Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour

Reykjavik’s Christmas story is wonderfully odd. On this two-hour walk, you’ll meet 13 Yule Lads, their child-eating troll mother Grýla, and the ferocious Christmas Cat. Along the way, the city’s lights, markets, bookshops, and decorated streets give the folklore a real setting.

I like the stops at Ingólfstorg and Austurvöllur, where you can see Christmas stalls, an ice rink, and the famous Oslo Christmas Tree. I also like the bookshop visit and the stop at Litla Jólabúðin, a small Christmas store that adds a local shopping angle. The main drawback is simple: this is a winter walking tour, so wind, darkness, and cold can affect your enjoyment if you dress lightly.

Key points to know before booking

• Iceland’s 13 Yule Lads: Learn how Iceland’s Santa figures differ from the single Santa familiar to many visitors.
• The Oslo Christmas Tree: See Reykjavik’s famous tree at Austurvöllur and hear about its place in the city’s Christmas season.
• A proper downtown route: Walk from Ingólfstorg through Austurstræti and Laugavegur to Hallgrímskirkja.
• A taste of Icelandic Christmas culture: Hear about seasonal food and drinks, with the possibility of sampling some during the walk.
• A guide-led folklore experience: Guides such as Bjornvain bring the stories, humor, and local customs to life.
• December only: This is a seasonal tour, not a general Reykjavik sightseeing walk available all year.

Why Reykjavik’s Christmas folklore makes a good walking tour

Many Christmas tours simply point out lights and decorated storefronts. This one has a stranger, more distinctly Icelandic center: the Christmas characters themselves.

You’ll hear about the 13 Yule Lads, Iceland’s mischievous Christmas visitors. Each has his own personality and behavior, making them feel less like one polished Santa figure and more like a family of unruly folk characters. Their mother, Grýla, adds a darker edge. She is a troll who eats naughty children, which is not the usual cheerful Christmas message.

Then there is the Christmas Cat. According to the traditional story, this ferocious cat eats people who do not receive new clothes for Christmas. It is an unusual bit of folklore, but it helps explain why Icelandic Christmas customs can feel both warm and slightly spooky.

I like this approach because the stories give you something to watch for as you walk. Instead of seeing a market stall or a decorated square as a quick photo stop, you have a reason to connect each place with local Christmas life. The tour is family-friendly, but parents should know that Grýla and the Christmas Cat may sound alarming to very young children.

The English-speaking guides are there to explain the customs in a relaxed way. Bjornvain received especially warm praise for being friendly, funny, and well informed, as well as for adding small extras to the experience. Guide quality matters on a short walking tour, since the value comes mainly from the storytelling rather than from entry to a major attraction.

Meeting at Ingólfstorg beside Hlöllabátar

The meeting point is outside Hlöllabátar, a sandwich shop facing Ingólfstorg Square and its two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is on your right, and the nearby benches, tables, and covered ceiling make this a practical place to wait.

Look for a guide wearing a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back. That detail should help you identify the group, especially if the square is busy or several small tours are gathering nearby.

The tour begins in the center of Reykjavik, so you do not need hotel transportation. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. If you are staying downtown, plan to walk to the meeting point and arrive with enough time to find the sandwich shop.

The central location also makes the tour easy to pair with an evening meal or more shopping afterward. It finishes near Hallgrímskirkja, not back at the starting point, so keep that in mind when planning your route.

Ingólfstorg, ice skating, and the first Christmas stalls

The first main stop is Ingólfstorg, where the tour spends about 15 minutes. In December, this square takes on a clear Christmas feel with an ice skating rink, decorations, and market stalls.

This is a useful opening stop because it gives you an immediate sense of Reykjavik’s seasonal mood without asking you to stand still for too long in the cold. You can take photos, look at the stalls, and begin learning how Christmas is celebrated in Iceland.

Do not expect a large European Christmas market with rows of wooden huts stretching across a grand square. Reykjavik’s Christmas shopping scene is more modest. That is part of the appeal, but it also means the market portion is relatively brief.

The guide uses this early section to introduce the Christmas stories and the customs you’ll hear about later. I would pay close attention here, since the names and personalities of the Yule Lads can become a little confusing once all 13 enter the story.

Austurstræti and Austurvöllur’s Oslo Christmas Tree

The route continues along Austurstræti, with around 20 minutes set aside for a visit, guided commentary, and shopping. This part brings you into the heart of downtown Reykjavik, where decorated streets and shops provide much of the visual appeal.

The tour then takes you to Austurvöllur, home to the Oslo Christmas Tree. This tree is one of Reykjavik’s familiar Christmas symbols and makes a strong photo stop. The guide can place it within the city’s seasonal traditions rather than treating it as just another decorated tree.

Austurvöllur is also a good place to pause and take in the atmosphere around the center of town. The tour does not require you to spend the whole two hours moving at a brisk pace, but you should still expect to be outdoors for most of the experience.

If the weather turns rough, this is where good clothing becomes important. Wear layers, and choose a warm outer layer that can handle Reykjavik’s winter conditions. The advice is basic but important: Christmas lights look better when you are not distracted by cold hands and wet clothing.

Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street

The walking route reaches Laugavegur, the city’s main shopping street, for about 20 minutes. This is where the experience shifts from public squares and folklore toward stores, gift ideas, and the everyday Christmas scene.

Laugavegur is a useful stop for anyone who wants to combine sightseeing with practical shopping. You may see Christmas-related items, seasonal displays, and shops that give you a better sense of what Reykjavik sells during December.

The guide also helps you spot Icelandic Yule Lads hiding around the city center. That turns the walk into a simple scavenger hunt, especially for families. Keep your eyes open around the streets and shop displays rather than focusing only on the guide.

