Reykjavík in 3 Days: The Lucalvry Itinerary

Day 1

Downtown Reykjavík, Harpa, Dill

1. 8:30am — Coffee at Reykjavík Roasters (Kárastígur 1)

   The serious specialty-coffee counter the locals defend

   The serious specialty-coffee counter the locals defend. Single-origin pour-over standing at the counter.

2. 9:30am — Hallgrímskirkja and tower

   The basalt-column-inspired Lutheran cathedral on the hill

   The basalt-column-inspired Lutheran cathedral on the hill. Tower entry (ISK 1,400) is the photograph — the 360° view across the rainbow rooftops to Mount Esja.

3. 11:00am — Walk down Skólavörðustígur to Laugavegur

   The painted rainbow stretch of Skólavörðustígur is the city's most photographed street;…

   The painted rainbow stretch of Skólavörðustígur is the city's most photographed street; the descent puts you onto Laugavegur for the design-shop walk.

4. 12:30pm — Lunch at Snaps Bistro (Þórsgata 1)

   The Parisian-Reykjavík bistro that defined the city's see-and-be-seen lunch a decade ag…

   The Parisian-Reykjavík bistro that defined the city's see-and-be-seen lunch a decade ago and continues to. The moules frites and the steak frites are the orders.

5. 3:00pm — Harpa concert hall and Sun Voyager walk

   The Olafur Eliasson facade is the architectural set-piece; the lobby is open and free

   The Olafur Eliasson facade is the architectural set-piece; the lobby is open and free. Walk east along the seafront to the Sun Voyager sculpture for the second photograph of the day.

6. 5:00pm — National Museum of Iceland

   The Settlement-to-modern-Iceland collection is the most coherent introduction to the co…

   The Settlement-to-modern-Iceland collection is the most coherent introduction to the country's history. Allow 90 minutes; most visitors find the medieval and Viking-era halls the strongest.

7. 7:30pm — Aperitivo at Pablo Discobar (Veltusund 1)

   Tropical-Reykjavík cocktail bar above the Laundromat Café — a deliberate stylistic pala…

   Tropical-Reykjavík cocktail bar above the Laundromat Café — a deliberate stylistic palate cleanser, with the strongest piscolas in the city.

8. 8:30pm — Dinner at Dill (Laugavegur 59)

   One Michelin star, the New Nordic flagship — Icelandic ingredients (langoustine, lamb,…

   One Michelin star, the New Nordic flagship — Icelandic ingredients (langoustine, lamb, skyr, Arctic char) reinterpreted at the country's serious tasting-menu level. The seven-course (ISK 26,500) with the wine pairing. Three weeks ahead minimum.

Day 2

Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss)

**7:30pm — Drive back to Reykjavík (90 minutes).**

1. 8:00am — Pre-arranged car or private guide pickup

   A self-drive day works well in summer; in winter (October to April) a private guide (IS…

   A self-drive day works well in summer; in winter (October to April) a private guide (ISK 95,000 for the day) handles the road conditions and the four-wheel-drive component. Skip the bus tours — they double the time and halve the experience.

2. 9:30am — Þingvellir National Park

   The continental-divide rift valley where the Eurasian and North American plates separat…

   The continental-divide rift valley where the Eurasian and North American plates separate at 2 cm a year, and the site of the world's first parliament (Alþingi, AD 930). Allow 90 minutes including the walk through the Almannagjá fissure to the Lögberg viewing platform.

3. 12:00pm — Lunch at Friðheimar tomato farm (Reykholt)

   The geothermal greenhouse where they grow 18% of Iceland's tomato production, and one o…

   The geothermal greenhouse where they grow 18% of Iceland's tomato production, and one of the most genuinely Icelandic lunch experiences on the Golden Circle. The tomato soup with bread, the bloody mary made from the greenhouse tomatoes. Reservation a week ahead.

4. 1:30pm — Geysir geothermal area

   The original Geysir (now mostly dormant) and Strokkur (which erupts every 6-10 minutes,…

   The original Geysir (now mostly dormant) and Strokkur (which erupts every 6-10 minutes, reliably). Allow 45 minutes; the loop is short.

5. 3:00pm — Gullfoss waterfall

   The two-stage waterfall on the Hvítá river — the upper viewing platform is the photogra…

   The two-stage waterfall on the Hvítá river — the upper viewing platform is the photograph, the lower platform (in summer only, when the path is open) gives the thunderous close approach.

6. 5:00pm — Optional: Secret Lagoon at Flúðir

   The 1891 geothermal pool, less developed than the Sky Lagoon and a fraction of the cost…

   The 1891 geothermal pool, less developed than the Sky Lagoon and a fraction of the cost (ISK 3,800). Forty minutes here is the right amount for the day's reset.

7. 9:00pm — Late dinner at ÓX (Laugavegur 28)

   The 11-seat counter behind a hidden door at Sümac restaurant — the city's most architec…

   The 11-seat counter behind a hidden door at Sümac restaurant — the city's most architecturally serious tasting room. Eight courses, ISK 38,000, paired with Icelandic and natural-wine flights. Three weeks ahead.

Day 3

South Coast, Sky Lagoon, farewell

**4:00pm — Drive back toward Reykjavík.**

1. 7:30am — Pre-booked South Coast tour or rental car

   The South Coast is best as a long day — Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara, Vík — a…

   The South Coast is best as a long day — Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara, Vík — and the early start matters because the route fills with tour buses by 11am.

2. 9:00am — Seljalandsfoss waterfall

   The waterfall you can walk behind — bring a rain shell

   The waterfall you can walk behind — bring a rain shell. Forty-five minutes including the optional sister waterfall, Gljúfrabúi, hidden in the next slot canyon north.

3. 10:30am — Skógafoss waterfall

   The 60-metre cascade with the rainbow-arc photograph from the river bank below

   The 60-metre cascade with the rainbow-arc photograph from the river bank below. Climb the stairs to the upper platform if your legs are up to it.

4. 12:30pm — Lunch at Mia's Country Grill (Vík)

   The roadside burger-and-langoustine-soup stop the locals genuinely use; faster than the…

   The roadside burger-and-langoustine-soup stop the locals genuinely use; faster than the village restaurants and considerably better than the gas-station alternatives.

5. 2:00pm — Reynisfjara black sand beach

   The basalt-column cliffs at Reynisdrangar, the puffin colonies (May to August), and the…

   The basalt-column cliffs at Reynisdrangar, the puffin colonies (May to August), and the most dangerous beach in Iceland — sneaker waves are real and have been fatal. Stay well above the high-tide line.

6. 7:00pm — Sky Lagoon Pure Pass

   The 2021-opened geothermal lagoon at Kópavogur (15 minutes south of Reykjavík), with th…

   The 2021-opened geothermal lagoon at Kópavogur (15 minutes south of Reykjavík), with the seven-step Skjól ritual (sauna, cold plunge, body scrub, steam, mist, balm, lagoon). Pre-book the Pure Pass (ISK 9,990) and the 7pm slot. Two hours including the ritual.

7. 9:30pm — Late dinner at Matur og Drykkur (Grandagarður 2)

   Modernised Icelandic classics in the Old Harbour — the cod heads with chickpeas and the…

   Modernised Icelandic classics in the Old Harbour — the cod heads with chickpeas and the slow-roasted lamb shoulder are the signature orders. Reservation a fortnight ahead. The slow farewell after a long Iceland day.