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District · Reykjavík

Downtown 101 and LaugavegurMiðborgin

The main shopping street and the densest choice of cafés, bars and restaurants; noisy on Friday and Saturday nights.

sleepseeeat

Key facts

Suits
First visit, shops, cafés, nightlife
Room prices
$$$
price band of 5
Sights here
1
Eats here
2

What it's like

Feels:
Busy, colourful shopping street with bars
Suits:
First visit, shops, cafés, nightlife
Best time:
Morning and early evening
Watch out for:
Friday and Saturday after 00:00 if you want sleep.
In short:
The main shopping street and the densest choice of cafés, bars and restaurants; noisy on Friday and Saturday nights.

About these names

Postal codes 101 covers the centre; 105 is east of it, 107 is the west side and Vesturbær, 102 the airport-side Vatnsmýri. Google Maps and the Strætó app route buses and walks well.

A first visit fits inside a 2 km box: Hallgrímskirkja on the hill to the south-east, Laugavegur and Bankastræti running down from it, Austurvöllur and the old centre in the middle, and the Old Harbour and Harpa on the north-west shore. The Sun Voyager sits on the north shore path east of the centre. Anything further (Perlan, Laugardalur pools, Grandi, Höfði) is a bus or taxi ride.

Where exactly

This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.

Downtown 101 and Laugavegur on the Reykjavík mapTap an area for what it is like and who it suits. Shapes follow this guide’s walking areas and places, not official boundaries.
Downtown 101 · $$$Old Harbour · $$$

Downtown 101 and LaugavegurMiðborgin

sleepseeeatPrice $$$

The main shopping street and the densest choice of cafés, bars and restaurants; noisy on Friday and Saturday nights.

Suits: First visit, shops, cafés, nightlife

On the map: Austurvöllur square

District guideWalk: Laugavegur & AusturvöllurSleep: Downtown 101In the districts table

Off the map: Keflavík International Airport (KEF) (50–75 min by the usual route).

Not drawn yet (no coordinates in this guide): Tjörnin and the old west side, Vesturbær and the Grandi harbour, Perlan and Öskjuhlíð, Laugardalur. See the table above.

Where’s what, as a list:

  • Downtown 101 and Laugavegur (Miðborgin): The main shopping street and the densest choice of cafés, bars and restaurants; noisy on Friday and Saturday nights. Suits: First visit, shops, cafés, nightlife. Price band $$$.
  • Hallgrímskirkja and Skólavörðustígur (Skólavörðuholt): A short climb from Laugavegur; windy at the top, quiet in the side streets. Suits: The church tower, small shops, cafés, the oldest pool.
  • Old Harbour and Harpa (Gamla höfnin): Quieter at night than Laugavegur, but open to the wind; tour desks and boat kiosks line the piers. Suits: Whale-watching, the concert hall, harbour restaurants. Price band $$$.
  • Sólfar and Hverfisgata (Sæbraut): The Sun Voyager on the shore path; Hverfisgata behind it has cafés and small galleries. Suits: A shore walk and a coffee stop.
  • Tjörnin and the old west side (Tjörnin): A small city lake with birds; a flat, calm loop of about 30 minutes. Suits: A pond walk, the City Hall, the National Gallery.
  • Vesturbær and the Grandi harbour (Vesturbær): A residential quarter west of the centre with the Vesturbæjarlaug pool; Grandi has cafés and the whale museum. Suits: Longer stays, a local pool, food halls.
  • Perlan and Öskjuhlíð (Perlan): A bus or taxi ride south of the centre; the dome sits on hot-water tanks. Suits: A dome with a view, a museum, forest paths.
  • Laugardalur (Laugardalur): East of the centre; the pool complex is the largest in the city. Suits: The main swimming complex, the botanic garden and the family zoo.
  • Sleep area Downtown 101: suits First visit, shops, cafés, nightlife, price band $$$.
  • Sleep area Old Harbour: suits Whale-watching, the concert hall, harbour restaurants, price band $$$.
  • Keflavík International Airport (KEF), 50–75 min by the usual route.

Stay here?

How this district's sleep area scores for five kinds of traveler, ranked against the other Reykjavík districts that have scores. Scores are this guide's 1–5 judgements.

  • First visit

    best of 2

    Hallgrímskirkja, Harpa, the pond and Austurvöllur are within 15 minutes on foot.

