Jonas Lindqvist
Two days in Reykjavik is enough to do the city properly if you spend them in the right order: Day 1 on foot through the compact centre, from Hallgrimskirkja down to the Old Harbour, and Day 2 split between a harbour morning and one deliberate bathing decision. That decision matters more than any single sight. Sky Lagoon is the polished, book ahead, ocean edge experience in Kopavogur, while the city pools such as Sundhollin and Laugardalslaug are where Reykjavik actually bathes, at a fraction of the price. This plan makes the call clearly, then builds both days around it, with prices and hours checked on 13 November 2026.
Quick Facts
- Best base: The 101 district, within walking distance of Hallgrimskirkja, Laugavegur and the Old Harbour.
- Hallgrimskirkja tower: Church entry is free; the tower costs 1,500 ISK for adults and 200 ISK for children aged 7 to 16, sold on site only.
- Winter church hours: 10:00 to 17:00 from September, with last tower entry at 16:45; sightseeing pauses for services and events.
- Sky Lagoon: Saman Pass from 14,990 ISK and Ser Pass from 17,990 ISK; winter opening 10:00 to 21:00; minimum age 12.
- Local pools: Adult entry 1,500 ISK at City of Reykjavik pools; Laugardalslaug opens 06:30 to 22:00 on weekdays and 08:00 to 22:00 at weekends.
- Getting around: The centre is walkable end to end in about 30 minutes; Sky Lagoon sits in Kopavogur, a short drive or bus ride south.
Day 1 Morning: Hallgrimskirkja First, While the Light and Queues Are Kind
Start at Hallgrimskirkja, the 74.5 metre Lutheran church on Skolavorduholt hill at Hallgrimstorg 1, because the tower queue builds through the morning and the view orients everything that follows. The concrete facade, designed by state architect Gudjon Samuelsson and completed in 1986 after construction began in 1945, takes its stepped wings from Iceland basalt columns. Entry to the church itself is free. The tower is the paid part: 1,500 ISK for adults, 200 ISK for children aged 7 to 16, and free for younger children, bought at the church shop inside the lobby. Tickets cannot be booked in advance, so there is no shortcut around an on the day queue.
In winter the church opens from 10:00 to 17:00, with the last tower lift at 16:45, and it closes to sightseeing during services, weddings, funerals and concerts. The parish publishes a weekly calendar of closures, so check it the night before and go early in your day rather than leaving the tower to a closing time gamble. The lift rises to an open air viewing deck below the spire, 73 metres up, with a full circuit view over the coloured rooftops, the harbour and Mount Esja across the bay. Inside, allow ten quiet minutes for the nave and the large Klais pipe organ before you move on.
Day 1 Midday: Skolavordu Stigur, Laugavegur and a Working Lunch
Walk down Skolavordu Stigur, the rainbow painted street below the church, into the shopping and cafe grid around Laugavegur, the main street of the 101 district. This is the right hour for the small museums and design shops rather than another viewpoint: the streets are flat, distances are short, and you can cover the centre thoroughly without backtracking. Keep lunch simple and central. The Old Harbour end of town does fish best, but Day 1 lunch works better as a sit down break near Laugavegur so the afternoon harbour walk stays unhurried.
If the weather turns, this is also the flexible slot in the plan. Reykjavik weather can change several times in a day, and a two day visit has no spare day to absorb a washed out afternoon. Swap the harbour walk with an indoor hour and keep the route, not the timetable, as the fixed part. For cold weather layering that actually works here, see our guide to what to pack for Iceland in winter.
Day 1 Afternoon: The Old Harbour, Harpa and the Seafront Walk
Head northwest to the Old Harbour, the working port turned food and boat district. Whale watching and puffin boats in season leave from here, and the harbourfront food halls and fish restaurants make it the natural late afternoon drift. From the harbour, walk the seafront east to Harpa, the glass concert hall whose faceted panels catch whatever light the day has left, and continue to the Sun Voyager, the steel sculpture that reads as a Viking ship skeleton against the bay. The whole seafront leg is flat, exposed and windy, which is exactly why it belongs in the afternoon, when you can abandon it for a cafe without losing a timed ticket.
End Day 1 with an early decision about Day 2 bathing, because Sky Lagoon is a timed, prebooked ticket and the popular sunset slots in winter go first. Decide tonight, book tonight, and let the rest of Day 2 arrange itself around the slot you actually got.
The Bathing Call: Sky Lagoon vs a Local Pool, Decided Properly
Choose Sky Lagoon if this is your one Iceland soak
Sky Lagoon, at Vesturvor 44 to 48 in Kopavogur, is a purpose built geothermal lagoon on the ocean edge, about a 15 minute drive from the centre. The official site lists two passes. The Saman Pass, from 14,990 ISK for adults, includes lagoon entry, the Skjol Ritual and a towel with shared changing rooms. The Ser Pass, from 17,990 ISK, adds a private changing room and shower. Youth prices for ages 12 to 14 run at half the adult rate, and children under 12 are not admitted at all, with no exceptions. Winter hours, from late October to the end of April, are 10:00 to 21:00, and guests leave the water 30 minutes before closing while the ritual and lagoon bar close an hour before. Prices vary by date and time slot, so the figure you pay is the one shown for your slot at booking, not a fixed walk up price.
