One-Week Iceland Itinerary Based in Reykjavík & Vík (Including Snæfellsness & the South Coast)

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Doing a self-drive trip to Iceland for the first time? This one-week Iceland itinerary is the perfect intro to Iceland’s highlights with bases in Reykjavík and Vík.

I’m pretty sure when Bilbo Baggins said, “I’m going on an adventure!” he meant “I’m going to Iceland!” Every road we took and every sight we saw gave me the feels that I envision Bilbo having on his journey (minus battling all of Middle Earth’s evil, of course).

Iceland inspired me and at times, left me speechless. And after spending one week in this incredible country, I’m smitten. It is quite literally my new favorite place in the whole world.

Our one-week Iceland itinerary was essentially a highlights trip, seeing everything from Reykjavík to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and as much of the South Coast as we could manage with limited time (because yes, one week in Iceland is actually pretty limited!).

We based ourselves in Reykjavík for a few nights to get our bearings, enjoy the city’s food scene, and take a Snæfellsnes day trip. From there, we headed to Vík to explore the South Coast for a couple of days. It was action-packed, and we still didn’t get to see everything we wanted to. That’s what second trips are for though, right?

Why Reykjavík and Vík?

Aside from Reykjavík being an amazing little city to discover, it’s a good base for day trips to the Snæfellsness Peninsula and the Golden Circle. Choosing Reykjavík as a base for a few nights made it so we didn’t have to worry about staying in too many hotels.

I also included Vík because I wanted to explore the South Coast but didn’t want to stress about trying to do one long day trip. With limited daylight in autumn versus summer, seeing everything I wanted to in one day just wasn’t possible. And since we weren’t planning to do a full Ring Road trip this time, it just made sense to choose a base closer to the South Coast sights.

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Who This Itinerary is Best For

• First-time visitors to Iceland
• Those traveling in the summer or fall (with at least 8-10 hours of daylight)
• Travelers with limited time to visit Iceland (and want to explore Reykjavík, the Golden Circle, Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and the South Coast)
• Active travelers (but not necessarily avid hikers)
• Nature lovers who also love to eat!
• Travelers with a car

Our Travel Details

Accommodations in Iceland

For this trip to Iceland, we stayed three nights in Reykjavík, two nights in Vík, and one final night back in Reykjavík (at the same hotel) for a total of six nights and seven(ish) days.

Where we stayed in Reykjavík

• Hotel: Canopy by Hilton Reykjavík City Centre
• Pros:
  • Parking garage across the street (overnight costs range from $20 USD – $30 USD)
  • Onsite restaurant & bar (with happy hour specials)
  • Complimentary wine tasting hour nightly
  • Very central location – walking distance to many bars, restaurants, and shops on Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur (the Rainbow Street)
• Cons: Small rooms that run very warm

Being our first time in Reykjavík, I wanted to stay in a nice hotel with a central location so we could easily walk to everything in the city. Reykjavík is very compact so this is actually pretty easy to do!

What swayed me the most, however, was the conveniently-located parking garage just across the street from The Canopy. Since we rented a car, easy parking was a priority (more on that below).

Canopy Hotel & Room Overview

At check-in, we were greeted warmly and given our first Icelandic candies – Pristur chocolates with licorice! Icelanders love their licorice and while I’m not a huge fan, this one was actually pretty good.

Props to a hotel for including a welcome gift, even if it is just a candy bar. I love these little details!

The Canopy Reykjavík has a sleek, fun, and modern design in the lobby, common areas, and the rooms themselves. Basic rooms are a little on the smaller side (we had a King Room), but you aren’t spending much time in them anyway.

One con is the lack of air conditioning (as is the case with most hotels in Iceland). The rooms do get quite warm at The Canopy, even in colder months. Thankfully, there is a small window that can be cracked open for some fresh air and the hotel does provide fans in the rooms, which definitely helped a bit.

In our rooms, we also had amenities like a TV, coffee maker, refillable water bottle, and mini fridge. Our private bathroom was small but equipped with a hair dryer and walk-in shower with shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

There was also a nice-sized closet near the door for hanging things (perfect to dry out raincoats), and I was able to fit two carry-on suitcases side by side while open (clamshell style) so they didn’t take up floorspace in our room.

Overall, we found our rooms to be comfortable for a total stay of four nights.

Hotel Parking

Parking was the biggest priority for us when staying in Reykjavík. Hotels with included parking are rare in the downtown area, but the Canopy by Hilton is right across the street from the Traðarkot parking garage. Utilizing the parking garage meant we didn’t have to stress about finding street parking!

This parking garage is pretty tight! Smaller cars are ideal but we managed fine with our larger Land Cruiser (my husband is a pro). We parked mostly in the end spaces by the stairwell doors for more room (where no cars park to your right).

Parking here is 260 ISK for the first hour and then 130 ISK every hour thereafter. We never paid more than $30 USD per night. You’ll want to register your car in the Easy Park app before pulling into the garage to pay (electronic scanners register your license plate upon entry and exit to keep track).

Book the Canopy Reykjavík via Hotels.com, Booking.com, Expedia.com or direct with Hilton

Where we stayed in Vík

In order to get in a better location to explore Iceland’s South Coast, we based ourselves in the little village of Vík for two nights, settling on Hotel Kría.

