Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour

Reykjavik’s Christmas story is stranger and more entertaining than a standard holiday stroll. On this two-hour walk, you’ll meet the Christmas Cat, hear about the 13 Yule Lads, visit book and music shops, and connect Iceland’s modern Christmas with both Christianity and Norse mythology. I especially like the stop at Penninn Eymundsson, since books are central to Icelandic Christmas, and the music-focused visit to 12 Tónar.

I also like the way the route mixes outdoor sights with warm indoor stops. Guides such as Stefan, Ester, Einar, and Barti have added language lessons, songs, treats, hot chocolate, and personal stories to the walk. The main drawback is that the advertised festive market experience depends on the date. On New Year’s Eve, the markets were closed, and one departure could not deliver much of the promised itinerary.

Key points to know before booking

• The route crosses central Reykjavik: Start at Hlöllabátar by Ingólfstorg and finish near Hallgrímskirkja.
• Icelandic folklore gets the spotlight: Learn about the Christmas Cat, Yule Lads, trolls, and unusual seasonal customs.
• Books and music are part of Christmas: Visit Penninn Eymundsson and 12 Tónar for a more local look at holiday culture.
• Guides shape the experience: Stefan, Ester, Einar, and Barti have each brought different touches, from Icelandic phrases to live singing.
• Dates matter: Christmas markets and decorations may not be operating on every departure, especially on New Year’s Eve.

Why Reykjavik’s Christmas customs make a good walking tour

This is not mainly a tour of grand Christmas markets. It is a guided walk through the ideas, stories, and habits that shape Christmas in Iceland. That distinction matters.

You will see decorated squares and seasonal displays, but much of the value comes from explanation. A local guide can tell you why books matter at Christmas, how folklore fits alongside Christianity, and why a large black cat appears in the city’s holiday imagery. The walk gives context to things you might otherwise notice only as colorful shop displays or odd decorations.

I like this format for a first day in Reykjavik. The route gives you a quick sense of the downtown core while adding a clear theme. You get landmarks, shops, folklore, and local customs in one compact outing.

The tour is listed at $75.70 per person for about two hours. That is not a cheap city walk, so you should book it for the guiding rather than the distance covered. If you want only a quick look at Christmas lights, you can see plenty on your own. If you want stories, explanations, and a guide who can answer questions, the price makes more sense.

Meeting at Hlöllabátar and Ingólfstorg

The meeting point is outside Hlöllabátar, the sandwich shop at Austurstræti 1. Face Ingólfstorg and look for the two tall stone seat-pillars, each more than two meters high. Center Hotel Plaza should be on your right.

This is a useful meeting spot because the area has benches, tables, and a covered ceiling. In cold or wet weather, that shelter is welcome. Guides usually wear a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back, which should make the group easier to find.

Allow yourself time to locate the square before the start. One departure began 15 minutes late, which is a long wait in below-freezing weather. Arriving early gives you a better chance to wait indoors or under cover and avoids starting the tour in a bad mood.

The first formal stop is Ingólfstorg. Here, you’ll see the skating rink, holiday decorations, and Christmas market stalls when they are operating. The square is a good introduction because it puts the tour in a festive setting before the guide moves into the stories behind Icelandic Christmas.

The stop is scheduled for about 10 minutes. That is enough for an overview and a few photos, but not enough for a long skate or extended shopping session.

Austurvöllur and the Oslo Christmas tree

The walk continues to Austurvöllur Square, home to Reykjavik’s traditional Oslo Christmas tree. The tree represents the close connection between Reykjavik and Oslo, and it gives the guide a natural opening to explain how Christmas trees and decorations fit into Icelandic homes.

This is one of the better stops for understanding the difference between a public display and a household tradition. You can look at the tree, then hear how seasonal decoration has become part of Christmas in Iceland.

The tour allows about 10 minutes here. That is brief, but the stop works well as a pause between the outdoor square and the more specific cultural stories that follow.

Penninn Eymundsson and Iceland’s book tradition

A visit to Penninn Eymundsson adds an unusually local touch. Books are a major part of Icelandic Christmas customs, and the shop offers a chance to see Icelandic Christmas books and browse for gifts.

I like this stop because it turns a broad statement about local culture into something you can handle and buy. You might find a book, card, or souvenir that feels more connected to Iceland than a generic holiday item.

