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Harpa

One of Reykjavik's architectural masterpieces and greatest landmarks is also its cultural and social center.

Harpa: Our most recommended tours and activities

Reykjavik Hop-On Hop-Off Tour: 24 or 48-Hour Ticket

1. Reykjavik Hop-On Hop-Off Tour: 24 or 48-Hour Ticket

A modern, trendy and forward-looking city that is at the same time rooted in nature, Reykjavik offers the best of both worlds and is a magical place to visit. Your 24 or 48-hour ticket gives you access to the city on a hop-on hop-off tour with on-board multi-lingual commentary. Mount Esja keeps lookout over this northernmost capital, and on a sunny day the mystical Snaefellsjokull glacier appears crystal-like and baby-blue on the western horizon. Take in sites such as the Reykjavik harbor, the Town Hall, the National Gallery of Iceland, the Pearl Hallsgrimschurch, and the Laugardalur thermal pools and spa. The tour stops along the route are as follows:  1- Harpa Concert Hall  2- The Old Harbour 3 - Viking Maritime Museum 4 - Whales of Iceland 5 - National Museum 6 - Laekjargata 7 - Laugavegur Shopping Street 8 - Reykjavik Art Museum - Kjarvalsstaðir 9 - Hallgrimskirkja 10 - BSI Bus Terminal 11 - Perlan 12 - Kringlan Shopping Centre 13 - Hilton Reykjavik Nordica 14 - Laugardalur Valley 15 - Skarfabakki Harbour (summer only) 16 - Hofdi House

Reykjavik: Sightseeing Walking Tour with a Viking

2. Reykjavik: Sightseeing Walking Tour with a Viking

This walking tour is your introduction to Reykjavik. It will help you get your bearings and make the most of your stay in Iceland. Your guide will be your friend in the city with the goal to make sure you have the best time while in Reykjavik. This family friendly tour brings the history of Iceland to life with interesting stories and Icelandic mythology. You’ll visit all of the famous landmarks in the city center such as Harpa concert hall, Hallgrímskirkja Church (your guide will teach you how to pronounce that) and the Reykjavik pond. Your guide will also share hidden, local spots with you; things you’d miss if you didn’t know what to look for. Your guide will show you their favorite places to eat, drink and visit plus insider info on the best happy hour deals, should you be interested. The tour lasts approximately two hours and you’ll walk around 4 kilometers. This is a small-group tour, meaning there will never be more than 12 people on a tour at a time so that your guide can answer all of your questions and you can get to know each other a bit better. The aim of this tour is for you to experience the unique, friendly atmosphere of Reykjavik, not just to see the most popular tourist attractions. You'll even get a small lesson on the Icelandic language from your guide so that you can not only walk like a viking, but talk like one too.

Reykjavik: Panoramic Helicopter Flight with Summit Landing

3. Reykjavik: Panoramic Helicopter Flight with Summit Landing

Get a unique perspective of Reykjavik on a panoramic helicopter flight over the city, and land on a mountain summit for some panoramic views like no other! Make your way to Reykjavik Domestic Airport, only a 5-minute drive from the city center. Climb aboard the waiting helicopter and glide up and over Reykjavik’s landmark sights. Look down at attractions such as Hallgríms Church and the Harpa Concert Hall in the harbor. See the colorful rooftops of city houses from above, and get a bird’s eye view of where the Icelandic president lives. As the colorful rooftops slip away, brace yourself for the beautiful landscape surrounding the city. Land on top of one of the nearby mountains for unique photo opportunities, and maybe a selfie of you with the whole of Reykjavik in the background.

From Reykjavik: 2-Hour Whale & Puffin Watching RIB Boat Tour

4. From Reykjavik: 2-Hour Whale & Puffin Watching RIB Boat Tour

See whales and puffins seasonally between May and August on a whale-watching tour from Reykjavik. Marvel at the marine fauna of Iceland in its natural environment. Travel aboard a stable boat to search larger areas. Embark on your journey from the Old Harbour in Reykjavík aboard a specially-engineered RIB boat that maneuvers closer to the whales and puffins than bigger boats can. Search wider areas to increase your likelihood of viewing wildlife in this lightweight craft.  Ride out to the islands to see puffins in their natural surroundings before heading out further in search of whales and dolphins. Get as up close as you can without disturbing the magnificent creatures.  Listen as your specially-trained guides enhances your experience with commentary and use their skills to increase the chance of some viewings. On the return trip, sail along Reykjavik's shores and admire the city's skyline and view the Harpa Concert Hall from the water. 

Reykjavik: City Highlights Walking Tour with a Local

5. Reykjavik: City Highlights Walking Tour with a Local

Find your guide in front of Hallgrímskirkja Church by the statue of Leifur Eiríksson. This is on a hill and the highest ground in Reykjavík, from which you can get an overview of the area. From that point, you will walk downhill. The guide will take you through various streets of Reykjavík, passing by important buildings of great architecture, and will detail their history as you walk by. You’ll get a great introduction to Iceland's history and culture. See the Harpa Concert Hall, beautiful on the inside, which also serves well as a warm stop on cold days which are frequent in Iceland. Continue the walk along the oceanfront before eventually moving to the oldest part where the parliament and city hall is located.