Options in Vík are more limited as this is a small town, which means you’ll likely be paying premium prices here too – especially in high season. Be sure to book early!

• Hotel: Hotel Kría
• Pros:
  • Daily continental breakfast included
  • Onsite restaurant/bar (great happy hour too)
  • Plenty of free parking
  • Northern Lights wakeup call
• Cons:
  • A bit on the pricey side for what you get in terms of room quality (after taxes and fees, we paid $303.38 per night for a queen mountain view room in October).

The rooms at Hotel Kría are relatively basic, so much so that I wasn’t impressed enough to take a picture. Rooms and bathrooms are also on the smaller side and they do run warm, much like our hotel in Reykjavík. We just opened up our patio door to let the cool air in.

Pro tip: Speaking of the patio, the best part of this hotel are its mountain-view rooms. I recommend paying a little extra for the views. This is absolutely the most beautiful sight to open your door to!

The hotel’s location wasn’t quite as central as some other accommodations in Vík; however, being such a small town, we could still easily walk to restaurants in the evening for dinner after knocking back a few drinks at happy hour.

Breakfast is Included

Hotel Kría has a buffet breakfast included for all guests, which is great for morning fuel before a day of exploring. Restaurants will be fewer along this stretch of the coast!

Breakfast buffet options include American-style items like bacon, eggs, and toast, along with cold cuts, cereals, Icelandic skyr, and juice/coffee/tea. It’s not fancy, but it’s good enough.

The hotel also does have a full-service restaurant for dinner serving Icelandic specialties with beautiful mountain views. We only ate here for breakfast, but the restaurant does have good reviews!

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Our Iceland Car Rental Experience

I went back and forth on two separate itineraries – one where we rented a car and drove, and another based in Reykjavík with day trips. After some thought, my husband felt ambitious enough to drive so that was our choice! Having our own car gave us so much flexibility with our itinerary and I’m glad we decided to go for it.

We settled on renting with Zero Car after I did entirely too much research and price analysis. Zero Car is a sister company of Blue Car, one of the most reputable car rental agencies in Iceland. Zero Car gets Blue Car’s older car models, which are rented at a lower price point but include full insurance and 24/7 roadside assistance.

We reserved a Toyota Rav4 and ended up with an upgraded Toyota Land Cruiser 150 at check-in. Score!

Check-in at Zero Car was seamless with a contactless key box area in the Blue Car entrance. We checked in online ahead of our car pickup and received a key box code via email. It was easy peasy!

Blue Car/Zero Car are both located across the parking lot and not in the terminal at Keflavik Airport – about a five-minute walk. Shared shuttles are available for inclement weather or if you have a lot of luggage that you don’t feel like dragging through the parking lot.

We loved our Land Cruiser and were so glad that we decided on renting a car for our first trip to Iceland. It gave us so much freedom to do what we wanted! We got incredibly lucky with mostly good weather and thankfully had no crazy incidents. I’d 100% rent a car here again.

Coming soon: General Iceland Travel Tips for more on rental cars and driving in Iceland.

One-Week Iceland Itinerary Summary

We packed a lot in our short one week in Iceland. This country has SO much beauty to see! I made a list of must-sees and then narrowed the list down even further to make sure we weren’t rushing our time at each destination. Here’s what I came up with:

• Travel Day: Overnight flight from San Francisco to Seattle and onto Keflavík
• Day 1: A.M. arrival to Iceland, Blue Lagoon, and Reykjavík wandering
• Day 2: Diving into Reykjavík’s food & drink scene, including a food tour
• Day 3: Day trip to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula & evening Northern Lights Tour
• Day 4: Reykjavík to Selfoss (including Skyrland), South Coast waterfall exploring, arrival to Vík, and evening Lava Show
• Day 5: South Coast exploration to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon (including Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Eldhraun Lava Field, and Diamond Beach), sunset in Vík
• Day 6: Golden Circle, tomato farm lunch & last evening in Reykjavík
• Day 7: Reykjavík souvenir shopping, lunch, and time to head home!

Travel Day Recap with Icelandair

We flew from SFO on Alaska Air up to Seattle where we met up with our friends who’d be our travel companions for the week. From Seattle, we boarded Icelandair’s A321LR called Ásbyrgi (all of their fleet are named after Icelandic landmarks!) for our roughly 7-hour flight to Iceland.

We paid extra for the extra legroom seats, opting to sit in the bulkhead of economy. Not gonna lie, these flights were pretty pricey for an economy seat but Business Class (called Saga Premium) was out of reach. Saga Premium is basically a domestic US-style first class with no lay flat seats but if you can afford it, comfort may be worth the upgrade.

We had plenty of legroom in our seats, although there was no under-seat space for the middle seat (aka me). For a 7-hour flight, I was generally comfortable in my seat but barely got a wink of sleep.

Is it hot on Icelandair?

One topic a lot of travelers discuss in forums is the temperature on Icelandair’s planes. I can confirm, it’s quite warm especially when boarding; however, the temperature does mellow out a bit during the flight.

Dressing in layers is best for these flights so you can feel comfortable with the temperatures on the plane or bring a small portable fan if you overheat easily. I had a short-sleeved t-shirt on to feel maximum coolness and my fleece was on standby in case I got cold.

Meals on Icelandair

Meals are not included on Icelandair flights so you’ll likely want to eat before you board at the airport. If you do want to eat on the plane, there is a limited selection of food and snacks to purchase; however, I would consider ordering your food ahead of time online for better options (not recommended: the ham & cheese baguette).

