Reykjavik · guide
Best Shopping in Reykjavík
The streets, wool shops, design stores, flea market, and culture stops worth your money.
Reykjavik in brief
What is the famous shopping street in Reykjavík?
Laugavegur is Reykjavík’s best-known shopping street, with fashion shops, specialty stores, souvenirs, cafés, and restaurants.
Is Reykjavík good for shopping?
Yes. The compact city has boutiques, Icelandic and international design stores, galleries, malls, and specialist shops.
What should I buy in Reykjavík?
Look for Icelandic-designed clothing and home goods, handmade arts and crafts, woollen goods, local food, and second-hand finds.
Shop for the Iceland that is actually here
Reykjavík shopping is strongest when it gives you something made, designed, or selected in Iceland, not another generic souvenir. This ranking rewards the streets and shops that make browsing feel like part of the city, and calls out the expensive, mixed-brand stops where the Iceland connection needs a closer look.
Zoya grouped the picks into downtown streets, Icelandic goods, and characterful market and culture stops. Pair them with downtown Reykjavík, where to stay, is Reykjavík expensive, and a one-day itinerary.
The full ranking, compared
Every pick at a glance, ranked by how well it earns its place, not by tourist traffic. Tap a name to jump to the full review.
| Place | Highlight | Area | Access | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Laugavegur | Broadest mix | Central Reykjavík | Free | Worth it |
| 2. Skólavörðustígur | Wool and design | Central Reykjavík | Walk-in | Worth it |
| 3. The Handknitting Association of Iceland | Icelandic wool | Skólavörðustígur | $$–$$$ | Worth the hype |
| 4. Kirsuberjatréð | Artist-made gifts | Vesturgata 4 | $–$$$ | Worth it |
| 5. Kolaportið | Vintage and food | Old Harbour | Free entry | Worth it |
| 6. 12 Tónar | Icelandic music | Skólavörðustígur | Unpriced | Worth it |
| 7. Mál og Menning | Books and music | Laugavegur 18 | Free to enter | Mixed |
| 8. Hrim | Home and design | Kringlan | $$–$$$ | Mixed |
| 9. 66°North | Outdoor gear | Reykjavík | $$–$$$ | Mixed |
The picks, mapped
Every stop on the map
All 9 picks across Reykjavik, mapped. Tap a pin for the quick verdict.
Make these into a Reykjavik trip
Zoya, your personal travel assistant, can turn these picks into a day-by-day Reykjavik plan.
Ranked, with honest verdicts
The best shopping in Reykjavík, ranked
Nine stops for Reykjavík shopping, ranked by how much Icelandic character you get for your time and money, from the city’s two walkable shopping streets to wool, design, records, books, and the weekend flea market.
The downtown streets, start here
These are the easiest places to get your bearings, with shops, cafés, galleries, and Reykjavík street life packed into a walkable circuit.
- 1
Capital Region · Reykjavík Worth itLaugavegur
The best first stop for Reykjavík shopping because it combines the broadest choice with the city’s most useful downtown walk.
Laugavegur earns the top spot because it is Reykjavík’s main shopping and cultural street, not just a row of souvenir stores. Its principal stretch runs about 2 kilometers from Hlemmur Square to Lækjartorg Square, with boutiques, Icelandic design, cafés, restaurants, bars, murals, and street art along the way. The lower portion is a permanent pedestrian zone, so browsing is easy. Look for the “Ode to Mother” mural on the Mjúk Iceland storefront, painted in 2015 by Belgian artist Caratoes for the Wall Poetry project. Shops often close around 6pm, so start here rather than ending here.
Where: Hlemmur to LækjartorgHours: Many shops close around 6pmAccess: Lower section pedestrian-onlySourcesperlan.is
- 2
Capital Region · Reykjavík Worth itSkólavörðustígur
Choose this pedestrian street when your shopping list leans toward wool, design, galleries, and a strong sense of place.
Skólavörðustígur runs from the Laugavegur–Bankastræti area uphill toward Hallgrímskirkja. It is pedestrian-only and lined with cafés, galleries, boutiques, souvenir shops, and Icelandic design. The detail that makes the walk memorable is underfoot: at Bergstaðastræti, the asphalt becomes a six-colour rainbow, first painted for Reykjavík’s 1999 Pride festival, with Hallgrímskirkja visible uphill. The Handknitting Association of Iceland is at number 19, making this street especially useful if a lopapeysa is on your list. Nearby parking garages exist, but walking is the better way to experience the shops and façades.
