Begin at The Settlement Exhibition, which was built around the remains of a 10th-century longhouse. Learn about Iceland's first settlers, daily life, and the founding of the city. Then stop by the Ingólfur Arnarson statue, Iceland's first settler.

Optional add-on: Head to Austurvöllur, where Iceland's parliamentary tradition traces its roots to the Viking Age and the medieval Commonwealth.

Visit the World in Words exhibition at the Edda, or The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, which features medieval manuscripts, saga heritage, and interactive exhibits about Norse mythology and Viking history.

Explore the National Museum of Iceland to learn about Viking weapons, jewelry, ships, religious artifacts, and objects from Iceland's settlement period through the Middle Ages.

Enjoy dinner featuring traditional Icelandic cuisine with connections to Viking heritage and early settlement, such as plokkfiskur (fish stew) or kjötsúpa (lamb soup), often served with rúgbrauð (geothermally-baked rye bread). Also consider starting with a taste of harðfiskur (wind-dried fish, traditionally eaten with butter)

Leave Reykjavík early to explore Þingvellir National Park, the historic heart of Viking Iceland. Highlights include:

• the Alþing, founded around 930 CE
• the Law Rock (Lögberg)
• rift valleys between tectonic plates
• the setting for many Icelandic sagas
• the political and legal center of the Viking Commonwealth

Return to Reykjavík.

Optional add-on: Visit the Einar Jónsson Museum where some of the sculptures draw upon Norse mythology and Icelandic folklore, such as Odin, Thor, and the Valkyries.

Head to the Saga Museum to learn about legendary figures, such as Leif Eiríksson, Snorri Sturluson, Ingólfur Arnarson, along with opportunities for Viking dress-up and weapon handling.

Finish with dinner in the Reykjavík Old Harbour district. Consider Matur og Drykkur, which shares a building with the Saga Museum and builds its menu around historic Icelandic recipes drawn from old cookbooks and farmhouse traditions.