Day 1: Arrival & The Blue Lagoon

We arrived to Iceland in the morning on our first full day, picked up our rental car, and made our way to get our first taste of Icelandic pastries.

Before heading to Reykjavík, we stopped for a soak in the Blue Lagoon and spent the late afternoon wandering around downtown Reykjavík, ending with a nice dinner at Fish Company.

Day 1 Highlights

• Arrival to Iceland & rental car pickup at Zero Car
• Pastries at Kökulist Bakery
• Blue Lagoon
• Hotel Check-In
• Happy hour at Bastard Brew
• Reykjavík landmark & mural sightseeing
• Dinner at Fish Company

Arrival to Iceland & Rental Car Pickup

Our flight arrived at Keflavík Airport around 9:30 a.m. and we breezed through customs within minutes!

From there, we headed to the Duty Free shop to pick up a bottle of somethin’ for the week. Alcohol is pretty expensive in Iceland, so it can’t hurt to grab something to sip on in your hotel room.

You can’t miss the giant Duty Free shop exiting the airport as you literally have to walk right through it to get out.

We settled on a bottle of Brennivín Rúgbrauð Edition as a nod to Icelandic culture. Brennivín is a signature Icelandic spirit – an aquavit made from caraway, and rúgbrauð is Icelandic rye bread. This edition of the spirit is both earthy and sweet and quite an interesting marrying of two iconic Icelandic staples!

Aside from Icelandic spirits, you can find every other alcohol imaginable here. Do keep in mind that there is a limit to what you can buy, i.e. six “units” per person, which you can calculate ahead of time online to see how much your max will be.

Make sure you hold onto your boarding pass as this will be needed to check out here.

Car Rental Pickup

Once out of Duty Free, we hoofed it across the parking lot to get to our car rental with Zero Car. As I mentioned above, our whole experience with Zero Car was quite seamless. Picking up our car took mere minutes, and I immediately fell in love with our upgraded Toyota Land Cruiser.

Pastries at Kökulist Bakery

After an overnight flight, we were starving so we headed over to the popular Kökulist Bakery to get something to eat to hold us over. Kökulist has two locations, but the one in Njarðvík is closest to the KEF airport.

We got a savory and sweet pastry to try, though I wished we had actually gotten a little bit more to eat! We were off to the Blue Lagoon next so I was trying to look my swimsuit best by not overeating. In hindsight, the extra calories were needed.

I recommend filling up before spending a few hours at the Lagoon (unless you plan to eat at the onsite cafe there).

Blue Lagoon

Our big activity for this day was a visit to the Blue Lagoon – a bucket list lagoon experience for most travelers to Iceland! We took the advice of other travelers to do this after landing since it’s located relatively close to the airport.

I found the experience to be both refreshing and relaxing, and helped us wake up after feeling like zombies from our overnight flight.

We booked the basic Comfort package which at the time, came with any drink of choice – alcoholic or not (beer, wine, and a few non-alcoholic options) from one of the in-water bars. I went with a sparkling wine and my husband got a cider.

Since we visited, the Blue Lagoon has restricted drink choices in the Comfort package to only non-alcoholic options, which is a shame because entry here is not cheap!

The Comfort ticket also included one mud mask, which I took advantage of embrace the full experience.

Did I love it? I thought it was pretty cool! My travel mates thought it was a little meh and touristy (a great debate amongst other travelers as well). I definitely think it’s something that’s just so unique and worth doing at least once.

Blue Lagoon Tips

Hotel Check-In

From the Blue Lagoon, we drove to Reykjavík and checked into our hotel – The Canopy Reykjavík by Hilton, which I detailed in the accommodations section above.

I felt like I still needed an extra shower even after showering at the Blue Lagoon, so we freshened up before heading out to explore the city.

Happy Hour at Bastard Brew

I love the bar scene in Reykjavík – it’s full of so many lively and unique spots! Reykjavík bars also have a really great happy hour selection, which you should definitely take advantage of with the costs of alcohol in this country.

We ventured over to Bastard Brew for some happy hour beers (which all tasted great) and delicious soft pretzels with warm jalapeno cheese that’s worth coming to Bastard alone for!

We would have eaten more here but didn’t want to spoil our nice dinner for that evening. If you want to hang here for a more budget-friendly dinner, they also serve burgers, tacos, and flatbreads – all the tasty things you’d expect from a brewpub.

Reykjavík Landmark & Mural Spotting

To keep ourselves awake, we walked around the city for some landmark spotting. First up, we wandered along Skólavörðustígur (the famous rainbow street) admiring all the little shops and cafes.

We ended up at Hallgrímskirkja, the city’s iconic church that dominates its skyline. This church is so neat and its design is a tribute to Iceland’s geography, from ice-capped mountains to its volcanic basalt columns.

Reykjavík Cats

Reykjavík also has some incredible murals, especially ones with cats! There is actually a major cat vibe going on in this city, from all the beautiful murals to actual cats snoozing away in several shops and cafes. These fur balls are pretty much local celebrities!

If you’re extra into cats, you can take a cat-themed walking tour around the city to discover cat-themed landmarks, learn about Iceland’s cat folklore, and, of course, find all the live kitties available for petting.

