Laugavegur Shopping Street
Laugavegur is the main street of central Reykjavik and the busiest in Iceland, running through the historic heart of the city from Hlemmur square to Lækjartorg. It is lined with Icelandic design shops, wool boutiques, restaurants, cafés, galleries, and bars, and forms the spine of Reykjavik's nightlife. The lower section is pedestrianised. The name translates as Wash Road, a reference to the route women once walked to reach the hot springs of Laugardalur with their laundry.
Reykjavik's Main Street, from the Oldest Wool Shops to the Best Nightlife
Laugavegur was formally built up in 1885 and has been the commercial centre of Reykjavik ever since. The name predates the street itself: it was the path local women walked carrying their laundry to the geothermal pools at Laugardalur, several kilometres east of the city centre. Today the street runs about 1.5 kilometres through the oldest and most characterful part of downtown, passing heritage shopfronts painted in bold colours, newer boutiques, galleries, and restaurants at every turn. The Handknitting Association of Iceland, which sells hand-knitted Icelandic sweaters made by locals using traditional patterns, is located just off the street on Skólavörðustígur. The connected Rainbow Street running uphill from Laugavegur toward Hallgrímskirkja is worth taking as a detour.
The shopping here skews strongly Icelandic. Alongside souvenir shops and international fashion, the street has a strong concentration of Icelandic design, clothing, and homeware stores, many run by local designers. Vintage and second-hand clothing is well represented. The Reykjavik Art Museum's Harbour House is a short walk away, and several small galleries are scattered along and around the street. In the evenings the street and its side streets come alive: Laugavegur and the surrounding area, particularly Austurstræti, host the majority of Reykjavik's bars and clubs and are the centre of the capital's famous weekend nightlife scene, which typically gets going after midnight.
Laugavegur is walkable from most central Reykjavik hotels and within easy reach of the Sun Voyager, the Old Harbour, and Hallgrímskirkja. The lower section is pedestrianised in summer. Parking is available in nearby car parks but the street itself cannot be driven in full. The street is free to walk at all hours and most shops are open daily, typically from 10am, with extended hours in summer. The side street Skólavörðustígur, running uphill from midway along Laugavegur, is the most concentrated single block for Icelandic design and wool shopping.
