The quickest way to feel Iceland’s nighttime magic is by boat. This 2-hour Imagine Peace Tower tour pairs art, history, and sea views, all wrapped around a message from John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

What I like most is the small-group feel and the way the walk on Viðey Island turns the tower into more than a photo stop. You’ll get strong Reykjavik panoramas from the island too. The main tradeoff is simple: it’s outdoors, so wind and cold can be real, especially in winter.

Key moments worth it on this tour

• Viðey Island ferry ride from Reykjavík’s old harbor, about 20 minutes each way
• Imagine Peace Tower visit, with stops and a short guided walk toward the site
• Lighting schedule tied to Lennon’s dates and seasonal moments
• Reykjavík panoramic views from higher ground on the island
• Northern Lights chance while you’re outside, including from the water

Reykjavik at night, then out to Viðey Island

Reykjavík is easy to explore in layers, but the Imagine Peace Tower tour gives you a clean “switch” from city lights to dark sky. You meet at the Elding ticket office in the old harbor area, then swap your ticket and head to the boats. This matters because you are starting right where the sea air and harbor bustle set the mood.

Once you step onto the ferry, you are not wasting time. The ride to Viðey is about 20 minutes, and it’s long enough to settle in, look back at the city, and start thinking about what the island will feel like. On calm nights, this part can feel almost meditative. On rough nights, you’ll be glad the tour is built around staying outdoors together with a guide, instead of doing a solo scramble.

I also like that the tour has a theme you can actually follow. The guide explains the continuing campaign for world peace tied to Lennon and Ono, and the art is the anchor for everything you do next. You are not just ticking off a landmark.

The ferry ride and the guided walk toward the Tower

After the ferry docks on Viðey Island, you’ll join your live English guide for a guided walk. Expect a route with interesting stops along the way, not a straight line from boat to tower. That structure is worth it because Iceland outdoors is never “flat and easy.” The walk helps break up the time and keeps you oriented on what you’re seeing.

You’ll also do time at higher ground for viewing. Several departures include a walk up to a viewpoint, then returning down toward the tower itself. This is the practical way to enjoy both the Reykjavik skyline and the tower experience. Seeing the tower from a distance helps you grasp the simplicity of the installation. Seeing it closer is when it becomes more personal.

Small-group size is a big part of why this tour works. One review described an intimate group of 6, and another noted a group of 9 that felt like the island belonged to them for a while. Even if your group ends up larger, the pacing usually feels relaxed because the ferry and the island route are set up for a handful of people, not a big bus crowd.

Imagine Peace Tower, the lighting dates, and why weather changes everything

The highlight is the Imagine Peace Tower itself, and it only reaches full impact during specific lighting periods. Each year, it lights up from 9 October (John Lennon’s birthday) through 8 December (the day of his death). It also appears during other seasonal moments, including from the Winter Solstice to New Year for one stretch, and for about one week around the Spring Equinox, plus a few selected dates.

This schedule is useful when planning your Reykjavik trip. If you’re traveling outside those windows, you might still see the island and the tower site, but the lighting is what turns this into a night experience. If the tower is lit, the whole evening has a rhythm: you arrive, you walk toward it, and the installation is visible as something deliberate in the dark.

One of the most interesting details is how Icelandic weather becomes part of the effect. The tower’s brilliance and intensity shift with conditions, and the messaging behind it is meant to land emotionally, not just visually. Yoko Ono’s idea is that the tower should give encouragement and inspiration, with a sense of solidarity in a world that can feel full of fear and confusion.

When you picture that, it makes sense why the tour spends time outdoors. Indoors, the message could turn into a lecture. Outdoors, the light, mist, and sky do the work. If you’re lucky, you’ll also see the installation glow with Aurora activity above it, which is exactly the kind of “one night, one moment” you came to Iceland for.

Northern Lights: how your timing helps (and how to stay realistic)

No one should sell the Northern Lights like a guaranteed product. But this tour gives you a real shot because it keeps you outside during dark hours and keeps you near open sky views.

You might spot the aurora:

• from the water on the ferry
• while you’re on the island, with Reykjavik in view below

That matters because aurora hunting is half science and half patience. Wind, clouds, and moonlight can shut you down fast. What the tour does well is timing plus location. You’re not stuck inside a theater. You are moving through spots where the sky is visible, and your guide is there to help the group react quickly if conditions improve.