The Sun Voyager

Our little self-guided walking tour of Reykjavík ended at the Sun Voyager sculpture down by the water before making our way to dinner.

Dinner at Fish Company (Fiskfélagið)

Our first dinner in Reykjavík set the tone for the food landscape of Iceland. It was one of the more expensive meals we had, but also one of the best! Each dish was beautifully-presented and delivered on flavor.

The menu here is very seafood oriented (hence the restaurant name), but they do also have dishes like reindeer carpaccio, leg of lamb, beef tenderloin, and a few vegetarian options to satisfy all kinds of diet preferences.

Day 2: The Reykjavík Food Scene

Being the foodies that we are, day two in Iceland was focused entirely on the food scene in Reykjavík. We kicked off the day with a food tour around the city and ate the most delicious (and interesting) dishes.

After our food tour, we enjoyed a leisurely afternoon to let our food settle before heading out again for some bar hopping and happy hour hunting, finishing our night at Pósthús Food Hall for dinner.

Day 2 Highlights

• Reykjavík Food Walk food tour
• Happy Hour hunting
• Pósthús Food Hall for dinner

Reykjavík Food Walk

One thing I always make a priority is getting to know a destination’s food scene intimately. A lot of people might be thinking, Iceland can’t possibly have a great food scene can it? It’s all about the scenery? While Iceland’s scenery is incredible, so is its food (and it’s much more than those famous hot dogs!).

As a pro foodie, I often DIY my own food tours. But we had brought friends on this trip and I thought it would be great for all of us to not only learn a little bit about Iceland and its culture, but also have the advice from a local on the best foods to try.

I also love that portion sizes on food tours are tailored to be sample-sized so you can try a lot more in a small period of time!

Food Tour Highlights

We booked the 11:00 a.m. food tour with Wake Up Reykjavík, which allowed us some time to sleep in and adjust to our new time zone a little bit. Our group met up at the Harpa Concert Hall and traveled around a rainy Reykjavík.

This was one of the best and most entertaining food tours we’ve done! It was a rainy day so we didn’t see too much of the city, but it was a fantastic intro to Icelandic cuisine and the Iceland restaurant scene.

Check out my full review on our Reykjavík Food Tour and book your own tour!

Happy Hour Hunting

After a little rest at our hotel to let our food tour food digest, we headed back out on the town to see more of Reykjavík and check out some more bars for happy hour.

Happy Hour Highlights:

• Trying my very first White Russian at Lebowski Bar – a Big Lebowski-themed bar (that also serves food if you want a snack). If you’ve never seen that movie, I highly recommend it!
• Visiting BrewDog Reykjavík before they closed permanently, snacking on wings, buffalo cauliflower, and sticky toffee pudding. RIP BrewDog.
• Tasty whiskey sours and espresso martinis at Veður.

Dinner at Pósthús Food Hall

Recommended by our food tour guide Ben, we decided to check out Pósthús Food Hall, which has a great variety of international cuisines. Iceland has some great food halls in general, which are perfect if you’re traveling in a group or just want to try a bunch of different dishes.

Our choices from Pósthús: bulgogi bao buns from Fuku Mama and a lamb birria burrito from Super Burrito. My favorite was definitely the burrito, incorporating a beloved Icelandic meat (lamb) with one of my favorite foods (burritos!). It was so unique.

And I can now say I’ve had burritos in Ireland, Spain, and Iceland!

For drinks at the food hall, head to Drykk Bar. We had a tall cider to pair with our dinner.

And with that our amazing food & drink day in Reykjavík came to a close!

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Itinerary Modifications

If you’re looking to supplement something else in between the food tour and dinner, this would be a great time to try Sky Lagoon (just 15 minutes outside of Reykjavík), swim in some of the local city pools, or check out the Perlan Museum. These are all things on my bucket list for a return trip to Iceland!

Day 3: Snæfellsnes Peninsula & Northern Lights

Our third day in Iceland was all about exploring the Snæfellsnes Peninsula on a day trip, also known as “Iceland in Miniature.” This Peninsula really captures the essence of Iceland, from small seaside towns, volcanic cliffs, and lava fields to wildlife, waterfalls, and dramatic mountainous landscapes. It was gorgeous and thankfully the weather held up for us to make the trek!

Once back in Reykjavík for the evening, we had a quick dinner at Mat Bar (which is sadly now closed) before heading out to hunt for the Northern Lights on a group tour (spoiler: it was epic!).

Day 3 Highlights

• Breakfast in Bogarnes
• Snæfellsnes Peninsula Day Trip (self-drive)
• Lunch at Matarlist in Ólafsvík
• Dinner at Mat Bar in Reykjavík
• Northern Lights Tour

Breakfast in Bogarnes

On our way from Reykjavík to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, we stopped in the little town of Bogarnes at Blómasetrið, a cozy coffee house and cafe.

For breakfast, we had an Icelandic waffle (for my husband) and a ham and cheese bagel (for me). Icelandic waffles are much thinner than say a Belgian waffle, but are equally delicious. Ours was topped with a fluffy mound of cream, chocolate shavings, and chocolate sauce. A nice little treat to fuel the day!

Snæfellsnes Day Trip

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is 100% worth a day trip from Reykjavík! In fact, it’s actually worth dedicating at least two days to if you have time. Because we were limited to one day, I carefully planned out our route based on our available daylight (we visited in October and had just under 10 hours of daylight).

