Reykjavik: Christmas Walking Tour with Icelandic Traditions

This tour is interesting because it turns Reykjavik’s Christmas lighting into a real story, with Icelandic folklore walking right beside you in the streets. You’ll learn why Iceland has such a wild holiday cast, from the 13 Santas to the ferocious Christmas Cat, and you’ll hear it all from a live English guide.

I love two things here. First, the folklore focus is specific and memorable, not generic Christmas talk. Second, the walk mixes tradition with practical city sights, including the book store stop and the chance to pick up Christmassy treats and small discounts along the way, like with the guide team Robyn, who was praised for giving a clear picture of Iceland.

One consideration: the schedule is tight at just 2 hours, and if you are not into a sit-down hot drink moment near the end, you may feel the timing compresses other stops.

Key things to know before you go

• Icelandic Christmas characters take center stage, including the 13 Santas, their mother, Troll Grýla, and the Christmas Cat.
• You’ll follow a smart downtown route with easy on-foot segments and frequent photo moments.
• Stops include Ingólfur Square ice skating and Christmas market stalls, plus the Oslo Christmas Tree at Austurvollur.
• The guide points out hidden Yulelads or Santa Clauses around the city center for a fun scavenger-feel.
• You get a short book-store visit focused on Icelandic Christmas books and local reading culture.
• The tour includes discounts at select Christmas stores, stalls, and even restaurants.

A Christmas story walk in downtown Reykjavik, not a typical holiday shopping spree

If you have ever done a Christmas market route that feels like, well, shopping with lights, this is a different approach. This is a guided walk through Reykjavik’s holiday scene where the point is the Icelandic version of Christmas, told as folklore you can actually connect to what you see outside.

The vibe is family-friendly, and the subject matter lands well for adults too. Iceland’s holiday tales are not shy, especially when the story includes naughty-children consequences tied to creatures like Troll Grýla. Expect the guide to connect those characters to the season, so it doesn’t feel like a lecture. It feels like the city has plot points.

The duration is 2 hours, which is ideal for cold weather. You still get enough time to cover real sights, without turning your day into a long, frozen endurance event.

The 13 Santas, Grýla, and the Christmas Cat, explained where it matters

The biggest “hook” is the folklore cast. You’ll learn about the 13 Santas of Iceland, the role of their mother, and the darker holiday side of the stories, including Troll Grýla, who is associated with the idea of naughty children. If that sounds intense, good. Iceland does not treat Christmas folklore like a bedtime-only myth. It’s part warning, part imagination.

And then there is the ferocious Christmas Cat, another character that shows Icelanders leaning into spooky humor during the season. The guide’s job is to help you understand why these stories are told and what they represent, so you can appreciate them without needing a background course.

This kind of storytelling pays off during the walk. When you see Icelandic decorations or spot a themed shop window, you’re not just thinking, nice lighting. You’re thinking about the tradition behind it.

Where you meet and how to find the group fast

Logistics matter in winter, and Reykjavik’s Christmas crowds can make first minutes stressful. You’ll meet outside the Hlöllabátar sandwich shop at Austurstræti 1 in Reykjavík.

Go to the area facing Ingólfstorg and look for the two tall stone seat-pillars, each over two meters high. The Center Hotel Plaza should be to your right when you’re facing the square.

A simple bonus: the space in front of Hlöllabátar has benches, tables, and a covered ceiling overhead, so you can wait without standing in full wind the whole time. Guides typically wear a light blue jacket with Your Friend in Reykjavik printed on the back, so you can spot them quickly.

Ingólfur Square: ice skating, holiday decorations, and market stalls

The first major stop sets the tone. You’ll head to Ingólfur Square, where you can see the ice skating rink, holiday decorations, and Christmas market stalls. This is a great place to start because it gives you a baseline of what Reykjavik’s holiday season feels like.

What I like about starting here is that the surroundings match the tour’s theme. You’re not just walking through office streets that happen to have ornaments. You’re in an actual festive zone where the season is built around public experiences like skating and markets.

There is also a practical side. Market areas tend to have shops nearby, making it easy for the guide to point out related Christmas details as you go. You’ll likely find it easier to follow the story too, because the atmosphere is right there in front of you.

Austurvollur and the Oslo Christmas Tree moment

Next up is Austurvollur, where you’ll see the famous Oslo Christmas Tree. Even if you’ve read about it somewhere, seeing it in person in winter light hits differently.

This stop is useful because it breaks the tour from purely Icelandic folklore into a broader Scandinavian holiday connection. It’s a quick moment, but it helps you understand that Christmas in Iceland is not sealed in a bubble. Reykjavik has influences, friendships, and symbols that connect region to region.

Use this segment for photos, but also for a quick reset. Two hours is short, so you want to capture the big landmark while you have momentum, not while you’re already warm inside and mentally rushing.

Spot the Yulelads and Santa Clauses hiding in plain sight

As you walk through the city center, the guide encourages you to keep your eyes open for unique Icelandic Yulelads or Santa Clauses hiding around the streets. This is a clever technique, because it turns “look around” into an actual game.

I like this part because it keeps everyone engaged, including kids and anyone who does not want to stand still for stories the entire time. You’ll be moving anyway, so it’s an easy way to stay present.

If you enjoy photo hunts or playful challenges, this is the section where you’ll feel most in-sync with the guide. Even if you miss a few, it still gives the walk a purpose beyond just getting from stop to stop.

