Reykjavík Christmas Walking Tour

A December walking tour around downtown Reykjavík's Christmas lights, markets and traditions, with a warm drink and a pastry included along the way. It's an easy, low-key evening out for all ages.

• Downtown Reykjavík's Christmas lights and decorations
• Ingólfur Square's ice rink and Christmas market stalls
• Oslo's gifted Christmas tree at Austurvöllur
• A stop at the Little Christmas Shop
• Cocoa, coffee, tea or soda with a pastry included

Your day, stop by stop

2Ingólfur SquareIce skating rink and Christmas market stalls.

The main square hosts a seasonal ice rink and small market stalls selling food and gifts, and in December it is strung with lights. The walk goes through it as part of the tour of the city centre's Christmas decorations.

3AusturvöllurSee the Christmas tree gifted by Oslo.

Each year Reykjavík receives a Christmas tree from Oslo, and it is put up in this central square, next to the parliament building.

4Laugavegur and the bookstore stopReykjavík's main shopping street, with a stop for Icelandic Christmas books.

Laugavegur is Reykjavík's main shopping street, and in December it is lit up for Christmas. The walk stops at a local bookstore, where you can browse for Icelandic Christmas books, and there is a coffee break at a music shop along the way.

Read our Laugavegur guide →

5The Little Christmas ShopA shop dedicated to Christmas decorations.

A shop dedicated to Christmas decorations, with a stop built into the walk so you can browse the ornaments and pick up something to take home.

6Hallgrímskirkja and SkólavörðustígurReykjavík's landmark church and the colourful street below it.

The walk finishes near Hallgrímskirkja, at 74.5 metres the tallest church in Iceland, designed to echo the columnar basalt found around the country. Just downhill is Skólavörðustígur, the street painted in rainbow stripes, which leads back towards Laugavegur.

Read our Hallgrímskirkja guide →

About the Reykjavík Christmas walking tour

This is a relaxed evening walk through Reykjavík in December, when the city centre is strung with lights and small Christmas markets pop up around the main squares. Your guide leads a small group (up to 12 people) through Ingólfur Square, past the Oslo Christmas tree at Austurvöllur, and along Laugavegur, the main shopping street, finishing near Hallgrímskirkja and the colourful Skólavörðustígur.

Along the way there's a stop for cocoa, coffee, tea or a soda with a pastry, plus a visit to a local bookstore (Icelandic Christmas books make a nice souvenir) and the Little Christmas Shop for anyone after decorations. It's an easy, flat walk suitable for all ages, and December evenings in Reykjavík are cold and often dark by mid-afternoon, so dress warmly.

Because this only runs in December, it pairs well with a short winter city break, and daylight is short enough that even a late-afternoon start feels like an evening walk under the lights.

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