Reykjavik: The Icelandic Sweet Tooth Tour

Sugar tells a story in Iceland. This two-hour walk through central Reykjavik links local bakeries, candy shops, chocolate, and ice cream with the food customs behind them. I like the small maximum of 12 people, which should make it easier to hear your guide and ask questions. I also like the range of tastings, from kleina and snúður to licorice chocolate and ice cream.

The main consideration is that the exact treats change with the season, day, and time. You should come ready for surprises, not with a fixed menu in mind. Licorice also appears in several Icelandic sweets, though your guide can point you toward other choices if it is not your thing.

Key points to know before booking

• Kleina, snúður, chocolate, ice cream, and candy: You sample several familiar and less familiar Icelandic sweets in one outing.
• A downtown walking route: The tour begins and ends at Ingólfur Square, with stops along Laugavegur and at local food shops.
• A small English-speaking group: The maximum is 12 people, and guides usually wear a light blue Your Friend in Reykjavik jacket.
• Licorice is part of the lesson: Try Icelandic combinations such as chocolate with licorice, but other sweets are available if you dislike it.
• Useful food advice: Your guide shares recommendations for places to eat and drink during the rest of your stay.
• Weather matters: You walk between stops, so wear suitable clothing for Reykjavik’s changeable conditions.

Why Reykjavik is a good place for a sweet-food tour

Reykjavik’s center is compact, making it possible to visit several food businesses on foot in a short time. That is the real strength of this tour. You are not simply handed a pastry and sent on your way. You move through the city, stop at different kinds of shops, and get a quick picture of how Icelanders enjoy baked goods, candy, dairy, and chocolate.

At $90 per person, this is not a cheap snack run. The value depends on how much you want a guide to connect the food with local customs and steer you toward places you might not enter on your own. You also avoid buying several full-size items just to discover what you like.

The format suits a first day in Reykjavik. A guide can help you get your bearings, show you the main shopping street, and offer ideas for meals and drinks afterward. One solo visitor found the format especially useful for getting oriented, and that makes sense: a small food walk gives you an easy introduction to the city without taking up a whole day.

Meeting at Ingólfur Square

Your guide meets you at Ingólfur Square, beside two stone pillars that rise more than three meters. The square is in front of Center Hotels Plaza at Aðalstræti 6, near the beginning of Austurstræti.

This location is easy enough once you know what to look for, but Reykjavik’s street names can confuse first-time visitors. If you walk down Laugavegur, keep going straight until you reach the square. Do not head to the statue of Ingólfur Arnarson or to Jon Sigurdsson’s statue at Austurvöllur. Those are different locations.

I would use Google Maps and arrive at least five minutes early. Once the tour begins, it can be difficult for the guide to break away and find late arrivals. Your guide usually wears a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back, which helps in a busy square.

Ingólfur Square and the first city sights

The tour starts with a short guided look around Ingólfur Square, listed as about 10 minutes. This opening gives your guide a chance to introduce the route and place the food stops in the setting of central Reykjavik.

Do not expect a long city-history walk. The focus is sweets, not monuments. Still, the brief orientation helps you understand where you are before moving toward the shops.

The tour returns to this same square at the end. That makes the route simple to fit around other plans. You will not need to arrange a taxi or figure out an unfamiliar final stop.

Baka Baka: a bakery stop with more than pastry

The first major tasting is at Baka Baka, with about 25 minutes set aside for food. This is where you may encounter traditional Icelandic pastries such as kleina, a fried dough pastry often compared with a doughnut, and snúður, an Icelandic cinnamon roll.

You might also receive Danish-style pastry or another seasonal bakery item. One guide-led outing was especially praised for its Danish pastry, and another tasting included excellent cocoa. The selection is not fixed, so think of Baka Baka as a chance to try what is fresh and available rather than a promise of one exact pastry.

Your guide explains how the treats are made and gives context about their place in Icelandic food culture. That extra information is useful because kleina can look familiar at first glance, yet the shape, texture, and preparation make it distinctly different from an ordinary doughnut.

