Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour

Reykjavik’s Christmas story is wonderfully strange. Instead of one Santa, Iceland has 13 Yule Lads, a child-eating troll named Grýla, and a ferocious Christmas Cat. This two-hour walk brings those characters into the city’s lights, markets, bookshops, and decorated streets.

I like the easy route from Ingólfstorg to Hallgrímskirkja, and I like that the tour connects folklore with real Icelandic customs, including Christmas books, food, drinks, and shopping. The main consideration is the $74 price for two hours, which makes the tour worthwhile mainly if you want guided stories and seasonal context, not just a look at the lights.

Key points at a glance

• Iceland’s unusual Christmas characters: Meet the 13 Yule Lads, their mother Grýla, and the Christmas Cat through local folk tales.
• A compact downtown route: Walk from Ingólfstorg through Austurstræti and Laugavegur to Hallgrímskirkja.
• Christmas sights with local flavor: See the Oslo Christmas Tree, market stalls, an ice skating rink, and festive shop windows.
• A stop for Icelandic books: Visit a bookshop and learn why books play such an important part in Icelandic Christmas celebrations.
• Small seasonal extras: You may sample Christmas food or drinks and receive discounts at selected shops, stalls, and restaurants.
• Best for December visitors: This tour operates only in December and runs in English, with private groups available.

Why Icelandic Christmas folklore makes this walk special

Many Christmas walking tours give you lights, decorations, and a few seasonal facts. This one has a stranger and more memorable story to tell. Iceland’s Christmas season includes 13 Yule Lads, each with a mischievous role, along with Grýla, their troll mother, who is said to eat naughty children.

Then there is the Christmas Cat. This is not a cuddly holiday mascot. The ferocious cat belongs to Icelandic folklore and adds a darkly comic turn to the walk. I find these stories far more useful than a simple list of local customs because they show how Icelandic Christmas traditions grew from folk tales rather than from one imported version of Santa Claus.

The guide brings these figures to life while you walk through central Reykjavik. You may spot representations of the Yule Lads around the city center, and the route gives the stories a physical setting. A tale about a troublesome Christmas figure feels more memorable when you are looking for that character in a decorated street or shop window.

The tour is family-friendly, but the folklore has a slightly rough edge. Parents with very young children may want to explain that Grýla and the Christmas Cat are traditional stories, not something to take literally. Older children should have plenty to enjoy, especially if they like monsters, unusual customs, and seasonal tales that are a little less sweet than standard Christmas fare.

Starting at Ingólfstorg with lights and market stalls

Meet outside Hlöllabátar sandwich shop, facing Ingólfstorg Square and its two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is to your right, and the nearby benches, tables, and covered ceiling give you a practical place to wait if the weather turns wet or cold.

Guides generally wear a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back. That is useful in a busy square, especially when several walking groups are gathering. The walk begins with the ice skating rink, holiday decorations, and Christmas market stalls at Ingólfstorg.

This first stop helps you get into the seasonal mood without wasting time on a long introduction. You are already looking at the things you came to see. At the same time, the market stalls are not the whole point of the tour. Their value comes from the explanation around them, including the food and drinks Iceland associates with Christmas.

The tour may include a small taste of seasonal food or drink, but it does not promise a full meal. You should eat beforehand if you need a substantial dinner. Think of any sample as a pleasant extra rather than part of the tour’s main value.

Austurstræti and the Oslo Christmas Tree

From the square, the route moves through Austurstræti and toward Austurvöllur. This section lasts about 20 minutes and includes sightseeing, a guided walk, and time to look at shops.

The main seasonal sight here is the Oslo Christmas Tree. Its presence connects Reykjavik’s Christmas celebrations with Norway and gives you one of the city center’s most recognizable holiday photo stops. The square also helps you see how the celebration fits into everyday central Reykjavik rather than taking place in a separate Christmas attraction.

I like this part of the route because it gives the tour a civic setting. You are not simply moving from one decorated storefront to another. You are seeing a public square, a well-known tree, and the winter city around them while the guide explains what Christmas means in Iceland.

The pace should suit most people who can walk comfortably for two hours, but remember that December conditions can be cold, windy, wet, or icy. Wear layers and weather-appropriate clothing. Good footwear matters more here than festive appearance.

Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street

The walk continues to Laugavegur, the city’s main shopping street. You have time for a photo stop, a visit, and more sightseeing, with roughly 20 minutes in this section.

Laugavegur is a useful place to see Reykjavik’s holiday mood at street level. You can look at decorated windows, browse seasonal goods, and compare ordinary city shopping with the smaller Christmas stalls visited earlier. The guide also points out Christmas-related items and places along the way.

This is a good section for anyone who wants to combine sightseeing with a little shopping. It is less useful if you are hoping for a dedicated shopping trip, since the group must keep moving and the tour has several stops ahead. Bring a short list of gifts if you want to browse with purpose.

The walk also gives you a chance to find some of the Icelandic Yule Lads hidden around the city center. That small hunt adds a game-like element for children and gives adults another reason to pay attention to shop windows and decorations.

Litla Jólabúðin and Iceland’s love of books

One of the more distinctive stops is Litla Jólabúðin, the little Christmas store. You have around 30 minutes here for a visit, photographs, and shopping.

The store gives the tour a clear local focus. You are not just hearing about Christmas customs in the abstract. You can look at seasonal goods in a small specialist shop and see how Iceland presents its own holiday traditions.

