Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour

Reykjavik’s Christmas story is stranger and more entertaining than a quick look at lights and market stalls suggests. On this two-hour walk, you’ll meet the Christmas Cat, hear about the 13 Yule Lads, examine Icelandic books and music, and finish at Hallgrímskirkja with the links between Christianity and Norse mythology.

I like the way the tour connects ordinary downtown stops to local customs. I also like the chance to warm up with hot chocolate, tea, coffee, or treats at one of the stops. The main drawback is timing: on New Year’s Eve, the Christmas markets and some holiday displays may be closed, yet the tour may still operate.

Key points to know before you book

• Christmas folklore takes center stage: Learn about the Yule Lads, the fierce Christmas Cat, home decorations, and Icelandic holiday customs.
• Downtown sightseeing comes built in: The route links Ingólfstorg, Austurvöllur, Lækjartorg, central shops, and Hallgrímskirkja.
• Books and music get unusual attention: Visit Penninn Eymundsson and 12 Tónar for a look at Icelandic Christmas culture beyond souvenirs.
• Guides shape the experience: Ester, Stefán, Einar, and Barti have each led memorable versions, with storytelling, music, language, and personal touches.
• The walk ends at Hallgrímskirkja: This gives you a useful orientation point and a chance to discuss both Christian and Norse influences.
• Winter clothing matters: You may wait outdoors, and the tour runs during Iceland’s cold, dark Christmas season.

A Christmas walk with more folklore than shopping

Many Christmas tours are little more than a circuit of decorated streets. This one has a more local angle. The lights and market stalls provide the setting, but the real subject is how Icelanders understand Christmas through stories, family customs, books, songs, food, and old beliefs.

The route covers central Reykjavik on foot. You are not visiting major museums or entering a long list of paid attractions. Instead, you move between public squares, shops, landmarks, and small cultural stops while the guide explains what you are seeing.

That makes the tour especially useful at the start of a Reykjavik stay. You’ll get your bearings in the center, learn where several useful shops are, and gain context for decorations and Icelandic holiday products you might encounter elsewhere.

The cost is $75.70 per person. That is not a bargain for a two-hour walk, so the value depends on the guide and your interest in Christmas culture. If you want a standard city orientation, you may find cheaper options. If you want a guided introduction to Icelandic folklore with seasonal stops and a warm drink, the price is easier to justify.

Finding the meeting point at Hlöllabátar

The tour begins outside Hlöllabátar at Austurstræti 1, beside Ingólfstorg. Face the square and look for the two tall stone seat-pillars, each more than two meters high. Center Hotel Plaza is on your right.

This is a practical meeting place. Benches, tables, and a covered ceiling offer some shelter while you wait. Your guide usually wears a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back, which should make the group easier to spot.

I would arrive early, especially in winter. The meeting point is central and near public transportation, but cold weather makes even a short wait unpleasant. One reported problem involved a guide arriving 15 minutes late on a freezing New Year’s Eve afternoon. That kind of delay matters in Reykjavik, where the weather can turn a simple wait into the least enjoyable part of your day.

Ingólfstorg: ice, lights, and the Christmas market

The first proper stop is Ingólfstorg, the square beside the meeting point. Here, the seasonal setting comes first: an ice-skating rink, decorations, and Christmas market stalls.

This is a good opening because you see the public face of Reykjavik’s holiday season before moving into its stories and traditions. The stop lasts about 10 minutes, enough to look around and hear how the square fits into Christmas in the city.

Do not assume every feature will operate on every date. The biggest warning concerns December 31, when the Christmas markets were closed for New Year’s Eve. If market stalls are a major reason for booking, confirm the schedule before paying, or avoid that date.

Austurvöllur and the Oslo Christmas tree

At Austurvöllur, the focus shifts to the traditional Oslo Christmas tree. The tree represents a long-standing connection between Reykjavik and Oslo and gives the guide a natural way to discuss Christmas trees and decorations in Icelandic homes.

This stop is less about a formal attraction than about how seasonal customs appear in daily life. You’ll also be standing near some of central Reykjavik’s key civic spaces, so the guide may add general city history along with the holiday material.

The planned visit is about 10 minutes. In bad weather, that can feel short in a good way. The tour keeps moving instead of leaving you exposed in one square for too long.

Penninn Eymundsson and Iceland’s Christmas book tradition

The stop at Penninn Eymundsson is one of the tour’s most distinctive choices. Books play a major part in Icelandic Christmas traditions, and a bookshop gives you a direct look at that custom.

You’ll see Icelandic Christmas books and may find titles that offer a more meaningful souvenir than a standard magnet or wool item. The guide can explain why books matter during the season, turning a simple shop visit into a window onto Icelandic home life.

This is also a useful stop if you want to shop. The tour gives you a chance to browse, but the schedule allows only about 10 minutes, so think of it as an introduction rather than a full shopping session.

Lækjartorg and the fearsome Christmas Cat

At Lækjartorg, the subject becomes darker and more playful. The Christmas Cat is a ferocious figure in Icelandic folklore, and the guide uses the stop to explain some of the country’s seasonal stories.

Icelandic Christmas is not limited to cheerful elves and decorated trees. The folklore includes warnings, strange creatures, and the 13 Yule Lads, known in Icelandic tradition for their individual personalities and antics. Guides have used these stories to help families understand the figures they see in shops and around town.

The planned stop is only five minutes, but the tale gives the walk a change of mood. If you are bringing young children, keep their ages and interests in mind. One musical version of the tour suited a group of young adults better than very small children, while a family group with teenagers enjoyed the folklore and hot cocoa.

