Reykjavik Webcam – Watch the Cruise Port and Old Harbor

The Reykjavik Webcam looks over Skarfabakki, the long cruise pier at Sundahofn on the north side of Iceland’s capital. A floodlit quay runs across the frame with open water behind it, and a low warehouse roof, parked trucks and a glass-fronted building fill the foreground. On a day with a call scheduled, this is where the largest cruise ships tie up. Two more live tabs come from the same port authority: one looks back along Skarfabakki from the north, across the water to the quay and the cranes beyond, and the other covers Midbakki in the Old Harbor, closer to downtown. Another tab looks over the Sun Voyager sculpture and across the bay to Mount Esja, and it plays a recent recording whenever that stream is off the air. Early November sunrise comes after 9 am, so these views are lit by quay lamps for much of a winter morning.

About Reykjavik

Reykjavik sits at 64°08′ N, which makes it the northernmost capital of a sovereign state. Nuuk in Greenland lies slightly farther north, but Greenland is a constituent country of Denmark. The municipality had 139,804 residents on January 1, 2026, and its working waterfront is split between two very different harbors, both on camera here.

Sundahofn is the commercial port east of downtown, and Skarfabakki is its deep-water cruise pier, in the Laugardalur district. Sources put the quay at more than 600 meters (1,969 feet), able to take ships of up to about 335 meters (1,099 feet). It lies roughly 3.5 to 4 kilometers (2.2 to 2.5 miles) from the city center. The port authority, Faxafloahafnir, has also invested in a new cruise terminal at the pier. The island of Videy sits just off this shore in Kollafjordur.

The Old Harbor is the smaller and older of the two, right beside the city center. Trawlers, tour boats, visiting ships and smaller cruise ships use it. The Midbakki camera looks over a road crossing and an open square with a sculpture at its center, then across the harbor basin to moored vessels, with apartment blocks along the quay at right.

Mount Esja is the long mountain range that closes the view to the north, about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the city. It is built of basalt and tuff and reaches 914 meters (2,999 feet). The Sun Voyager tab looks down from a high window over the shore road, with the Sun Voyager on its rocky point at right, the bay filling the middle of the frame, Esja beyond it and the city waterfront curving away to the right.

Weather and Climate in Reykjavik

Winters are mild for the latitude. January highs average 3°C (38°F) with lows of -2°C (29°F), and the city gets about 102 centimeters (40 inches) of snow a year across roughly 55 snowy days. The short winter days change what the cameras show: in early November the sun rises after 9 am and sets soon after 5 pm, and the frames spend much of the day under floodlights or in low light.

Spring warms slowly, with April highs near 7°C (44°F) and lows near 1°C (34°F). July is the warmest month, averaging highs of 15°C (59°F) and lows of 9°C (48°F). Autumn cools again, and October averages 8°C (46°F) by day and 3°C (37°F) at night. Cloud can sit on Esja’s top, so the summit line can vanish from view while the shoreline stays sharp.

Things to Do Near Reykjavik

The closest outing from Skarfabakki is the ferry to Videy. Boats run daily from the pier in summer, and on weekends in winter, with summer sailings also leaving from Harpa and Aegisgardur pier. On the island, Videyjarstofa is a house the Danish government built between 1753 and 1755, and Yoko Ono’s Imagine Peace Tower, a memorial to John Lennon, is lit each year from October 9 to December 8. Back on shore, Laugardalur also holds the Laugardalslaug swimming pool.

Downtown starts at the Old Harbor. Harpa, the concert and conference hall, stands next to it, and the Sun Voyager sculpture by Jon Gunnar Arnason stands on the waterfront, in frame on its own tab. Hallgrimskirkja, the largest church in Iceland, rises to 74.5 meters (244 feet), and the National Museum of Iceland covers the country’s past. For a hike, Esja has a route to Steinn, a big rock after about 597 meters (1,959 feet) of climb where many walkers turn back, and on to Thverfellshorn at 780 meters (2,559 feet).

Similar Webcams You Might Like

These cameras cover the center of Reykjavik, another Icelandic harbor and the rift valley east of the capital.

• Austurvollur Webcam
• Rif Harbor Webcam
• Thingvellir Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

What can you see on the Reykjavik Webcam?

The tabs cover the Skarfabakki cruise pier at Sundahofn, Skarfabakki from the north, Midbakki in the Old Harbor and a view over the Sun Voyager sculpture to Mount Esja. Ships come and go, so a quay can be empty.

How far is Skarfabakki cruise terminal from the city center?

About 3.5 to 4 kilometers (2.2 to 2.5 miles). Skarfabakki is east of downtown at Sundahofn, while the Old Harbor shown on the Midbakki tab is beside the city center.

Does the Reykjavik Webcam show the airport?

No. All of these cameras face the harbors and the bay. Keflavik International Airport is around 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of the city, well out of view.

Can you see Hallgrimskirkja church on the Reykjavik Webcam?

No camera here is aimed at the church. For the center of the city, the Austurvollur camera is the closer view.

Can you see the northern lights on the Reykjavik Webcam?

Do not count on it. These are harbor cameras pointed at the quays and the water, and floodlights brighten the sky above the piers. A strong display might show, but the cameras are not set up to catch one.

What is the weather like in Reykjavik?

Cool all year. January averages highs of 3°C (38°F) and lows of -2°C (29°F), and July averages highs of 15°C (59°F) and lows of 9°C (48°F). The weather panel under the player gives current conditions.

Does it snow in Reykjavik?

Yes. The city averages about 102 centimeters (40 inches) of snow a year, spread over roughly 55 snowy days.

Why does the Sun Voyager tab say Replay?

That camera streams separately from the port’s cameras and sometimes goes off the air. When it does, the tab plays a recent recording of the same view, labeled under the player, and the live picture returns by itself.

Source: Faxafloahafnir Associated Icelandic Ports and Our World Live