A Book Lover’s Reykjavik — Bookstores, Libraries, and Book Culture
By Nava Atlas | On March 18, 2019 | Updated September 12, 2025 | Comments (6)
Before my first visit to Iceland in the summer of 2018, when I spent the entire month of August at a writer/artist residency, I knew very little about the country generally and even less about its capital — especially that I’d find so many lovely bookstores and libraries in Reykjavik.
Of course, I had seen photos of the otherworldly landscapes, but I would have only the shortest time in which to explore them; my stay was mainly within the confines of Reykjavik. And that turned out to be absolutely beyond fine. In fact, for a nerd and bookworm like myself, it was blissful.
Since then I’ve been back to Reykjavik four times. One stay lasted five weeks and I can say with a confidence that it was the best trip of my life. So go ahead … visit Iceland for the glaciers, waterfalls, and other gorgeous scenery, but if you’re the indoorsy type like me you’ll be equally happy in the vast array of bookstores, libraries, and museums in Reykjavik (and beyond). There’s an amazing vegan scene, too.
Books everywhere!
I’m hardly what you call the rugged outdoorsy type; I’m more of a books-and-art-and-coffee type. Iceland offers incredible pleasures for both of these kinds of travelers. If you happen to be a combination of the two, don’t even think about spending less than two weeks there.
It’s a small country, to be sure, but it is so dense with culture, history, and natural beauty that a short hop of a few days would be (at least for me) frustrating. Even after having spent a month there the first time, and five weeks the last visit, I feel like I’ve just scratched the surface, and am ever plotting a return. And of course, there’s always something new to explore.
Bókabúðin Bergstaðastræti
A few things I learned that surprised me:
- Reykjavik is a UNESCO City of Literature, designated in 2011. There are some 28 as of this writing.
- More books are published per capita in Iceland than any other country (though this is relative in a small country of about 350,000 citizens; but still …)
- Reykjavik honors its literary figures with street signs, park benches, and more, that can be explored all around the town.
This promises to be a lengthy post, so let’s get to it! Note that all the places on this list are centrally located and you can literally walk from one to another, as I did.
Bookstores in Reykjavik
Bókabúðin Bergstaðastræti
A relatively small bookstore, but an exquisitely curated one, Bókabúðin Bergstaðastræti focuses on design, culture, and food. Truly my kind of place.
The only downside is that it’s one of the few bookstores without a café, but that shouldn’t preclude a visit. After all, it’s steps away from numerous cafés, including the cat café practically across the street. The selection is unique, and most of the books are English language. Bergstaðastræti 7, 101 Reykjavík.
Ida Zimsen
This appealing bookstore-café-gift shop has such an unassuming exterior that though it’s right in the center of the downtown area, it may be easy to miss it. About half the books are in Icelandic and half are in English.
This place manages to be both expansive and cozy at the same time, including charming books and bookish gifts for children, and a nice table area to have coffee or work on one’s laptop. There’s also a menu of light fare, coffee, and pastries. The photo above doesn’t nearly do it justice, nor do many of the photos online. So I guess I’ll have to return, and take some better shots! Vesturgata 2a, Grófin, 101 Reykjavík.
Mal og Menning
Located in the center of Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street, Mal og Menning won a place in my heart in 2018. It featured a good selection of English language books as well as a café upstairs that served delicious soups and sourdough bread. Alas, the café is gone.
Now, Mal og Menning is a bar (upstairs and down!) and performance space, with lots of tables inside for socializing and/or quiet contemplation. Shelves upon shelves of Icelandic and English second-hand books for sale line the capacious walls.
Though they don’t brand themselves as a bookstore any longer, books have remained part of an identity. It’s a cool place to meet friends to have a drink and listen to music, almost daily. Laugavagur 18, 101 Reykjavik.
Penninn Eymundsson
Iceland’s largest bookstore chain (with 15 stores around the country), Penninn Eymundsson has three locations just blocks from one another in central Reykjavik.
It’s also the oldest of the bookstores in the country, established in 1872. Though these bookstores may lack the visual charm of a smaller, cozier establishment, they make up for it with a great depth of offerings in both English and Icelandic.
What I found interesting is that many of the English language books seem to come from British publishers, so they were a bit different from what I see at home. There were also British editions of American bestsellers, so I got to see alternative covers and descriptions. I also loved seeing all the beautifully designed books — as well as the many books on design. I always check out cookbooks section when I visit bookstores; this location had an especially large selection of vegan cookbooks from all over the world.
Within the stores are cafés run by the chain Te & Kaffi. Above, an oat milk latté and a vegan brownie, enjoyed on the outdoor terrace in the Austurstræti location.
Three locations in Reykjavik 101: Austurstræti 18; Skólavörðustígur 11; and Laugavegur 77.
Interior of Bókin
Entrance of Bókin, watercolor by Bob Eckstein
Bókin
This bookstore is almost the opposite of the others on this list — it deals mostly in used books, 95% of which are in Icelandic. Piles and piles of books are everywhere, some seeming to totter almost to the ceiling.
If your interest is in poring through older books in this fascinating and challenging language, this is the place for you. Klapparstígur 25-27, 101 Reykjavik.
Forlagið Bókabúð
This bookstore in the super fun and interesting Grandi district bills itself as the largest bookstore in Iceland, and from its vast size, that’s not hard to believe. There’s a generous array of English language books as well as Icelandic. As you can see, it’s not too cozy, and there are few places to sit. However, if you’re in Grandi and need a fix of books, it’s worth a visit.
