Music and concert venues in Iceland

Planning a trip

Hearing music in Iceland

Harpa is a single building with an unusually wide brief, so it suits travellers who want architecture and music in one stop. The facade is made of glass scales that catch the Arctic light, and the Eldborg hall is the one the venue notes single out for its sound. Styles range from classical and ambient to electronica and experimental. Concerts are held most evenings, so there is usually something on.

For timing, Iceland Symphony Orchestra concerts are listed on Thursday evenings at 19:30 through December 2026, and summer brings lunchtime concerts in Eldborg and the only guided tours, listed a month ahead on What's On. The building is free to walk into: Sunday to Tuesday 10:00 to 18:00 and Wednesday to Saturday 10:00 to 20:00, with the box office daily 10:00 to 18:00 and later on event nights.

Getting there is simple. From Keflavík airport, the Flybus takes about 45 minutes but stops at the BSÍ terminal, so expect a transfer. In Reykjavík, Harpa is a few minutes' walk from the Lækjartorg bus hub, at Austurbakka 2 on the harbourfront. The building sits on the waterfront where the harbour meets Sæbraut and is hard to miss. If you can, choose a winter performance and let the building and the weather do some of the work.