District · Reykjavík
Hallgrímskirkja and SkólavörðustígurSkólavörðuholt
A short climb from Laugavegur; windy at the top, quiet in the side streets.
Key facts
- Suits
- The church tower, small shops, cafés, the oldest pool
- Sights here
- 2
- Eats here
- 2
What it's like
- Feels:
- Quiet side streets, small shops and a big church
- Suits:
- The church tower, small shops, cafés, the oldest pool
- Best time:
- Morning or evening light
- Watch out for:
- Wind at the church square.
- In short:
- A short climb from Laugavegur; windy at the top, quiet in the side streets.
About these names
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.
Hallgrímskirkja and SkólavörðustígurSkólavörðuholt
seeeat
A short climb from Laugavegur; windy at the top, quiet in the side streets.
Suits: The church tower, small shops, cafés, the oldest pool
On the map: Hallgrímskirkja, Sundhöllin (Reykjavík swimming pool)
District guideWalk: Hallgrímskirkja & SkólavörðustígurIn 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?
Not a base in this guide
See
Opening hours and prices from each place page; (check) means typical hours, not yet verified.
The city's landmark church: the nave is free, the tower has its own ticket and a view over the city; go in the morning or evening light, and skip the tower in high wind.
- Hours:
- Nave and tower hours change by season and events; check the official page.(check)
- Sundhöllin (Reykjavík swimming pool)Book a time
The city's oldest public pool, near Hallgrímskirkja: 60–90 minutes in the pool and hot pots, the local way to warm up after wind and rain; bring a swimsuit and follow the shower rule.
- Hours:
- Hours vary by weekday and season; check the official Reykjavík pools page.(check)
Eat
What to order and what locals pay, from each eat page. Prices are estimates; check the menu.
- Brauð & Co
Bakery near Hallgrímskirkja: cinnamon buns and sourdough for a warm breakfast or coffee stop; go before 10:00 as the queue builds.
Order: Kanilsnúður: Say ‘kanilsnúð, takk’.
Price: A bun is about ISK 700–1,100 and coffee ISK 600–900; the same for everyone (2026 estimate).
- Café Loki
A café opposite Hallgrímskirkja serving traditional Icelandic plates: fish stew, lamb soup and rye bread; a warm lunch stop with a view of the church.
Order: Plokkfiskur: Order it with rye bread and butter.
Price: Locals pay the same board price, about ISK 3,000–5,000 (≈ US$25–45) for a plate (2026 estimate).
Shopping
Markets and shopping streets from the Reykjavík buying guide that name this district.
- Icelandic wool sweaters (lopapeysa) · Handknitting Association of Iceland on Skólavörðustígur, and wool shops on Laugavegur · About 10:00–18:00; shorter on SundayAbout 10:00 AM–6:00 PM; shorter on SundayA hand-knit sweater costs ISK 25,000–50,000; a machine-made one costs far less. Check the label.
- Icelandic design and jewellery · Shops on Skólavörðustígur and Laugavegur · About 10:00–18:00About 10:00 AM–6:00 PMLook for a maker’s name; ceramics and jewellery are handmade.
Getting there and around
Where to get off
- Walk up Skólavörðustígur to the church door · for Hallgrímskirkja
- Barónsstígur 45a, a short walk from Hallgrímskirkja · for Sundhöllin (Reykjavík swimming pool)
- Frakkastígur, near Hallgrímskirkja · 3 min walk to Brauð & Co
- Lokastígur, opposite Hallgrímskirkja · 1 min walk to Café Loki
Walks inside the district
- Hallgrímskirkja → Brauð & Co: 2–4 min on foot (Walk down Frakkastígur)
- Hallgrímskirkja → Sundhöllin (public pool): 6–9 min on foot (Walk down to the pool)
- Hallgrímskirkja → Café Loki: 1–2 min on foot (Cross to Lokastígur)
On to the next area
- Walk down the hill: about 8 min to Laugavegur & Austurvöllur
- Walk east and down: about 10 min to Sólfar & Hverfisgata
From other sleep areas
- From Downtown 101: 9–13 min walk to Hallgrímskirkja & Skólavörðustígur
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 95 min in all: 15 min on foot, the rest at the stops. 4 stops, back to where you started.
- HallgrímskirkjaStart here · stop about 20 min
- Café Loki1 min walk · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
- Sundhöllin (Reykjavík swimming pool)6 min walk (estimate) · stop about 30 min
- Brauð & Co6 min walk (estimate) · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
- Back to Hallgrímskirkja: 2 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.
Half-day walk
In the day plans: Day 1 — Hallgrímskirkja, a bakery stop, a 13:00 lunch table on Laugavegur (Reykjavík in 3 days)
Photo and sunset spots
Light: Golden hour
Shoot up the street with the tower centred; the tower view needs a ticket.
Safety at night and noise
Hallgrímskirkja and Skólavörðustígurday: oknight: ok
Icy pavements in winter; wind at the church square.
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.