How To Plan The Perfect Weekend Away In Reykjavik

Ever considered an icy weekend escape? With dramatic winter landscapes, thrilling experiences, a thriving cultural scene, and incredible cuisine all less than three hours by plane from London, Iceland is the hottest contender in this year’s *cool* mini-break stakes.

Having been invited to experience 48 hours in its capital city Reykjavik, I can vouch for its seriously raw beauty. Known as the land of ice and fire, what hits you first is its dramatic landscapes. Blue skies meet icy crags, towering over black lagoons – it quite literally takes your breath away from the airport into the city centre.

But what I loved, even more, was the quiet efficiency and welcoming hospitality at every turn – Icelandics excel in ensuring things run smoothly, making the vibe (quite literally) effortlessly cool. From cosy decor to stark, practical architecture; homemade, nourishing food to well-designed transport infrastructure – everything just… works.

Full transparency, this is not a cheap trip – Iceland is pegged by Numbeo as the twelfth most expensive country in the world to live. However, flights with Icelandic airlines such as PLAY are reasonable, helping offset the slightly larger spending budget required. 

So wrap up warm and check out our tried and tested itinerary for ways to spend the ultimate 48 hours in breathtaking Reykjavík… I can personally promise, you won’t regret it.

Where to stay

Booked into the Reykjavik EDITION, I was not disappointed. Located downtown on the Old Harbourfront and four minutes from the Laugavegur Street shopping district, it’s the perfect base for exploring all Reykjavik has to offer. However, with a huge lobby centred around an open fire, a restaurant, a cafe, three bars, a nightclub and a Hamman-style spa for hotel guests, you almost need an excuse to leave. My room was an inviting combo of warm wood floors, deep white duvet and floor-to-ceiling glass windows. My bathroom had gloriously toasty underfloor heating, fleece-lined robes and a giant shower head ready for an invigorating dousing – although during my visit the city was suffering from low water pressure due to recent volcanic eruptions (as you do).

Where to Eat & Drink

Believe me, Reykjavik has a vibrant social scene rife with chic bars and cosy restaurants to keep you fuelled ready for your next adventure. The options are endless and the cuisines on offer are incredibly varied both in origin and expense. These are a few places I tried and loved:

Tipsy

Located on the Ingólfstorg square, this is a really fun spot with a gorgeous lounge style bar running the length of the space. The mixologists know their stuff and when tasked with serving me up an Icelandic cocktail presented a schnapps based Old Fashioned over a giant ice cube which totally hit the spot.

The Roof at EDITION

If a drink with a view is what you are looking for, this delivers in spades with an almost panoramic vista over the Reykjavik harbour. If the twinkling lights don’t take your breath away brave a photo opportunity on the terrace for a no holds barred selfie in the ice and snow. Warning: SO cold.

Monkeys

Eclectic is the word for this restaurant that comes complete with its own indoor Champagne Train carriage (yes, really). The menu is Asian inspired and highly delicious, and the tables are set out like a speakeasy complete with fringed lampshades and discreet waiting staff. I ordered the tiger prawns tempura and Aji Pepper Margarita and would reorder both again and again. Wonderful spot for a romantic meal for two.

Tölt

Talking of speakeasy, who knew The Reykjavik EDITION had a hidden bar? Accessed only by requesting a nondescript handleless door be unlocked by one of the main bar staff, step inside and you’re greeted by secluded seating, music, conversation, and high-quality cocktails served direct to your table. Cheeky chic.

Stormer Bistro

This lunch spot is worth the trip out of town regardless of whether you want to bathe in the hot springs it overlooks. Serving up a simple Icelandic menu created using local ingredients sourced from the estate, the wow factor here is the combination of delicious nourishing dishes served against one of the most beautiful of backdrops you’ll ever see. I’ve never been so blown away by a seafood soup and open shrimp sandwich.

What to Do

Iceland is the destination for out-of-the-box experiences – you can truly do things here that you wouldn’t anywhere else, from whale watching to volcano tours, northern lights hunting to geothermal hot springs bathing. Over a weekend you can’t possibly do it all so here are my priority picks:

Hvammsvik Hot Springs

This was truly the highlight of my trip. Located within a 1,200 acre private estate on the edge of the Hvalfjörður, Hvammsvík offers a unique bathing experience in the Icelandic wilderness just 45min outside of Reykjavik. Grab your cozzie to dip in and out of eight different-sized pools of varying temperatures filled both by a geothermal well and tidally by the Atlantic Ocean. Feeling brave? Do as I did and venture into the fjord itself Wim Hof style – my zero-degree dip completely took my breath away but I felt incredible afterwards.

Northern Lights

For me Northern Lights hunting is a must-do over any other activity – that’s clearly personal preference but surely, until you’ve seen them you have to give it your best shot. 2024 is apparently THE year after all. Sadly I wasn’t lucky this time but there are many tours on offer. Book into the Small Group with Reykjavik Excursions and if you don’t see any lights you can join their Classic Northern Lights Tour free of charge another night for a second shot. 

Reykjavik Art Museum

Housed in three locations across Reykjavik – Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, and Ásmundarsafn – a visit to any of these galleries will demonstrate just why Icelandics are so fiercely proud of their homegrown art scene. 

Shop Local Brands

One of my favourite skincare brands out there, BioEffect is HUGE in Iceland – as it should be. Founded by three Icelandic scientists, the products are centred around Barley Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), cultivated sustainably in the brand’s own ecologically-engineered greenhouse, and really do work. 

For all kinds of Icelandic knitwear from the traditional patterned jumpers to Nordic blankets for snuggling down in back home, Icewear is the go-to for everything woollen. If you’re crafty you can even buy yarn and patterns to DIY.

Rekyjavik’s best gourmet sweet store, Vinberiõ, is where to find the nation’s preferred candy – liquorice. Restrictions on foreign imports meant that liquorice was the only sweet available to Icelanders for hundreds of years and this shop serves up some of the city’s most creative chocolatey combinations. 

What To Pack

Warm, waterproof outerwear and hardy footwear are essentials for sub-zero temperatures. That said, as one Icelandic emphatically advised me the biggest fashion faux pas in Reykjavik is ‘dressing like you are heading to Everest’. The vibe here is most definitely chic and I saw more than one local headed out for dinner in slinky sequins. So yes pack your ski jacket, cosy knits, and snow boots but also make sure you slide in your favourite out-out jeans and a couple of cami tops for peeling off at nighttime.

When To Go

For a winter weekend and the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights, the months to visit Iceland are September through April. Daylight lasts for only about 4-5 hours during the midwinter and temperatures can range from -3 and 10 degrees Celsius. 

The Verdict

Book yourself a ticket to Iceland. Now. But seriously… Go. This is a weekend break I’m already planning on repeating myself at the next available opportunity. Iceland made me feel so alive and yet wildly insignificant against such imposing, craggy landscapes. Plus I’m still hunting those elusive Northern Lights…

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