Litla jólabúðin for ornaments and gifts

Litla jólabúðin, or the little Christmas shop, is open year-round. The tour pauses here for about 10 minutes to look at Icelandic Christmas ornaments and possible gifts.

This is a practical stop for shoppers. You can see the sort of seasonal items sold in Reykjavik and decide if anything deserves space in your luggage. Since the shop is open throughout the year, it also helps preserve some Christmas atmosphere if you visit outside the main holiday period.

Keep your expectations realistic. The tour is not designed as a dedicated shopping expedition, and a short stop cannot cover every shelf. Think of it as a guided introduction to one shop, with local explanation added.

12 Tónar, Icelandic music, and a warm break

The visit to 12 Tónar brings music into the Christmas story. Icelandic holiday music draws from several countries, and this beloved downtown record shop offers a natural place to explore those influences.

This stop has produced some of the most personal versions of the tour. Einar has led a musical format that included singing around the Christmas tree, a hymn written by his grandmother, local candy, and drinks and cookies at the record shop. You may not receive every one of those extras on every departure, but they show how much the guide can shape the afternoon.

A warm drink is especially welcome here. Hot chocolate, tea, coffee, and treats have been part of different tours, and the break helps you recover from the cold before the final walk. I would consider this one of the strongest reasons to choose the tour in winter. It is not just a refreshment stop. It gives the group time to talk and lets the music theme feel more than decorative.

Hallgrímskirkja and the final Christmas lesson

The walk ends at Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik’s famous church at Hallgrímstorg 1. The final discussion looks at the role of Christianity and Norse mythology in Icelandic Christmas.

That ending works well. You move from public decorations and shops to the beliefs that shaped the season. The church also gives you a clear landmark for the rest of your time in Reykjavik. You can continue exploring the surrounding area or use the location as a point of reference for getting around downtown.

The stop lasts about 10 minutes. The tour does not list an interior church visit or a tower visit, so book it for the explanation and the location, not as a substitute for a separate church admission.

Some guides add a personal touch here. Einar sent photographs taken at the Christmas Cat, 12 Tónar, and Hallgrímskirkja after one tour. That is not listed as a standard inclusion, but it shows how individual guides may add something special.

Why the guide matters more than the route

The route is pleasant, but the guide is the main reason to book. Ester has been praised for making the group feel like friends and family while combining humor with local knowledge. Stefán has added Icelandic phrases, answers to questions, small surprises, and detailed discussion of history and holiday customs.

Barti has used a Christmas sweater and Santa hat while explaining the Yule Lads and folklore. That style may appeal to families with teenagers. Einar’s musical approach suits people who want songs and a more participatory experience.

The tour is offered in English. It can accommodate most participants, and service animals are allowed. The maximum group size is listed as 99, though the actual feel of your departure depends on attendance and guide assignments. A large group can make shop visits and conversation less intimate, so keep that possibility in mind.

When the $75.70 price makes sense

At $75.70, you are paying for a guide-led cultural walk, not a series of entrance tickets. Admission is listed as free at each stop, and tips are not included. The price makes the most sense if your priorities are storytelling, local customs, and a planned route through central Reykjavik.

I would book it if you are visiting during the Christmas season and want more than decorated streets. The combination of folklore, books, music, shopping, and a warm drink gives the two hours a clear theme.

I would hesitate if you mainly want market shopping, especially on December 31. The markets may be closed, and the tour cannot provide the experience advertised by its normal route on that date. A clear date check is essential.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made inside that window are not accepted for a refund. The tour also requires a minimum number of participants, so if the operator cancels for that reason, you’ll be offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Who will enjoy this Reykjavik Christmas tour

This walk is a good fit for adults, couples, families with older children, and anyone curious about Icelandic customs. Teenagers may enjoy the unusual folklore, candy, music, and shop stops more than a conventional history walk.

Music lovers should look for a departure led by Einar if that option is available. Families may prefer a guide who presents the Yule Lads and Christmas Cat with a playful tone. If you want a quiet, formal lecture, the friendly and sometimes theatrical style may not be your ideal match.

Wear warm layers, gloves, and shoes suited to winter streets. The route is only about two hours, but you spend time outdoors between stops. A covered meeting area helps at the beginning, and a hot drink break may come later, but neither replaces proper cold-weather clothing.

Should you book the Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour?

Book this tour if you want Reykjavik’s Christmas season explained through folklore, local shopping, music, and conversation. The strongest parts are the stories of the Christmas Cat and Yule Lads, the bookshop and record-store stops, the welcome warm drink, and the chance to finish at Hallgrímskirkja.

Before you commit, check your date carefully. If you are going on New Year’s Eve and the Christmas market is central to your plans, this may disappoint. On another holiday-season date, with a lively guide such as Ester, Stefán, Einar, or Barti, the walk can be a friendly and useful introduction to Reykjavik’s seasonal character.

FAQ

Where does the Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour begin?

It begins outside Hlöllabátar at Austurstræti 1, 101 Reykjavík, beside Ingólfstorg. Face the square and look for the two tall stone seat-pillars. Center Hotel Plaza is to your right.

Where does the walking tour end?

The tour ends at Hallgrímskirkja Church, at Hallgrímstorg 1 in Reykjavik.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

What is included in the price?

An expert, fun-loving guide is included. Tips are not included.

Does the tour visit Christmas markets?

The route includes Ingólfstorg, where Christmas market stalls are normally part of the seasonal setting. Markets may be closed on New Year’s Eve, so the full market experience is not guaranteed on December 31.

Is the tour suitable for most participants?

Yes. Most participants can take part, and service animals are allowed. The tour is near public transportation and has a maximum listed group size of 99.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded or accepted.