Imagine Peace Tower Tour on Viðey island | John Lennon tribute

The best part of this outing is the setting: Yoko Ono’s Imagine Peace Tower shines from a dark, quiet island across the bay, with Reykjavík glowing in the distance. On a lucky night, the northern lights may appear beside the white beam, creating a scene that feels far larger than a simple memorial visit.

I like two things especially. First, the ferry ride and short island walk turn the tower into an experience rather than a quick photo stop. Second, guides such as Knut, Megan, Rob, Emily, and Sila add useful stories about Viðey, its church, marine life, and the meaning of the artwork. The hot chocolate, coffee, or tea is a welcome finish.

The catch is the walk. It takes place at night on an unpaved road, with a steep climb to a viewing platform, and the weather can turn quickly. If you have limited mobility or dislike cold, uneven ground, this may not be the right Reykjavík excursion.

Key points to know before booking

• The tower is best seen after dark: Its beam reaches into the Icelandic night, and snow or light rain can make the scene especially striking.
• Viðey adds more than the memorial: You may visit the small church and hear about the island’s past and marine surroundings.
• The northern lights are possible, not promised: Several departures have combined the tower with an aurora sighting, but weather and solar conditions decide that.
• The tour is intimate: The maximum group size is 20, and some departures have had only four to eight participants.
• Dress for an exposed island: Bring thermals, a warm jacket, hat, scarf, gloves, and sturdy footwear. Crampons and flashlights are supplied when needed.
• The price buys a guided evening outing: At $120 per person, you are paying for the boat, guide, equipment, and roughly two hours of sightseeing, not only access to the light.

Why the Imagine Peace Tower feels different at night

The Imagine Peace Tower is a memorial and light installation created by Yoko Ono in memory of John Lennon. On Viðey island, away from Reykjavík’s streets and lamps, its beam has room to command the sky.

That darkness matters. In daylight, the installation would be interesting. At night, it becomes the center of the whole island. You follow the light toward the tower, often with only the beam, city lights, and open water to orient you. Music connected with Imagine may play near the memorial, adding to the reflective mood.

You do not need to be a Beatles fan to appreciate the visit. The message is simple and direct: imagine peace around the world. The setting gives that idea physical space, especially when you are standing on a mostly empty island with Reykjavík across the water.

The experience is also seasonal in spirit. The tower is lit during specific periods rather than as a permanent nightly attraction throughout the year, so check the operating date when you book. This tour is built around seeing it illuminated.

The boat from Reykjavík Old Harbour

You meet at Elding Whale Watching at Ægisgarður 5c in Reykjavík’s Old Harbour. The excursion ends at the same meeting point, and hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so allow time to reach the harbour yourself.

The crossing to Viðey is part of the pleasure. It gives you a new view of Reykjavík and lets the city recede behind you. On the way, look for the tower’s beam as you approach the island. A few people have seen the northern lights from the upper level of the boat, which can be an excellent bonus if the sky cooperates.

The boat ride is short enough to keep the outing focused, but it still changes the pace of your evening. You are not being driven directly to a monument, photographed, and returned to the city. The water crossing helps create the feeling of going somewhere remote, even though Viðey lies close to Reykjavík.

Conditions can be cold and windy on the ferry. A warm jacket is useful from the start, not only once you reach the island. If rain or rough weather makes the trip unsafe, the operator may cancel and offer another date or a full refund.

Walking across Viðey after sunset

Once you arrive, the guide leads the group along an unpaved road toward the tower. The total activity lasts about two hours, including the crossing, walk, visit, warm drink, and return trip.

This is not a long wilderness hike, but it is more physical than the brief description may suggest. The route is dark, uneven, and exposed to wind. There is also a steep climb to a viewing platform. Flashlights and crampons are provided if conditions call for them, but you still need sturdy shoes and steady footing.

That walk is part of the atmosphere. The island feels quiet and remote at night, and the creak of the dock, cold air, and open ground make the visit feel unlike a standard city attraction. You may find the darkness atmospheric. You may also find it tiring if you expected a flat, easy stroll.

A guide helps a great deal here. Sila, Emily, Megan, Rob, and Knut have all led departures, and the strongest guiding adds useful context without turning the visit into a lecture. Knut, in particular, has brought in facts about the marine environment around the island, while other guides have focused on the tower, church, and local history.

The church and island history

The tower is the star, but the island itself gives the evening more substance. Guides can explain Viðey’s past and take you into its small church. That brief stop helps you understand that the memorial is set in a place with its own story, not on an empty patch of land chosen only for convenience.

The church is especially welcome when the weather is unpleasant. It gives you a quieter indoor pause and a chance to see a different side of the island. Do not expect a full island sightseeing tour in two hours, though. The focus remains the Imagine Peace Tower, and the available time depends on the walking conditions and departure schedule.

I like this balance. You get enough background to understand the setting, but the tour does not lose the central purpose of the visit. The guide may also explain the words and ideas connected with peace in different languages, which gives the memorial a wider human meaning.

Reaching the Imagine Peace Tower

At the tower, the group learns about the memorial and its connection to Lennon and Ono. The white beam rises into the sky from the stone monument, and the effect changes with the weather.

Snow can make the light look especially bright. Low cloud, mist, or light rain may catch the beam and make it visible in a more textured way. Clear weather gives you a sharper view of the light and often a better chance of seeing stars or the northern lights.

