Best photo spots in Reykjavík: a local's guide

First, the light

Reykjavík is one of the windiest capitals in Europe, and a 12 m/s breeze off the bay ruins hair, dresses and patience faster than any cloud. The weather also turns by the quarter-hour, so plan two exposed spots plus two sheltered ones.

The nine spots

1. Hallgrímskirkja and Skólavörðustígur

The concrete church is the city's landmark, and the painted rainbow on Skólavörðustígur runs straight up to its door. Best hour: 07:00 – 08:30, when the rainbow street is empty; the west-facing facade takes warm evening sun in summer from about 20:00, and in winter the low southern sun around 13:00 gives it fine side light. Crowds: tour buses from 09:30 until dark. Wind: the plaza is exposed, the street calmer. Shoot from the lower end of the street looking up so the church anchors the frame.

2. Harpa

Ólafur Elíasson's honeycomb of glass on the waterfront is free to enter and works in any weather. Best hour: blue hour, when the interior lights come on and the panels turn amber and violet: around 16:00 in December, after midnight in June. Crowds: cruise-ship days in summer fill the lobby from mid-morning. Wind: none inside, and the terrace looks straight at Mount Esja.

3. Sun Voyager (Sólfar)

The steel dream-boat on Sæbraut, with Esja across the bay. Best hour: summer sunset — in June the sun goes down in the northwest, almost directly behind the sculpture, close to midnight. In winter come for sunrise instead (10:00 – 11:30): the light is behind you and turns Esja pink. Crowds: non-stop from 09:00 to 22:00; before 08:00 or after 22:30 you have it alone. Wind: straight off the water, the most exposed spot in the centre.

4. Old Harbour and Grandi

Fishing boats, whale-watching piers and, behind them, Grandi's painted fish factories, the Marshall House and murals. Best hour: 08:00 – 10:00, boats moving and light still soft; overcast works because the colour comes from the hulls and the walls. Crowds: whale-watching queues at 09:00 and 13:00. Wind: moderate, the warehouses give cover.

5. Tjörnin

The city pond: Fríkirkjan church, City Hall standing in the water, a row of old houses along the far bank. Best hour: a calm morning for reflections, or summer evening light on the church side. In winter the pond freezes and people skate on it, with one corner kept ice-free for the swans and ducks. Crowds: light, mostly locals with bread. Wind: moderate. Ideal for families: birds, benches, no traffic.

6. The Þingholt streets

Bergstaðastræti, Grettisgata, Njálsgata, Týsgata: corrugated-iron houses in mustard, teal, red and pale blue, lace curtains and cats. Best hour: overcast, any time — soft light saturates the paint — or the low winter sun of 12:00 – 14:00 raking down the streets. Crowds: almost none; the quiet alternative to the rainbow street. Wind: the most sheltered option in the centre. Private homes: be quick, keep doorsteps clear.

7. Perlan viewpoint

The glass dome on Öskjuhlíð hill has a 360° deck with the whole city, the bay, Esja and, on clear days, Snæfellsjökull 120 km away. Best hour: golden hour and sunset in any season; in winter that means early afternoon. Crowds: manageable, the deck is wide. Wind: high and exposed — two minutes for the panorama, then back inside.

8. Öskjuhlíð woods (the wildcard)

Below Perlan, a real forest of birch and pine, with paths, old wartime bunkers and a surprising number of rabbits. Best hour: any; the trees make their own soft light, and late September brings autumn colour. Crowds: dog walkers. Wind: nearly none — when the forecast says 15 m/s, this is where the couples session happens.

9. Grótta lighthouse

At the western tip of Seltjarnarnes, five kilometres from the centre: a white lighthouse on a tidal island, black sand, open sea and Snæfellsnes on the horizon. Best hour: summer sunset over the water, and from September to April the northern lights — it is the darkest place in the capital area. Check the tide table (the causeway floods at high tide); the island is closed 1 May – 15 July for nesting terns, the beach is not. Wind: fully exposed, the first spot to cancel in a storm.

Winter vs summer in the city

Summer (late May – July): golden light from 21:00 until well past midnight, empty streets, day-trippers gone. Forget "sunrise" — it happens at 03:00.

Winter (November – February): four to seven hours of daylight, all of it golden or blue, city lights from mid-afternoon. Snow comes and goes: a bonus, not a promise. A northern-lights session means Grótta or a short drive out of town; the northern lights photoshoot guide explains how to plan one. Pavements ice over (bring spikes), and a 20 m/s storm cancels everything outdoors.

Shoulder seasons (September – October, March – April): the sweet spot — normal hours, northern lights possible, fewer people, low light most of the day.

When to skip the city for the coast

If what you want on the wall is black sand, waterfalls and basalt cliffs, no city street will give you that, and the south coast is only two to two-and-a-half hours away by car; read the south coast photo guide before deciding. Stay in Reykjavík when the trip is under 48 hours, when the forecast shows a storm (the coast is brutal in wind and Reynisfjara's waves are dangerous), when you have small children, or when the colourful urban look is the point. The plan we see most often is both: a one-hour city session on arrival evening and a coast day later.

Practical notes

• Route and wind: ninety minutes on foot covers the centre — church, Þingholt, Tjörnin, harbour, Harpa, Sun Voyager, about three kilometres; Grótta and Perlan need a taxi. Check vedur.is that morning: under 8 m/s is easy, 8 – 13 workable, above 15 move to the sheltered spots.
• Clothes: layers, a coat you like on camera, shoes with grip — see what to wear for a photoshoot in Iceland.
• Cost and booking: a city session starts from €279; the photoshoot cost guide breaks it down. Browse photographers in Reykjavík or all photographers; they will move the plan around the weather.