We left Reykjavík around 8:30 a.m. as the sun was rising and arrived back in the city just after 6:30 p.m. after the sun had set. If you’re visiting in summer, you’ll have much more daylight to play with, making it easier to hit a handful of more stops than we did.

As with many other places in Iceland, it can get very windy out here and the weather can change rapidly. When we arrived at Kirkjufell, it started flurrying with pretty strong winds! Be sure to check weather apps before you decide to head out.

Group Tour Alternatives

Before we decided on renting a car for this trip to Iceland, I did also consider a couple of group tours as an alternative. These tours are long but make it so all you need to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the beautiful scenery:

• Snaefellsnes Small Group Tour with Homemade Meal from Reykjavík
• From Reykjavík: Snaefellsnes & Kirkjufell Small Group Day Tour

Our Snæfellsnes Itinerary

• 8:30 a.m.: Depart from Reykjavík
• 9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Breakfast in Bogarnes
• 10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.: Gerðuberg Cliffs
• 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Selvallafoss
• 12:35 p.m. – Grundarfoss viewpoint
• 12:45 p.m. Mt. Kirkjufell & Kirkjufellsfoss
• 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Lunch at Matarlist in Ólafsvík
• Drive around Snæfellsjökull (views from the car)
• 3:00 p.m.: Lóndrangar View Point
• 3:15 p.m.: Monument to the Bard of Snæfellsás
• 3:30 p.m.: Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge
• 4:00 p.m.: Búðakirkja (the Búðir Black Church)

Most tours seem to go in a clockwise direction, so I plotted our route counterclockwise to try and avoid some of the large groups at the same stops as us.

Parking & Toilets

• Kirkjufell: 1,200 ISK plus a 180 ISK transaction fee via the EasyPark app
• All other stops on our itinerary had free parking
• None of the scenic stops we did had bathrooms so take advantage of restaurants and gas stations for bathroom breaks

Day Trip Modifications

If you are traveling in the summer versus autumn like us, you can spend more time on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and arrive later back to Reykjavík. Since Northern Lights aren’t visible in the summer (which we did this same evening), maximize the daylight on your day trip.

We really enjoyed our Snæfellsness day trip and found the crowds to be very minimal compared to other spots we visited in Iceland!

Dinner in Reykjavík

Once we were back in Reykjavík, we had just enough time to make it to dinner at the restaurant next to our hotel – Mat Bar (sadly, now closed). We scarfed down some brie Wellington, chicken wings covered in herbs, and crispy shrimp spring rolls.

Alternative dinner options on my list: Le Kock and Skal

Northern Lights Tour

Seeing the Northern Lights is on many Iceland travelers’ bucket lists. In fact, it was one of the main reasons why I booked our trip!

Now, I know that seeing the Northern Lights is absolutely not guaranteed, which is why Iceland is the perfect destination. If you miss them, you’ll still get to see and experience some incredible things!

We trusted the experts and booked a tour out of Reykjavík. Even though we had a car, I didn’t feel comfortable traipsing around outside the city at night with no idea where to go. Local tour operators communicate with each other so everyone is in the know – you are quite literally chasing them.

The tour we booked included professional photos, and thank god because this is one of my favorite photos from our trip! Photographing the lights can be very challenging if you don’t know what you’re doing. I didn’t practice and it shows – my green and blue blurs are mesmerizing (eye roll).

It also didn’t help that we had really high winds that night and it was already 17° F without the windchill. Trying to photograph anything in that wind was nuts! I had to take my gloves off to try and hold my phone steady and my fingers felt like they were going to fall off. Thankfully, we had hot cocoa and kleinur waiting for us on the bus, which was very welcomed to warm us up.

We spent a few hours chasing the lights that thankfully showed up the first night we went out. I highly recommend booking a Northern Lights Tour early on in your trip since you can typically rebook to another night for free if you don’t see any lights.

Northern Lights Tour Tips

These tours can be pretty expensive (like most things in Iceland) but to me, it was money well spent.

Day 4: South Coast Waterfalls

In my humble opinion, the South Coast is a non-negotiable for your first time to Iceland. This is where the landscape gets wild, from incredible waterfalls to mossy-covered lava fields, amazing canyons, black sand beaches, glaciers, and the most beautiful glacier lagoon.

Our fourth day in Iceland was focused on making our way from Reykjavík to Selfoss, where we stopped for lunch and visited Skyrland, and then onto some of the South Coast’s most famous waterfalls – Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss.

We ended our day checking into our hotel in Vík where we had happy hour before an evening Lava Show and dinner.

Day Tour Considerations

You can take a day trip from Reykjavík (either via self-drive or a group tour), but expect a long 14+ hour day with only a few highlights to see. The South Coast is worth multiple days – even more than the two we spent here!

Day 4 Highlights

• Brauð & Co. Cinnamon Rolls
• Skyrland & Selfoss Food Hall
• Seljalandsfoss & Skogafoss
• Vík hotel check-in & happy hour
• Lava Show
• Dinner at The Soup Company

Brauð & Co.

Before we set off from Reykjavík, it was time for the most magical cinnamon rolls of all time from Brauð & Co. I promise I am not exaggerating when I say they are best that I’ve tried – in the whole wide world. I dream about flying back here and eating them daily!

