Hotels near Laugavegur

Laugavegur is the beating heart of Reykjavik and the oldest shopping street in the city, dating back to 1885 when it served as the path to the hot springs in Laugardalur where locals washed their laundry. Today it is a colourful strip of independent boutiques, Icelandic design shops, vintage stores, bookshops, cafes, restaurants, and bars. For Reykjavik sightseeing on foot, this is where you start and where you will keep returning.

Browse Icelandic wool sweaters (lopapeysa) at Handknitting Association of Iceland (Skolavordustigur 19), pick up design souvenirs at Kraum or Fischer, and fuel up with a pylsur (Icelandic hot dog) from Baejarins Beztu - the famous harbour-side stand operating since 1937. The street extends into Bankastraeti and Austurstraeti toward the harbour. Side streets like Hverfisgata and Skolavordustigur hold galleries, record shops, and some of the best restaurants in the city. The nightlife scene is concentrated here too - Reykjavik's legendary weekend bar crawl ("rúntur") takes over from around 23:00 on Friday and Saturday nights.

Pro Tip: Pick up a lopapeysa (traditional Icelandic wool sweater) at the Handknitting Association rather than tourist shops - prices are fair and the quality is guaranteed. For lunch, grab a seat at Baejarins Beztu and order "eina med ollu" (one with everything) - mustard, remoulade, raw onion, and crispy fried onion.