The case for Sky Lagoon is the setting and the ritual: an infinity edge against the North Atlantic, a seven step ritual that moves through warm water, cold plunge, sauna, mist, scrub and steam, and a swim up bar. In winter, a late afternoon slot gives you darkness, steam and, on a clear night, a genuine chance of northern lights from the water. For the full comparison with its famous rival across the bay, read Sky Lagoon vs the Blue Lagoon before you book anything.
Choose a local pool if you want how Reykjavik really bathes
The City of Reykjavik runs eight geothermal pool complexes, and a single adult entry costs 1,500 ISK, a tenth of a Sky Lagoon pass. Sundhollin, on Baronstigur a few minutes from Hallgrimskirkja, is the oldest pool in the country and the most central choice, with indoor and outdoor pools and rooftop hot tubs. Laugardalslaug, in the Laugardalur sports valley, is the largest complex, with a 50 metre outdoor pool, hot pots at graduated temperatures, slides and a steam room; it opens 06:30 to 22:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00 to 22:00 at weekends. Holders of the Reykjavik City Card enter the municipal pools free, which flips the maths entirely if you also plan to use the card for museums and buses.
Local pool etiquette is non negotiable and part of the experience: shower thoroughly without a swimsuit before entering, using the soap provided, and keep phones out of the pool areas. Attendants enforce the shower rule. Go in the early morning or late evening for the local rhythm of laps, hot pot conversation and cold plunge, rather than the midday family peak.
The verdict for a two day trip
With only two days, do one properly rather than both briefly. Pick Sky Lagoon if this short stay is your only Iceland trip segment and you want the occasion; pick a local pool if you are continuing to the Golden Circle or the ring road, where more bathing chances follow, or if you are travelling with children under 12, who cannot enter Sky Lagoon at all. Families, in particular, should treat the local pool not as the budget fallback but as the better product: slides, shallow pools and a 1,500 ISK ticket against a venue their youngest cannot enter.
Day 2: Harbour Food Morning, Then Your Bathing Slot
Keep Day 2 deliberately light before your bathing slot. Have a slow breakfast in the 101 district, then walk the Old Harbour in the morning for coffee and the fish market atmosphere, and browse the Kolaportid flea market if your second day falls on a weekend, when the indoor market by the harbour opens. If your Sky Lagoon slot is at sunset, the middle of the day is free for the National Museum or the Settlement Exhibition, both central and both achievable without rushing. If you chose a morning local pool instead, reverse the day: swim first at Laugardalslaug, then spend the afternoon in town with no schedule pressure at all.
For the harbour food element of the plan, eat where the boats land. The Old Harbour and the Grandi district just beyond it hold the fish restaurants, soup stops and food hall counters that suit a short stay better than a formal dinner reservation across town. Order the catch based fish soup or grilled fish of the day rather than novelty items, and keep dinner on Day 2 casual: two days is too short to spend an evening inside a long tasting menu when the city outside is this walkable.
Where to Stay for a Two Day Reykjavik Base
Stay in or beside the 101 district. Every sight in this plan, Hallgrimskirkja, Laugavegur, the Old Harbour and Harpa, sits inside one walkable grid, and a base outside it costs you the early starts and late evening walks that make a short stay feel generous. The streets around Skolavordu Stigur and Laugavegur hold the densest choice of hotels and apartments. Travellers arriving on a late flight should note that Keflavik Airport is a separate town about 45 minutes away; do not book an airport hotel for a city break by mistake, a routing error that still catches first timers every season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is two days in Reykjavik enough?
Yes, for the city itself. Two days covers Hallgrimskirkja, the Old Harbour, Harpa, the seafront and one bathing experience at an unhurried pace. It is not enough for the Golden Circle or the south coast as well; those need their own day each and are best treated as separate day trips or a longer itinerary.
How much does the Hallgrimskirkja tower cost?
Church entry is free. Tower tickets, sold only on site at the church shop, cost 1,500 ISK for adults and 200 ISK for children aged 7 to 16, with younger children free. Winter hours are 10:00 to 17:00, last tower entry 16:45, and sightseeing closes during services and events, so check the weekly calendar on the church site.
Sky Lagoon or a local pool: which should a first timer pick?
Sky Lagoon for a one off occasion: ocean edge setting, the Skjol Ritual and evening slots, from 14,990 ISK, with a minimum age of 12. A local pool for value and authenticity: 1,500 ISK adult entry, hot pots and slides, and free entry with the Reykjavik City Card. With two days, choose one and do it well.
Do I need to book Sky Lagoon in advance?
Yes. Entry is by timed slot booked on the official site, prices vary by slot, and winter sunset times sell out first. Book the night before at the latest, and earlier in peak season. Local pools need no booking at all; you pay at reception.
Can children visit Sky Lagoon?
Children under 12 are not admitted. Young people aged 12 to 14 pay half the adult pass price and must be accompanied by an adult. Families with younger children should use the municipal pools instead, where children are welcome and facilities include slides and shallow pools.
Prices and hours checked 13 November 2026 against hallgrimskirkja.is, sky-lagoon.com and reykjavik.is. Prices in ISK; Sky Lagoon prices are from prices and vary by slot.