My favorite was the original, but we also got the vanilla roll and a slice of vinarbrauð – all incredible.

Skyrland & Selfoss Food Hall

Bellies full of pastry, we hit the road and made our first stop in Selfoss to visit Skyrland, located in the Old Dairy Food Hall in Selfoss, to learn about the delicious Icelandic yogurt called skyr. Being a foodie, I like to gather as much knowledge as I can about the local cuisine!

This exhibit was pretty well done, showcasing the history and evolution of skyr. Our self-guided exhibit tour ended with a tasting of Isey skyr – a brand I haven’t tried before!

Lunch at the Old Dairy Food Hall

After Skyrland, we headed back upstairs to the food hall. I was on a mission for one thing: plokksfiskur from Samuelsson Mat Bar.

Plokkfiskur is an Icelandic dish of white fish, potatoes, onion, butter, flour and milk – often referred to as a stew but it’s thick like a casserole. Each version I’ve had also comes topped with melted cheese and a side of Icelandic rye bread (rúgbrauð). It’s so hearty and comforting, especially when it’s cold outside!

We also got tacos from TAKKÓ and our friends grabbed burgers from Röstí Burger & Beer. Everything was really good and I think this is a great stop on the way to the South Coast.

• Skyrland tickets: 1,990 ISK per person (roughly $15 USD)
• Parking: 515 ISK per vehicle via the Parka App (including the transaction fee)
• Bathrooms: Yes – indoor facilities

Seljalandsfoss

From Selfoss, we made our way to Seljalandsfoss – one of the most popular waterfall stops along the coast. There will likely be crowds of people here as this is a tour bus stop, so be comfortable with sharing the space (unless you come super early before the buses get here).

Crowds aside, this was such a great stop namely because this is a waterfall you can walk behind!

We visited in October when it was pretty cold, so the mist from the waterfall had frozen much of the path and steps leading behind the waterfall. Was the path a little sketchy? Absolutely. I didn’t have the right shoes for walking on ice so I took baby steps and was grateful for my gloves to grip the icy handrails at the steps.

Microspikes are probably a good idea if visiting the waterfall at this time of year. I don’t know how more people didn’t slip and fall! I’m happy to report I made it unscathed (at least at this spot).

Once behind the waterfall, the sketchy path made it all worth it. It’s just so cool to stand behind a waterfall! You’ll definitely want head-to-toe waterproof gear for this adventure as you will get wet.

• Parking: 1,000 ISK via Checkit.IS (QR code available to scan onsite)
• Bathrooms: Yes

Is Nearby Gljúfrabúi Worth It?

After Seljalandsfoss, we walked over to see if we could get into Gljúfrabúi, which is a waterfall hidden behind a small canyon.

Unfortunately, there was a line and a large tour group was taking way too long inside (another reason to get here earlier before the tours). We waited for a bit but just did not have the time in our schedule and ended up leaving. Too bad because it looks absolutely awesome! Next trip for sure.

And it was here waiting in line where I slipped and fell on my butt…

An alternative stop I had on my list for today was Kvernufoss near Skogafoss, but you need at least 45 minutes to 1 hour there and we had spent too much time trying to get into Gljúfrabúi to no avail.

And that brings me to one tip that is really important with Iceland travel: you must leave yourself more time than you think you’ll need at a stop. Some places are going to demand more of your time (rightfully so) to walk around and admire things from all angles. Don’t overpack your itinerary.

The Great Skogafoss

Any Game of Thrones or Eurovision fans here? Me too! These both have scenes filmed at Skogafoss so, of course, we had to visit. This waterfall is massive and you can get pretty close to it for photos.

The cherry on top at this stop, however, ended up being the Icelandic sheep which were roaming in a field nearby. I love animals, so naturally my Iceland bucket list included seeing a sheep up close. They are so fluffy and this was the perfect spot for me to observe them at a safe distance!

• Parking: 1,000 ISK plus an 86 ISK transaction fee via the Parka app
• Bathrooms: None

Hotel Kría Check-In

After our waterfall adventures, it was time to check into Hotel Kría where we would be basing ourselves for the next two nights. We took advantage of the bar’s happy hour deals before walking over to the Lava Show.

Just across the street from Hotel Kría is an Orkan gas station that we used to fill up at, and a Kronan nearby for road trip snacks. For alcohol, check out Vínbúðin. We stopped in here and grabbed a pack of Einstock!

Lava Show in Vík

Our evening activity was attending the Lava Show in Vík, which is the show’s original location (there is also one in Reykjavík). I felt it was more fitting to do the Lava Show in Vík versus Reykjavík as Vík has such an awesome volcanic landscape with its black sand beaches and sits at the base of the Katla volcano.

I was on the fence as to whether it would be worth the cost, but we found the Lava Show to be very interesting and educational.

They also have a live demonstration with molten lava where everyone can observe its effects ranging from feeling extreme heat (you have to wear safety glasses) to how lava behaves when it cools. It’s definitely a very informative show capturing a big part of Iceland’s essence!

Dinner at The Soup Company

Our dinner choice for tonight was a no brainer – The Soup Company is located in the same space as the Lava Show. This highly-rated soup shop was a great spot to end our night and had us rolling out of there after filling up on several bowls of hot soup.

Each person who orders a bowl gets a free refill and it doesn’t necessarily have to be the same soup for your seconds.