The 25-minute stop should feel like a proper tasting rather than a rushed bite. It is also a sensible point to pace yourself. More sweets are coming, and Icelandic portions can add up quickly when you try several samples.

Walking along Laugavegur

After the bakery, the route continues along Laugavegur for about 20 minutes of guided sightseeing. This is Reykjavik’s main shopping street and one of the most useful central streets to know during a short stay.

The walk breaks up the eating and gives your guide room to point out food shops and places to eat or drink. The tour is not only about collecting sugar. It also helps you see how the downtown food scene fits into everyday city life.

Because the route is outdoors, weather is part of the equation. Bring clothing suitable for Icelandic conditions, even if the forecast looks calm. The walking distance is central and manageable, but wind or rain can change how comfortable the outing feels.

Loo.koo.mas and the Icelandic candy tradition

The next stop is Loo.koo.mas, where about 15 minutes are set aside for shopping. This is likely to be the most playful part of the route, with a focus on sweets and packaged treats.

Icelandic candy often combines flavors that may be new to you, especially licorice with chocolate. Draumur, an iconic chocolate bar, and Þristur, a chocolate and licorice combination, may be among the treats you encounter. The precise selection can change, so your guide will explain what is available that day.

If you already know that you dislike licorice, do not assume the tour will be a problem. The experience includes other choices, and the guide can help you find something more to your taste. Still, I would try at least one mild Icelandic licorice sample if you are willing. Icelandic licorice is often sweeter and gentler than the strong salty varieties some people expect.

This stop also works well for souvenirs. You can learn which candy is easy to carry home and which item is best eaten on the spot, though the tour information does not promise a specific shopping allowance or gift package.

Ísbúðin litla Valdís and the ice cream break

The route then pauses at Ísbúðin litla Valdís for roughly 20 minutes of ice cream tasting. This is a welcome change after pastries and chocolate, and it gives you another way to sample Icelandic flavor combinations.

The shop may offer familiar choices along with flavors linked to Iceland, such as licorice or possibly skyr. Skyr is a local dairy product with a thick texture and mild tang. The exact ice cream selection depends on the day, so your guide will explain the options when you arrive.

This stop is a good reminder that Icelandic sweets are not limited to baked goods. Dairy plays a clear role too, and skyr-based flavors offer a taste connected to local food habits rather than a novelty created only for tourists.

You should also keep expectations sensible. A tasting is not the same as ordering a large sundae or a full meal. The appeal is variety. You get a small taste, hear why a flavor matters, and move on before one rich item becomes too much.

Taste of Iceland and the final candy stop

The final listed tasting takes place at Taste of Iceland, with another 20 minutes for sweets. By this stage, you will have sampled baked goods, chocolate, candy, and ice cream, so the last stop completes the range rather than introducing an entirely new part of the city.

Your guide may revisit favorite flavors, compare different kinds of candy, or introduce a treat not available at an earlier stop. Icelandic candy called nammi can include sweet, chewy, chocolate-covered, and licorice-based items. The point is to show you the breadth of the local sweet tooth.

This is also where the guide’s personal recommendations matter. If a certain pastry or chocolate caught your attention, you can ask where to find more. The tour includes insider tips for eating and drinking in Reykjavik, which may be more useful than one extra sample.

The group then walks back to Ingólfur Square. Since the tour ends where it starts, you can continue sightseeing, return to your hotel, or use your new food list to plan the next meal.

How much food do you actually get?

The tour promises samples of pastry, sweets, and ice cream. It does not list exact quantities, and the bakeries, candy, and pastries change according to the season, day, and time.

Based on the planned stops, you should expect plenty of tasting opportunities rather than a sit-down lunch. One outing included pastry, cocoa, licorice, ice cream, candy, and even dried fish. Dried fish is savory rather than sweet, but its appearance shows that the guide may add a small local food sample when it helps explain Icelandic eating habits.

