Region
Southwest
Iceland's urban and geothermal heart: cultural Reykjavik, the milky lagoon of the Blue Lagoon and the Reykjanes peninsula where you can walk on lava still warm from the 2021-2024 eruptions.
Reykjavik and the Southwest are the unmissable gateway to Iceland: almost every traveller begins and ends their stay here, and many devote most of their time to the area on a first short trip. The region concentrates close to 65% of Iceland's population on a tiny fraction of the territory, along with the country's major tourist infrastructure — Keflavík International Airport, the Blue Lagoon, and the hotel and food scenes of Reykjavik.
The capital Reykjavik is a unique city: the northernmost in the world (just 250 km from the Arctic Circle), but also one of the most modern and creative in Europe for its size (130,000 inhabitants). The historic centre can be walked in a day: the raw concrete spire of Hallgrímskirkja (the national church, 75 m high, with a lift to the top for a 360° panorama), the colourful corrugated façades of Tjörnin and Laugavegur, the Harpa (concert hall with a honeycomb glass façade by Olafur Eliasson, winner of the 2013 Mies van der Rohe prize), the lively harbour with its whale-watching excursions, and the Icelandic design and fashion shops along Skólavörðustígur — painted with an iconic rainbow celebrating Icelandic queer pride. The weekend nightlife (runtur, the bar crawl along Laugavegur) is legendary, fuelled by a music scene that has produced Björk, Sigur Rós and Kaleo.
The Reykjanes peninsula (home to Keflavík Airport and the Blue Lagoon) has, since 2021, become one of the most active volcanic zones on the planet: three consecutive eruptions at the Geldingadalur, Meradalir and Litli-Hrútur fissures drew hundreds of thousands of spectators to walk close to flowing lava. The UNESCO Reykjanes Geopark offers marked trails around these sites, along with Atlantic lighthouses (Reykjanesviti) and the Bridge Between Continents (a symbolic footbridge across the fissure between the Eurasian and North American plates).
Explore Southwest
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Situation
Où se situe Southwest ?
Ouvrir la carte en grand sur OpenStreetMap →Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need to visit Reykjavik and the Southwest?+
Do I need to book the Blue Lagoon in advance?+
Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon — which to choose?+
Can you see the Northern Lights from Reykjavik?+
Can you still see an active volcanic eruption at Reykjanes?+
How do you get around Reykjavik and the Southwest?+
Does Reykjavik justify cultural visits beyond the obvious sites?+
Our verdict
Reykjavik and the Southwest are the natural gateway to Iceland and an excellent base for a first 3-4 day trip combining capital, geothermal (Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon), active Reykjanes volcanoes and a winter aurora hunt. For a fuller trip, extend onto the south coast and the Golden Circle — the whole package fits comfortably into 5-7 days. Our tip: alternate Reykjavik (2 nights) with a more rural Reykjanes base (1 night, ION Adventure Hotel or Aurora Cottages) to experience both atmospheres.