Reykjavik City Card 48 hours

The smartest part of the Reykjavík City Card is that it turns a short city break into a choose-your-own-adventure. You can visit a settlement-era longhouse, ride to Viðey Island, soak in a neighborhood pool, and use city buses without buying each ticket separately. It is less a guided tour than a pass for building your own itinerary.

I like the free bus access, especially because it makes outlying places such as Árbær Open Air Museum easier to reach. I also like the mix of museums and local swimming pools, which gives you more than the usual art-and-history circuit. The catch is simple: at $58.63 for 48 hours, you need to use the card several times, and some popular private attractions are only discounted or not included.

Key points before you buy

• The Settlement Exhibition protects an actual settlement-era hall: The museum is built around remains of a longhouse occupied from about 930 to 1000.
• The 48-hour pass includes city buses and a Viðey ferry ride: That can make a real difference if you visit museums beyond the compact center.
• Thermal pools are part of everyday Reykjavík life: Laugardalslaug, Sundhöllin, Vesturbæjarlaug, Árbæjarlaug, and other public pools are included.
• The three Reykjavík Art Museum sites each feel different: Hafnarhús is contemporary, Kjarvalsstaðir focuses on modern art, and Ásmundarsafn is an artist’s former home and studio.
• You must exchange the digital voucher for a physical card: This is an important practical step, especially if you plan an early start.
• The pass rewards a plan: Two museums, a pool, several bus rides, and the ferry can make the price worthwhile. One museum and a quick look around town probably will not.

What the Reykjavík City Card really gives you

The card is valid for 48 hours, though the wider product is offered in periods of one to three days. This review focuses on the two-day version priced at $58.63 per person.

It includes admission to several public museums, Reykjavík’s municipal swimming pools, the Family Park and Zoo, city bus transport, and the ferry to Viðey Island. It also provides discounts at some restaurants, entertainment venues, and privately operated attractions.

That last point matters. Free admission and discounted admission are not the same thing. The card is strongest at Reykjavík’s public museums and pools. Attractions such as Perlan may offer a discount rather than free entry, and the included museums may not match your personal must-see list.

You also receive a digital voucher or code at booking, but you cannot simply show that code everywhere. You need to exchange it for the physical City Card at one of the designated pickup locations. The redemption step is easy once you find an open location, but it can disrupt an early first morning. Pickup locations may not open until 10 a.m., according to the practical information supplied for the pass.

A strong first day in central Reykjavík

The best use of the card begins in the city center, where several stops can be combined on foot or with short bus rides.

National Museum of Iceland

Allow about two hours here. The museum uses objects and displays to explain Icelandic cultural life from the past into the present. It is a useful starting point because it gives context to the settlement, fishing, religious, and artistic themes found elsewhere in Reykjavík.

The museum’s purpose is not just to display old objects. Its presentation asks you to think about how Icelandic society developed and where it may go next. If you have only a short time in the city, this is one of the better stops for grounding yourself in the country’s story.

The Settlement Exhibition

This compact museum takes about 40 minutes and is one of the most distinctive stops included in the card. It was built around the remains of a longhouse excavated in central Reykjavík in 2001.

The hall was occupied from about 930 to 1000. Nearby turf wall remains date to shortly before 871, making them among the oldest known man-made structures found in Iceland. The museum’s strength is its physical evidence. You are not simply reading about the first settlers. You are looking down at the remains of the place where they lived.

I would make this a priority, especially if you have limited museum time. It offers more of a sense of place than a standard gallery visit.

Reykjavík Museum of Photography

This stop takes about 40 minutes and presents Icelandic, international, historical, and contemporary photography. The exhibitions place photographs in artistic, social, and cultural settings.

It is a good short visit between larger museums. Photography also gives you a different way to see Iceland, particularly if you want more than paintings and archaeological objects.

Aðalstræti 10

Plan on about 30 minutes at this museum and exhibition space, part of the Reykjavík City Museum. Its short visit time makes it easy to fit into a central walking route.

Because opening times and exhibitions can shape your schedule, check the day’s hours before setting out. Several museums on this pass have limited opening windows, so a little planning prevents wasted time.

Art without rushing between unrelated galleries

The card includes all three Reykjavík Art Museum locations, but they are not interchangeable. I would choose based on your interests and the rest of your route.

Hafnarhús

Hafnarhús occupies a former harbor warehouse in Reykjavík’s oldest harbor area. The building dates from the 1930s, when it was one of the country’s largest structures.

Its six galleries focus on local and international contemporary art, with established artists shown alongside newer names. It also houses work by Erró, an important figure in international pop art. Allow about two hours if you want to see the changing exhibitions carefully.

This is the best art museum choice if you want current work, unusual installations, and a direct connection to the old harbor district.

