Icelandic Road Trip Series: Reykjavik

Last updated: 15 July 2023

This is the fifth and final post in our Icelandic road trip series covering our adventure through the natural wonder that is Iceland! There was too much to see and do for us to cover in a single post so we decided to break it up into a 5 part series.

The Icelandic Road Trip Series

• Part 1: Why Iceland is a Must
• Part 2: The Ring Road
• Part 3: Solheimasandur Plane Wreck
• Part 4: Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
• Part 5: Reykjavik

Reykjavik – Iceland’s Capital City

If you’re planning a trip to Iceland then you will definitely be spending some time in the capital city of Reykjavik, the most northern capital city in the world. Home to 130,000 people, just over one third the entire population of Iceland, it’s a city which feels both big and small at the same time. A great place to find your feet and spend time planning your travels through Iceland.

Roma and I flew into Reykjavik-Keflavik international airport on Wow Air, one of my new favourite airlines. Why, you ask? Well, the crew were great, there were power sockets in the economy seats, and the seats were a good size too.

We wanted to start our road trip in Reykjavik for a couple of reasons; the first was the simple fact that we wanted to explore Iceland’s capital city. The second was a more logistical reason, our flights in and out of Iceland were from Reykjavik-Keflavik airport so the ease and convenience of hiring a car made the most sense.  

Ok, so you know that if I’m writing this post there’s going to be a history lesson at some point BUT I promise to be brief this time. Surely, I can’t be the only one who finds history interesting…

Who Founded Reykjavik?

The word Reykjavik is comprised of two words; Reykja = smoky and vik = bay and is literally translated as smoky bay.  The name was chosen because of the steam from the natural springs which could be seen for miles.

Ingolfur Arnarson can be considered the first Icelander. The Norwegian who was responsible for the first permanent settlement in Iceland in the year 874. It is said that Arnarson used a traditional Norse method to determine the location of his settlement, throwing his Ondvegissulur (2 high-seat pillars, basically wooden logs) into the ocean and choosing the location where they washed ashore as the site for the settlement.

The celebration of the Ingolfur Arnarson’s arrival and the legend of the wooden logs can be seen on Reykjavik’s Coat of Arms. 

Planning a visit to Reykjavik?

So if you’re like us and planning to spend a couple of days in Reykjavik, what do you need to know? Here’s a couple of tips.

Tip 1 – Pick Up a Local SIM Card

International roaming charges are the worst. Plain and simple. They’re expensive and completely unnecessary and let’s face it, when you’re exploring a new country the last thing you need to worry about is how much is this Instagram post going to cost me? 

The good news is that picking up a local SIM card couldn’t be easier in Reykjavik-Keflavik international airport. Once you clear immigration and customs, you’ll walk out into the main terminal. To your right, there will be a 10/11 (convenience store) which stocks all the usual food, snacks, drinks, and yes, even SIM cards.

We purchased a SIMINN Prepaid Deluxe Start Package for 2.990 kr (£20) which gave us the SIM card, 100 min, 100 text messages, and the most important part 1GB data.

The best part, it was the simplest activation process I’ve ever experienced. I just placed the SIM card in my phone, scratched the card to reveal the activation code, and sent that code in a text message to 1441 and that was it. Done and dusted.

If you’re a data junkie like us then you’re probably thinking that 1GB of data isn’t a lot and you’re right, it isn’t. We were very aware that 1GB wasn’t going to last the entire length of our roadtrip, we needed extra data.

Once the SIM was activated, I simply Googled “SIMMIN top up” and was able to access the above page. We selected the 5GB top for 2.300 kr (£15), entered in the credit card details, and the new phone number and that was it.

Within 20 min of arriving in main terminal hall in Keflavik airport, we had a local SIM card with 6GB of data for our entire trip. No complaints whatsoever.

Tip 2 – It’s Expensive

You’ve probably heard that Iceland can be expensive and what you’ve heard is right. It can definitely be costly if you don’t keep an eye on your spending. We’re currently living in London, one of the more expensive cities in the world, and a lot of the prices we saw in Iceland were on par with what we see in London. There were even some instances where some items were even more expensive.