  • Families

    best of 2

    Central but noisy; apartments help.

  • Light sleepers

    2nd of 2

    Friday and Saturday night noise on Laugavegur; ask for a back room.

    Better for this: Old Harbour and Harpa

  • Night owls

    best of 2

    Bars and restaurants are a short walk in any direction.

  • On a budget

    best of 2

    Expensive, but hostels and guesthouses exist.

See

Opening hours and prices from each place page; (check) means typical hours, not yet verified.

  • Austurvöllur squareGo

    The small green square in front of the parliament: 15–25 minutes, with the cathedral beside it and cafés around it; the natural start for the Laugavegur walk.

    Hours:
    Open air; nearby buildings keep their own hours.(check)
    Entry:
    Free

Eat

What to order and what locals pay, from each eat page. Prices are estimates; check the menu.

  • Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur

    Well-known hot-dog stand near the harbour: a fast, cheap bite; order 'with everything' and eat standing.

    Order: Pylsa (pylsur): Ask for ‘eina með öllu’ (one with everything).

    Price: Locals pay the same posted price, about ISK 700–1,100 a hot dog (2026 estimate).

  • Svarta Kaffið

    A café on Laugavegur known for soup in a bread bowl: a filling, warming lunch for about ISK 3,000–4,000; go at 11:30 or 14:00 to avoid the rush.

    Order: Súpa: Say ‘súpa dagsins’ for soup of the day.

    Price: A bowl of soup is about ISK 2,800–4,000 (≈ US$25–35) for everyone (2026 estimate).

Sleep

  • Downtown 101$$$

    First-timers: a hotel near Laugavegur with a 24h desk; the church, the harbour and the shops are a walk in any weather.

    Rooms: ISK 30,000–65,000 (≈ US$250–550) per room per night (mid-range); more in summer (check)

    Pick this if: First visits, walking to everything, café and bar nights

    Skip this if: You are a light sleeper on weekends

    3–6 min walk to Laugavegur & Austurvöllur · 9–13 min walk to Hallgrímskirkja & Skólavörðustígur · 8–12 min walk to Harpa & Old Harbour

Shopping

Markets and shopping streets from the Reykjavík buying guide that name this district.

  • Icelandic design and jewellery · Shops on Skólavörðustígur and Laugavegur · About 10:00–18:00Look for a maker’s name; ceramics and jewellery are handmade.
  • Outdoor gear and rain shells · 66°North and outdoor shops on Laugavegur · About 10:00–18:00A shell is a good buy if you did not pack one; check the return policy.

Getting there and around

Where to get off

  • Austurvöllur, between Austurstræti and Kirkjustræti · for Austurvöllur square
  • Tryggvagata, near the harbour · 4 min walk to Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
  • Laugavegur, mid-street · 2 min walk to Svarta Kaffið

Walks inside the district

  • Svarta Kaffið → Austurvöllur square: 7–10 min on foot (Walk west along Laugavegur)

On to the next area

From other sleep areas

  • From Old Harbour: 9–13 min walk to Laugavegur & Austurvöllur

Minutes are this guide’s typical walking and ride times (p50–p90); traffic and heat stretch them.

Walking loop

A loop that starts and ends at the same place, through this district's sights and eats. Pick a length; download it for Organic Maps, OsmAnd or Google Earth.

About 60 min in all: 20 min on foot, the rest at the stops. 3 stops, back to where you started.

123
  1. Austurvöllur squareStart here · stop about 10 min
  2. Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur4 min walk (estimate) · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
  3. Svarta Kaffið9 min walk (estimate) · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
  4. Back to Austurvöllur square: 7 min walk

Walking minutes come from this guide’s route graph where it has one; “estimate” means straight-line distance plus a quarter for street detours at an easy pace. Opening hours are not checked: look at “Open now” below before you set off.

Safety at night and noise

  • Laugavegur and Austurstrætiday: oknight: ok

    Loud on weekend nights; keep bags closed in crowded bars.

  • Quiet nights

    Friday and Saturday night noise on Laugavegur; ask for a back room.

  • Nightlife

    Bars and restaurants are a short walk in any direction.

  • Late arrival

    24-hour desks are common; ask for a night code.

Nearby districts

Built from this guide’s Reykjavík districts table, place, eat and sleep pages, route graph and city notes. Hours, prices and rules change: anything marked (check) is typical, not verified. checked: 2026-09.