Forlagið Bókabúð is almost directly across from a tourist attraction called Flyover Iceland. It’s what it sounds like — a simulated experience where you feel like you’re hovering over highlights of the entire country. It’s so realistic that I literally picked my feet up when we were “flying” over water, and it literally took my stomach 24 hours to recover. It was worth it, though (I think). Fiskislóð 39, 101 Reykjavik.
Reykjavik Libraries
My book is right in the center, surrounded by Icelandic cookbooks!
This large library has so many cozy nooks, like the cookbook and crafts section
Reykjavik City Libraries
Reykjavik’s public library system has six or seven branches around the city, with the main branch located right in the heart of the downtown area. Visitors are welcome to browse, though you need a library card to borrow books.
The main branch (above) has several floors awash with natural light, with an array of books in Icelandic, English, and other languages. One quickly expanding area is their collection of global comic books.
The library hosts a variety of multicultural events throughout the year. Keep an eye out for the guided literary walks that begin at the entrance during the warmer months. Make sure to visit the Reykjavik Museum of Photography on the top floor of the same building. It’s small, but impressive!
Okay, a bit of a humblebrag here. A dear friend visited Reykjavik a few months before I did and happened to spot one of my books on display on the ground floor. When I went it was still on display, but on one of the upper floors in the cookbooks section, along with one of my older books. That’s my book in the center, above — Vegan Holiday Kitchen.
The main branch of the Reykjavik City Library is at Tryggvagata 15, 101 Reykjavík. For more about the other branch libraries, go to Reykjavik Libraries and Culture Houses.
National and University Library of Iceland
This beautiful library on the campus of the University of Iceland in Reykjavik, is a repository of manuscripts, archives, historical documents, and of course, books. There are also beautifully mounted exhibits, mostly about Icelandic history and culture, throughout the building.
As you can see, it’s a serene setting both inside and out, and for the book-loving traveler, this just-off-the-beaten-path site is well worth visiting. And if you need to do research and remote work, it’s the place to be. Just a short walk away is the student center, which has a wonderful cafeteria where you can get an array of delicious hot lunches for a fraction of the cost of any eatery in Reykjavik. Arngrímsgötu 3, 107 Reykjavík.
The Nordic House Library
Nordic House is a cultural institution located at the edge of the University of Iceland’s perimeter, featuring exhibits, events, performances, a lovely café, and a beautiful library. From their website:
“The Nordic House Library is a public library where everybody is welcome. The library opened in 1969, one year after the official opening of the Nordic House. The library only contains books in the Nordic languages by Nordic authors, except there are no books by Icelandic authors in Icelandic, only translations of their works to other Nordic languages.”
So inasmuch as we couldn’t read the books, there were many visual books to simply browse through, and it’s a wonderfully quiet place to sit and work, with lots of natural light flooding in. Sæmundargata 11, 102 Reykjavík.
More Reykjavik book culture
Reykjavik City of Literature Self-Guided Walking Tour
All around the city, you’ll come across signage pertaining to Icelandic Literary Figures. The signs contain a QR code which allows visitors to partake in a self-guided tour right from their smartphones. Find out more about how to download the app here.
International Literary Festival
Every other spring, Reykjavik is home to the Reykjavik International Literary Festival. From the website: “Set in cozy venues in downtown Reykjavík every two years, the festival offers interesting and entertaining programs for literature enthusiasts.
Over a span of more than 30 years, the festival has welcomed Nobel-prize winners, novelists, historians, political activists, philosophers, cartoonists and more to take part in lively programs. All programs are in English and there’s no admission fee to the events.”
Iceland Writers Retreat
This annual retreat runs concurrently with the literary festival when it’s going on. From the Iceland Writers Retreat website:
“Join us for a series of workshops and panels led by an esteemed team of international writers. Between intimate workshops and lectures we’ll offer the chance to tour the spectacular Golden Circle, sit in the cozy cafes of Reykjavik, soak in geothermal hot springs, listen to new Icelandic music, meet contemporary Icelandic writers, and learn about the country’s rich literary tradition.
… IRR is an event for avid readers to delve into the oeuvre of an internationally recognized author, as well as the extensive literary traditions and heritage of Iceland.”
Though this post is already mile long, I have a feeling I’ve hardly scratched the surface of Reykjavik’s bookstores, libraries, and book culture. For me, it’s a subject of endless fascination and a good reason to return to this enchanting place. Updates are on the horizon …
- Here are more literary travels on this site.
Greetings; I believe that Iceland is the capital of literature for a people who love books. Therefore, I would like to somehow put my book (Cedric – Footprints in the Sand) in you hand to introduce it to your wealth of readers. Inspired by the true story of a Newfoundland dog who rescued 23 people from shipwrecks during the Victorian era, it is both a wholesome read and an inspiring story. (See reviews on Amazon.) We know how fond Icelanders are of a new book for Christmas and I would like to send you several that you could give as gifts to make our introduction. Would also love to come over and do a book readiing. BF Stebbing
Hello Barry — this is a website dedicated to women’s literature around the world, and it doesn’t have any direct affiliation with Icelandic organizations. I’d suggest you get in touch with the Icelandic Literature Center to see if you can participate in any of the literary events that happen around the country and/or get in touch with the many bookstores with material about your book. There are several English-language bookstores in Reykjavik and beyond, perhaps they would order it. Best of luck!
Thank you for the helpful list! I’m looking forward to seeing these places. 🙂
Hi Anna — Coincidentally, as your comment came in, I’m in Reykjavik for the second time this year. I wrote this a few years ago, and fortunately, pretty much everything is intact, except Mal og Mennig, which is now more of a bar/performance space with a bookish decor. I also added a link to the city libraries; there are several scattered around, in addition to the main library downtown. Enjoy! Reykjavik’s book and museum cultures are amazing.
Wonderful tips!
Thank you, Dalila!