Reykjavík Walking Tour with Audioguide on your Smartphone

Ingólfur Arnarson is remembered as the first permanent Norse settler of Iceland. According to tradition, he founded Reykjavík in the 9th century after choosing the place where his high-seat pillars came ashore. His statue on Arnarhóll hill connects the city with Iceland’s settlement story, early Norse identity, and national memory.

Forsætisráðuneytið, the Prime Minister’s Office, is housed in Government House, known locally in Icelandic as Stjórnarráðshúsið. Built in the 18th century as a prison, the building later became a centre of Icelandic administration. Its modest white façade on Lækjargata reflects Reykjavík’s political history, from Danish rule to modern self-government.

The Water Carrier, known locally in Icelandic as Vatnsberinn, is a sculpture by Ásmundur Sveinsson in central Reykjavík. Created in the 1930s and later cast in bronze, it honours the water carriers who once supplied the town before modern infrastructure changed daily life. Its strong, balanced form reflects labour, endurance, and the memory of old Reykjavík.

The Icelandic Punk Museum, known locally in Icelandic as Pönksafn Íslands, is a small underground museum on Bankastræti in Reykjavík. Set in a former public toilet, it traces Iceland’s punk and new wave scene from the late 1970s onward. Posters, photographs, instruments, recordings, and band stories reflect the raw, rebellious energy that helped shape Reykjavík’s modern music culture.

Hallgrímskirkja is Reykjavík’s most recognizable church. Designed by architect Guðjón Samúelsson and completed in 1986, it was inspired by Iceland’s basalt lava formations and dramatic natural landscapes. Its tall tower, pale concrete façade, and central position make it a symbol of modern Reykjavík and Icelandic national identity.

The Einar Jónsson Museum is dedicated to Iceland’s pioneering sculptor Einar Jónsson. Opened in 1923, it was the country’s first public art museum in its own building. Its symbolic sculptures, former artist’s home, and sculpture garden connect Reykjavík with Icelandic national art and early 20th-century cultural identity.

The Leif Eriksson Monument, known locally in Icelandic as Leifsstyttan, stands in front of Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík. Created by American sculptor Alexander Stirling Calder, it was a gift from the United States to Iceland in 1930. The statue honours Leifur Eiríksson, the Norse explorer associated with the first European voyages to North America.

Vampire Mural is a striking piece of street art on Laugavegur in central Reykjavík. The mural is often linked with the city’s lively urban-art scene and its taste for bold, surreal imagery. Its gothic figure, pop-art mood, and saga-inspired reference connect contemporary Reykjavík with storytelling, music, and myth.

The Sun Voyager, known locally in Icelandic as Sólfarið, is a steel sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason on Reykjavík’s waterfront. Unveiled in 1990, it resembles a dreamlike Viking ship but was conceived as an ode to the sun, exploration, hope, and freedom. Its open form, sea-facing position, and mountain backdrop make it one of the city’s most poetic modern landmarks.

Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre, known locally in Icelandic as Harpa tónlistar- og ráðstefnuhús, is one of Reykjavík’s major modern landmarks. Opened in 2011 on the waterfront, it is known for its geometric glass façade created with artist Ólafur Elíasson. The building reflects Iceland’s cultural life, northern light, harbour setting, and contemporary architectural identity.

Wind Harp, known locally in Icelandic as Himinglæva, is a stainless-steel sculpture by Icelandic artist Elín Hansdóttir outside Harpa in Reykjavík. Designed as an Aeolian harp, it produces subtle overtones when the wind passes through it. The work connects sound, movement, weather, and light with the harbour setting and Harpa’s musical identity.

The Icelandic Phallological Museum, known locally in Icelandic as Hið Íslenzka Reðasafn, is one of Reykjavík’s most unusual museums. Founded in 1997 by Sigurður Hjartarson, it is dedicated to the collection and study of phallic specimens from mammals. Its displays combine natural history, science, humour, and curiosity, reflecting Iceland’s taste for the unexpected.

Steam locomotive Minor, known locally as Minør, is a preserved narrow-gauge engine from the Reykjavík Harbour Railway. Built in Germany in 1892 and brought to Iceland in 1913, it helped carry stone for the construction of Reykjavík harbour. The locomotive reflects a rare chapter of Icelandic railway history, when two small engines served the city’s growing waterfront.

Thorvaldsens Bazar, known locally in Icelandic as Thorvaldsensbazar, is a historic charity shop on Austurstræti in central Reykjavík. It is run by Thorvaldsensfélagið, a women’s association founded in 1875. The bazaar reflects the city’s tradition of volunteer work, handmade goods, social care, and women’s civic activity in old Reykjavík.

The Black Cone, known locally in Icelandic as Svarta keilan, minnisvarði um borgaralega óhlýðni, is a public artwork in central Reykjavík by Spanish artist Santiago Sierra. Set near the Icelandic parliament, it commemorates civil disobedience and the protests that followed the 2008 financial crisis. Its dark cone and cracked stone form reflect public anger, resistance, and the power of collective action.

Reykjavík City Museum, known locally in Icelandic as Borgarsögusafn Reykjavíkur, preserves and presents the history of Iceland’s capital. Its exhibitions and museum sites explore settlement, maritime life, photography, old houses, and everyday urban culture. The museum connects Reykjavík’s Viking-age origins with the changing identity of a modern northern city.

Reykjavík Art Museum, known locally in Icelandic as Listasafn Reykjavíkur, is the city’s main municipal art museum. It is spread across three locations: Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, and Ásmundarsafn. Its collections and exhibitions connect Reykjavík with modern Icelandic art, international contemporary work, and the legacy of artists such as Erró, Kjarval, and Ásmundur Sveinsson.

True Spy Iceland is a small storytelling attraction in central Reykjavík. Its programme focuses on Sir William Stephenson, the Icelandic-Canadian intelligence figure who influenced Allied espionage during World War II. The place connects Reykjavík with the hidden world of wartime intelligence, spycraft, secrecy, and the real stories behind the mythology of James Bond.

ICGV Óðinn is a former Icelandic Coast Guard vessel moored beside the Reykjavík Maritime Museum. The ship served in patrol, rescue, and fishery protection duties and is closely linked with Iceland’s Cod Wars. Its decks, equipment, and harbour setting reflect the country’s maritime history and the defence of its fishing grounds.

Whales of Iceland, known locally in Icelandic as Hvalir Íslands, is a museum near Reykjavík’s old harbour dedicated to the whales found around Iceland. Its life-size models present different species, from harbour porpoises to blue whales, alongside sounds, information, and marine displays. The museum reflects Iceland’s close relationship with the North Atlantic and its rich ocean wildlife.

Aurora Reykjavík – The Northern Lights Center is a museum in Reykjavík’s Grandi district dedicated to the aurora borealis. Its exhibitions explain the science, folklore, photography, and visual beauty of the Northern Lights. The centre reflects Iceland’s close relationship with dark winter skies, natural wonder, and the culture of aurora watching.

Þúfa Mound is a grassy artificial hill by Reykjavík’s old harbour. Created by artist Ólöf Nordal in 2013, it rises beside the waterfront with a small fish-drying shed at the top. The work connects landscape, harbour life, Icelandic food traditions, and quiet reflection within the modern Grandi district.