Keflavík

Keflavík (pronounce it "kep-la-vik") is a town in Southwest Iceland that is home to the country's international airport. The population is approximately 13,000.

Get in

By plane

• 🌍 Keflavík International Airport (Keflavíkurflugvöllur KEF ^IATA). The most important point of entry to Iceland from abroad. The town of Keflavik is easily accessible from the airport. Simply follow signs indicating "Keflavik." The airport is about 5 km away from the town proper. There is a bus connection.  

Get around

There is a public bus option to economically get from the airport to downtown Keflavik (costs about $5), and the bus stop is just outside the terminal (ask the information desk). Taxis from the airport to downtown Keflavik are expensive and can range from $20-$35. The town itself is small and easily explored on foot, and it is possible to walk from downtown back to the airport via a trail that brings you along the perimeter fence of the airport.

See

Keflavik from the harbor

Whale watching tours leave from the harbor. These tours generally last about 3 hours and see dolphins, orca, minke and humpback whales. There is also a festival of lights in late August. Numerous walking paths lead out from town, including a stone path along the water that meanders several miles past seabirds to the lighthouse on the point.

Do

Buy

🌍 Bónus, Fitjum, 260 Reykjanesbæ. Monday- Thursday 11AM–6:30PM; Friday 10AM–7:30PM; Saturday 10AM–6PM; Sunday 12–6PM. Supermarket. (updated Mar 2019)

Eat

• Rain (Restaurant/Bar), Hafnargata 19 (Downtown Keflavik), ☎ [phone]. 11:00-01:00. By the seaside with beautiful view over the ocean. They profess to serve fine food and wine. 

Drink

Sleep

There is a selection of hotels.

• Guesthouse 1x6, Vesturbraut 3 (in the old cultural part of Keflavík overlooking the ocean), ☎ [phone], e-mail: booking@1×6.is. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 11:00. Charming and unique guesthouse created by a local wood sculptor. Offers a giant hot tub in the garden and an early bird breakfast with both homemade and organic products. Free Wi-Fi. Free pick-up from flights for air passengers, free drop off for departing air passengers. No pick-up from car rental. 20.000kr. (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Hotel Keflavik. Offers a full gym, wireless internet, a restaurant/bar, and free transfers to the airport. The hotel will pay for the taxi ride to the airport when you leave, but not from the airport on your day of arrival (costs approx 2500kr). Rooms are clean and comfortable, and the staff is friendly and helpful. Cheaper rates can be obtained via internet booking on the hotel's web site. 12.480 (winter) and 16.640 (summer) when booked online. 
• Flughotel (next to the Hotel Keflavik). 

Go next

• Blue Lagoon
• Most people landing at KEF are headed towards Reykjavik