My favorite was the Red Hot Lava, which was essentially a beef chili. Get this one in a black bread bowl to mimic a volcano! The bread is actually really good (it tasted like sourdough), and is made with activated charcoal to give it a black color to represent the area’s black volcanic landscape.

The Icelandic lamb soup was also really delicious and well-seasoned, and you can get beer and wine here to go along with your meal.

Day 5: South Coast Canyons & Jökulsárlón

This was undoubtedly my favorite day of our entire week in Iceland! From Vík, we made the scenic drive out to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, stopping at a mossy-covered lava field, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, and Fossalar waterfall. All along this drive, the landscape changes from lava rock and sand to massive cliffs and incredible glaciers. It will leave you in awe!

After the lagoon and Diamond Beach, we made the drive back to Vík in time to catch the sunset at Víkurfjara Black Sand Beach and up to Vík i Myrdal church for views over the village.

Dinner tonight was at Black Crust Pizza Co. for beers and pizzas with their infamous black crust.

Day 5 Highlights

• Breakfast at Hotel Kría
• Eldhraun Lava Field
• Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
• Fossálar Waterfall
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon & Diamond Beach
• Sunset at Víkurfjara Black Sand Beach
• Vík i Myrdal Church
• Black Crust Pizza Company for dinner

Breakfast at Hotel Kría

Before heading out on our adventures for today, we took advantage of the included breakfast at our hotel. The views from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the dining room when the weather is good are so beautiful!

We did also stop at Orkan to gas up, as well as Kronan to stock up on some Icelandic road trip snacks! It’s always so fun to try local specialties. In addition to snacks, they also have sandwiches and other ingredients to make lunch (though we had plans to eat at the food trucks at Jökulsárlón later that day).

Eldhraun Lava Field Viewpoint

On our drive, a vast mossy-covered lava field appeared and we just had to stop and take some photos. Eldhraun Lava Field is actually the largest lava flow in the world, stemming from an extreme, catastrophic eruption in the 1700s.

Today, this calming landscape provides such an interesting contrast to the dramatic cliffs and waterfalls of Iceland. It’s muted, but so beautiful carpeted in moss as far as the eye can see.

During drier months, the moss is the dull blue/gray color you see in my photos (this is was in October) and just made it feel other-worldly. In contrast, summer months turn the moss a vibrant green color as glacier melt provides more moisture to the field.

The moss at Eldhraun is mostly woolly fringe moss and can be up to 40 cm to 60 cm at its thickest! This moss is extremely fragile and very protected by Icelanders. Always take care to stay on paths and not step on the moss as it can take decades to recover.

Use “Eldhraun Lava Field parking” on Google Maps to get here. Parking is free.

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

Onto one of my most favorite spots we visited in Iceland – Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon! While its name is a mouthful, this canyon is simply stunning and should not be missed. I recommend dedicating up to two hours here.

There’s an easy hiking path you can walk up from the lower parking lot to some of the higher viewpoints. I do recommend taking various breaks on the walk up as it is a little steep and it can tire you out quickly (especially if you’re relatively out of shape life myself). It is incredible at all angles anyway, so frequent photo stops are necessary.

There is a lot of moss in the canyon here, much like the lava field we stopped at earlier. Take care to stay on marked paths and do not step on the moss.

• Parking: 1,000 ISK (plus an 86 ISK transaction fee) via Parka App for the lower lot
• Bathrooms: Yes

If you don’t want to spend too much time “hiking” the path up, there is a small upper lot with free parking. Just look for “Fjaðrárgljúfur Parking TOP” on Google Maps.

Fossálar Waterfall

This waterfall is right off the main road so it’s an easy stop either going out or coming back. And while it’s not an epic towering waterfall, it’s beautiful nonetheless. If you’re interested in photography, this would be a good one to do a long exposure shot at.

Parking: Free

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon & Diamond Beach

Finally, we made it out to one of the most scenic places in Iceland – Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon!

I had originally booked a zodiac tour on the lagoon, but there were high wind warnings the day prior and our tour was cancelled. The wind on the day we visited turned out to not be too bad, but I understand the precautions. They did end up running the larger amphibian boat tours later in the day but we decided to skip it at that point.

Another pro tip for Iceland: be flexible with your plans – mostly due in part to Iceland unpredictable weather. Always have a backup plan!

This lagoon sits at the base of the Vatnajökull ice cap, where chunks of the smaller Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier calve and float around in the lagoon. These icebergs float out to sea and eventually wash back up on the beach, creating the “Diamond Beach” phenomenon.

Seeing a place like this is hard to put into words and I truly felt so privileged to be able to see it with my own eyes.

Lunch at the Lagoon

For lunch, we ate at the Heimahumar food truck at the lagoon. There are a few food trucks here that operate seasonally (mostly during summer and autumn), with less operational frequency in the winter months. There is also a year-round cafe if the food trucks aren’t operational, so you can pretty much guarantee having a meal here at any time.

Meal options range from langoustine rolls and Icelandic hot dogs (which is what we got), to fish & chips, soups, and burgers.

• Parking: 1,040 ISK (plus an 86 ISK transaction fee if paying via the Parka App) (the parking fee is good for both Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach across the road)
• Toilets: Yes
• Food: Multiple food trucks and a cafe on site at Jökulsárlón

Diamond Beach

Once we were done at the lagoon, we headed over to check out Diamond Beach to see the icebergs glistening on the black sand beaches. Like many things in Iceland, Diamond Beach is just so unique!

