A day in Reykjavík during a stopover
A Reykjavík stopover is an easy way to see the city if you’re flying between Europe and North America, since so many of those flights go through Iceland anyway. This is how we’d spend a day if a friend landed in the morning.
Getting into town
International flights land at Keflavík airport (KEF), about 50 km from Reykjavík. By car or taxi the drive takes around 45 to 50 minutes. The airport bus takes about as long to the central bus terminal and longer if it drops you at a hotel. Reykjavík’s small city airport (RKV) is for domestic flights. Only in town for the day? Check if your airline lets you leave bags at the airport, or use a left-luggage service in town.
How the Icelandair stopover works
Fly across the Atlantic with Icelandair and you can add a stopover in Iceland at no additional airfare, anything from one night up to a week, on the way out or on the way home. It’s booked as part of your ticket. Hotels, food and tours are on you, and Iceland isn’t cheap, so set yourself a budget. Check the current terms on Icelandair’s stopover page when you book.
Only a few hours? (layover)
Whether a short layover leaves time for the city depends on more than the gap between flights. Allow for passport control, the trip in and back, and your airline’s recommended arrival time: Icelandair suggests about three hours before departure as a good rule, and no later than two hours. Check your entry requirements before you leave the airport.
If time is tight, stay near Keflavík. The Blue Lagoon and the lava fields of the Reykjanes peninsula are much closer to the airport than Reykjavík is. Check current opening and safety information before you go, as the area is volcanically active. With more time, a quick visit to the old town and a hot dog is possible, but a three-hour tour may not fit.
A one-day plan
Start with coffee and a cinnamon bun (snúður) at a local bakery, then walk up Skólavörðustígur to Hallgrímskirkja for the view. From there it’s downhill to the old harbour, Harpa concert hall and the Sun Voyager sculpture on the seafront.
Around lunchtime, eat your way through the city on a food tour with a local: five tasting stops in one afternoon, each one a surprise until you get there. Later on, go for a swim. Locals swim all year, and a city pool is the cheapest way to try it.
Have dinner downtown. If you’ve done the food tour, keep exploring with the Local Walk web app, our self-guided map of places we like.
Two or three days
With a second day, do the Golden Circle: Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir hot spring area and Gullfoss waterfall. It takes a full day by tour or rental car, and you’re back in time for a late swim and dinner.
On day three, go south for the waterfalls and black-sand beaches of the South Coast. Or save Reykjanes (lava fields, geothermal areas and the lagoon near the airport) for the way out. Between autumn and spring, keep one evening free and check our northern lights forecast for Reykjavík.
More ideas for the city itself are in our 20 things to do in Reykjavík.
Before you go
- Downtown Reykjavík is small. The sights in the one-day plan are within about a 20-minute walk of each other.
- Tipping isn’t generally expected. A “takk” (thanks) is welcome, and our page on how to say hello in Icelandic has a few more words.
- Cards are widely accepted, so you’re unlikely to need cash.
- The weather changes fast. Bring a warm, waterproof layer, even in summer.
- Get back to the airport in good time. Icelandair suggests about three hours before departure, and no later than two.
Quick answers
How long does it take to get from Keflavík airport to Reykjavík?
About 45 to 50 minutes by car or taxi. The airport bus takes about as long to the bus terminal and longer with hotel drop-offs. Keflavík is roughly 50 km from the city centre.
Is one day enough to see Reykjavík?
For downtown, yes. The centre is compact and easy to walk, so in one day you can see the main sights, eat well and have a swim in a geothermal pool.
Is the Icelandair stopover free?
The flight part is. On transatlantic routes, Icelandair lets you add a stopover of up to seven nights at no additional airfare, but you pay for your own hotel, food and activities.
Can I leave the airport on a layover in Iceland?
It depends on your entry requirements and the time you have. Allow for passport control, travel both ways and your airline’s recommended arrival time. If time is short, stay near Keflavík, for example at the Blue Lagoon.
What is the best thing to do on a short Reykjavík layover?
Walk the old town, see Hallgrímskirkja and the harbour, and taste some Icelandic food. If your layover is long enough, a three-hour food tour covers a lot of that.
Sources
Written by Elfar Tjörfi Steinason. We checked the facts in this article against these sources on 19 October 2026:
