Iceland / Reykjavik 

A small bakery in Reykjavik with some of the best pastries we’ve ever had. Ever. If you’re not getting breakfast here while you’re in Reykjavik, you’re doing it wrong. The bakery also sells fresh bread you can pick up for a brown-bag lunch as well as a variety of cheeses and yogurts.

A restaurant/bar with great ambiance and excellent specialty cocktails with unique Icelandic ingredients. Prices are high, so visit for drinks during happy hour.

Truly fantastic seasonal coffee, hot chocolate, pastries, and more.

While this restaurant is inside of the Icelandair Marina Hotel, it’s a happening place in Reykjavik. It offers up great cocktails and a menu that changes every few weeks.

This restaurant is a French food meets Icelandic food smorgasbord. It also serves up great wine and cocktails. You can make a reservation on the phone or online before 18:30.

Located near the Settlement Exhibition in Reykjavik, Skúli Craftsbar is a great location to try craft beer.

A fascinating mix of history and natural beauty. Þingvellir was the site of the Alþingi, Iceland’s first parliament and, dating from 930, one of the oldest parliaments in the world.

A very comprehensive and interesting place, Iceland’s national museum contains artifacts from the Settlement Age to modern day and also has photography and rotating exhibits. It gives a good overview of Icelandic history and culture and is worth the trip if you have an extra day in Reykjavik.

Seen on a tour of the Golden Circle, this massive two-stage waterfall plunges dramatically into a steep gorge. Walk along an easy pathway to see multiple vantage points.

The Settlement Exhibition details the history of Iceland’s settlement through multimedia and surrounds the foundations of a Viking-aged farmhouse dating to the tenth century.

Visit this site of the original geyser, accounts of which date to 1294. Geysir is rarely active, but Strokkur, a nearby geyser, erupts with a 30 meter spout every five to ten minutes.

A beautiful modern concert hall made of glass cubes that illuminate with light shows in the winter months. Visit to see a show, or enter for free to check out the architecture and beautiful views of surrounding Reykjavik.

2 hours long, this tour departs from the main square Austurvöllur. A free and entertaining walking tour of Reykjavik. Our knowledgeable guide (a graduate student at the University of Iceland) took us on foot around Reykjavik and explained the history and culture of Iceland and specifically, Reykjavik.

Along the Goldenroad you will come upon the town of Fludir, which is unremarkable aside from the Secret Lagoon. A geothermal pool surrounded by subalpine meadows, the Secret Lagoon is a great place to relax with a drink. Not nearly as expensive as the Blue Lagoon, it’s a more natural feel and a nice stop on your tour of the Golden Circle.

While it’s one of Iceland’s iconic tourist attractions, it’s probably not a must-see, especially on a repeat trip to Iceland. However, it’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime price tag experiences that, as the most well known activity in the country, gives you a shared experience with every other tourist that visits the country and does offer iconic blue photos. Entirely man-made you can explore the pool with a drink in your hand (part of the admission price).