Why it works for you
101 Reykjavik is the beating heart of Iceland's food scene, home to Michelin-starred restaurants, intimate bistros, and Nordic cuisine labs. Start your culinary exploration at Dill Restaurant or Sumac, both pioneering modern Icelandic cooking in this compact downtown core.
⚠ Not ideal if: Budget travellers seeking cheap eats and those wanting wide-open spaces—101 is pricey, densely packed, and walking-intensive on steep hills.
For families: 101 Reykjavik is the heart of Iceland's capital with excellent public transit, top-rated family restaurants, and proximity to parks like Tjörnin pond where kids can feed ducks and explore. The compact, walkable downtown means less time navigating and more time enjoying authentic local life together.
Score breakdown
🧭 71👪 76🍽 73🏛 72
☀ A day here
Start at Café Loki for traditional Icelandic breakfast (rye bread soup, smoked fish), wander Laugavegur's food shops and galleries mid-morning. Lunch at Sumac for wood-fired Nordic small plates, then explore Old Harbour seafood shacks. Dinner at Dill Restaurant for a tasting menu of foraged ingredients and local lamb.
📍 Local insight food
Laugavegur closes to cars Friday-Sunday evenings; restaurants spill tables onto the street. Locals book 3 weeks ahead for Dill.
🍽 Where to eat
Café Loki
Rye bread soup and traditional Icelandic comfort food classics.
Sumac
Wood-fired Nordic cuisine, local ingredients, intimate setting on Laugavegur.
Dill Restaurant
Michelin star; foraged items, slow-cooked lamb, inventive presentations.
🏛 What to see
National Museum of Iceland Paid
Icelandic history from settlement to modern era; 10-minute walk.
Hallgrímskirkja Church Paid
Iconic tower offers 360° city and harbour views from observation deck.
Old Harbour waterfront Free
Historic docks, maritime culture, whale-watching tours depart from here.
🗺 Getting around
AirportFlybus or Strætó bus 1: 45 mins, 2,000–3,200 ISK. Taxi: 15–18 mins, ~8,500 ISK.
DailyWalk central 101 (steep hills, compact); use Strætó buses or taxis for Old Harbour and outer sites.
Day tripsBlue Lagoon geothermal spa (40 min by bus or car)Golden Circle route—Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss (1 hour drive)Snæfellsnes Peninsula and black sand beaches (2 hours drive)
⚡ 101 is hilly with uneven pavements; winter ice and rain make walking treacherous November–March. Restaurant prices are among Europe's highest; mains average 3,500–5,500 ISK. Booking ahead is essential, especially weekends.