The walk also includes a short visit to a bookshop to look at Icelandic Christmas books. That detail matters because books are closely tied to Christmas in Iceland. The guide explains the country’s fondness for giving and reading books during the holiday season.

For me, the bookshop stop is one of the tour’s best ideas. It shows a real cultural habit rather than a decoration designed only for visitors. If you enjoy books, this may be more interesting than another few minutes in a market. If you are traveling with children, the Yule Lad stories and illustrated Christmas books can give the folklore a more tangible form.

Do not expect a long literary tour or a full shopping session. The bookshop visit is short, and the main purpose is to introduce the custom. The little Christmas store has more room for browsing, but your time remains limited.

Walking uphill to Hallgrímskirkja

The final section follows Skólavörðustígur toward Hallgrímskirkja. The route includes selected Christmas-related shops and ends at the church after about 30 minutes of sightseeing and photography.

Skólavörðustígur is a pleasant street for this kind of walk because it leads toward one of Reykjavik’s best-known landmarks. The approach gives the tour a strong finish. Instead of ending beside another market stall, you arrive at Hallgrímskirkja, a major part of the city’s visual identity.

The church is the final photo stop and the end point, not a separate interior tour. That distinction matters if you want to see the inside. The information provided for this experience covers the church as a sightseeing stop and does not promise an interior visit.

The uphill section may feel more tiring in winter clothing or slippery conditions. The route is still only two hours overall, but you should prepare for outdoor walking rather than treating this as a series of indoor visits. The payoff is a memorable finish near one of Reykjavik’s most striking buildings.

What the guide adds to the $74 price

At $74 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see Reykjavik’s Christmas lights. You can walk through the center on your own, visit public squares, and look at decorations without paying for a guide.

The fee makes more sense if you want the stories explained as you go. You are paying for a live English-speaking guide, a planned route, folklore, seasonal context, possible food and drink samples, and a few shopping-related extras. Discounts at selected Christmas shops, stalls, and restaurants can also add some value, although you should not book the tour expecting those discounts to repay the entire cost.

I would compare it with the price of a standard city walking tour and ask what you want from your evening. If you mainly want photographs, a self-guided walk may be enough. If you want to understand why Iceland has 13 Yule Lads and a Christmas Cat, the guide is the part worth paying for.

The tour has a 4.6 rating from 18 recorded ratings, and the strongest praise focuses on the guide’s friendly, funny approach, the unusual folklore, and the small extras along the way. Bjornvain received specific praise for making the experience fun and explaining the Yule Lads well. That gives you a useful sense of the intended style: personal storytelling rather than a dry lecture.

Because the group size is not specified, you should not assume an intimate small group unless you book the private option. Private groups are available if personal attention or a custom pace matters to you.

Practical planning for a December evening

This is a December-only experience. That timing is important because you get the lights, market stalls, skating rink, and holiday displays at their most relevant point in the year.

The meeting point is central, and the route ends at Hallgrímskirkja. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off, so you need to make your own way to the starting point and arrange your onward plans from the church.

Wear layers. Reykjavik weather can change quickly, and the tour is outside for most of its two hours. A warm base layer, a weatherproof outer layer, and shoes with a good grip are sensible choices. You should also bring gloves and a hat if the forecast calls for cold conditions, though the supplied guidance simply asks for weather-appropriate clothing and layers.

The tour is conducted in English. It includes stops for shopping and photographs, but it is still a walking experience, not a bus tour. If you want to spend serious time at the market or in the Christmas store, plan to return after the tour.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms are helpful in December, when weather and changing holiday plans can affect your schedule.

Who should book this Christmas walk?

I would choose this tour if you are visiting Reykjavik in December and want more than lights and shopping. It suits families, couples, solo visitors, and anyone who enjoys folklore with a slightly spooky twist.

It is especially useful early in your stay. The route introduces several central streets and squares, gives you a clear meeting point near Ingólfstorg, and ends at Hallgrímskirkja. You can use that orientation to plan later walks and shopping.

Book it if you like guided storytelling, local traditions, books, small shops, and seasonal food. The tour also works well for visitors who do not want to research Icelandic Christmas customs before arriving.

I would hesitate if you dislike shopping stops, need a fully indoor activity, or only want to photograph the lights. The tour includes outdoor walking, a short uphill section, and a price that reflects interpretation rather than transport or major admissions.

Should you book the Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour?

Yes, if Icelandic Christmas folklore is a main reason you are visiting in December. The 13 Yule Lads, Grýla, and the Christmas Cat give the walk a personality that a simple lights tour lacks, while the route adds markets, the Oslo Christmas Tree, a bookshop, Litla Jólabúðin, and Hallgrímskirkja.

At $74, I see it as a story-led cultural walk rather than a bargain sightseeing loop. Choose it for the guide, local customs, and seasonal atmosphere. Skip it if you would rather explore independently or spend two hours shopping at your own pace.

FAQ

When does the Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour operate?

The tour operates only in December.

How long does the tour last?

The walking tour lasts two hours.

Where does the tour meet?

You meet outside Hlöllabátar sandwich shop, facing Ingólfstorg Square and its two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is to your right, and benches, tables, and a covered ceiling provide a waiting area.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour finishes at Hallgrímskirkja after walking up Skólavörðustígur.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Is a private group available?

Yes. A private group option is available.