Ísbúðin Valdís

Ísbúðin Valdís is an ice cream parlour on Grandagarður, the street that runs along the Grandi harbour area on the western side of Reykjavik's Old Harbour. Eating ice cream whatever the weather is a familiar Icelandic habit, and Valdís is a popular place to join in.

The shop offers a wide selection of flavours, and you can also order five-litre tubs to take away. For parties and events Valdís sells ice cream chests for 45 or 65 people and even has an ice cream van that can be booked. Orders for Saturday and Sunday must be placed by noon on the preceding Friday, and ice cream can also be delivered through Wolt.

Valdís keeps long hours: from 11:30 to 23:00 on weekdays and from 12:00 to 23:00 at weekends, so it works as an afternoon treat or an after-dinner stop. The bright summer evenings are a lovely time to walk along the harbour with an ice cream.

The shop suits families with children, couples on an evening stroll and anyone with a sweet tooth. Prices are modest by Reykjavik standards, which makes it one of the more affordable treats in the city.

There is no need to wait for a warm day: many Icelanders happily eat ice cream in winter coats, and a cone after dinner is a popular evening outing in every season. If you are visiting with a group or planning a party during your stay, the shop's takeaway tubs, chests and van offer more options than a usual ice cream parlour. Payment is by card, as almost everywhere in Iceland. Children usually love the visit, and the long opening hours make it easy to fit in after a family dinner. A walk along the harbour afterwards, with views across the water to Mount Esja on a clear day, is a pleasant way to finish the evening.

Grandagarður is about a 15-minute walk from the city centre along the harbour. The restaurants, shops and galleries of Grandi and the whale-watching boats of the Old Harbour are all nearby, and Kaffivagninn, Iceland's oldest restaurant, is on the same street, so it is easy to combine dinner by the harbour with dessert at Valdís.