The city view from Viðey is another reason to make the crossing. Reykjavík’s lights spread across the water, while the island remains quiet and dark. The contrast is one of the most memorable details of the tour.

The planned experience includes a video narration by Yoko Ono about the tower and world peace. There has been some inconsistency in how that part is delivered, so do not make the video the sole reason for booking. The memorial itself, the guide’s explanation, and the night setting are the more reliable parts of the outing.

Northern lights: wonderful bonus, not the main plan

Several departures have been especially lucky, with the northern lights appearing above the tower or during the return ferry. Seeing green light in the sky while the tower sends its own beam upward can be spectacular.

Still, you should book this as an Imagine Peace Tower visit, not as a guaranteed aurora hunt. Northern lights depend on darkness, cloud cover, and solar activity. The operator does not promise them, and the tour may run perfectly well without them.

This distinction matters when comparing it with a dedicated northern lights excursion. The Peace Tower tour gives you a fixed cultural sight and a guided island walk. If the aurora appears, you have a remarkable extra. If it does not, the tower remains the reason for the trip.

Bring your camera, but also leave room to look around without a screen. The tower, church, water, and city lights can be difficult to frame in one shot. Guides have sometimes taken photos for the group, including memorable images of the beam and aurora together, but photography help should be treated as a courtesy rather than a guaranteed service.

Warm drinks before the return boat

After the walk, you receive hot chocolate, coffee, or tea before returning to Reykjavík. This is a small feature, but it matters in Icelandic weather.

The drink gives you time to warm your hands and talk through what you have seen. Hot chocolate has been a particular favorite, and one guide was singled out for making a very good cup. Food is not included, so eat before the tour if you need a proper meal.

The return ferry brings the evening back to the harbour. Depending on the weather and visibility, you may continue watching the sky or the illuminated tower as it fades behind you. The outing ends where it began at the Elding meeting point.

Is $120 a fair price?

At $120 per person, this is not the cheapest way to spend an evening in Reykjavík. The value depends on what you want from the night.

You are paying for a professional guide, round-trip boat transport, access to the guided island visit, a warm drink, and the use of flashlights and crampons when needed. The group can be as large as 20, but some departures have been much smaller, with four or eight people. A small group makes it easier to hear the guide and ask questions.

The price makes more sense if you value a focused, unusual outing rather than a quick attraction. You get a boat trip, a remote island walk, a cultural memorial, views of Reykjavík, and a chance of northern lights in one compact activity.

It is less convincing if you only want a photo of the beam. In that case, the cost, cold, darkness, and walking may feel like a lot. You also need to accept that poor weather can affect visibility and may lead to cancellation.

With a rating of 4.5 from 36 ratings and recommendation from 92 percent of participants, the experience has a strong record. The lower marks point to the main weaknesses: the walk can be longer than expected, the route can be unstable in the dark, and the tour organization or promised video may not always meet expectations.

Who should book this Viðey island evening?

I would choose this tour for:

• John Lennon and Beatles fans who want a meaningful memorial, not just a city photo
• Couples and small groups seeking a quiet evening outside central Reykjavík
• People who enjoy unusual settings, ferries, historic churches, and outdoor art
• Anyone happy to trade comfort for a more memorable Icelandic night
• Visitors who already have a separate northern lights plan and want an additional cultural outing

I would think twice if you have limited mobility, poor balance, or little tolerance for cold. The route is unpaved, the climb can be steep, and the island is dark. The tour is not recommended for people with limited mobility, though service animals are allowed and most participants can take part.

You should also dress more warmly than you think necessary. Wear thermals beneath a warm jacket, and pack a hat, scarf, gloves, and sturdy shoes. Crampons may help with ice, but they do not replace good footwear or careful walking.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance are not refunded, and changes are not accepted inside that period. The tour requires suitable weather and a minimum number of participants, so a weather or minimum-group cancellation brings an alternative date or a full refund.

Should you book the Imagine Peace Tower Tour?

Book it if the idea of standing beneath Yoko Ono’s peace light on a dark island appeals to you. The ferry, quiet walk, church, city view, warm drink, and possible northern lights make this far more distinctive than a simple monument visit.

Skip it if you want a guaranteed aurora, a flat walk, or an indoor evening. The tour’s charm depends on accepting Iceland’s cold, wind, darkness, and uneven ground.

For most visitors who enjoy art, music, and unusual places, I think the combination is worth the $120. Just arrive dressed for real weather, expect a walk rather than a quick stop, and treat the northern lights as a gift rather than a promise.

FAQ

Where does the Imagine Peace Tower tour begin?

The tour begins at Elding Whale Watching, Ægisgarður 5c, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland, in the Old Harbour.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the same meeting point in Reykjavík.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

Is transportation from my hotel included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You meet at the Elding Whale Watching location in the Old Harbour.

Is a hot drink included?

Yes. Hot chocolate, coffee, or tea is included. Food and other drinks are not included.

Is the walking route difficult?

The route includes an unpaved road and a steep climb to a viewing platform. The tour takes place at night, and sturdy footwear is recommended. Crampons and flashlights are provided if conditions require them.

Can I see the northern lights on this tour?

You may see the northern lights, and some departures have had excellent sightings near the tower or on the boat. They are not guaranteed.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience begins. Poor weather or failure to meet the minimum number of participants can also lead to an alternative date or a full refund.