Perlan
Rated 4.5 · 10,064 Google reviews
About Perlan
Perlan is the glass-domed building on top of Öskjuhlíð hill in Reykjavík, about 2 km south of the city centre. It was built on the hot-water storage tanks that supply the city's geothermal heating, and today it houses a natural history exhibition, a planetarium, an observation deck, a restaurant, a café and a bar.
The main draw is the set of exhibitions about Iceland's nature, sold together as the Wonders of Iceland ticket. It includes an indoor ice cave made from real snow and ice, a glacier exhibition, the Áróra northern lights show filmed in 8K and projected in the planetarium, a volcano show about the Geldingadalir eruption, a life-size model of the Látrabjarg bird cliff, and displays about water and the forces of nature. For families or anyone on a short trip who will not reach a glacier or see the aurora, it gives a good overview in a few hours.
The observation deck around the dome gives a 360-degree view over Reykjavík, the bay, Mount Esja and the Reykjanes peninsula. On clear winter nights Öskjuhlíð is also one of the better spots in the city to watch the northern lights, since the hill is higher and darker than the centre.
The exhibitions are open daily from 9:00 to 21:00; the restaurant opens from 11:30 to 18:00 and the café from 10:00 to 18:00. Adult tickets cost around 7,000 ISK, with a small discount for booking online; check current prices before you go. Allow two to three hours for the full exhibition. Perlan is a 25 to 30-minute walk from downtown, city buses stop nearby, and there is a car park at the building.
The wooded paths around Öskjuhlíð lead down to Nauthólsvík geothermal beach, about 1 km away, which makes an easy combined outing.
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Good to know
How much does Perlan cost?
Adult tickets for the Wonders of Iceland exhibitions cost around 7,000 ISK, with a small discount for booking online.
What are Perlan's opening hours?
The exhibitions are open daily from 9:00 to 21:00; the restaurant opens from 11:30 to 18:00.
Is Perlan worth visiting?
Yes, if you want a compact introduction to Icelandic nature, including a real ice cave, a northern lights planetarium show and a view over the whole city.
How long do you need at Perlan?
Allow two to three hours to see the exhibitions, the planetarium show and the observation deck.
How do I get to Perlan from downtown Reykjavík?
It is a 25 to 30-minute walk up Öskjuhlíð hill, city buses stop nearby, and there is a car park at the building.
Can you see the northern lights from Perlan?
On clear, dark winter nights with aurora activity, Öskjuhlíð hill around Perlan is one of the better viewing spots within Reykjavík.
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