Kjarvalsstadir

Kjarvalsstadir is devoted in large part to Jóhannes S. Kjarval, one of Iceland’s best-known artists. Its exhibitions also feature modern paintings and sculpture by other established artists.

The building itself is a reason to visit. Its Nordic modernist design includes floor-to-ceiling windows looking onto Klambratún Park. Allow about an hour. This museum works well when you want art in a calm setting rather than a long series of indoor galleries.

Ásmundarsafn

Ásmundarsafn is the most unusual of the three. The building was designed, lived in, and used as a studio by sculptor Ásmundur Sveinsson. Its white dome and Mediterranean-inspired design are part of the experience.

Sculptures surround the building in the garden, ranging from large early figures to lighter abstract forms. Inside, you may see Sveinsson’s work alongside modern and contemporary exhibitions. Allow about 40 minutes.

This is an especially good stop for people who enjoy architecture and sculpture. It is farther from the central cluster of museums, so combine it with a nearby bus route or another destination rather than making a special trip for a very short visit.

The National Gallery of Iceland

The National Gallery focuses mainly on Icelandic art from the 19th and 20th centuries, while also showing international work. Its collection includes artists such as Pablo Picasso, Edvard Munch, Karel Appel, Hans Hartung, Victor Vasarely, Richard Serra, and Richard Tuttle.

Allow about two hours. The museum can be an excellent choice if you want to understand Icelandic art in relation to wider European and American movements. If modern and contemporary art is not your main interest, the National Museum and Settlement Exhibition may give you more for your limited time.

The harbor, the sea, and Viðey Island

Reykjavík Maritime Museum

The Maritime Museum takes about an hour and occupies a former fish factory, an appropriate setting for a museum about Iceland’s fishing life.

The main exhibition follows 150 years of fisheries, from the era of rowing boats through the arrival of large fishing vessels and into the 21st century. The story is told from Reykjavík’s point of view, linking the city directly to the sea that shaped its work and economy.

I particularly like this stop as a counterweight to the art museums. It explains why the harbor matters and gives you a clearer sense of ordinary working life.

Viðey Island

The ferry to Viðey Island is included, and you should allow about two hours for the outing itself. The island offers open space, birdlife, and works of modern art, along with an important place in Icelandic history.

Do not treat this as a guaranteed quick add-on. Ferry service can be affected by windy conditions, and a planned visit may need to be moved or abandoned. Check the operating schedule and weather before arranging the rest of your day.

If the ferry runs, Viðey gives you a break from museums and city streets. It is also one of the better uses of the card because the ride is included rather than added to your transport budget.

Árbær and the museums beyond the center

Árbær Open Air Museum

Árbær was a working farm into the 20th century. Today it contains more than 20 relocated buildings arranged as a town square, village, and farm.

Allow about two hours. This is one of the most useful stops for seeing how Reykjavík looked and functioned before modern development reshaped the city. The buildings give the museum a stronger sense of place than a row of objects behind glass.

The museum is outside the central area, but the free bus access makes it much easier to reach without a car. I would save it for a clear part of your schedule rather than squeezing it between short museum visits.

Sigurjón Ólafsson Museum

This museum occupies the former studio of sculptor Sigurjón Ólafsson at Laugarnes. It was created by his widow, Birgitta Spur, in 1984 to preserve and show his work.

Allow about 50 minutes. The studio setting gives the visit a personal quality, and it is a good match for anyone who liked Ásmundarsafn or wants to see Icelandic sculpture outside a large city museum.

The Culture House

The Culture House takes about two hours and presents Points of View, an exhibition built from collections held by six major Icelandic cultural institutions.

Art, books, maps, museum objects, and archival material are arranged around visual themes. It is a useful place to see several parts of Icelandic culture in one setting, though the broad range may feel less focused than a single-artist museum.

Kópavogur’s art and natural history stops

Two included museums are in Kópavogur, outside central Reykjavík. The card’s bus access is particularly useful here.

Gerðarsafn Kópavogur Art Museum focuses on modern and contemporary art, with changing exhibitions by Icelandic and international artists. Its program also draws from the museum collection. The museum is named for and built in honor of a female Icelandic artist, which gives it a distinct place in the country’s museum scene. Allow about an hour.

The Natural History Museum of Kópavogur is split between geology and zoology. The geological section explains Iceland’s formation and displays major rock and mineral types. The zoological section focuses mainly on Icelandic birds, mammals, fish, and invertebrates.

Allow about an hour. Staff guidance is available if requested, and it can be adapted to the interests, age, and language of the people in your group. Advance reservation is preferred for groups, while guidance itself is free.

These museums are a good pairing if you want a day that is less centered on central Reykjavík. They are not essential for every short stay, but families and visitors interested in geology will find them useful.

