Keflavík is a town in the Reykjanes region of southwest Iceland. The land around it is basalt rubble, moss and a few hardy plants. Scottish entrepreneurs and engineers founded the town in the 16th century, and fishing and fish processing built it up. The United States built an airport beside it in the 1940s and kept a naval air station there until 2006. Keflavík International Airport, the country's largest, is now the main point of entry to Iceland from abroad. Icelanders call the town bítlabærinn, the Beatle Town, after the musicians it produced in the 1960s and 1970s.
Keflavík
- Currency
- Icelandic króna (ISK)
- Language
- Icelandic; nearly all speak English
- Power plug
- Europlug and Schuko sockets, 230 V
- Visa
- Schengen; outside the EU
- Time zone
- UTC±00:00 (Atlantic/Reykjavik)
- Tap water
- Safe; hot water smells of sulphur
- Tipping
- Not customary
- Emergency
- 112
Things to do
All tours in Keflavík on GetYourGuide
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When to go
Shoulder
Apr – May
Daylight lengthens quickly at 64° north. Expect wind and rain: no month here is truly dry.
High season
Jun – Aug
The warmest and busiest months. July averages a high of 14.2 °C, June gets the least rain of the year, and it barely goes dark at night.
Shoulder
Sep – Oct
Days shorten fast and rain is frequent. The town is quiet, though the airport is not.
Low season
Nov – Mar
Winter is moderately cold rather than severe: January averages a high of 3.4 °C, above freezing. Daylight is short and the basalt fields around the town are bare.
How long to stay
Half a day on foot covers the centre. Keflavík works best as a first or last night in Iceland, because the international airport is next door and an early departure or a late landing costs you no driving. One night suits most trips.
Getting around
The town is small and easily explored on foot. The international airport is adjacent to it, and a public bus runs into the centre from a stop just outside the terminal; the information desk will point you to it. Taxis cover the same short distance for several times the bus fare. A trail follows the airport perimeter fence, so you can also walk from the centre back to the terminal.
From Reykjavík, drive route 41, or take Strætó bus 55 from BSÍ, which also serves Kópavogur and Hafnarfjörður. Bus 55 runs a few times in the morning, the afternoon and the early evening. Late-morning and late-evening departures require a change at Hafnarfjörður, so check the Strætó route planner before relying on one.
What to see
Destinations in Keflavík
Frequently asked questions
How far is Keflavík from the international airport?
The airport is adjacent to the town. A public bus runs from a stop just outside the terminal; follow the signs marked "Keflavik". Taxis into the centre are expensive for the distance. You can also walk between the centre and the terminal on a trail that follows the airport perimeter fence.Can you reach Keflavík from Reykjavík by public transport?
Yes. Strætó bus 55 runs from BSÍ in Reykjavík, calling at Kópavogur and Hafnarfjörður. There are a few departures in the morning, the afternoon and the early evening, and late-morning and late-evening services require a change at Hafnarfjörður. By car, take route 41.Do you need a car in the town itself?
No. Keflavík is small and easily explored on foot. A car is only worth it for going further afield.Why is Keflavík called the Beatle Town?
Within Iceland the town was renowned as a rich source of musicians in the 1960s and 1970s, which earned it the nickname bítlabærinn, the Beatle Town.Is the American military base still there?
No. Naval Air Station Keflavik tracked ship and submarine traffic between the Norwegian and Greenland seas and the Atlantic during the Cold War. As aircraft ranges grew and the Soviet Union dissolved it lost importance, and the last United States personnel left in 2006.