rós, Bang Gang, Of Monsters and Men, Mono Town, GusGus and Kaleo. As well as solo artists such as Emiliana Torrini, Ólöf Arnalds, Ásgeir Trausti, Ólafur Arnalds and María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir. The Reykjavik music scene keeps producing more talent every year and there seems to be no end to the amount of names to fill the various music festivals.


Harpa Concert Hall
Harpa Concert Hall
A magnificent example of modern architecture and home to great music.
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Hallgrimskirkja

A proud high point on the Reykjavik skyline firmly planted on a hill in the center of the city reaching a height 74.6m (266 feet). Probably the most recognisable church in Iceland, the masterpiece of the country´s first state architect Mr. Guðjón Samúelsson (16 April 1887 – 25 April 1950), and named after poet and clergyman Rev. Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614–1674), author of the Passion Hymns. The inspiration for the design of the church is from Iceland´s landscape, the trap rocks, mountains and glaciers, construction went on from 1945 until 1986. 

Hallgrímskirkja, tallest point in Rekyjavik, Iceland.
Hallgrímskirkja, tallest point in Rekyjavik, Iceland.

When doing a city tour and exploring Reykjavik, Hallgrímskirkja, along with Perlan, Harpa Concert Hall and Iceland Parliament, is a must visit and the view from the belltower is amazing. With a little luck you might be able to catch a concert or a practice of the magnificent pipe organ. In front of the church is a statue of Leif “The Lucky” Eriksson who sailed to North America in 1000 AD, the statue was a gift from the United States of America to the people of Iceland for the millennial celebration of Iceland´s parliament in 1930.

The church is very popular among the locals and through the summer wedding bells can be heard every weekend. Concerts are also often held in the church at various hours.

Hallgrimskirkja
Hallgrimskirkja
Hallgrímskirkja Lutheran Church is one of the best known landmarks in Reykjavik.
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The Sun Voyager

The Sun Voyager is just down the road from the Harpa Concert Hall along the northern coastline of the city next to the central Reykjavík area. Created by Icelandic artist Jón Gunnar Árnason and described by himself as a dreamboat, or an ode to the sun. His inspiration was from a dream where found himself traveling with a group of ancient people all the way from Mongolia to Iceland always following the sunset towards west across forests, lakes and rivers, eventually reaching the sea and there constructing great ships that would take them to an undiscovered island in the north. This fantasy or dream of hope, progress and freedom, and an ode to the sun, has captured people´s imagination and the sculpture itself not unlike a viking ship stands proudly in a prime location of the reykjavik area not far from Höfði House. A fun fact is that even if the dream/story of The Sun Voyager is complete fantasy and fiction then a recent genealogical discovery has shown that The Icelandic Horse has its closest relative in the Mongolian Horse and there is no explanation for this yet.

Cityscape over Reykjavik business and touristic downtown, embankment, ocean, harbor, modern buildings and monument of Viking boat Sun Voyager at sunset skyline
Cityscape over Reykjavik business and touristic downtown, embankment, ocean, harbor, modern buildings and monument of Viking boat Sun Voyager at sunset skyline

This incidentally is also the part of Reykjavík where people go when there is a good forecast for northern lights since there is a great view towards north across Faxi bay with the city lights to your back. Plus in this area you are pretty close to most of the downtown hotels, the National Museum and most of the great restaurants in the center displaying the exciting the new fusion of Icelandic cuisine. There are also a couple of great swimming pools in the area thanks to the hot springs, offering a safe and cozy geothermal experience complete with steam baths and hot tubs. 


For those coming to Iceland for the various music festivals the area around The Sun Voyager should be familiar since for example Harpa Concert Hall is the center of both Iceland Airwaves and Sonar music festivals. Since the late 80´s Reykjavik has been the center of a thriving music scene producing great artists and also becoming a destination for music lovers and international recording artists. The Sugarcubes, Björk, Emiliana Torrini, Sigur Rós, Kaleo and Of Monsters and Men, to name a few of the locals. 

The downtown area is also the place to head out from to any kind of day tours. The Reykjavik Harbour is where the whale watching tours leave from, as well as bird watching tours and sea-angling for those interested. Also tours going out to The Blue Lagoon, as well as the South Shore and The Golden Circle to name some. 


The Sun Voyager should absolutely be a stop on any city tour exploring Reykjavík, the northernmost capital in the World.