The city’s geothermal pools are a major reason to buy

The City Card includes several municipal thermal pools. These are not just tourist attractions. They are part of Reykjavík’s public sports and daily life, with geothermal water, hot tubs, steam baths, saunas, and jacuzzis.

The included options are:

• Laugardalslaug: A major city pool with a broad range of facilities.
• Sundhöllin: A central public bath that is easy to pair with city sightseeing.
• Vesturbæjarlaug: A neighborhood pool on the west side.
• Árbæjarlaug: A pool that pairs well with Árbær Open Air Museum.
• Klébergslaug: A small outdoor pool in Kjalarnes near Mount Esja, with hot tubs, a steam bath, a gym, and a children’s slide.
• Breiðholtslaug: A larger facility with indoor and outdoor pools, slides, a sauna, and hot tubs.
• Dalslaug: The newest Reykjavík pool, opened in December 2021.
• Grafarvogslaug: A complex with indoor and outdoor pools, children’s areas, water slides, hot tubs, and a steam bath.

Most pool visits are listed at about one to two hours. That timing is realistic if you want to change, soak, and use more than one facility. The pools can make the card worthwhile even if you are not a serious museum fan.

Remember that public pool etiquette matters. Plan time for changing and showering, not just the soak itself. The appeal here is local and relaxed, not a luxury spa experience.

The Family Park and Zoo

Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo takes about two hours and includes more than farm animals. You may see Icelandic domestic animals, native wildlife, and a small display of reptiles, amphibians, and insects.

Playgrounds operate during summer and on winter weekends when weather permits. Castles, zip lines, and other equipment are generally open, so the stop can work well for families even when the animal collection is not your main interest.

It is outside the core sightseeing area, making the free bus benefit useful. If you are traveling without children, the museum and pool choices will probably give you better value.

How to make the $58.63 price work

At $58.63, the card needs deliberate use. A good 48-hour plan might include:

• Two or three included museums
• Several bus rides
• One thermal pool session
• The ferry to Viðey Island
• A museum or pool outside the central area

The pass is also easier than handling separate bus fares. The city bus system can be checked through the Strætó website, which provides route options, maps, arrival information, and live bus tracking. Electronic signs at many stops show expected arrival times.

The card is less attractive if you want only one or two museums, plan to walk everywhere, or are focused on attractions that are privately operated. Several popular sights are not included for free, and a discount may be smaller than an online price found directly through an attraction.

Children and seniors may need a separate calculation. One family chose cards for adults but not for children under 18 because many museums offered free youth admission and bus fares were discounted. That approach may save money, depending on the ages in your group.

Timing, pickup, and practical limits

The card is not a guided tour, so you set the pace. That is helpful, but it also means you must check opening times, bus routes, ferry schedules, and pool locations.

The redemption step is the biggest nuisance. Exchange your digital voucher for the physical card before you need to use it. If you arrive early and the pickup point is closed, your first morning may not go as planned.

Opening hours can also limit the value of a 48-hour pass. Some museums open late or close early, and one museum may not provide enough value to cover the price. If you have less than a full day in Reykjavík, paying separately may be wiser.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the experience start time. Changes or cancellations made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund.

Should you buy the Reykjavík City Card?

Buy it if you want a mix of museums, public buses, thermal pools, and Viðey Island, and you are willing to plan two full days around included stops. It is especially useful without a rental car, for families using buses, and for anyone who enjoys local public pools as much as formal attractions.

Skip it if your list centers on private attractions, you have only a few sightseeing hours, or you prefer to wander without checking schedules. The card is not automatically a bargain.

My practical choice would be to map out at least three included museums or attractions, one pool, and several bus journeys before purchasing. Add the ferry if weather allows. If that plan comes close to the $58.63 price, the card buys convenience as well as admission. If not, pay for the places you truly want and keep your itinerary simpler.

FAQ

How long is the Reykjavík City Card valid?

The version reviewed here is valid for 48 hours. The City Card is also offered in periods of one to three days.

Does the card include public transportation?

Yes. The card includes use of public buses in the Reykjavík region.

Is the ferry to Viðey Island included?

Yes. The card includes a ferry ride to Viðey Island. Ferry service can be affected by windy conditions, so check the schedule and weather before going.

Do I receive a physical card when I book?

You receive a digital voucher or code first. You must exchange it for the physical City Card at one of the designated locations.

Are Reykjavík thermal pools included?

Yes. The card includes admission to several municipal thermal pools, including Laugardalslaug, Sundhöllin, Vesturbæjarlaug, Árbæjarlaug, Klébergslaug, Breiðholtslaug, Dalslaug, and Grafarvogslaug.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours in advance are not refunded or accepted.