Reykjavik: Christmas Walking Tour with Icelandic Traditions

Reykjavik’s Christmas story is far stranger than the one many visitors know. Instead of one cheerful Santa, Iceland has 13 Yule Lads, a child-eating troll named Grýla, and a Christmas Cat said to punish anyone without new clothes. This two-hour walk brings those legends into the city center, where lights, market stalls, and winter decorations set the scene.

I like the way the tour links folklore to real Reykjavik places, especially the bookshop visit and the look at Christmas stalls around Ingólfur Square. I also like that the route ends at Hallgrímskirkja after following Laugavegur, so you get stories, shopping streets, and some of the city’s best-known sights in one compact outing.

The main caution is the pace and balance of the tour. One account found the final 45 minutes focused heavily on hot chocolate, which may feel long if you want constant walking and sightseeing. The tour is only offered in December, and Icelandic winter weather means warm clothing is not optional.

Key points to know before you book

• The 13 Yule Lads take center stage: Learn the names and habits of Iceland’s mischievous Christmas visitors, along with the frightening stories of Grýla and the Christmas Cat.
• The route covers central Reykjavik: Begin near Ingólfstorg, visit Ingólfur Square and Austurvöllur, continue along Laugavegur, and finish by Hallgrímskirkja.
• You get more than folklore: The walk includes Christmas decorations, an ice skating rink, market stalls, a bookshop, and a small Christmas store.
• Books are part of the Icelandic Christmas tradition: A stop in a bookshop gives you a closer look at Iceland’s strong holiday reading culture.
• Food may be part of the fun: You might sample seasonal food or drinks, and discounts are offered at selected Christmas shops, stalls, and restaurants.
• The tour suits families and culture-minded visitors: It is conducted in English, is wheelchair accessible, and can also be booked privately in another language.

Why Icelandic Christmas folklore is the real attraction

If you come expecting a standard Christmas lights walk, you may be surprised by the tone of Icelandic folklore. The local Christmas characters are playful, but many of the old stories are also rough, spooky, and a little threatening.

The 13 Yule Lads arrive one by one before Christmas. Each has a particular habit, such as stealing food or causing household trouble. That gives the guide plenty to explain as you walk through the city, and it makes the stories easier to remember than a general talk about holiday customs.

Then there is Grýla, the Yule Lads’ mother. She is described as a troll who eats naughty children. The Christmas Cat adds another warning to the season, with a reputation for going after people who do not receive new clothes.

I like this material because it shows that Christmas traditions are not the same everywhere. The walk does not simply point out decorations and repeat familiar Santa stories. It gives you a window into Icelandic folklore, where the winter season includes humor, family customs, books, food, and a few creatures children might not want to meet after dark.

The family-friendly label does not mean every story is sweet. Parents with very young children may want to judge their own comfort with tales about trolls and monsters. Older children, though, are likely to remember these characters long after they forget the names of ordinary holiday decorations.

Starting at Ingólfstorg near Hlöllabátar

The meeting point is outside Hlöllabátar sandwich shop at Austurstræti 1. Face Ingólfstorg, the square with two tall stone seat-pillars, each more than two meters high. Center Hotel Plaza is on your right, and the area has benches, tables, and a covered ceiling, which gives you a practical place to wait out of the weather.

Your guide usually wears a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back. That detail matters in a busy central area, especially if several walking tours are gathering nearby.

Arrive with enough time to orient yourself. Reykjavik’s center is easy to walk, but the meeting point includes a square, a shop, hotel, benches, and stone pillars that can make the first approach less obvious than a large landmark would be.

The guide leads the group through the Christmas-lit center on foot. The two-hour length is short enough to fit around another winter activity, but long enough for several stops and a full route toward Hallgrímskirkja.

Ingólfur Square, ice skating, and Christmas stalls

One of the early highlights is Ingólfur Square, where you can see an ice skating rink, holiday decorations, and Christmas market stalls. This is the most visual part of the walk, so have your camera ready if the weather cooperates.

The square helps put the folklore into a seasonal setting. Rather than hearing about Christmas customs in a classroom, you see the city using public spaces for winter celebrations. The stalls also offer a chance to look at local holiday goods, though the tour is not presented as a long shopping session.