The Sun Voyager
The Sun Voyager
A Reykjavik landmark viking art inspired steel Sculpture representing a promise of undiscovered territory.
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Reykjavík Harbour

The Reykjavik Harbour Area is very much at the heart of the city and indeed the oldest archeological remains of a farm in Iceland have been found right between the harbour and Tjörnin (The Pond). You could say that the city more or less grew from the harbour here where the first viking ships landed over 1100 years ago. For years the area served freight ships and fishing boats alike. This is also where both Winston Churchill and the first Beatles album came ashore.


In recent years the area has undergone a major facelift and what used to be the old shipyard and fishermen´s storage is now home to hipster cafés and fusion restaurants, designer shops and software companies. Even the shipyards offices and working area have been turned into an Icelandair hotel The Marina. 

Reykjavik Harbor on a Sunny Afternoon, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Reykjavik Harbor on a Sunny Afternoon, Reykjavik, Iceland.

Reykjavík Harbour is a stone´s throw from the main shopping streets and pretty much qualifies as the city centre. Numerous tours can be pre-booked from there, and few classic day tours can be taken from here, whether you want to do The Golden Circle or visit The Blue Lagoon, it can be easily arranged from this location. Reykjavík Harbour is only 45 minutes from the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa and roughly the same distance from Thingvellir National Park and Rift Valley the start of the Golden Circle that also includes Gullfoss Waterfall and the geothermal area at Geysir. But the area around the harbour is also a great place to start with. Whale watching tours leave from here throughout the year and Harpa Concert Hall is right on the edge of the water. Some of the best bars and restaurants in the downtown area are also situated around here and it is well worth going on Tripadvisor just to see what´s going on since Iceland and Reykjavík in particular are right in the midst of a culinary revolution. Check out some of the seafood available as well as the local organic lamb, or find a seedy dive to disappear into for a few hours and see if the Northern Lights grace you with their presence when you stumble back out. Remember also that geothermal heat and hot springs are plentiful in Iceland, so every swimming pool in Reykjavík is in fact geothermal, they are well appreciated by the locals and can be recommended for their cleanliness, jacuzzis and steam baths. 


It is widely accepted that Reykjavík has morphed from being basically a fishing village on the cold shores of the North Atlantic into being a modern city and a hot destination offering its own slightly eccentric but cosmopolitan charm at the same time.

Port of Reykjavík receives a growing number of cruise ships every year as well as just getting more popular in general. So, whether you are stopping by for a day, doing a 24 hour layover or spending more time, it is a smart idea to check your interests and options and book ahead.


Reykjavík Harbour
Reykjavík Harbour
The true beating heart of the Icelandic capital is the old harbour.
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Reykjavík captal city

Reykjavík is the capital of Iceland, the world´s northernmost capital and around two-thirds of the total population of the country live in and around the city. The oldest archeological remains of a permanent settlement in Iceland are right in the city center dating back to 874 and believed to be that of Ingólfur Arnarson the founder of Reykjavík according to the sagas. Reykjavík really just became a city during the 20th century. In 1900 only about 6000 people were living in reykjavík at the time. During WW2 the city grew significantly and during the war the allied forces built many roads as well as the domestic airport, and the international airport, as well as setting up their headquarters and army barracks. The second half of the 20th century was pretty quiet but included highlights such as the world championship in chess in 1972 when Bobby Fischer became world champion. In 1986 the world cast its eye towards Iceland when then USA President Ronald Reagan and USSR General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev met for a summit in Reykjavik which is considered an important stepping stone towards the end of the cold war and disarmament. But apart from WW2 Reykjavik has been a pretty cool little place, a breeding ground for artists and infamous for a colourful nightlife.

Scenery view of Reykjavik the capital city of Iceland in late winter season. Reykjavik is one of Europe's most dynamic and interesting cities.
Scenery view of Reykjavik the capital city of Iceland in late winter season. Reykjavik is one of Europe's most dynamic and interesting cities.

Reykjavik City has become a hip destination lately for people seeking northern lights, music festivals and the new Icelandic fusion cuisine. A number of amazing day tours can be taken from the city that are back before happy hour and give you plenty of time to relax in one of the geothermal swimming pools and check out what is going on at the Harpa Concert Hall. In summertime the Secret Solstice music festival is a major event, so is Culture Night and Gay Pride weekend. In winter there are the Iceland Airwaves and Sonar music festivals both drawing international crowds. Although Reykjavik is the northernmost capital in the world, thanks to the hot springs and geothermal heat it quite warm on the inside and 90% of all homes in Iceland are geothermally heated. So, only green energy for this capital city on the shores of Faxaflói (Smoky Bay) guarded by the great Mount Esja.