Where: Laugavegur to HallgrímskirkjaBest for: Wool, design, galleriesAccess: Pedestrian-only streetSourcesvisitreykjavik.is
The Icelandic goods worth carrying home
For wool, design, and craft with a clearer local story, these specialists are better bets than a hurried souvenir stop.
- 3
Capital Region · Reykjavík Worth the hypeThe Handknitting Association of Iceland
This is the most convincing place to buy a genuine Icelandic wool sweater, with local wool, clear provenance, and practical knitting goods beside it.
For a lopapeysa that feels connected to Iceland rather than merely labelled Icelandic, start at The Handknitting Association of Iceland. The association has been handknitting since 1977, and its products are made locally from 100% Icelandic wool. The main shop at Skólavörðustígur 19 sells traditional sweaters alongside blankets, accessories, patterns, yarn, and knitting supplies; there is also a Reykjavík shop at Borgartún 31. Its motto, “Buy directly from the people who make them,” tells you what separates it from a generic retailer. Prices span from small wool supplies to high-priced pullovers, so check fit and budget first.
Buy: Lopapeysa, blankets, yarnWhere: Skólavörðustígur 19Hours: Mon–Fri 9am–7pm - 4
Capital Region · Reykjavík Worth itKirsuberjatréð
The best small design shop for a gift with an actual maker story and materials that feel specific to Iceland.
Kirsuberjatréð, meaning “The Cherry Tree,” is a collective shop run by Icelandic female artists and craftspeople at Vesturgata 4. Its range includes ceramics, porcelain, jewellery, candles, lamps, clothing, and unusual practical gifts. The detail that makes this stop worth the detour is its use of salmon fish leather for handbags and radish paper for bowls, turning by-products and natural materials into useful objects. The current official site says the collective includes 10 artists and lists weekday hours of 11am–6pm and Saturday hours of 11am–5pm. It is a better choice than a mass-market souvenir shop when you want something distinctive.
Buy: Fish-skin bags and ceramicsWhere: Vesturgata 4Hours: Mon–Fri 11am–6pmSourceskirs.isvisitorsguide.is
- 8
Capital Region · Reykjavík MixedHrim
A strong design browse with plenty of choice, though its international brands make it less essential for a strictly Icelandic souvenir.
Hrím is the pick for housewares, clothing, jewellery, posters, kitchenware, fragrances, and gifts in one polished stop. Its shop at Kringlan claims one of Iceland’s largest selections of Icelandic design, but it also carries international brands including Seletti, Studio Arhoj, and Ferm Living. That mixture is both the appeal and the limitation: you can find a thoughtful Icelandic object, but you need to read labels rather than assume every shelf is local. A memorable example is the Seletti range of white sitting and standing mouse lamps. Official hours are Monday–Friday 10am–6:30pm, Saturday 11am–6pm, and Sunday noon–5pm. Go when convenience matters most.
Buy: Design and home goodsWhere: Kringlan, 103 ReykjavíkHours: Sun noon–5pmSourceshrim.iscntraveler.com
- 9
Capital Region · Reykjavík Mixed66°North
Buy it for capable outdoor clothing, not because every technical jacket is automatically a good Iceland souvenir.
66°North is the practical clothing choice, with a brand story rooted in Icelandic weather rather than fashion alone. The company says it has been designed and proven in Iceland since 1926, beginning in the Westfjords with clothing intended to keep fishermen alive in severe North Atlantic conditions. Its technical range is aimed at Icelandic conditions and outdoor activity, and the airport retailer identifies the Snæfell as its most versatile shell jacket. The tradeoff is price: the supplied listings run from beanies to high-end Gore-Tex shells, so this is a serious purchase. The supplied material does not establish a Reykjavík street address or local shop hours.
Buy: Technical shells and outdoor clothingStory: Designed in Iceland since 1926Price: $$ to $$$Sources66north.comkefairport.com
The market and culture detours
Make time for places that turn shopping into a browse through records, books, vintage goods, and local food.
- 5
Capital Region · Reykjavík Worth itKolaportið
Go on a weekend for the city’s most entertaining browse, especially if you like vintage, records, oddities, and local food together.
