12 City Tours in Iceland That Are Worth the Daylight

1.City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 1,283 reviews · 1 day · from $47Our pick

Use a 24 or 48-hour City Sightseeing pass to reach Reykjavik’s harbor, museums, Hallgrimskirkja, Perlan, Kringlan, and Laugardalur. Recorded commentary comes in eight languages, and the route takes about 80 minutes. You can track buses by QR code, but remember to signal when you want to get off.

“It was nice to get information on Reykjavik during the bus ride. Good to know is that the bus doesn't automatically stop at each stop so let the driver know in advance when you want to get off.”

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2.City Sightseeing Reykjavik Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: 24 or 48-Hour

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 839 reviews · 1 hour 20 minutes (approx.) · from $48

See Reykjavik from a double-decker bus with unlimited hop-on hop-off access for 24 or 48 hours. The 80-minute loop links Harpa, the Old Harbour, Hallgrimskirkja, Perlan, Laugardalur, museums, and more. Audio commentary comes in eight languages, with Wi-Fi and headphones included.

“the driver did not speak when I asked him several questions upon entering the bus .. he never looked up from his phone .. I asked if he spoke English and he nodded yes .. the earpiece kept cutting in and out and I missed many important facts in the bus tour .. I tried several different seats .. all the same .. I would not recommend this tour !”

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3.City Walking tour in Small Group with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 380 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $51

Start at Hallgrímskirkja beside the Leifur Eiríksson statue, then walk downhill through Laugavegur, along the waterfront, and into Reykjavík’s oldest center. Your English-speaking local guide may be Asi, Martin, Ryan, Erik, or another CityWalk guide. Expect history, local tips, colorful streets, Harpa’s striking interior, and a small group of about 4 to 12 people.

“The tour was brilliant. Ryan was knowledgeable, informative and covered a lot during the tour. It was a fantastic experience and I would highly recommend!”

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4.Reykjavik City Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 136 reviews · from $53

Begin at Hallgrímskirkja and walk through Þingholt, Tjörnin pond, City Hall, Parliament, the cathedral, Old Harbour, Harpa, and the Sólfar sculpture. Your English-speaking guide adds Norse mythology, Viking stories, volcanic geology, and useful city tips. Guides may include Sara, Thomas, Lalli, or Mauricio.

“Fantastic orientation to the city. Highly recommend this as your first activity in Reykjavik. Tomas was an outstanding”

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5.Reykjavik City Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 136 reviews · from $54

Walk central Reykjavík with a guide in a group of up to 12. You’ll see Hallgrímskirkja, Þingholt, City Hall, Parliament, the cathedral, Old Harbour, Harpa, and the Sun Voyager. Expect Icelandic history, volcano facts, Norse myths, local food tips, and a brisk route that works best early in your stay.

“Guide was knowledgeable and friendly. This was a great orientation and value. Walk in as easy and started our trip effectively.”

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6.Guided City Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 72 reviews · 2h 45m · from $51

Explore Reykjavik on foot with Luca, a friendly English-speaking guide who brings the city’s settlement stories, architecture, folklore, and politics to life. The 4-kilometre route links Arnarholl Hill, the Parliament, Tjornin Pond, Hallgrimskirkja, colorful old homes, street art, and a sculpture park, with dried fish, sweets, and schnapps along the way.

“Our guide was very knowledgeable and informative! We were shown many historical points of interest which gave us a better understanding of the city.”

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7.Feline-Focused City Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 72 reviews · 2 hours · from $74

Join guides such as Barði, Stefán, or Einar for a two-hour walk through central Reykjavík, following local cat lore from Ingólfstorg to Hallgrímskirkja. You’ll visit Kattakaffihúsið for a hot drink and Icelandic pastry, look for shop cats such as Baktus and Ófelia, and hear stories from Icelandic folklore.

“My son and I had a lot of fun doing this tour! Our guide was knowledgeable and I really liked that the tour was very small (just 4 people in our case) so we could take our time walking around the city. Highly recommend!”

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8.Reykjavík E-Scooter Adventure Small Group City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 60 reviews · from $51Top rated

Spend about two hours riding an e-scooter from Skólavörðustígur through Reykjavík’s top sights, including Nauthólsvík, Höfði House, Harpa, Parliament, Tjörnin, and Hallgrímskirkja. Guides such as Viktor provide training, helmets, local stories, and careful help around busy streets. No driver’s license is needed.

“Very fun. So cold and windy but well worth it. Saw mostly all of the city. Def cover up your lower face!!”

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9.Private Reykjavík Tuk Tuk – City Highlights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · 1 hour (approx.)

Ride through Reykjavík with a private guide, often Ray, in a tuk tuk built for up to four adults and two children. You’ll see the harbor, old west side, Austurvöllur, Þingholtin, Laugavegur, and choose a 15-minute stop at Hallgrímskirkja or Perlan. Pickup and drop-off are available.

“Terrific tour around Reykjavik with our driver, Ray. He went way beyond expectations to tell us the history & culture of his home city. Was very knowledgeable & informed. I highly recommend this tour!”

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10.4-hour Private Reykjavik City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 4 hours (approx.)

Let Your Friend In Reykjavik collect you at your Reykjavik address for a private, four-hour city tour shaped around your interests. Your guide may be Gudni or Bo, both praised for personal service. Choose from Hallgrimskirkja, Harpa, Grótta, Bessastaðir, local food stops, and short walks, with private transport for up to eight people.

“We would give this tour 10 stars if we could! Gudni was an EXCELLENT tour guide and showed us so much of Reykjavik and gave us so many insights into the life of Icelanders. He took us to so many different places in the city and in the countryside. This tour was FABULOUS. Gudni went over and above to make this a truly memorable experience!”

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11.City Walk with Local Food

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 3 hours · from $135

Spend three hours walking central Akureyri, tasting regional food at two restaurants, and strolling beside Eyjafjörður. English-speaking local guides such as Matti, Kari, Arthur, and Hilmar lead the experience, with pickup at the cruise port or city center. Expect Icelandic staples including lamb soup, cod chips, ice cream, beer, hot dogs, and Black Death.

“The tour was great Kari and Arthur were wonderful guides They were very knowledgeable and had great personalities The food component - the hot dog - beer -lamb soup-ice cream-breast-black death-cod chips- were quite nice I highly recommend this tour”

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12.Reykjavik Food Tour and City Walk – PRIVATE TOUR

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $325

Walk central Reykjavik with a private English-speaking guide, stopping for Icelandic salmon, herring, haddock, lamb, pastries, hot drinks, ice cream, and perhaps the city’s famous hot dog. The four-hour route begins near Hallgrímskirkja and ends downtown, with guide Helga Bára named in one guest account.

“Helga did a great job narrating and leading the private tour. In addition to walking throughout the center of Reykjavík, we stopped in four different eating establishments for a taste of the area. Icelandic food was front and center at each stop. Nobody goes away hungry. All together we walked maybe 1.5 miles. This is a very easy tour so long as you have normal mobility.”

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