I would eat a light meal before starting, but not a large one. Arriving hungry is useful, yet you will enjoy the flavors more if you pace yourself. This is a tasting route, not an all-you-can-eat event.

The guides and group size

The tour is led in English by an expert local guide from Your Friend in Reykjavik. Specific guides named in the supplied comments include Matthias and Oli, both praised for being personable and fun. The strongest praise centers on the guides’ ability to explain the food while keeping the mood relaxed.

That matters on a sweets tour. A dry lecture about pastry would wear thin after the second stop. A friendly guide can make the difference between a simple shopping walk and a useful introduction to Icelandic food customs.

The group maximum is 12 people. That is small enough for questions and conversation, but it is not a private tour. If every place is busy, you may need to wait or stand together while tasting.

Is $90 a fair price?

At $90, the tour costs more than walking through Reykjavik and buying one pastry, one chocolate bar, and one scoop of ice cream yourself. The price includes the guide and samples, not a full meal or transportation.

I think the value is reasonable for the right person. You are paying for several organized tastings, a local guide, a fixed two-hour route, and recommendations you can use during the rest of your stay. The small group also makes the price easier to justify than a large coach-style food outing.

The value is weaker if you mainly want a large quantity of dessert or prefer choosing every item independently. You may spend less by visiting shops on your own, especially if you already know Reykjavik and do not need food guidance.

For a first visit, a solo trip, or a short stay, the tour gives you a structured way to sample local sweets without spending hours researching shops. That is where the $90 fee earns its keep.

Who will enjoy this tour most?

I would recommend it to people who enjoy trying several small portions instead of ordering one large dessert. It is also a good fit if you want local food context, like walking in central Reykjavik, and appreciate a guide who can suggest other places to eat.

Solo visitors may find the small group especially comfortable. Families with older children who enjoy sweets could also have fun, although the supplied information does not specify children’s pricing or age rules.

You should think twice if you have strong dietary restrictions, dislike sweet foods, or want a serious history tour. The activity centers on pastries, candy, chocolate, and ice cream, and the menu can change. The tour is wheelchair accessible, but the route includes walking between several downtown stops.

Practical details before you go

The experience lasts about two hours, with starting times shown when you check availability. It begins and ends at Ingólfur Square, and the guide speaks English.

Weather-appropriate clothing is essential. Reykjavik’s central streets are easy to reach, but the tour takes place partly outdoors. Comfortable shoes are sensible because you move between food stops.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option keeps your plans flexible. These policies are useful if your Iceland schedule depends on weather or changing day trips.

Should you book the Icelandic Sweet Tooth Tour?

Book it if you want a friendly introduction to Reykjavik through food, especially if kleina, snúður, chocolate, ice cream, and licorice sound appealing. The strongest parts are the variety, the compact downtown route, and guides such as Matthias and Oli, who bring warmth and useful food advice.

Skip it if you want a large meal, an exact menu, or a cheaper do-it-yourself outing. The changing selection is part of the charm, but it also means you cannot plan around one specific pastry or candy.

For a first day in Reykjavik, I think this is a smart, lighthearted choice. You get your bearings, learn what nammi means, test Icelandic flavors, and leave with a better idea of where to eat next.

FAQ

Where does the Icelandic Sweet Tooth Tour start?

The tour starts at Ingólfur Square in central Reykjavik, by the two stone pillars more than three meters high.

Where does the tour end?

It ends back at Ingólfur Square, the same place where it begins.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts about two hours. Starting times depend on availability.

What language is the tour in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour is always a small-group activity with a maximum of 12 people.

What food is included?

The price includes samples of pastry, sweets, and ice cream. Possible items include kleina, snúður, chocolate, candy, and Icelandic ice cream flavors.

Will I have to eat licorice?

Licorice may be included in items such as Icelandic chocolate and candy, but other options are available if you do not like licorice.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

What should I bring?

Wear clothing suitable for the weather, since the experience includes walking outdoors between stops.

Can I cancel the tour for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.