Iceland has a reputation for draining wallets, and it is earned. A beer in Reykjavík can cost more than a meal at home, and a lagoon ticket more than a night in a hostel. So it comes as a pleasant surprise that most of the country's best scenery is free to look at.
Nobody charges you to stand between two tectonic plates, watch a geyser erupt or see the northern lights. What you do pay for, more and more, is parking. Here are the free things to do in Iceland that are genuinely worth your time, and where the small costs creep back in.
Is It Possible to See Iceland for Free?
Mostly, yes. Iceland's waterfalls, geothermal areas, national parks and beaches have no entrance fee. Reykjavík also has plenty of free sights and walks.
The main exceptions are some private sites, such as Kerið crater, and the lagoons and museums.
The cost that has grown is parking. Many popular natural sites now charge a parking fee of around ISK 1,000 per car, paid by app or at a machine. The official Þingvellir National Park website shows how this works at the park, and the cost is still far below any tour.
Free Things to Do on the Golden Circle
The Golden Circle is the best free day out in Iceland. All three of its main sights have free entry, and you can see them in a day from Reykjavík.
Walk Through Þingvellir National Park
At Þingvellir you can walk through Almannagjá, the gorge on the edge of the North American plate, stand where Iceland's parliament met for centuries and follow the path to Öxarárfoss waterfall. Entry to the park is free, and parking is charged.
Our page on Þingvellir's rift and trails covers the main walks and the history.
Watch Strokkur Erupt at Geysir
At the Geysir geothermal area, Strokkur erupts every few minutes, sending boiling water up to 20 metres into the air. Walking the paths between the steaming pools and watching several eruptions costs nothing.
Visitors watching steam rise from a hot pool at the Geysir geothermal area.
The visitor centre across the road has toilets, a café and shops. For more on the area, see our guide to the Geysir hot spring area.
See Gullfoss Waterfall
Gullfoss is ten minutes up the road from Geysir. It is free to visit, and its main car parks are free too. Paths lead to an upper viewpoint and down to a lower path that brings you close to the spray.
Gullfoss pouring into its snowy canyon, free to visit all year.
In winter the lower path can close because of ice, but the upper viewpoint stays open. Our page on Gullfoss waterfall's viewpoints explains both routes.
Free Things to Do in Reykjavík
Reykjavík is small, walkable and packed with free sights. A day spent on foot can easily cost you nothing but a coffee.
Visit Hallgrímskirkja
Iceland's largest church dominates the skyline, and its stepped concrete design was inspired by basalt columns. Entry to the church itself is free. The lift to the tower is paid, but the view of the building from the square outside is worth the walk alone.
Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík's landmark church, which is free to enter.
Explore Harpa Concert Hall
Harpa, the glass-fronted concert hall on the harbour, is free to walk into. Its facade of glass panels catches the light differently all day, and there are views of the harbour and Mount Esja from inside.
Visitors outside the geometric glass facade of Harpa, which is free to walk into.
Walk the Waterfront and the Old Harbour
The coastal path from Harpa to the Sun Voyager sculpture is one of the best free walks in the city, with Mount Esja across the bay. Further west, the Old Harbour has fishing boats, cafés and the small yellow lighthouse on the breakwater.
The small yellow lighthouse on a breakwater in Reykjavík, with snow-capped mountains across the bay.
Stroll Around Tjörnin and the Old Town
Tjörnin, the pond in the city centre, is surrounded by colourful houses, City Hall and Fríkirkjan church. Feeding the ducks is a Reykjavík tradition, and in winter the pond often freezes for skating.
Tjörnin pond in central Reykjavík, with the city's colourful houses and church reflected in the water.
City Hall, on the edge of the pond, has a large relief map of Iceland inside that is free to visit during opening hours, and it helps you picture the country before a road trip.
Swim at Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach
Nauthólsvík is a small golden-sand beach in Reykjavík with a geothermally heated lagoon and hot tubs. Entry is free from mid-May to mid-August and costs a small fee the rest of the year, according to the City of Reykjavík.
Join a Free Walking Tour
Several companies run tip-based walking tours of central Reykjavík, covering the history, the sagas and the city's quirks. You pay what you think the tour was worth at the end.
Free Hikes and Nature Near Reykjavík
You do not need a tour or a fee to get into Iceland's landscapes. A few of the best walks are within an hour of the capital.
Hike Mount Esja
Esja is the mountain across the bay from Reykjavík, and its main trail starts about 20 minutes' drive from the city. A climb to the Steinn rock is a steady hike of about two to three hours return, with views back over the capital.
Mount Esja rising across the bay from Reykjavík, a free hike close to the city.
For more ideas, our list of hikes close to Reykjavík includes routes for different fitness levels.
Bathe in the Hot River at Reykjadalur
Near Hveragerði, about 45 minutes from Reykjavík, a trail of about an hour each way climbs a steaming valley to a warm river where you can bathe for free. Boardwalks and simple changing screens line the bathing area.
The boardwalk beside the warm stream at Reykjadalur, where bathing in the river is free.
Our page on the hot river valley at Reykjadalur covers the trail and what to bring. Parking at the trailhead is charged.
Free Sights on the Reykjanes Peninsula
The Reykjanes Peninsula, south-west of Reykjavík, has several free stops that fit around a trip to or from the airport.
The Bridge Between Continents on the Reykjanes Peninsula, a footbridge over a fissure between two plates.
The Bridge Between Continents is a footbridge across a fissure that marks the boundary between the North American and Eurasian plates. Seltún at Krýsuvík is a colourful geothermal area with boardwalks among the steaming mud pots. At Gunnuhver, a huge steam vent roars beside a viewing platform.
Steam vents and mineral-coloured ground at Seltún in the Krýsuvík geothermal area.
Check access before you go. Parts of the peninsula near Grindavík are affected by the recent eruptions, and some roads and areas may be closed.
Free Things to Do on the South Coast
The South Coast's famous sights are free to visit too, though most now charge for parking. Seljalandsfoss, with its path behind the falling water, and Skógafoss, with its staircase to a viewpoint, cost nothing beyond the car park.
The black sand beach at Reynisfjara is free to walk on, but treat the waves with great caution. Further east, Diamond Beach, where icebergs from Jökulsárlón wash up on black sand, is free and open all year.
See the Northern Lights for Free
The northern lights are the best free show in Iceland. From September to April, any clear and dark night away from city lights gives you a chance. Check the Met Office aurora forecast for cloud cover, and you do not need a tour if you can reach a dark spot.
A ribbon of green northern lights curving across a clear night sky.
In Reykjavík, the Grótta lighthouse at the tip of the Seltjarnarnes peninsula is a popular spot, as it is darker than the centre. Our guide to seeing the northern lights from Reykjavík explains where to go and how to read the forecast.
Other Ways to Save Money in Iceland
A few habits keep costs down across the whole trip:
- *Drink tap water.* Iceland's tap water is among the cleanest in the world and free everywhere.
- *Use public swimming pools.* They are not free, but they cost a fraction of the lagoons and are geothermally heated.
- *Shop at budget supermarkets* such as Bónus and Krónan, and picnic at the sights.
- *Travel in the shoulder season,* when car hire and accommodation are cheaper.
Seeing the Golden Circle With a Guide
If you do not have a car, the free sights of the Golden Circle are still easy to reach. Our guided Golden Circle Classic collects you in Reykjavík and covers Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss. It also stops at Kerið crater with the entrance fee included, so you only need to bring your camera.
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