# What to do in Reykjavik, Iceland for two days? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** vacation-travel\ **Created:** [February 18, 2024, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740 "2024-02-18T21:32:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2024, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/1 "2024-02-18T21:32:01Z")
In late May I will be spending two days in Reykjavik, Iceland. I wish I had more time but this was the best I could manage on this trip. Any “must see” things I should do? Or, really, any ideas at all? I’m willing to rent a car if needed to see something outside of the city if that seems worth it. Restaurant recommendations are great too. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2024, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/2 "2024-02-18T21:59:23Z")
Definitely rent a car and see the sights especially the geysers and waterfalls. Reykjavik is a nice city but it’s hard to fill more than a day there. There’s a great seafood place out by the wharfs but I don’t recall the name\*. There is a punk rock museum that is literally a hole in the ground, and of course, the Penis Museum. \*It’s called Kopar. ---
**Author:** ![Apodder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apodder/32/17727_2.png) [@Apodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apodder)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/3 "2024-02-18T22:18:37Z")
I don’t remember that there’s a lot to _do_ in Reykjavik, besides walking around and eating expensive food, tbh. Although, the Kvika footbath near the Grotta lighthouse is cute. I’d rent a car and do a quick tour of the Golden Circle. It’s an easy drive and there are amazing sights to see within 45 min (even less) of the town. Kerid Crater is about an hour away, on the way to Fridheimar, which is a cool place - it’s a huge greenhouse where they grow tomatoes. They make all manner of tomato items, from cocktails to desserts, that they serve in their cafe. It’s a neat stop. The Secret Lagoon is a geothermal pool (like Blue Lagoon but natural) with an actual tiny geyser next to it. Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach is quite near Reykjavik. If you’d rather do a decent hike, Reykjadalur is a hot stream that runs down from a mountain. Hike ~1 hour up the mountain past hotpots and steamy cracks in the earth to the stream where you can change and bathe in progressively hotter pools. Geysir Hot Springs is ~100 min drive from Reykjavik - super amazing watching the Strokkur geyser erupt. Geysir is pretty much dormant now. Honestly, just driving along Rt 1 you can see so much…sheep, random waterfalls, etc. I’m sure you can’t tell that we absolutely loved our trip there… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2024, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/4 "2024-02-18T23:06:09Z")
There was a fairly recent thread: > [@One day in Reykjavík - what to see?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-day-in-reykjavik-what-to-see/988270/4): > > I’ll second the Golden Circle. We spent a full day in Reykjavik and kept busy enough, but GC is unmatched. And older threads: > [@Going To Reykjavik! Any suggestions??](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-reykjavik-any-suggestions/657395): > > My middle/older sister is celebrating her 50th birthday and we’re traveling to Reykjavik for a week! Looks awesome! Vikings, glaciers, geysers, oh my! Who has been there or lives there? I’d love any suggestions about food, bars, pastimes. Anything! Especially languages. I work with subtitles from almost any dialect-- EXCEPT Iclandic. I’m hoping my broken French and German might help. But how often is English spoken in Reykjavik city? What’s really cool is we rented a 5 bedroom apartment for si… > [@Fiver takes Reykjavik](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiver-takes-reykjavik/64337): > > So here I am in the world´s northernmost capital city. I´m terribly jetlagged, but determined to make a full day of it before I crash. I´ve stopped in at a youth center with free-use Internet connections to check my mail and say hi to all of you. It´s chilly but not excessively so: in the 40s Fahrenheit. I´m headed for the museums, which have (predictably) scads of Viking history and artifacts. Later I´ll check out the night life. Tomorrow I´ll learn firsthand why this Blue Lagoon thing is suc… > [@Anyone Ever Been To Reykjavik, Iceland?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-been-to-reykjavik-iceland/120798): > > For some reason I have always wanted to go there and I cannot pinpoint why. I think I saw some travel special on it and it looked fun and interesting and not the usual place to go. So has anyone been there? What’s it like? I hear it is a fun place. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2024, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/5 "2024-02-18T23:20:43Z")
Yep, Golden Circle for sure. I’m heading back in late June for 10 days to drive the ring road and I have the GC planned for our last full day. Fyi, the Blue Lagoon has been opening and closing with every new eruption. The locals in the Iceland group on Reddit think it’s nuts and politically motivated to keep the BL open in spite of the obvious risks. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/6 "2024-02-19T19:59:15Z")
Seconding previous suggestions. There are some amazing sights all within a short drive from Reykjavik. If you get a chance to see the eruption (from a safe place), _do it._ Thingvellr is also worth a bus trip. It was the site of the world’s first parliament, and thus holds a position in Iceland’s historical imagination akin to Independence Hall in ours. It’s also geologically stunning, being a rift valley between the European and North American continental plates; you can literally walk beside the edge of America. The Penis Museum is actually less interesting than it sounds, being mostly a collection of different animals’ penes preserved in formaldehyde. The collector who assembled it wanted a penis from every creature that lived on the island. Including the naked plains ape; the last room has two samples donated, we’re assured, by willing volunteers (eek). The most fascinating aspect of the museum is its testament to the pervasiveness of modern Icelanders belief in trolls; one of the exhibits is straightforwardly presented as a troll’s phallus. It’s the only one that actually looks like a penis, IMO, since it also includes testicles and pubic hair. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/7 "2024-02-19T20:24:22Z")