Warmth is not optional here. Several accounts mention harsh wind and cold, even with ice on night tours. This tour includes flashlights and crampons if needed, which is a solid safety touch when you’re walking outside on potentially slick surfaces. Still, it’s on you to bring warm layers and plan for a longer time outside than you’d expect for a “short” tour.

If the sky cooperates, you’ll likely remember the aurora moment more than the logistics of the walk. If the sky doesn’t cooperate, you still get a meaningful art and island experience, which is a good fallback plan.

Viðeyjarkirkja Church and Viðey house, why they matter

The island is more than a backdrop for one light. Several stops deepen the feeling of place.

The tour includes a visit to Viðeyjarkirkja Church, and it’s often described as one of the island’s memorable pieces, especially because it’s part of the quiet, winter island mood. You also get time at or near Viðey house. In at least some departures, this includes a warm-up break with hot chocolate and klenät, the Icelandic donut. That detail is practical as much as it is fun, because it helps you recover if the wind has been cutting.

Here’s the balance point: this isn’t a “food tour,” and your refreshments are not listed as included. But the island stops can still give you chances to warm up if the schedule allows it, and the presence of those breaks helps justify the walking time.

The church and house stops also make the tower visit feel less like a remote billboard and more like part of an island story. Even if you’re mostly there for the Lennon and Ono message, the extra context helps it land with more weight.

Price and value: is $134 for 2 hours fair?

At $134 per person for a 2-hour experience, this is not a budget add-on. But it’s also not paying for a long, complicated day. You’re paying for three things that are harder to find in Reykjavik than they look on paper:

1. Ferry transport to Viðey Island plus a guided island walk
2. A focused art experience that includes interpretation, timing, and access to the lit moment when it’s operating
3. A real chance at the Northern Lights from the water and island viewpoints

Because this tour is only two hours, you also need to think like a planner. If your time in Reykjavik is tight and you want a distinctly Iceland evening, this is one of the better ways to spend limited night hours. It’s also less of a “wander and hope” situation than self-guided options, because the guide keeps the group together and moves you through the evening in an efficient order.

That said, if you are traveling with limited tolerance for cold, or you expect purely city-style sightseeing, the price might feel steep for the amount of walking time. For me, the price makes sense when you treat this as an Iceland evening highlight rather than a quick stop.

Practical tips so you enjoy the cold instead of fighting it

The tour runs outdoors. Iceland weather does not care about your itinerary, so plan like the wind will show up.

Bring:

• Warm clothing (think layers, not just a heavy jacket)
• Comfortable shoes for walking on uneven, possibly icy surfaces

The tour also notes no luggage or large bags. That’s a key detail if you’re doing multi-day ring-trip travel and have a big backpack. You may need to travel light for this stop.

Included gear may help you cope:

• Flashlights and crampons if needed

If you are the type who gets cold fast, I’d treat this as a “gear check” before you leave your hotel. You want your hands and feet to stay functional so you can actually enjoy what you paid for: the tower, the sky, and the island feeling.

One more consideration: this tour is not suitable for wheelchair users, as noted in the activity details. The island route and walking surfaces are the likely reason.

Who this tour fits best

This is a good match if you want:

• a meaningful night activity in Reykjavik with a clear theme
• a small-group format and an island experience, not another long city bus ride
• a chance to see the Northern Lights while doing something you can still enjoy without aurora

It can also be a great “end of day” choice. Many people seem to schedule it like a finale because it turns the evening into a story: harbor to ferry to island to tower to sky.

If you’re traveling with kids, the walk might still work, but only if everyone handles cold and wind comfortably. If you’re someone who wants minimal outdoor time and no walking, you’ll probably feel more comfortable choosing a different kind of Reykjavík evening.

Should you book the Imagine Peace Tower tour?

Book it if the Imagine Peace Tower is lighting up during your dates and you want a night in Iceland that feels different from museums and viewpoints. I especially recommend it for the combination of art plus atmosphere, plus the realistic aurora chance from the ferry and island.

Skip or rethink it if you know you cannot handle cold wind, or if your mobility needs are not compatible with an outdoor, walking-based island tour. Also think twice if you expected a mostly indoor experience.

If you’re on the fence, here’s the quick decision rule: if you want one Reykjavik evening that includes sea views, a guided story, and a shot at the Northern Lights, this tour is a strong use of time.