A short book-store stop, why it feels so Iceland

One of the smartest stops is also one of the most surprising: you’ll visit a book store for a short look at unique Icelandic Christmas books. This isn’t a random detour. It’s a reminder that in Iceland, reading can be part of holiday identity, not only part of school.

What I take away from this stop is that Icelandic Christmas culture can be cozy and literary at the same time. You are not just buying ornaments, you are looking at seasonal stories, themed reading, and books that match the holiday mood.

And if you like taking home something meaningful rather than another souvenir magnet, this is where you can find it. Even if you do not buy a book, browsing the shelves gives you an immediate sense of what matters locally during the season.

Laugavegur and a little Christmas store you do not want to miss

After the book store, the route takes you toward Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street. That’s where the tour focuses on one very small but very specific target: the one and only little Christmas store.

This is a good move for value and attention. Large shopping streets can be overwhelming, so the tour narrows your focus to a single, relevant place. You’re not spending your whole time deciding where to go. You follow the guide, then you have a clear short window to browse.

The tour also includes peeks at select stores along Skólavörðustígur later, so the overall strategy is consistent. You get curated choices rather than a generic “shopping street stroll.”

Up Skólavörðustígur toward Hallgrímskirkja, with store windows as bonus stops

Your walk climbs Skólavörðustígur toward Hallgrímskirkja. This is where the tour turns from “downtown square” into “Christmas streetscape,” with the church at the top serving as a natural ending landmark.

Along the way, you’ll peek into select stores with Christmas-related things. That matters because those small windows are often where you spot details you would otherwise miss. Icelandic winter shopping is about textures and seasonal storytelling, not only about price tags.

The ending at Hallgrímskirkja also makes sense logistically. You’re finishing at a major, recognizable point in the city, which makes it easier to continue your own evening after the tour ends.

Discounts and Christmassy samples, how much value they really add

This tour includes discounts at a couple of Christmas stores, stalls, and even restaurants. Discounts alone are rarely reason enough to book a tour, but here they support the bigger theme: holiday browsing that is tied to local tradition.

Also, the tour notes that you might sample delicious food and drinks that Iceland considers Christmassy along the walk. That can be fun, especially if you want to taste the season without committing to a full meal plan before you understand what you like.

Just keep the timing in mind. The experience is only 2 hours, so food and drink are likely to be quick stops. One downside signal to watch for: there can be a moment where the group spends time warming up, and if your priority is seeing every possible window and landmark, that portion might feel like it crowds the schedule.

Who this tour is best for

I think this tour fits three kinds of travelers especially well.

1) Families who want a Christmas walk that actually explains the weird, wonderful Icelandic characters, not just decorative lights.

2) Culture-minded visitors who enjoy storytelling and folklore more than shopping.

3) First-time Reykjavik visitors who want an efficient way to get oriented around the best Christmas sights.

If you are the type who needs a lot of free time to wander independently, you might prefer a self-guided route. But if you like structure, a guide’s explanations, and a clear route, this tour delivers.

Price check: is $66 worth it?

At $66 per person for a 2-hour guided walk, you are paying for three things: an English-speaking local guide, a story-driven experience built around specific Reykjavik landmarks, and included visits that go beyond “just walk and look.”

You also get discounts at select stores and restaurants, plus a book-store stop and a Christmas market stop. Those add up. Even if discounts vary, the included stops are not random. They are tied to the theme and the route.

So for me, the value case is strongest if you care about Icelandic Christmas traditions and want a guided way to understand them while you see the main downtown holiday scenes.

The honest dealbreaker: the tour is short

The main thing to watch is not the tour itself, it is your expectations. A 2-hour format means you cannot treat this as an all-day Christmas “see everything” plan.

If you are sensitive to time spent on hot drinks or warming breaks, you might feel the last part stretches longer than you want. In that case, plan your remaining evening loosely, so you do not feel rushed into doing other activities immediately after the tour ends.

Should you book this Reykjavik Christmas walking tour?

I would book it if you want an Iceland-focused Christmas experience with a guided story. The combination of folklore characters like the 13 Santas, Troll Grýla, and the Christmas Cat, paired with real Reykjavik holiday landmarks like Ingólfur Square and the Oslo Christmas Tree, makes this more than a stroll.

Skip it only if you prefer self-guided wandering with zero structured storytelling, or if you know you will not enjoy the warmer drink portion that may take up time near the end. Otherwise, it is a solid way to kick off your December stay in Reykjavik with something local and memorable.

FAQ

When is the Reykjavik Christmas Walking Tour available?

This tour is only available in December.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts 2 hours.

How much does it cost?

The price is $66 per person.

What language is the live guide speaking?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Where is the meeting point?

Meet outside Hlöllabátar sandwich shop at Austurstræti 1 in Reykjavík, facing Ingólfstorg, with the two tall stone seat-pillars nearby (each over two meters high). Center Hotel Plaza is to your right when you are facing the square.

What will we learn during the walk?

You’ll learn about Icelandic Christmas traditions and folklore, including the 13 Santas of Iceland, their mother, Troll Grýla that eats naughty children, and the ferocious Christmas Cat. You will also try to spot Yulelads or Santa Clauses hiding around the city center.

Do you visit a book store and a Christmas market?

Yes. The tour includes a visit to a Christmas market and a book store.

Are discounts included during the tour?

Yes. The tour includes discounts at select Christmas stores, stalls, and even restaurants.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible, and are there any rules about smoking?

The tour is wheelchair accessible. Smoking is not allowed.

Is there flexibility if my plans change?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, meaning you can book your spot and pay nothing today.