RunCity

Reykjavík on foot: a self-guided walking route

This route takes you past 10 of Reykjavík's best-known sights, including Höfði House, Sun Voyager, Ingólfur Arnarson statue and more. It is about 6.5 km on foot, roughly 2.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Follow the list on your own, or play it as a free GPS checkpoint game with RunCity and race the clock on the Reykjavík leaderboard.

  • 10Stops
  • about 6.5 kmDistance
  • 2.5 hoursWalking
  • about 59 minRunning
Play Reykjavík in RunCity

Free during launch. Runs in your phone's browser; the app is in English, German and Hungarian.

Reykjavík
Photo: Olga Ernst · CC BY-SA 4.0

Reykjavík is a small capital on the edge of the North Atlantic, and this route covers it in about 6.5 km, from the shore to the hill of Perlan. It starts at Höfði House, the white wooden house where Reagan and Gorbachev met in 1986, and follows the shore path to the Sun Voyager, a steel ship sculpture facing the bay and Mount Esja. The statue of Ingólfur Arnarson, the first settler, stands above Harpa, the concert hall with its glass honeycomb façade.

The Old Harbour, where whale-watching boats leave, and Austurvöllur square, with the Parliament and the cathedral, lead to City Hall and the white Fríkirkjan on the Tjörnin pond. Hallgrímskirkja's concrete tower can be climbed for a view over the coloured roofs, and the bonus stop is Perlan, a glass dome on hot-water tanks. Dress for wind and rain at any time of year.

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Download the route as GPX (for Komoot, Strava or a watch)

The stops

A suggested order. In the game you can visit them in any order.

  1. Höfði House

    Höfði House

    The white wooden house where Reagan and Gorbachev met in 1986.

    Photo: Polarlys · CC BY 2.5

  2. Sun Voyager

    Sun Voyager Photo

    The steel Viking-ship sculpture on the shore, with the bay behind it.

    Photo: Holger Uwe Schmitt · CC BY-SA 4.0

  3. Ingólfur Arnarson statue

    Ingólfur Arnarson statue

    The statue of Iceland's first settler on the Arnarhóll hill.

    Photo: Johan Peter Raadsig (1806 - 1882) · Public domain

  4. Harpa

    Harpa Photo

    The glass honeycomb façade of the Harpa concert hall.

    Photo: H. Zell · CC BY-SA 3.0

  5. Old Harbour

    Old Harbour Photo

    The fishing and whale-watching boats at the old harbour.

    Photo: Aeiou181 · CC BY-SA 4.0

  6. Austurvöllur square

    Austurvöllur square

    The old town square with the Parliament and the cathedral on its edge.

    Photo: APK · CC BY-SA 4.0

  7. Reykjavík City Hall

    Reykjavík City Hall Photo

    The City Hall standing at the edge of the Tjörnin pond.

    Photo: Helgi Halldórsson from Reykjavík, Iceland · CC BY-SA 2.0

  8. Fríkirkjan

    Fríkirkjan

    The white free church on the shore of the Tjörnin pond.

    Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

  9. Hallgrímskirkja

    Hallgrímskirkja Photo

    The tall concrete tower of Hallgrímskirkja, seen from the foot of the steps.

    Photo: Steinninn · CC BY 4.0

  10. Perlan

    Perlan Bonus Photo

    The glass dome on top of the hot-water tanks, seen from the hillside path.

    Photo: Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK · CC BY 2.0

Play Reykjavík in RunCity

Leaderboard

    Questions

    Can you see Reykjavík on foot in one day?

    Yes. The 10 stops on this route add up to about 6.5 km, roughly 2.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops.

    Is this self-guided walking tour free?

    Yes. The route and map on this page are free, and the RunCity game for Reykjavík is free during launch.

    How does the RunCity game work in Reykjavík?

    Open Reykjavík in RunCity, walk to a stop and tap Validate: your phone's GPS confirms you are there. Some stops also ask for a photo. Timed runs go on the Reykjavík leaderboard.

    Where does the route start?

    This page suggests starting at Höfði House and finishing at Perlan. In the game you can take the stops in any order.

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