12 Best Sights in Greater Reykjavík, Reykjavík

A powerful light installation on Viðey Island, created by Yoko Ono, the Imagine Peace Tower is dedicated to the vision of world peace the artist passionately shared with her late husband, John Lennon. The artwork features a large stone wishing well with the words "imagine peace" etched into its white, shiny surface in countless languages. Inside the well are 15 powerful beams that merge into a magnificent force of light when switched on. Yoko visits every year on John's birthday (October 9) to lead the lighting ceremony, where about 2,000 people gather to watch and sing along to Lennon's "Imagine." The impressive tower of light illuminates the skyline until the date of John Lennon's death on December 8th. Yoko provides a free ferry service for those who wish to attend the annual lighting ceremony. The ferry departs from Skarfabakki pier, less than a 10-minute drive from the city center.

Actually several parks in one large area, Laugardalur Park has one of the best swimming pools in the city as well as a recreational expanse that includes picnic and barbecue areas. There's also an amusement park and a botanic garden with an extensive outdoor collection of native and exotic plants.

Glittering like the upper hemisphere of a giant disco ball, Perlan (the Pearl) is a grand construction of steel and mirrored glass. Perched atop Öskjuhlíð, the hill overlooking Reykjavík Airport, it's also one of the first landmarks to greet visitors when they arrive to the city. Supported by six massive water tanks and illuminated by 1,900 light bulbs, this impressive building opened in 1991 as a monument to Iceland's invaluable geothermal water supplies. It has since become a major tourist attraction, offering guests a host of amenities beneath its shiny surface, including souvenir shops, a café, an ice cave, a massive exhibition space, and a viewing platform with telescopes. Its crowning glory, though, is its revolving restaurant—it's pricey, but the panoramic views of the city and beyond are second to none.

At the Open-Air Municipal Museum, 19th- and 20th-century houses furnished in period style display authentic household utensils and tools for cottage industries and farming. During the summer you can see demonstrations of farm activities and taste piping-hot lummur (chewy pancakes) cooked over an old farmhouse stove. To get to the museum, take Bus 12 or 19.

Some of Ásmundur Sveinsson's original sculptures, depicting ordinary working people, myths, and folktale episodes, are exhibited in the museum's gallery and studio and in the surrounding garden. It's on the southwest edge of Laugardalur Park, opposite the traffic circle at its entrance. Entrance is free with the Reykjavík City Card.

Adjacent to Laugardalur Park, Fjölskyldugarðurinn has rides and games, such as Crazy Bikes—a driving school complete with miniature traffic lights—and a scale model of a Viking ship. You can also purchase joint admission to both the Farm Animal Park and Family Park.

This free botanic garden in Laugardalur Park has an extensive outdoor collection of native and exotic plants. Coffee, cakes, and other snacks are sold at the cozy Flóran Café, which is open only in summer and on weekends in December.

Located on the tip of Seltjarnarnes Peninsula, this nature reserve is a fantastic destination for lovers of nature, life, and romance. Here you can look beyond the outline of a lighthouse and take in Iceland’s seasonal natural wonders: the northern lights and the midnight sun.

Inside this modernist building you'll find an impressive permanent exhibit dedicated to the life and works of Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval (1885–1972), one of Iceland's most beloved landscape painters. In addition to Kjarval's key works, there's also a rotation of temporary exhibits featuring the works of both local and international artists. Entrance is free with the Reykjavík City Card.

One of Reykjavík’s most recognizable landmarks, Mt. Esja (pronounced eh-shyuh) stars in just about every promotional shot or picture postcard of the city. It holds a special place in the hearts of locals, who often take a day trip there to ramble along its network of winding trails. However great it looks from the city, the view from the top of this mountain—not actually a single mountain but a range of many peaks—is even better. Information on transport and trails is available at the tourist information center on Aðalstræti 2 or from Esjustofa, the visitor center and café located at the base of the mountain.

At Reykjavík’s geothermal beach at Nauthólsvík, where runoff from the city’s hot water supply is used to heat a small lagoon of seawater, temperatures can reach up to 22°C (71.6°F) during the summer. Facilities include changing rooms; showers; hot tubs; a steam room; a barbecue grill; and a small shop selling swimwear, light snacks, and refreshments. Access to the beach and lagoon is free all year round, but the use of the beach facilities is free only between May and September. A small fee (ISK 740) is charged for winter services, with significantly reduced opening hours. Lifeguards are on-site during open hours only.

The beautiful heart and headquarters of all activities on Viðey Island, Viðey House happens to be the oldest building in Iceland made of stone, and it boasts a restaurant, a bar, and facilities big enough for both intimate concerts and medium-size parties. Downstairs, there's an exhibition of historic items linked to the building's significant past. Across from the house is one of Iceland's oldest churches, from 1774, whose original interior fittings are well preserved. Ferry rides are complimentary to those with a Reykjavík City Card.