Iceland · Höfuðborgarsvæði · Reykjavík
Grafarholt og Úlfarsárdalur, Reykjavík — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Grafarholt og Úlfarsárdalur is an upland district on Reykjavík's eastern edge, spread across the Grafarholt hill and the valley of the Úlfará river beneath the slopes of Úlfarsfell.
About Grafarholt og Úlfarsárdalur
Where to stay in Grafarholt og Úlfarsárdalur
Where you base yourself shapes the visit — here's the character of each area.
Accommodation here is residential rather than hotel-led. Most stays are modern flats and family houses let as self-catering apartments, on quiet streets such as Úlfarsbraut and Kirkjustétt, and they suit families or visitors who want space and calm with quick reach of the pool, the trails and the golf course. The centre of Reykjavík is a short drive away, so a car helps, though buses run along Úlfarsbraut.
About Grafarholt og Úlfarsárdalur
What are the main landmarks in Grafarholt og Úlfarsárdalur?
The Grafarholt course is the oldest eighteen-hole golf course in Iceland. Reykjavík Golf Club plays it. Marked trails climb the hill of Úlfarsfell to wide views over the city, with the Esja range rising beyond the sea.
On the eastern side, the lake Reynisvatn draws anglers after trout. In the valley, the Dalslaug pool pairs an outdoor lane pool with hot tubs and a steam room. The same building holds the neighbourhood's library and culture house, near the sports halls of the Fram club.
Guðríðarkirkja, on Kirkjustétt in Grafarholt, is the first Icelandic church named for a woman. She was the saga-age traveller Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir.
What is the history of Grafarholt og Úlfarsárdalur?
Both halves of the district are recent additions to the city. Grafarholt rose on its hill in the early 2000s, when its parish was formed, and Guðríðarkirkja was raised to serve the new homes later that decade. Úlfarsárdalur followed as one of the newer neighbourhoods on the city's eastern edge, its build-out slowed by the financial crash before resuming. The valley later gained a combined school and culture house.
A pool and library came too. The Fram sports club then moved out from the older city to a new ground here.
Where is Grafarholt og Úlfarsárdalur?
This district lies well inland. It occupies high ground at the city's eastern edge, climbing well clear of the coast and the older neighbourhoods near the bay. Grafarholt takes the rocky hill to the south.
To the north, Úlfarsárdalur fills a broad valley where the Úlfará runs west toward the sea. Reynisvatn, a small lake, lies just to the east.
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Updated July 2026