cathedral
Hallgrímskirkja
Reykjavik's towering expressionist church inspired by Iceland's basalt lava formations.
3 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeIcelandCapital Region
Kópavogur
Capital Region, Iceland · Europe
About Kópavogur
Kópavogur works well as a base: 10 minutes from Hafnarfjörður, 4km from Northern Lights: Reykjavik.
Kópavogur is in Capital Region, Iceland, with about 38,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Hafnarfjörður, about 5 km away.
Kópavogur (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈkʰouːpaˌvɔːɣʏr̥] ) is a town in Iceland that is the country's second-largest municipality by population.
It lies immediately south of Reykjavík and is part of the Capital Region. The name literally means seal pup inlet. The town seal contains the profile of the churchRead more
Kópavogskirkja with a seal pup underneath.
Kópavogur is largely made up of residential areas, but has commercial areas and much industrial activity as well. The tallest building in Iceland, the Smáratorg Tower, is located in central Kópavogur.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Kópavogur?
Within an hour or so of Kópavogur: Hallgrímskirkja (3 km), Northern Lights: Reykjavik (4 km), Ring Road Iceland (4 km), Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur (4 km).
Are there any good drives near Kópavogur?
The nearest famous roads are Ring Road Iceland, Golden Circle Route and Golden Circle, Iceland.
Where is Kópavogur?
Kópavogur is in Capital Region, Iceland, about 5 km from Hafnarfjörður.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 37,959
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Iceland
- Region
- Capital Region
- Timezone
- Atlantic/Reykjavik
- Coordinates
- 64.1123, -21.9130
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Iceland
F-roads (mountain roads) require 4x4 and are closed much of the year. Safetravel.is for conditions.
Full driving guide for IcelandTags
Worth the detour from Kópavogur
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Northern Lights: Reykjavik
Iceland's capital offers accessible Northern Lights viewing from September to March, with tours departing nightly to dark-sky areas.
4 km · about 10 min drive
famous road
Ring Road Iceland
Iceland's Route 1 circles the entire island over 1,322 kilometers past volcanoes, glaciers, geysers, and black sand beaches.
4 km · about 10 min drive
restaurant
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
Reykjavík's harbourside hot-dog stand, family-run since 1937 and still serving lamb-based dogs 'with everything': crispy onions, remoulade and sweet mustard. Bill Clinton and virtually every Icelander have queued here.
4 km · about 10 min drive
tunnel
Hvalfjörður Tunnel
A 5.7 km road tunnel diving 165 m below sea level under Hvalfjörður on Iceland's Ring Road, saving an hour over the old fjord loop. The country's first subsea tunnel, opened in 1998 and now toll-free.
22 km · about 25 min drive
natural wonder
Blue Lagoon
Iceland's most famous geothermal spa, a milky-blue pool of mineral-rich water set amid a black lava field near Keflavík airport.
37 km · about 40 min drive
national park
Thingvellir National Park
A UNESCO site where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates visibly drift apart, and the site of Iceland's ancient parliament.
41 km · about 50 min drive
film location
Thingvellir National Park (Arryn and the Bloody Gate)
The rift valley of Almannagja was the pass to the Eyrie and appears in the Hound and Arya's journey through the Riverlands.
41 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Kópavogur
- Right hereRing Road IcelandIceland's Route 1 circles the entire island over 1,322 kilometers past volcanoes, glaciers, geysers, and black sand beaches.
- 22 kmHvalfjörður TunnelA 5.7 km road tunnel diving 165 m below sea level under Hvalfjörður on Iceland's Ring Road, saving an hour over the old fjord loop. The country's first subsea tunnel, opened in 1998 and now toll-free.
- 58 kmGolden Circle RouteIceland's most famous day-drive: a 300 km loop from Reykjavik linking Thingvellir's rift valley, the erupting Strokkur geyser and the double cascade of Gullfoss, with hot-spring bakeries and craters en route.
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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