The amount of time spent here can vary with the guide and the group. If you want to browse every stall or skate, this walking tour is not the right format. You are there to see the atmosphere, hear the stories, and continue along the route.

Selected stalls may offer discounts connected with the tour. These savings could add value if you already plan to buy Icelandic Christmas items, but I would not book the experience solely for the discounts. The main value is the guide’s interpretation of the traditions.

Austurvöllur and the famous Oslo Christmas Tree

The next major stop is Austurvöllur, a central square known during the holiday season for the Oslo Christmas Tree. The tree has a special connection with Reykjavik and Oslo, and it provides another clear landmark on the route.

This part of the walk gives you a chance to see how a central public square changes for Christmas. The stop also breaks up the folklore with a simple visual reference point. You can hear about Icelandic traditions while looking at a large seasonal decoration rather than only imagining the setting.

Winter daylight is limited in December, so the timing can affect what you see. The Christmas lights and tree are part of the appeal, but you should expect a dark, cold outing rather than a bright daytime city walk. That is one reason good footwear and warm layers matter.

Finding Yule Lads around central Reykjavik

As you move through the center, the guide may point out Yule Lad figures or decorations hiding around Reykjavik. The search adds a small game to the walk, especially for children.

I like this part because it turns the city into a storybook setting without requiring a separate museum visit. You are not only listening to the names and habits of the 13 characters. You are also looking for them in the streets.

The information provided does not promise a fixed number of figures or a special scavenger hunt, so keep expectations reasonable. Think of it as a playful detail woven into the walk, not a formal competition.

The guide’s role is important here. A good explanation can make a simple figure or decoration meaningful by connecting it with the wider Icelandic Christmas story. Robyn is one guide who received especially positive praise for giving a strong picture of Iceland and being friendly and well informed.

A bookshop stop and Iceland’s love of reading

The tour includes a short visit to a bookshop to see Icelandic Christmas books. This may sound like a small stop, but it gives you a useful look at how Christmas is celebrated at home.

Books are closely tied to Icelandic holiday culture, and the stop helps explain that tradition through something you can see and browse. You may find titles and seasonal books that are quite different from the usual Christmas displays in larger international shops.

The bookshop visit also offers a warm indoor break. In December, that practical pause can be welcome, particularly if wind or rain has picked up.

Do not expect a long reading session or a guided literary lecture. The point is to show you the types of books associated with the season and explain why reading matters during Christmas in Iceland. If you enjoy local culture more than simple sightseeing, this may be one of the most worthwhile parts of the route.

Laugavegur and Reykjavik’s small Christmas store

From the bookshop, the route continues to Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street. This puts the seasonal customs into a more commercial setting, with stores and Christmas displays along one of the city center’s best-known streets.

The tour includes a look at a small Christmas store described as the only one of its kind in the area. You can browse Christmas-related items and use discounts available at selected shops or stalls.

This stop is useful if you want a souvenir with a clear connection to Icelandic Christmas. Still, it is worth keeping the shopping element in perspective. You have limited time, and the tour’s purpose is to connect stores and public spaces with local customs, not to provide a full shopping tour.

Laugavegur can also be a good place to return later if you want to shop at your own pace. During the tour, listen for the guide’s recommendations, then decide what deserves a second look after the walk.

Skólavörðustígur and the finish at Hallgrímskirkja

The final stretch follows Skólavörðustígur toward Hallgrímskirkja, one of Reykjavik’s most recognizable buildings. The street is attractive in its own right, with shops and Christmas-related items to notice along the way.

Ending at Hallgrímskirkja gives the tour a clear finish rather than dropping you back at the starting point. It also leaves you near a major city sight, so you can continue sightseeing afterward if you still have energy.

The route is a city walk, not a sightseeing tour inside the church. The supplied details do not include an interior visit or tower access, so do not book this expecting either. The church works mainly as the final landmark and meeting point of the route.

For families, the ending is easy to understand. For independent visitors, it is useful because you can continue around the church area or head back toward the center after the guide says goodbye.

Seasonal food, drinks, and the hot chocolate question

The tour may include Christmassy Icelandic food and drinks, with possible samples during the walk. Afterward, some participants have also received several small food samples. The exact offerings are not fixed, so treat food as an extra rather than the central reason to book.

