Last updated September 2, 2026 · Editorial policy
Things to Do in Reykjavik: What Is Actually Worth Your Time
Quick answer: This is an honest look at Reykjavík: which famous lagoon to think twice about, and where the locals actually swim.
The Blue Lagoon is the default Iceland purchase, and both it and the newer Sky Lagoon sit at a price point — broadly ISK 10,000 and up — that makes them a significant line in a short trip’s budget. Neither is in Reykjavík itself.
The city runs a network of geothermal public pools, and they are where Icelanders actually go: hot pots, lane swimming and steam for a small fraction of a lagoon ticket. Náuthólsvík geothermal beach charges nothing to use the water; you pay only for a locker. Doing one lagoon and several neighbourhood pools gets you far more of the country’s bathing culture than one expensive afternoon.
- Hallgrímskirkja itself is free to walk into — only the tower lift carries a charge, at around ISK 1,500 for an adult.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