Reykjavik: Northern Lights Motor Yacht Cruise

6. Reykjavik: Northern Lights Motor Yacht Cruise

Sail along the beautiful coastline of Iceland from Reykjavik Old Harbor and then head out to Faxaflói Bay to experience the city lights from a different perspective. Step aboard a comfortable motor yacht for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The main objective of your tour is to get away from the lights to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in the darkness of the ocean! Climate conditions permitting, see the natural phenomenon caused when particles from the sun hit the earth’s atmosphere to create a stunning choreography of lights in the sky. Get your cameras ready for some spectacular photo opportunities - the vessel is very stable, making it very convenient when taking photos. Your experienced crew will keep an eye out for Aurora Borealis activity to find the best route to take. Sit back and enjoy the scenery from the vast darkness behind the small islands of Faxaflói Bay, including the island of Viðey where Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace Tower lights up the night sky from October 9 to December 8 (and on a few other days of the year). See the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center with its distinctive colored glass façade inspired by the basalt landscape from a different angle. Marvel at The Sun Voyager ode to the sun statue by Jón Gunnar Árnason and the famous house of Höfði where an agreement was signed in 1986 to end the Cold War.   Escape the crowds and benefit from a comfortable yacht cruise with fewer passengers, as group sizes are limited to enhance customer satisfaction and create a more intimate experience. If it gets chilly, wrap up in the warm blankets provide and enjoy hot drinks or refreshments that can be bought from the bar while waiting for the Northern Lights to appear.

Reykjavik: Premium Whale and Puffin Watching Evening Tour

7. Reykjavik: Premium Whale and Puffin Watching Evening Tour

During bright Icelandic summer nights the Nordic midnight sun just seems endless. Therefore, an evening cruise is the ideal way to make the most of your day in Reykjavík while enjoying close-up views of whales, dolphins, puffins and more. As the whales never fully sleep, you can expect encountering the same wildlife on this express whale watching tour as on regular day tours. Just off the coast of Reykjavík, you can encounter some of the best whale watching in the world and during the summer time whales are seen in over 95% of the tours.  This unique whale watching tour is conducted in small RIB speedboats which are extremely stable boats with high performance abilities. The small yet powerful vessel is capable of reaching high speeds, allowing you to cover a larger area and get closer to the Faxaflói bay wildlife than you would in a classic boat. Hold on tight while your captain zips you out of the harbor and look out for some of the wildlife Iceland is famous for. Loop around the wind-beaten islands of the bay to see puffins in their natural habitat and then head out on the open water to scout out whales and dolphins and, hopefully, get some close-up views. After the tour, return to Reykjavík by ending the tour with a unique ride along the city’s shoreline offering magnificent views of the Sun Voyager sculpture and the glittering Harpa Concert Hall. Colorful fishing huts and bustling restaurants make up the cityscape in this part of town, alongside some thought-provoking attractions. If you were unlucky enough to not spot any whales, worry not, your captain will give you a complimentary ticket for another ride on the larger boats before you leave.

Reykjavik City Walking Tour

8. Reykjavik City Walking Tour

Take in the top attractions to be found in Iceland's capital on a walking tour. Admire Einar Jónsson's sculptures, Hallgrímskirkja church, the Old Harbour, and City Hall. Learn about Norse mythology, Viking homesteads, Iceland's volcanic history, and more from your local guide. Start your Reykjavik walking tour with a look at the striking Hallgrímskirkja church in the city center. Then learn all about Norse mythology as you stroll through the quaint streets of the Þingholt neighborhood.  Continue to the city pond of Tjörnin pond to visit the geese and swans. Take a look at City Hall and see the super-sized topographical map of Iceland, where your guide will give explanations about the country's fascinating geology and volcanic history. Wind your way into the heart of the city to look at the parliament building, the modest but beautiful cathedral, and the site of the first Viking homesteads. Next, visit the Old Harbour and discover the impressive Harpa Concert Hall with views of the dramatic Sólfar sculpture overlooking the bay and Mount Esja.

Reykjavík: New Year's Eve Northern Lights Yacht Cruise

9. Reykjavík: New Year's Eve Northern Lights Yacht Cruise

Spend an unforgettable night along Reykjavík’s coastline aboard a luxury yacht cruise. Sail below the Northern Lights and get stunning coastal views of the fireworks show as you toast at midnight to the New Year with a glass of champagne.  Begin your New Year’s Eve experience with a Northern Lights search as the yacht cruises along the coastline passing Videy Island with the "Imagine Peace" monument, made by Yoko One in memory of John Lennon. After sailing under the northern lights, head closer to the shore to get a closer look at the rapidly increasing fireworks that will reach their peak at midnight with a gorgeous fireworks show. Enjoy a festive glass of champagne as you admire the colorful fireworks from the sea.

Reykjavik City Sightseeing by Minibus

10. Reykjavik City Sightseeing by Minibus

Take a trip to visit the most significant places in the capital and surrounding towns. Journey to visit the presidential residence at Bessastaðir and the town of Hafnarfjörður, where you will learn of how the “hidden people” and humans live together in harmony. Next visit Reykjavik to enjoy the spectacular views at the restaurant Perlan, which is built on water tanks holding the city’s hot water supply. Afterwards it’s on to Höfði house, where the all-important meeting between former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and former U.S.S.R. Secretary General Mikhail Gorbachev took place in 1986. Then visit the ancient Hallgrímskirkja church and the old town centre. You will find that the Icelandic parliament, Alþingi, and the town hall are situated here. The final stop of the day will take you to the sports and recreation area in Laugardalur. Here you can explore the impressive geothermal heated outdoor swimming pool, and discover sculptures crafted by Ásmundur Sveinsson.

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What people are saying about Harpa

Overall rating

4.3 / 5

based on 630 reviews

The Viking was knowledgeable and friendly … he really explained all sights and it was a wonderful experience. Even my teenage daughter enjoyed. This tour was a rebooked one and it went well.

Great tour to get to know the city area. Guide knowledgable and friendly. Right length of time walking. Good way to start a holiday so you know your way around throughout the holiday

Excellent tour company, excellent guides, and the most amazing freaking country in the world!! What a beauty!

Our guide proved us with “traditional information” and went beyond to give us other “tips” of things to do.

Maybe my expectations was bigger, rather take the hop on hop off bus, this was more informative