Iceland's Bookshops and Literary Spots: A Reader's Guide

Reykjavík's Bookish Core: Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur

Start on Laugavegur, the main shopping street, where Mál og menning at number 18 is the city's flagship general bookshop and the most reliable place for English-language Icelandic fiction, translated sagas and maps. It keeps long opening hours and has a cafe, which makes it a sensible first stop on a wet arrival day. Two minutes uphill, Skólavörðustígur curves toward Hallgrímskirkja and holds smaller shops and galleries; the walk between the two streets is short enough to repeat in an afternoon. Reykjavík's 101 district is compact, so you can cover the main bookshops on foot in about two hours without rushing.

For secondhand stock, look around Laugavegur's side streets rather than expecting a single famous shop; the city's used-book trade is small and often folds into antiques and record shops, so browse rather than hunt for one address. Prices for new paperbacks in Iceland are high by European standards because of import and printing costs, so budget accordingly and treat a book as a souvenir rather than an impulse buy. If you plan to read on the road, buy early in your trip: outside Reykjavík, English-language stock thins out quickly.

Reading Rooms, Libraries and the Reykjavík Literary Map

The Reykjavík City Library on Tryggvagata, near the old harbour, is free to enter, has a good English section and quiet seating upstairs; it is a practical refuge on windy days when walking the harbour front loses its appeal. The National and University Library of Iceland, by the campus at Árnagarður, is more academic but useful for research-minded visitors. Pick up a free city map and note that the harbour, City Hall and the library sit within a few minutes of each other, which suits a half-day loop.

Literary tourism in Reykjavík is mostly self-guided. The city's cultural trail covers sites linked to writers, and the statue of poet Jónas Hallgrímsson on Austurvöllur square is an easy landmark to find. The Icelandic Literature Centre on Laugavegur runs readings and events, though programming varies by season, so check locally when you arrive rather than building a day around it. Bookshops also stock the annual Christmas book-flood catalogues in November, a genuinely Icelandic publishing tradition worth timing a visit around if you follow Icelandic writing.

Sagas, Manuscripts and Day Trips from the Capital

The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies in Reykjavík is the scholarly home of the medieval manuscripts, and while access is limited, the associated exhibitions and the Culture House collections give context before you head to the countryside. For most travellers the practical literary day trip is the Golden Circle: Þingvellir, about 45 minutes by car from Reykjavík, is the national assembly site that underpins so many sagas, and standing at the rift between the tectonic plates gives the landscape a narrative. Combine it with Skálholt, an hour further east, an old bishopric with a small museum.

West Iceland rewards readers more specifically. Borgarnes, roughly 75 minutes north of Reykjavík on Route 1, is the setting of Egil's Saga, and the local museum covers the settlement story well. The Settlement Centre there is an easy, well-signposted stop that suits a rainy morning. I would book Borgarnes as an overnight rather than a dash from the capital, so the drive over the fjord is not rushed and you can read in the evening.

Practicalities: When to Go and Where to Base Yourself

Bookshops and museums keep shorter hours in winter, roughly 10am to 6pm on weekdays with reduced Sunday opening, and some close entirely on public holidays. October to April brings dark evenings that suit reading, plus lower room rates outside the aurora peak; May to September gives long daylight for driving between saga sites. Reykjavík is the obvious base for a first trip, with hotels clustered around 101 and the bus terminal at BSÍ linking to Keflavík airport, about 45 minutes away.

If literature is the spine of your trip, split your stay: three or four nights in Reykjavík, then one or two in Borgarnes or near Selfoss to break up the driving. Outside the capital, guesthouses often have small informal book swaps, which is useful for trading finished novels. I would skip the organised literary walking tours unless your Icelandic is strong; the signage and free maps do the job. Carry a waterproof bag for books, since sudden rain is normal year-round.

Hotels for Readers: What to Book and What to Skip

Base yourself within walking distance of Laugavegur and the harbour so bookshops, the city library and cafes are all reachable without a car. Hotels in 101 and the adjacent 105 district put you five to fifteen minutes from Mál og menning and the Tryggvagata library. Rates in Reykjavík run higher in July and August and around New Year; spring and autumn give better value. Book a room with a desk if you plan to write or read seriously, and check whether breakfast is included, since Reykjavík cafe prices add up over a week.

Skip airport-area hotels for a literary trip; they suit early flights but leave you a 45-minute transfer from the city's bookshops. For the west, a guesthouse in Borgarnes is more practical than driving back to Reykjavík after a museum visit. If you want one recommendation: three nights in central Reykjavík near Laugavegur, then a night in Borgarnes. Search hotels by district rather than by single landmark, and confirm parking if you hire a car for the saga sites.