Hot chocolate can be a welcome part of a cold December walk. It gives you time to warm up and talk with the guide or other members of the group.

Still, the balance matters. One three-star account felt that the last 45 minutes were spent getting hot chocolate instead of seeing more of the city. If you want a fast-moving sightseeing tour, this is a fair concern. If you like a slower social stop and seasonal refreshments, you may see it differently.

I would ask at the beginning how the food or drink portion fits into the schedule. That gives you a clearer idea of whether the group will keep walking or spend a longer stretch indoors.

Price, timing, and practical value

The price is $66 per person for two hours. That is not a bargain basement walking tour, so the value depends on what you want from it.

I think the price makes more sense if you care about Icelandic folklore and want a local guide to explain the traditions. You are paying for interpretation, not just for a route through decorated streets. The bookshop stop, market visit, seasonal stories, and possible samples add variety.

The tour is less compelling if you only want to see Christmas lights. You can walk through central Reykjavik independently, and the route uses public streets and squares. The guide earns the cost by explaining the Yule Lads, Grýla, the Christmas Cat, books, food, and local customs.

A current rating of 4.7 from eight ratings points to strong satisfaction, while the lower account about hot chocolate shows why expectations matter. The guide’s personality will shape the experience. Robyn, specifically, was praised for her friendly and informed approach, and another account called the guide excellent and said the tour was a very good way to begin a holiday in Iceland.

The tour offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those options are useful in December, when weather and changing plans can affect a Reykjavik schedule.

Weather, mobility, and who will enjoy it most

Dress warmly and wear comfortable walking shoes. You will be outside for much of the two hours, and December in Reykjavik can bring cold, wind, or wet conditions. A warm coat, hat, gloves, and footwear with a good grip are sensible choices.

The tour is listed as wheelchair accessible. Because this is an outdoor route through city streets and public squares, you may still want to confirm the current conditions and any specific needs when booking.

Smoking is not allowed on the activity. The tour is conducted in English, and a private version is available in any language.

I would recommend this walk to:

• Families who enjoy unusual Christmas stories
• First-time visitors wanting an easy introduction to central Reykjavik
• People interested in folklore, books, food, and local customs
• Couples and solo visitors looking for a short evening activity
• Anyone who prefers a guide’s stories to a simple lights display

I would think twice if you dislike cold-weather walking, want a tightly packed sightseeing schedule, or prefer to spend the full two hours shopping. You should also consider the limited season. This is a December activity only, not a year-round Reykjavik tour.

Should you book the Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour?

Book it if you want the strange, local side of Icelandic Christmas. The 13 Yule Lads, Grýla, and the Christmas Cat give the walk a personality that ordinary holiday light tours often lack.

The best reason to go is the mix of folklore and place. You move from Ingólfur Square to Austurvöllur, a bookshop, Laugavegur, and Hallgrímskirkja while learning how Icelanders connect Christmas with stories, reading, food, and family traditions.

Skip it if you want a highly active walk with no long refreshment stop, or if your December schedule is already packed with outdoor excursions. For most families and culture-focused visitors, though, $66 is a fair price for two hours of guided stories and seasonal Reykjavik atmosphere, especially with a friendly guide such as Robyn.

FAQ

How long does the Christmas walking tour last?

The tour lasts two hours.

When is this tour available?

The tour is available only in December.

Where does the tour meet?

Meet outside Hlöllabátar at Austurstræti 1 in Reykjavik. Face Ingólfstorg and the two tall stone seat-pillars. Center Hotel Plaza is on your right.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The regular tour is conducted in English. A private version is also available in any language.

Is the tour suitable for families?

Yes. The tour is described as family-friendly and focuses on Icelandic Christmas traditions and folklore. Some stories involve Grýla, a troll who eats naughty children, and the Christmas Cat.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

What should I wear?

Wear warm clothing and comfortable walking shoes. The tour takes place outdoors during December.

Does the tour include food or drinks?

You may sample Christmassy Icelandic food or drinks during the walk. Food and drink offerings are not presented as a guaranteed fixed part of the tour.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.