The visit lasts about 10 minutes. That is enough for a quick look, but you should not expect a full shopping break. If you find something you want, keep the group’s schedule in mind.

This is also where the tour can appeal to people who are not especially interested in folklore. The walk is not just about mythical creatures. It also shows how Christmas is lived through reading, shopping, music, food, and family habits.

Lækjartorg and the Christmas Cat

At Lækjartorg, the guide introduces the ferocious Christmas Cat, one of Iceland’s most memorable holiday figures. This is not the gentle house cat of a Christmas card. The story is tied to folklore and seasonal expectations, giving the guide a chance to explain how old tales still appear in modern Reykjavik.

The Christmas Cat is one of the tour’s most useful subjects because it helps explain the unusual characters you may see in shops and public decorations. The stop is short, about five minutes, but the story adds a bit of edge and humor to the walk.

The guide may also connect the cat with other Icelandic Christmas folklore, including the 13 Yule Lads and trolls. These stories give families and children plenty to talk about, though the material is not always sweet or polished in the way many modern Christmas traditions are.

Litla Jolabudin for ornaments and gifts

Litla Jolabudin is a small Christmas shop that stays 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. You have a chance to see seasonal items in one place, and you may find a small present without spending part of another day searching around downtown. The shop also reinforces the difference between Icelandic holiday customs and the more familiar decorations you may see elsewhere.

Shopping is optional, of course, but you should know that the tour is not only a sightseeing walk. The route includes several places where buying a gift or souvenir is possible. If you prefer a strictly historical tour with no retail stops, this may feel less focused.

For many people, the combination works well. You hear the story behind a tradition, then see the kind of object connected with it.

12 Tónar and Icelandic Christmas music

The stop at 12 Tónar brings music into the tour. The shop is a favorite downtown record store, and the guide explains how Icelandic Christmas music draws from several countries and traditions.

This stop can be especially good for music lovers. Einar has given the walk a musical style, including singing around the Christmas tree, a hymn written by his grandmother, and time listening to Icelandic Christmas music in the record shop. That departure also included drinks and cookies.

Another guide may handle the music differently, so you should not assume every departure includes the same performance or refreshments. Still, the record-store setting gives the tour a personal, local feel that a stop at a standard souvenir shop would not provide.

The visit lasts around 10 minutes. You may hear recommendations for Icelandic artists and leave with ideas for further listening. For a group with older children or young adults, this can be one of the most enjoyable parts of the route.

Ending at Hallgrímskirkja

The walk finishes at Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik’s famous church. The guide uses the church to discuss Christianity and Norse mythology in relation to Christmas.

Ending here gives the route a clear finish and a useful landmark. Hallgrímskirkja is easy to recognize, and its location makes it practical for continuing your own sightseeing after the tour. The experience does not include a separate admission ticket, and the listed stop lasts about 10 minutes.

The church also gives the guide a chance to bring the different threads together. Icelandic Christmas is not presented as one single tradition. Christian customs, older Norse beliefs, folklore, music, books, and modern public celebrations all share space.

If you want to visit more of the church afterward, plan that separately. The tour ends at Hallgrímskirkja rather than returning you to the original meeting point.

The guides make the difference

The strongest part of this experience is the guide. The tour is built around stories, and the delivery can change the entire feel of a two-hour walk.

Ester has been described as funny, warm, and able to make people feel like family. Stefan has added Icelandic language lessons, small surprises, detailed holiday history, and thoughtful answers to questions. Barti has used a Christmas sweater and Santa hat while explaining folklore and the Yule Lads.

Einar’s version has been especially musical, with singing, a hymn, candy tasting, hot chocolate, cookies, and photographs taken at several stops. These details show the range of the experience, but they also point to an important limit: you should not assume that every guide or departure includes every extra.

Hot chocolate and treats have been part of some departures, and they can make a big difference in winter. A warm drink at the right moment gives you a break from the cold and makes the indoor stops feel useful rather than rushed.

The guide also matters because the tour has a maximum listed capacity of 99 people. That is a fairly large possible group for a walking experience. A lively guide can handle that well, but a large group may make quiet conversation or close shop visits harder.

Timing, cold weather, and what to wear

The tour lasts about two hours and moves between several outdoor squares and indoor businesses. You should dress for standing and walking outside, even if the route includes warm places along the way.

