Things to do — Southwest

In Reykjavik, exploration starts at the Hallgrímskirkja (modernist Lutheran church, 75 m high, ISK 1,200 / €8 lift fare for the most impressive 360° panorama in the city). Descend along Skólavörðustígur (painted in rainbow colours all the way to the square) into the historic centre: Laugavegur (main shopping street, design boutiques, cosy cafés), Tjörnin (central pond with town hall and birds), Harpa (concert hall worth seeing from outside for its architecture, with guided tours possible). The old harbour concentrates whale-watching trips (3 hours, €95-115/adult, success rate >95% from April to October) and the best seafood restaurants (Matur og Drykkur, Sægreifinn and its legendary lobster soup at €24).

The Hallgrímskirkja and Harpa are the two architectural symbols, but don't miss the Sun Voyager (stainless-steel sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason, best seen at sunset over the bay), the National Museum of Iceland (excellent presentation of Viking history, €12), the Perlan (museum of Icelandic wonders in a former hot-water tank, with artificial ice cave and aurora planetarium, €25) and the unmissable Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur — the world's most famous hot-dog stand since Bill Clinton lunched there in 2004 (€5 for a fully loaded lamb/pork/beef pylsur).

The Blue Lagoon (45 min from Reykjavik) is the most iconic attraction: a geothermal lagoon of industrial origin (water released from the Svartsengi geothermal plant) with milky-blue colour due to silica, 37-40 °C water and drink bars in the water. Reservation mandatory (€80-150 by slot), allow 2-3 hours on site. The Sky Lagoon (10 min from Reykjavik, €60-100) offers a 7-step circuit (ocean-view sauna, cold shower, mist, mineral scrub) that is a more immersive and less touristy alternative.

The Reykjanes peninsula is explored in half a day to a full day. The UNESCO Reykjanes Geopark offers several marked trails around the active volcanic zones. The Bridge Between Continents (a symbolic footbridge across the fissure between the Eurasian and North American plates) is an iconic photo stop. The Reykjanesviti lighthouse (Iceland's oldest) and Gunnuhver (sulfurous geothermal spring) round out a 50 km scenic loop. When an eruption is active at Reykjanes (a regular occurrence since 2021), safe hiking trails allow you to observe lava flows up close — check vedur.is and safetravel.is for daily conditions.