Reykjavík's largest green space is encircled by a 10km loop, which takes you past a water dam, small waterfalls and a river stocked with Arctic char, brown trout and salmon – it's tradition for the mayor of Reykjavík to try and hook the first catch of the season. Elliðaárdalur is also the best place in Reykjavík to spot bird species, including golden plover, common snipe and goldcrest.
Elliðaárdalur
Greater Reykjavík
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
25.41 MILES
The world’s oldest parliament, Althingi (pronounced ál-thingk-ee; also called Alþing) was uniquely situated at this monumental site where two tectonic…
23.81 MILES
Near the dramatic Almannagjá fault and fronted by a boardwalk is the Lögberg (Law Rock), where the Alþingi (Parliament) convened annually. This was where…
24.5 MILES
The Þingvellir plain is situated on a tectonic-plate boundary where North America and Europe are tearing away from each other at a rate of 1mm to 18mm per…
3.02 MILES
Reykjavík’s immense white-concrete church (1945–86), star of a thousand postcards, dominates the skyline and is visible from up to 20km away. An elevator…
3.6 MILES
Artefacts from settlement to the modern age fill the creative display spaces of Iceland's superb National Museum. Exhibits give an excellent overview of…
28.97 MILES
Housed in an imaginatively restored warehouse by the harbour, the must-see Settlement Centre offers fascinating insights into the history of Icelandic…
3.63 MILES
This fascinating archaeological ruin-museum is based around a 10th-century Viking longhouse unearthed here from 2001 to 2002 and other Settlement-Era…
3.5 MILES
With its ever-changing facets glistening on the water's edge, Reykjavík’s sparkling Harpa concert hall and cultural centre is a beauty to behold. In…
Nearby Greater Reykjavík attractions
0.75 MILES
Around 20 quaint old buildings have been transported from their original sites to open-air Árbæjarsafn. Alongside 19th-century homes are a turf-roofed…
2. Reykjavík Zoo & Family Park
1.56 MILES
Sunny days see happy local families flocking to this children's park in Laugardalur. Don’t expect lions and tigers; think seals, foxes and farm animals in…
1.65 MILES
More than 5000 varieties of subarctic plants fill the city's botanic gardens, delivering a wealth of colourful seasonal flowers and plenty of birdlife,…
1.84 MILES
Laugardalur encompasses a verdant stretch of land 4km east of the city centre. It was once the main source of Reykjavík’s hot-water supply: it translates…
5. Reykjavík Art Museum – Ásmundarsafn
2.04 MILES
There’s something immensely playful about the vast collection of sculptures by Ásmundur Sveinsson (1893–1982) housed in the studio and museum he designed …
2.1 MILES
Iceland’s first specially designed concert hall is built entirely from local materials (driftwood, spruce and crushed stone) and has fantastic acoustics…
2.1 MILES
Menningarmiðstoð Kópavogs contains Kópavogur’s Natural History Museum, where displays include an orca skeleton, stuffed animals and some of Mývatn lake’s…
8. Natural History Museum of Kópavogur
2.11 MILES
Iceland’s unique geology and wildlife are showcased here. Highlights include an orca skeleton, a good collection of taxidermied animals and Mývatn lake’s…