Good shoes matter. The route is short by city-walking standards, but winter weather can make pavement slippery or uncomfortable. Warm layers, gloves, and a hat are sensible choices.

The cold is not just a minor detail. One delayed departure left the group waiting outside in below-freezing temperatures for 15 minutes. Arrive at the meeting point early, confirm where the guide will gather the group, and use the covered area by Hlöllabátar while you wait.

The tour is offered in English. Confirmation arrives at booking, and service animals are allowed. The activity is near public transportation, and most people can participate. It requires a minimum number of participants, so a cancellation for that reason can result in a different date or experience, or a full refund.

The New Year’s Eve caution

The most important booking tip is to check the date carefully. The tour description includes festive markets, but markets may be closed on special dates.

On one New Year’s Eve departure, the guide arrived late and then explained that the markets and several planned stops were unavailable. The guide still tried to offer an alternative walk, but the group did not receive the experience it had expected. The problem was not simply bad weather. The date made part of the published route impossible.

If you are booking for December 31, contact the provider before paying or ask directly what will be open. The same advice applies to any date when shops or markets may have unusual hours.

The tour can still be worthwhile when the markets are closed if you mainly want folklore, landmarks, and a guide-led walk. But you should not pay the full price expecting a market visit that cannot happen.

Is $75.70 a fair price?

At $75.70, this is a premium walking tour. You are paying for an English-speaking local guide, a planned route, cultural explanation, and access to a handful of shops and public spaces. You are not paying for a meal, attraction admission, or transportation.

I see the value when the guide adds something personal: Icelandic phrases, family connections to music, candy tasting, hot drinks, cookies, or thoughtful answers to questions. The price feels harder to justify if you simply walk from square to square and the markets are closed.

The best comparison is not a free stroll. Compare it with the cost of spending two hours trying to understand Reykjavik’s Christmas customs on your own. If folklore and local traditions are high on your list, the guide provides useful context quickly.

Tips are not included. You should budget separately if you feel the guide gave you a good experience.

Who should book this walk?

I would choose this tour if you want a gentle introduction to central Reykjavik with a clear Christmas theme. It suits couples, adult groups, families with older children, and people who enjoy folklore, books, music, and local customs.

Teenagers can enjoy the black cat, trolls, candy, music, and shop stops. Very young children may find the two-hour pace and historical explanations less engaging, especially if the weather is poor. One musical departure worked well for a group of young adults and parents, but it was not considered ideal for little ones.

This is also a good first or second activity in Reykjavik. The route helps you get your bearings, ends at Hallgrímskirkja, and introduces places you can revisit later.

You may want something else if your main goal is skating, extensive shopping, or a large market visit. The tour gives you a taste of those things, not a full afternoon devoted to them.

FAQ

Where does the Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour start?

It starts outside Hlöllabátar at Austurstræti 1, by Ingólfstorg in Reykjavik. Gather facing the square and the two tall stone seat-pillars, with Center Hotel Plaza to your right.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at Hallgrímskirkja Church, at Hallgrímstorg 1. It does not return to the original meeting point.

How long does the tour last?

The walking tour lasts approximately two hours.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

What Christmas sights are included?

The route includes Ingólfstorg’s skating rink, decorations, and market stalls when operating, the Oslo Christmas tree at Austurvöllur, Christmas folklore at Lækjartorg, and Hallgrímskirkja.

Does the tour include shopping opportunities?

Yes. The route visits Penninn Eymundsson for Icelandic Christmas books and Litla Jolabudin for Christmas ornaments and possible gifts. It also stops at 12 Tónar, a downtown music store.

Are food and drinks included?

Food and drinks are not listed as standard inclusions. Some departures have included hot chocolate, treats, candy, drinks, and cookies, but you should not assume these extras are offered every time.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not refunded or accepted. The provider may also offer a different date or a full refund if the minimum number of participants is not reached.

Should you book it?

Book this walk if you want stories and local context, not just Christmas lights. The strongest departures bring the city to life through folklore, music, books, language, and warm conversation. A guide such as Stefan, Ester, Einar, or Barti can turn a simple downtown route into a memorable introduction to Icelandic Christmas.

Before booking, check the date, especially if you plan to go on New Year’s Eve. If the markets are open and the guide adds a few personal touches, $75.70 can be fair value. If the markets are closed and you mainly want shopping or skating, choose another activity or confirm the day’s plan first.