There are many ways to experience Reykjavik. Whether you go by foot or get someone to give you a little road trip around the city make sure you get in a few highlights. Perlan observation deck, Hallgrimskirkja lutheran church, Harpa Concert Hall, City Hall and The Pond (Tjörnin) are all well worth checking out. Make sure you find out where there is free entry and were you need to pay. Getting a private driver to take you around is really the best way to get everything in make sure you get a proper introduction.


Reykjavík captal city
Reykjavík captal city
The northernmost sovereign capital in the world has some warm and intriguing sides.

Private Reykjavík City Tour

Doing a private tour with a driver and a smaller vehicle has many benefits, it is a comfortable way to see the city and a more flexible schedule allowing you to spend your own desired amount of time at any destination, and stopping for refreshments if you like. Also consider the possibility of combining the tour with other activities in or around the city such as museums, exhibitions, whale watching, horse riding or The Blue Lagoon.

Similare tours for stopover and cruise ships passengers:

Private  City Tour for Cruise Passengers
Private  Reykjavik City Tour from Keflavik airport


Reykjavík is the northernmost sovereign capital in the world at 66°North. Around two thirds of the total population of Iceland live in and around the city. A fun fact is that in 1900 only about six thousand people lived in Reykjavik. The figure today is well over two hundred thousand. The highlights of a city tour include Hallgrímskirkja, Harpa, Perlan and Sun Voyager. 


Hallgrímskirkja Church

Possibly the best known landmark in the capital and largest lutheran church in the country. Designed by Iceland ́s first state architect Guðjón Samúelsson and started in 1944, but not finished until 1982. The great pipe organ has 5275 pipes and concerts are held throughout the year. The inspiration for the design of the church tower is said to be basalt columns such as the ones at Reynisfjara Black Beach and an erupting geyser. It is named after clergyman and poet Hallgrímur Pétursson who wrote among other things the Passion Hymns. In front of the church there is a statue of Leifur “The Lucky” Eriksson who, according to the sagas sailed to North America in the year 1000AD, it is a gift from The United States to the people of Iceland.


Harpa Concert and Conference Hall

The Harpa is home to the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera, as well as numerous events, conferences, concerts and music festivals throughout the year. Designed by Icelandic/Danish designer Ólafur Elíasson and the glass dome enveloping the building as well as other features of the design are a reference to icelandic nature, such as the Northern Lights hall and the volcano hall. Each window of the glass dome has four glass plates and a built in colour lights making it possible to create all kinds of shapes and movements on the outside of the building.  


Perlan

Built on top of the old hot water tanks and looking very much like a flying saucer there is an observation deck where there is a view of pretty much the whole city and a lovely restaurant/café with a revolving floor for the dinner service. There is also the Wonders of Iceland Exhibition which aims to give a good overview of the nature of Iceland.


Sun Voyager

A sculpture on the northern coastline of Reykjavík and a popular photo stop. Looking a little bit like a viking ship with lines resembling runes. “Sun Voyager is a dreamboat, an ode to the sun. It symbolizes the promise of undiscovered territory, a dream of hope, progress and freedom.” said the artist Jón Gunnar Árnason (1931-1989).

Possible add-ons along the way(entrance to be paid locally):

  • Wonders of Iceland
  • The Saga Museum
  • Whales of Iceland

Possible tours you can contact us about to do after or before:

  • Whale watching
  • Horse riding

Additional Information

Tips and Trivia
  • Icelanders publish more books per capita than any other country in the world.
  • Reykjavík is Iceland´s melting pot of culture and art, home to theatres, music festivals and galleries.
  • In the 90's the legendary Reykjavík nightlife and partying of the Icelanders became an attraction for pop stars and other celebrities (things have calmed down a lot since then).
  • US President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev of the USSR met at Höfði House in 1986 for a summit generally considered to play a major part in ending the cold war. 
  • Harpa also hosts gaming conventions like the EVE Fanfest, which takes place once a year.
  • Thousands of US soldiers were stationed in Reykjavik during World War II.

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