Kolaportið is Reykjavík’s indoor flea market by the Old Harbour, inside the former customs house known as Tollhúsið at Tryggvagata 19. It opened in 1989 and now brings together more than 50 sellers offering Icelandic wool goods, handicrafts, antiques, vintage clothing, books, records, jewellery, and food. The name means “where coal is stored,” a clue to the building’s earlier purpose. It is open every weekend from 11am–5pm, with entrances at both ends and on the Harpa side. Vendors have historically preferred cash, though digital payments are becoming more common, and some sellers welcome haggling. Come curious, not with a fixed list.
Find: Vintage, wool, records, foodWhere: Tryggvagata 19, Old HarbourHours: Sat–Sun, 11am–5pmSourceskolaportid.is
- 6
Capital Region · Reykjavík Worth it12 Tónar
A warm, low-pressure record shop for bringing home Icelandic music instead of another visual souvenir.
12 Tónar has been a Reykjavík music destination since 1998, and its shop at Skólavörðustígur 15 rewards anyone who wants to browse rather than rush. The shelves hold Icelandic vinyl and CDs, while the shop also offers coffee and often hosts live gigs. Its cosy listening corner lets visitors sample music before buying, making the shop feel more like a listening room than a retail counter. Listed hours are 10am–6pm, Monday through Saturday. It is not the place for a broad shopping haul, but it ranks highly for a personal, portable piece of Reykjavík’s music culture. Leave time to listen instead of treating it as a quick checkout stop.
Buy: Icelandic vinyl and CDsWhere: Skólavörðustígur 15Hours: Mon–Sat, 10am–6pm - 7
Capital Region · Reykjavík MixedMál og Menning
Choose it for an evening of books, coffee, music, and atmosphere, not for the focused bookstore browse its older reputation suggests.
Mál og Menning at Laugavegur 18 is now presented by its official site as the “Old Bookshop” and a live-music venue open from noon until midnight, including weekends. The earlier bookstore was known for English-language books, travel literature, maps, and Iceland-focused material. The current venue advertises coffee, pastries, beer, drinks, live music every night, and regular stand-up comedy. Its recurring “Bookstore Band” often appears for 8pm performances, which is the detail to plan around. This ranks below 12 Tónar because the present offer is more night out than pure bookshop. It is a useful late stop, not the first place for Icelandic reading.
Browse: Books, coffee, drinks, musicWhere: Laugavegur 18Hours: Noon–midnight
Walk Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur first, then spend your money where the local story is strongest, at The Handknitting Association of Iceland, Kirsuberjatréð, or Kolaportið. Save Hrím and 66°North for a specific design or outdoor need. Rankings and verdicts are our own; where shown, star ratings open each spot's Google listing, and details shift by season, so confirm before you go.
The big decision
Street circuit or specialist stop?
Use the streets for variety and atmosphere, or go straight to a specialist when one Icelandic purchase matters most.
Walk and browse
Start on Laugavegur, continue up rainbow-painted Skólavörðustígur, and let cafés, galleries, wool, and design shops fill the afternoon. This is the best choice when you want Reykjavík around the shopping.
See more
Buy the real thing
Head to The Handknitting Association of Iceland for locally made wool, or Kirsuberjatréð for artist-made gifts using fish leather and radish paper. You may spend more, but leave with a clearer Iceland connection.
See moreBefore you go
Know before you go
A few practical things that decide whether the day goes smoothly.
Make one downtown loop
Laugavegur runs roughly 2 kilometers from Hlemmur Square to Lækjartorg Square. Add Skólavörðustígur uphill to Hallgrímskirkja, then walk toward the harbour for Kolaportið.
Start before evening
Many Laugavegur shops close around 6pm, while Mál og Menning is listed until midnight. Check specialist hours before setting out, particularly on Sunday.
Use the weekend well
Kolaportið is open every Saturday and Sunday from 11am–5pm. Many centre shops also open on weekends, but individual hours vary.
Set a wool budget
Icelandic wool ranges from small yarn purchases to high-priced handmade pullovers. Compare fit, fibre, and maker information before buying the first sweater you see.
Ask about tax-free shopping
Most downtown stores offer tax-free shopping for eligible visitors. Ask the retailer about the process before paying and keep the required documentation.
Check what is Icelandic
Hrím mixes Icelandic and international brands, while 66°North is technical clothing rather than a low-cost souvenir shop. Read labels and ask where an item was designed or made.
Ready to plan your Reykjavik trip?
Tell Zoya, your personal travel assistant, how you like to travel, and she'll turn any of this into a day-by-day plan that fits your dates.
Explore now