The good news is that if you keep an eye on your budget and make some smarter choices, like doing your food shopping at the Bonus Supermarkets, then Iceland won’t break the bank.

We loved shopping at Bonus Supermarkets, it’s like the Icelandic equivalent of Aldi, so you can pick some lower priced food and make your own sandwiches. Roma and I love a good picnic when on a road trip so stopping at a Bonus became a frequent occurrence and a good choice to save some money.

Tip 3 – Stay Hungry for a Hot Dog

Now, before you go out to find a Bonus Supermarket, you want to go out and find the most famous hot dog stand in all of Iceland…Baejarins Beztu Pylsur. The English translation is awesome; Town’s Best Sausages.

Roma and I first came across this famous hot dog stand in our Lonely Planet on the plane trip over and the second time was when we did a TripAdvisor search for local places to eat when we arrived at the hotel. Baejarins Beztu Pylsur was the first result. It had to be sign.

I can hear you asking, how famous is this hot dog stand? Its popularity has steadily increased following former US President Bill Clinton’s visit for one of these bad boys in August 2004 during his Icelandic stay for a UNICEF conference.

Unsurprisingly, evev in winter there was a queue when we arrived but it was only about 6 people deep so we joined the back of the line and looked over the menu. There were a couple of choices – lamb, pork, beef – with a selection of the usual condiments.  

We ordered a couple of hot dogs with cheese and soft drinks and grabbed one of the small standing tables and devoured them. The only downside to these hot dogs is that they don’t last long…aside from that, they were great!

Tip 4 – The Northern Lights aren’t a sure thing

We joined a Northern Lights sightseeing cruise on the harbour during our stay in Reykjavik. Despite the highest of hopes, the lights did not make an appearance for us which was disappointing however the Elding Whale Watching Tours did issue us with free return passes for another time. We will definitely be back to use the passes because the Northern Lights are one item on our bucket list which we are determined to see!

On the upside, we did get to see the very cool Imagine Peace Tower, a memorial created by Yoko Ono to honour her late husband, John Lennon.  The tower of light is is projected from a stone monument, which has the words Imagine Peace in 24 languages carved into it.

Tip 5 – Join a Free Walking Tour

Short on time? What better way to explore the best that Reykjavik has to offer than with a Free Walking Tour.

If you’ve never been on a Free Walking Tour, the concept is simple – there is no upfront cost and you pay what you feel like at the end of the tour. You’ll find this type of walking tour all around the world and in our opinion, they’re a great way to familiarise yourself with a new city.

Extra Tip – Don’t Miss These

The below are possibly two of the best sights to see when visiting Reykjavik and what’s even better is that they are right next to each other!

Hallgrimskirkja

Hallgrimskirkja is a Lutheran Parish Church, standing at 73 meters tall which dominates the skyline of Reykjavik and is something that shouldn’t be missed!

The church is so large that it takes a bit of time to find the best place to take photos. I think Roma and I walked from side to side trying to find the best angle and to be able to get this massive structure into the photo.

One of my favourite moments in Reykjavik was after we took photos, we sat on a bench out the front of the church and made enjoyed a little makeshift picnic with our supplies purchased from the local Bonus supermarket. Sometimes all you each is a great view, a small lunch, and each other’s company.

Leifur Eiriksson Statue

If you know your viking history, then the name name Leifur Eiriksson probably means a great deal. However, if you’re like me and learning about European and Viking history as you go along then you’re going to love this monument.

The wonderfully imposing statue of Leifur Eiriksson is one of the most photographed in Reykjavik, the first European man to travel to America…500 years before Christopher Columbus!

This statue was a gift from the US to Iceland to commemorate the 1000 year anniversary of the Alpingi, the parliament of Iceland. On the back of the stone block, is the following inscription.

Final Thoughts

Without a doubt, visiting Iceland has been one of my travel highlights! I’d return tomorrow if it was possible. It might be because I didn’t have any expectations before visiting or any real understanding of its history or culture but I have been captivated since visiting and intend on returning again soon.

I hope you’ve enjoyed travelling through Iceland with us and you get the opportunity to explore it for yourself one day.