Iceland · Höfuðborgarsvæði · Reykjavík
Vesturbær, Reykjavík — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Vesturbær is the residential western district of Reykjavík, a low peninsula of older houses, the University of Iceland, and a working harbour edge reaching out toward the open bay.
About Vesturbær
Where to stay in Vesturbær
Not every neighbourhood fits every trip — here's what each one is good for.
Vesturbær is quieter than the downtown core. Most of it is detached homes and low apartment blocks, on streets such as Hofsvallagata and Ægisíða, a short walk back from the centre but set apart from its late-night noise. Guesthouses and small hotels sit among the housing rather than along a hotel strip.
The area suits travellers who want neighbourhood life, a morning swim, a walk by the sea, over nightlife. Families and longer-stay visitors tend to favour it for that calm.
About Vesturbær
What are the main landmarks in Vesturbær?
Vesturbæjarlaug anchors the district, a geothermally heated outdoor pool with hot tubs and saunas that locals visit through the changing seasons as a daily meeting place. Its waters stay warm year-round. Along the shore, the paved Ægisíða path carries walkers and cyclists past the water with wide views across the bay.
At Grandi, the old fishing harbour now holds restaurants and a food hall beside the Whales of Iceland exhibition. The old football club keeps its grounds nearby. The University of Iceland's main campus also lies within the district, out on the Melar flats.
What is the history of Vesturbær?
Vesturbær grew first. When Reykjavík expanded from a village into a town in the late nineteenth century, this western district led the way, and its oldest streets took shape around the harbour in Gamli Vesturbær. There the houses are timber and early concrete, survivors of that founding period.
The city then pushed west across the twentieth century: the University of Iceland raised its campus on the Melar flats, while residential quarters such as Hagar and Skjól filled in behind the shore. Grandi held out longest. Its harbour stayed industrial for decades, turning to food and museums only after the fishing trade declined.
Where is Vesturbær?
A narrowing peninsula carries the district west from the city centre, with water along its northern and southern shores and the open bay lying ahead. Downtown sits just inland. There its edge follows the old harbour, while the western end runs out toward Seltjarnarnes, a separate town beyond.
Good for
More areas in Reykjavík
Updated July 2026