Yes, sometimes. Here is where and when.
On strong nights the aurora dances right over the rooftops of Reykjavik. On weaker nights the city lights swallow it. This guide covers the best places to look within the city and how to tell when a night is worth a tour instead.
Yes, you can see the northern lights in Reykjavik, but only when the display is strong and the sky over the city is clear. The street lights and buildings wash out faint auroras that would be easy to see in the countryside, and the city cannot move away from clouds. Think of Reykjavik as a bonus, not a plan.
At the western tip of the Seltjarnarnes peninsula, about 15 minutes by car from the centre. Dark, open to the north and with the lighthouse as a foreground. The most popular city spot, so expect company on active nights. Check the tide: the causeway to the lighthouse floods.
The wooded hill around Perlan has darker paths and a view over the city. Perlan also runs an aurora planetarium show if you want to learn about the lights indoors.
City parks such as Klambratún are darker than the streets around them and easy to reach on foot, fine for strong displays.
The seafront path along Sæbraut, past the Sun Voyager sculpture, looks north over the bay. It is not dark, but on strong nights the aurora over Mount Esja is spectacular.
If clouds cover Reykjavik but the forecast is clear inland, a tour that drives towards the clear patch is your best chance.
A city hunt is free and flexible, but limited to strong, clear nights. A tour costs money, but it gets you to darker skies, adapts to clouds and usually includes a retry. Many visitors do both: book a tour for an early night, and step outside on the other nights if the forecast is strong. If you would rather stay near town, the boat tour leaves from the Old Harbour and gets you away from the lights in minutes.
These tours take you away from light pollution and towards clear skies.
The most-booked aurora tour in Iceland by a long way. A large heated coach takes you out of the city to whichever dark spot has the clearest sky that night, the guide explains what you are looking at, and hot cocoa keeps you going while you wait. It is the cheapest guided option and a sensible first hunt; the trade-off is sharing the viewing spot with a full coach.
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Two hours on a yacht in Faxaflói Bay, sailing away from the city lights with Reykjavik glowing behind you. You walk to the boat instead of riding a bus, there is a heated cabin with drinks for sale, and when the sky is active the view across the water is hard to beat. The catch: a boat cannot drive away from clouds, and the trip is cancelled in rough seas.
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The most popular small-group hunt from Reykjavik. A minibus with a limited number of guests means the guide can take smaller roads, move quickly when the forecast changes and stop where a coach cannot. Expect more personal attention and help with camera settings. A good step up from the big bus without a big jump in price.
Check availabilityOn strong, clear nights, yes. Weaker displays are hard to see because of street lights. Darker places like Grótta lighthouse are much better.
Grótta lighthouse on the Seltjarnarnes peninsula is the most popular spot within easy reach of the centre. Öskjuhlíð hill near Perlan and the city parks also work on strong nights.
Not as a rule. On rare occasions in the past, parts of the city have dimmed lights for very strong displays, but you should not count on it.
For most nights, yes. A tour reaches darker skies, can drive away from clouds and usually offers a free retry.