Day 1 - Do the Golden Circle. Well worth it. It will take a full day. At the very least see Þinvellir National Park, Gulfoss falls, and Geysir, which are all stops on the circle. Day 2 - After breakfast, take a morning hike across the Reykjadalur Valley and take a dip in the Hot Spring Thermal River. It is about a one hour hike each way, also well worth it. There are changing stations at the river and nothing else, it’s completely natural. It’s about an hour’s drive from Reykjavik. After dinner, Spend the evening with the locals in the public pools, hot and cold tubs, and saunas at Laugardalslaug. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/8 "2024-02-19T20:26:08Z")
The best thing about the penis museum is the gift shop, which is in the front of the museum and free to enter! Good for some amusing souvenirs 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/9 "2024-02-19T20:35:43Z")
> [@Apodder](#): > > Honestly, just driving along Rt 1 you can see so much…sheep, random waterfalls, etc. I’m sure you can’t tell that we absolutely loved our trip there… True. We had a short 3 day visit. Iceland is beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/10 "2024-02-19T20:46:54Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > The best thing about the penis museum is the gift shop which is in the front of the museum and free to enter! Good for some amusing souvenirs 😃 Also a snack bar and grill. To my abiding shame, I didn’t check out the menu. Hot dogs, I assume. ---
**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/11 "2024-02-19T21:18:20Z")
The waffles they serve in the cafe at the Penis Museum are the best I’ve ever had. ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/12 "2024-02-20T01:58:26Z")
There are one day bus tours that cover Tingvellir and geysers. ---
**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/13 "2024-02-20T14:39:17Z")
One warning though…I’ve been there three times. The weather can be really, really unpredictable, and tours have a way of getting cancelled at very close to the last minute, depending on where you’re going. In spite of your best laid plans, you could find yourself wandering around the city looking for something to do. We did just that, and ended up eating at a place called Hlollabatar, which we thought was going to be a crappy fast-food place based on what it looked like, but turned out have some of the best sandwiches. We’re going back in September and will definitely be going back there for another sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/14 "2024-02-21T21:06:13Z")
I’m following this with interest because I’m planning on taking IcelandAir to Glasgow in August and decided to take advantage of the layover option on the way there. My sister and niece had gone to Iceland last year, and she recommended the three day layover and the Golden Circle tour.She also mentioned the Loki Cafe near “the huge church” (which she said you couldn’t help but see). I don’t drive, so any sightseeing will have to be by bus or public transit. I also need to check out decent but inexpensive hotels. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/15 "2024-02-22T14:13:17Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > the huge church” (which she said you couldn’t help but see). That would be Hallgrimskirkja and yes it’s a great way to orient yourself around the city 😃 ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/16 "2024-02-22T14:34:53Z")
I did a two-night stopover in Reyjavik this past September. As I really only had one full day, and I was at the tail end of a two-week trip (and was battling horrible bronchitis), I didn’t do anything outside of the city. If I had to pick one don’t miss attraction within the city, it’s the [Perlan Museum](https://perlan.is/). It’s a gorgeous, huge natural history museum that’ll fill a couple of hours. It’s a beautiful building inside and out, with a viewing platform at the top level from which you can see the entire city as well. It’s not a long walk from the city centre, and the buses can get you there easily. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/17 "2024-02-22T15:30:37Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > I’m following this with interest because I’m planning on taking IcelandAir to Glasgow in August and decided to take advantage of the layover option on the way there. My sister and niece had gone to Iceland last year, and she recommended the three day layover and the Golden Circle tour.She also mentioned the Loki Cafe near “the huge church” (which she said you couldn’t help but see). > > I don’t drive, so any sightseeing will have to be by bus or public transit. I also need to check out decent but inexpensive hotels. If you go to the Loki Cafe, be sure to try the rye bread ice cream. It’s much better than it sounds. Second the Perlan Museum, especially the glacier exhibit, which is basically a small iceberg, which has been tunneled out to allow you to see and feel the interior of a glacier. You need a warm coat, because the exhibit is below freezing. ---
**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/18 "2024-02-22T21:00:45Z")
> [@veryfrank](#): > > I did a two-night stopover in Reyjavik this past September. As I really only had one full day, and I was at the tail end of a two-week trip (and was battling horrible bronchitis), I didn’t do anything outside of the city. If I had to pick one don’t miss attraction within the city, it’s the [Perlan Museum](https://perlan.is/). It’s a gorgeous, huge natural history museum that’ll fill a couple of hours. It’s a beautiful building inside and out, with a viewing platform at the top level from which you can see the entire city as well. It’s not a long walk from the city centre, and the buses can get you there easily. The bus we took there dropped us on a road from which the museum was not visible. There was a tiny dirt path winding up the hill from the bus stop, with no sign. We asked someone if that was the way to the museum, and sure enough it was. But it did not look at all like the kind of path you’d take to a museum. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/19 "2024-02-22T23:13:47Z")
My sister mentioned “meal-fermented shark” and “Black Death shot” as things I should try at Loki’s. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740/20 "2024-02-23T02:01:16Z")
Fermented shark smells like bad fish jerky soaked in week old urine. Would not recommend. Personally, I think the whole thing was created as a joke on the foreigners by the Icelanders. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-reykjavik-iceland-for-two-days/997740.md?page=2)