This section is not a replacement for a full shopping afternoon. It is a guided look at the main street, with stories and Christmas details added along the way. If you want time to browse carefully, you may need to return after the tour.

Litla Jólabúðin and Iceland’s Christmas book habit

The stop at Litla Jólabúðin lasts about 30 minutes, making it one of the longer sections of the walk. The name means Little Christmas Store, and the visit gives you a chance to see a shop devoted to the season.

This is one of the tour’s more specific stops. Rather than simply walking past decorated windows, you go inside and look at Christmas-related items. You may find this more useful than a generic market visit if you want a small Icelandic souvenir or a closer look at local holiday products.

The tour also includes a short visit to a bookshop to see Icelandic Christmas books. Books are an important part of the country’s Christmas customs, and the guide explains the strong connection between reading and the holiday season.

That detail gives the tour a more local feel. Christmas culture is not only food, lights, and shopping. Books and storytelling matter too, and they fit naturally with a walk focused on folk tales. If you enjoy literature, this may be one of the most rewarding pieces of the tour.

The experience may also include discussion of Christmassy Icelandic food and drinks, with the possibility of sampling some during the walk. Sampling is not listed as a guaranteed inclusion, so consider it a possible extra rather than a reason to book on its own.

Skólavörðustígur and the finish at Hallgrímskirkja

The final section follows Skólavörðustígur toward Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik’s striking church. The tour ends at the church after roughly 30 minutes of sightseeing, photos, and Christmas-related stops along the way.

This ending works well because the route finishes at one of Reykjavik’s best-known landmarks. Hallgrímskirkja gives you a clear sense of place and a memorable final photo. You can continue exploring the area afterward, although the tour itself does not include entry inside the church.

The walk up Skólavörðustígur also provides more chances to look at stores and seasonal displays. The street is one of the city center’s recognizable routes, and its shops make the final stretch feel less like a formal lecture and more like a casual evening walk.

Since the tour ends at Hallgrímskirkja rather than returning to Ingólfstorg, you can continue with dinner, shopping, or your own visit around the church. Check your plans before starting, especially if you have a reservation or another activity waiting at the original meeting point.

What the $74 price gets you

At $74 per person, this is not a cheap way to spend two hours in Reykjavik. You are paying for a guided seasonal experience rather than transportation, admission to a major attraction, or a long excursion outside the city.

The value depends on how much you want help understanding Icelandic Christmas customs. If you would otherwise walk through the center alone, take photos of the lights, and browse the shops, the guide adds structure and context. You get a planned route, local folklore, and stops that you might not connect on your own.

The price also includes any guide-led extras offered during the walk, plus discounts at some Christmas shops, stalls, and restaurants. The exact savings are not specified, so treat the discounts as a bonus rather than calculating them into the cost before booking.

I think the tour makes the most sense for a first visit to Reykjavik in December, especially if you want a short evening activity that stays within the central area. If you are mainly interested in shopping, you could spend the same two hours browsing independently. If you want stories, folklore, and a guide who can explain what you are seeing, the price is easier to justify.

Who will enjoy this tour most

This experience suits families who want a Christmas activity with a little mystery and mischief. Children may enjoy spotting the Yule Lads, while adults get the background on Grýla, the Christmas Cat, books, food, and local customs.

It also suits couples and solo visitors who want a gentle introduction to Reykjavik at Christmas without committing to a full-day trip. The route is in the city center, and the two-hour length leaves room for dinner or other plans.

You should be comfortable walking outdoors for the full tour. The route includes several streets and squares, and the weather can make the experience feel harder than the distance suggests. Wear layers and dress for winter conditions.

This is less suitable if you want a major museum, an indoor attraction, or a tour with hotel transportation. It is also not the right choice outside December, since the activity operates only during the Christmas season.

Private groups are available if you want a more personal format. The standard experience is in English, and the guide-led storytelling is central to what you are paying for.

Booking details worth knowing

The tour lasts two hours, with starting times depending on availability. It includes the walking tour and guide, but not hotel pickup or drop-off.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your December plans are still shifting.

Bring weather-appropriate clothing and wear layers. The meeting point is outside Hlöllabátar, facing Ingólfstorg, and the guide usually wears a light blue Your Friend in Reykjavik jacket.

The tour has a 4.6 rating from 18 reviews. The strongest praise focuses on the friendly guide style, the fun folklore, the small extras, and the unusual Yule Lad stories. That tells you where the experience earns its price: through personality and local detail, not through a long list of formal attractions.

Should you book the Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour?

Book it if you want Reykjavik’s December season explained through local stories rather than simply viewed through a camera. The 13 Yule Lads, Grýla, and the Christmas Cat give the walk a personality that a basic lights tour would miss.

I especially recommend it for families, first-time visitors, and anyone who enjoys folklore, bookshops, seasonal markets, and small independent stores. Guide Bjornvain’s friendly and funny approach is a good example of the tone you can expect from a strong guide on this experience.

Skip it if you dislike cold-weather walking, have little interest in Christmas customs, or would rather spend your time shopping on your own. At $74, the tour needs to match your interests. For the right visitor, it offers a compact and memorable way to see central Reykjavik in December.

FAQ

Where does the Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour meet?

The tour meets outside Hlöllabátar sandwich shop, facing Ingólfstorg Square and the two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is to the right, and benches, tables, and a covered ceiling provide a place to wait.

Where does the tour finish?

The walk finishes at Hallgrímskirkja after following Skólavörðustígur.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts two hours.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English with a live guide.

Does the tour run all year?

No. This Christmas Walking Tour operates only in December.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

What should I wear?

Wear weather-appropriate clothing and dress in layers.

Can I book a private group?

Yes. A private group option is available.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.