Iceland · CITY TOURS
The 15 best city tours you can book right now, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Reykjavik hop-on hop-off bus tour with 24 or 48 hour access, eight-language audio, and major sights plus harbor views, from $47.
“Shuttles were on time and drivers were really helpful and friendly.”
Reykjavík City Card bundles museums, geothermal pools, and unlimited city buses, plus a ferry to Viðey Island, for $40.
“We were able to move around the city going to museums easily. It was a great value to have those museums included in the price along with the city buses!”
Reykjavik hop-on hop-off bus with 24 or 48-hour pass, 16 stops, audio commentary, and Wi-Fi, starting at Harpa Concert Hall.
“The commentary was too brief & failed to inform travellers of enough details about quite a few of the highlights on the tour. In a few cases the recording didn't even play, particularly late afternoon”
Small-group 2.5 to 3 hour Reykjavik walking tour with street art, landmarks, and Icelandic tastings. English only.
“Great tour, it started right on time and the guide Luca shared a lot of information about Iceland. Well worth our time..!!”
A 2.5-hour small-group walk in Reykjavík with a local guide, from Hallgrímskirkja views to Harpa’s interior and Alþingi.
“Ryan was an incredible guide. He is American but has lived in Iceland for 10 years and is deeply integrated I always seek out the historical and cultural aspects of a destination and Ryan with his academic background ( local university lecturer) was perfect for this. He effortlessly and humorously brought us from the early settlements up to date. He was punctual, kind and self-deprecating but always in control of his facts. The whole experience transformed my understanding of Iceland and its culture.”
Small-group Reykjavik walking tour with Luca, key landmarks and quiet back streets, plus dried fish, sweets and schnapps tastings.
“Luca was an amazing tour guide - very knowledgeable and passionate about Icelandic history and culture, and he brought a great sense of humor. The tour covered the key highlights of the city and was a great way to spend a couple of hours on our 2nd day in Reykjavik. We’d highly recommend Luca and this tour!”
Pet Reykjavik cat celebrities on a 2-hour downtown walk, learn feline myths, then pause at Cat Coffeehouse for pastry.
“It allowed us to hear some stories about the city and experience the previously unknown cat culture. Now when we see the t shirts and souvenirs for the Cats of Reykjavik, we have met many of them. It was personal, low key, and fun.”
Comfortable Akureyri whale watching with thermal overalls, heated seating, and onboard Wi-Fi. Free try-again ticket if no whales.
“It was nice that this was a bit shorter than some of the other tours. It's good to be aware that no matter where the whale is spotted, the boat will be moved so that it's at about 1:00, so get a good spot by the front railing on the right and don't move. Also, they took pictures and provided the download link, so you don't have to take your own if you don't want to.”
Save with a 48-hour Reykjavík City Card, covering free buses, the Viðey ferry, museum entry, thermal pools, and more discounts.
“This 48 hour pass was fantastic. Not only do you gain access to a bunch of locations, including museums, but you also receive unlimited bus rides and a ferry ride to Videy Island. Some reviews mentioned that the buses were difficult, but I thought it's one of the best transportation systems I've been on. You go on the straeto website, input you starting location and destination, and it gives you several options and a map. Then most bus stops have an electronic banner which states how many minutes until it arrives, plus you can track the bus on the websites live view. Very simple. Great experiences. Worth the money.”
Golden Circle from Reykjavik with Friðheimar, Strokkur geyser, Gullfoss, Thingvellir, plus a Reykjavik hop-on hop-off ticket for $124.
“They stated our reservation was not on the bus list. It took over 15 minutes for the staff to find our reservation by that time the bus departed. The service stated Viator sent our reservation to the wrong tour. They also stated the hop on hop off would be closing by the time we return”
A 24-hour Reykjavik City Card that bundles museum entry, Straeto bus rides, thermal pools, and Videy Island ferry for a tight schedule.
“The museums are amazing and the outdoor hot tubs are so wonderful. This card is a steal of a deal and we had a great time!”
Reykjavik City Card 72 hour packs free museum entry, bus rides, ferry access, and hot-spring pools into one card for 3 days.
“The photography museum had a very unusual and thought provoking exhibit. It's location in the library. Close by is the art museum with a very avant garde immersion display. Sensory experiences. Since we were walking, many places weren't the easiest to find so we missed a lot. Busses were not easy to navigate at first. We did manage to get to the Perlan, although the #18 bus stop is still a hefty walk. #13 still gets you within a few blocks. We did get additional discount at the Perlan with the citicard. Our hotel was not close to a convenient bus stop, so that made it more difficult to get…”
Private tuk-tuk tour of Reykjavik highlights with harbor views, classic neighborhoods, and iconic sights, plus easy pickup for a low-stress day.
“Ray was a great guide and what a fun way to see the city highlights. He was friendly and informative, very well versed in all things Iceland. Would definitely recommend!”
3-hour Akureyri city walk with local food tastings, photo spots, and stories, plus lunch and optional beer, in English.
“It's low impact, the food was all great and our guides Kari and Matis were informative meet, fun and gave everything a personal touch as this was where they grew up.”
A short helicopter hop from Reykjavik with an actual landing at Mount Esja, great city views and volcanic scenery, weather permitting.
“This experience was great. Starts with the gentleman that pick me up, continue with the pilot, and the other couple of people. Flying onto the glaciers and see the tectonic plates from above was excelente.. Thanks”
Every kind of day out on the island, and the best of each.
