It's easy to visit the Kringlan shopping center as part of a guided shopping tour of Reykjavik. Alternatively, you can go during a hop-on hop-off bus tour of Reykjavik. Or, of course, you can visit by yourself to enjoy a day of shopping.
With a convenient location close to the city center, the Kringlan shopping mall is a popular destination for Icelanders spending time with friends and family, and tourists who want to goshopping. It has a wide range of stores, several restaurants, a public library, and even a movie theater.
Photo from Flickr, Creative Commons, by Gúnna.No edits made.
Why Visit Kringlan Shopping Mall?
Built in 1987 and measuring around 12 acres (about 50,000 square meters), Kringlan was the first indoor shopping mall in Iceland, and it's still the second-largest shopping center in the country.
The only bigger mall in Iceland is Smaralind. The Smaralind retail center is also in the Capital Region, about four miles (roughly 6.5 kilometers) from Kringlan.
Inside the Kringlan shopping mall, you'll find more than 150 retail stores split over three stories. The mall also has a range of restaurants and cafes, with international chains and Icelandic brands.
There are also several places to sit down and rest, with comfortable couches to relax on if you feel tired. These couches can also be used as a meeting point if you decide to split from your friends or family while shopping.
Photo from Flickr, Creative Commons, by 33mm ManNo edits made.
Stores in the Kringlan Shopping Mall
Since there are so many different stores in this mall, shoppers can usually find whatever they're looking for. From clothing and shoes to books and homewares, Kringlan has a little bit of everything.
You'll find many well-known international brands if you're looking for new clothes. Popular global clothing chains inside the Kringlan mall include H&M, Timberland, and Next.
Several designer brands have stores in Kringlan, such as Hugo Boss, Levis, and AIR by Nike. Suppose you need warm, waterproof clothing for an outdoor tour. You can buy it at shops like Utilif (Outdoor Life), Under Armour, and Icewear Magasin.
But it's not just clothing stores at this mall. You'll find several cosmetic stores, including L'Occitane, MAC, Aveda, and BodyShop, and homeware stores like Flying Tiger and Casa.
Whatever you need to buy, you can probably find it in the Kringlan mall!
Eating and Drinking at the Kringlan Shopping Mall
There are more than 20 restaurants and cafes in Kringlan, so visitors have many options to choose from when they get hungry.
Tourists who are missing food from their home country can find popular chains such as Subway and Dominos at the top-floor food court. There are also fast-food restaurants serving burgers, Korean street food, Chinese food, and Mexican food.
Anyone who wants to try local Icelandic cuisine can visit the Isey Skyrbar to taste some delicious Skyr-based drinks. There are also several cafes selling tea, coffee, and baked goods.
Entertainment at the Kringlan Shopping Mall
In addition to shops and a food court, the mall has a fun play area for children, Adventure Land (known in Icelandic as Ævintýraland). It includes books, toys, costumes, and a fun soft-play area with a big castle. Adventure Land is suitable for children aged 3 to 9.
If you're visiting the mall with children, Adventure Land is an excellent way to keep them entertained while you're out shopping.
The Kringlan retail center is also home to a movie theater, so visitors can watch a movie if they want a break from shopping. The cinema, Sambioin, has three screens and a THX sound system. It's on the top floor of the mall. It usually shows Icelandic films, but some screenings are in English too.
Also situated at the Kringlan shopping mall is one of Reykjavik's city libraries. Access to the Kringlan library is on the ground floor, next to the southern entrance to the mall. The library has many books to read, but it also runs regular events and exhibitions showing art by local artists.
Next to the library and the mall, visitors will find the Reykjavik City Theater (known in Icelandic as Borgarleikhúsið). It's one of the two main theaters in the Icelandic capital. It's a large theater with three stages. It mainly shows plays in Icelandic, but you can download an app to read English subtitles for each production.
If you're visiting the theater, the cinema, or the library, you can park in the car park at the Kringlan shopping mall.
Other Services at the Kringlan Mall
Free Wi-Fi is available for customers at the mall, so visitors can browse the internet as needed.
Customers visiting with young children can borrow strollers or twin strollers. Wheelchairs are also available for customer use.
There are storage lockers available on the second floor of the mall. These provide an excellent place to lock away any valuables or heavy bags while you shop.
What Are the Opening Times at the Kringlan Shopping Center?
The stores in the mall are open from 1000 until 1830, Monday to Friday, 1100 until 1800 on Saturdays, and 1200 to 1730 on Sundays.
The restaurants in the food court stay open a little longer (until 1900) from Monday to Saturday so that visitors can have dinner after a busy shopping day. Three restaurants (Finnsson Bistro, Hamborgarafabrikkan, and Kringlukrain) stay open every night until 2100.
The opening times for the mall can change depending on the season, so check online before visiting. Visit the Kringlan website for more information.
Where Is the Kringlan Shopping Mall?
The Kringlan shopping center is in Reykjavik, not far from the city center. It's approximately 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) from the Hallgrimskirkja church, one of the main tourist attractions in Reykjavik.
Its proximity to the capital city makes the mall a popular destination for locals and tourists visiting Reykjavik.
Getting to Kringlan Shopping Mall
It's easy to reach the Kringlan shopping center by car, on foot, or by public transport.
Photo from Flickr, Creative Commons, by Helgi HalldórssonNo edits made.
By Car
The mall is next to two main roads leading into the city, routes 40 and 49. There's plenty of parking available outside the mall, so traveling by car is a straightforward way to reach the mall.
On Foot
If you prefer to walk from central Reykjavik, you can reach the shopping center in about 30 to 40 minutes.
From the Hallgrimskirkja church, walk southeast along Egilsgata. Turn left at the end of the road, then take the first right onto Flokagata. Walk diagonally through Klambratun park, then turn left onto route 49 and follow this road until you reach the Kringlan shopping mall.
By Bus
There used to be a free shuttle bus that ran from the center of Reykjavik to this shopping mall. Unfortunately, though, the shuttle is no longer running.
However, it's still possible to travel to the Kringlan shopping mall by bus. Several of Reykjavik's bus routes run between the city center and the mall, including buses 1, 3, 4, and 6. Bus routes 2 and 13 also stop close to the mall. Use the Straeto website's route planner to map out your journey.
Finding Your Way Around the Mall
The Kringlan shopping mall is the second-largest retail space in the country, so it can be challenging to find the exact store you want to visit. Luckily, the Kringlan website has a useful interactive map to help you find your way around.
Visitors to the mall can search for individual stores, restaurants, or cafes to find what they're looking for. The selected store will turn red on the map, helping customers find their way wherever they need to go.
The map also shows where there are bathrooms, staircases, and ATMs.
What's Nearby?
Since the mall is so close to the center of Reykjavik, it's easy to visit the retail center as part of a day out in the city. For example, you can go shopping in the morning, then return to central Reykjavik to explore the most famous sights and attractions in Iceland's capital in the afternoon.
The Perlan observation deck is one mile (around 1.6 kilometers) from the Kringlan mall, so it's easy to arrive here on foot or by car. The National Museum of Iceland is roughly two miles (about 3.5 kilometers) from the shopping mall, and this is an interesting place to learn about the country's history.
If you want to keep shopping, the Laugavegur shopping street is 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) from the Kringlan shopping mall, in the very center of Reykjavik. The Kringlan mall contains many chains and branded stores, but Laugavegur street mostly has boutique and independent stores.