“Diamond Beach” is a nickname and its actual name is Breiðamerkursandur – also often referred to as Fellsfjara. I know Icelandic names can be difficult to pronounce, but I do think it’s good to learn the real names of some of these important sights.

There are essentially two sides of Diamond Beach at the channel outlet, and the concentrations of “diamonds” will be different on each side based on the time of year. When we visited in October, the west side of the beach had more to look at, so we moved our car over to the lot on that side of the channel.

Again, the parking fee for Jökulsárlón covers both lots at Diamond Beach.

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There are still many more things I’d like to do and see on the South Coast heading east! I’d love to base ourselves closer to the Jökulsárlón area for glacier walks, an ice cave tour, Stokksnes, and the Múlagljúfur Canyon hike. So much beauty to see, so little time!

Sunset Back in Vík

From Jökulsárlón, we drove straight back to Vík and arrived just in time to see the sun setting behind the Reynisdrangar rock formation. We drove down to Víkurfjara Black Sand Beach for some better photos and lingered a bit to watch a horseback tour trot down along the sand.

We also drove up to Vík i Myrdal Church to get a higher view overlooking the village. Everything in Iceland is just so scenic! In the summer, this church is surrounded by purple lupines.

Dinner at Black Crust Pizza

For dinner, we visited a popular spot in Vík – Black Crust Pizza, famous for its pizza crust made with activated charcoal to give it a literal black crust. Like The Soup Company’s bread bowls, this crust is a visual tribute to the area’s volcanic landscape and black sand beaches.

Not only does the pizza look cool, it tastes pretty good too! My favorite was the pepperoni but I thought the spicy tuna pizza was pretty interesting too. We also had some Icelandic Borg beers and locally-made Arctic Macarons for dessert.

After a long day of sightseeing, this was a great finale to our South Coast adventures.

Day 6: The Golden Circle

Our final adventure in Iceland took us to the Golden Circle – the most popular day trip route for visitors. This area was definitely the most crowded during our week in Iceland!

From the South Coast, I mapped out a route to see as many of the highlights as we could on our return trip to Reykjavík. We had lunch at a tomato farm, watched an active geyser erupt, fed Icelandic horses, ate amazing ice cream at a dairy farm, and admired one of Iceland’s largest waterfalls – Gullfoss.

Once back in Reykjavík, we capped off our day with a multi-course menu at Forrettabarinn.

Day 6 Highlights & Schedule

Kerið Crater

Stop one on our Golden Circle route was at Kerið Crater, a crater lake formed by the collapse of a cone volcano. It’s known for its beautiful, vivid blue colors which provide a striking visual contrast against the surrounding landscape.

Winter was also like – “Hi, hello…I am here,” and it started to lightly snow to welcome us to the Golden Circle. I actually loved seeing some white against the color of the water in the crater.

We spent around 30 minutes here walking the rim.

• Parking: Free (there are two parking lots here; parking in the main lot was packed – and spaces were a little tight and difficult to maneuver into, especially with a little bit of snow; make your way to the far lot to avoid the hassle if the first lot looks full)
• Entrance Fee: 700 ISK per person (even though parking is free, there is a per person entry fee that you pay at a kiosk)
• Bathrooms: Yes

Lunch at Friðheimar

Our lunch spot on the Golden Circle is probably the most popular choice for most visitors – Friðheimar Tomato Farm!

The tomatoes here are grown year-round in greenhouses (for protection from the elements of Iceland’s weather of course) and restaurant seating is scattered about the vines indoors. It may be a little touristy, but I though it was super cool and a really unique experience to eat lunch in a greenhouse sitting amongst tomato vines.

On the menu: Friðheimar is known for its unlimited tomato soup which is simple and delicious. It’s hot, fresh and a lil tangy, and you can add sour cream and shredded cucumber for texture and creaminess. It was so nice to have hot bowls of soup on a cold day!

With the soup, you also get access to their unlimited bread bar, which is heaping with a variety of different types of fluffy and tasty bread. It will fill you up quickly.

We also tried their pasta with a side of chicken, the tomato beer, and tomato sorbet trio for dessert! I almost went with the ice cream, but we were having ice cream a bit later so we decided on the sorbet for variety.

Friðheimar also has a small horse farm with a few out to welcome guests at the farm entrance. Icelandic horses are so majestic!

Friðheimar Pro Tips:

Strokkur Geyser

Continuing on our route, we stopped at Strokkur Geyser, which is the main attraction in the Geysir area (and one of the main highlights of the Golden Circle in general). Strokkur is not to be confused with the Great Geysir (the origin of the English term “geyser), which is largely dormant and hasn’t erupted since 2016.

Strokkur is highly active and erupts every 6 to 10 minutes on average (could be more or less) so it’s easy to catch it in action! We spent about 30 minutes here and caught the geyser eruption a couple of times.

This geothermal area also consists of numerous boiling and bubbling pools, which you’ll see along the path to Strokkur.

There is ample parking here, along with a travel center, restaurants, and even some hotels. You can tell this is a popular base for people to stay at when exploring the Golden Circle!

• Parking:1,000 ISK plus an 86 ISK transaction fee via the Parka app
• Bathrooms: Yes (inside the travel center)
• Food: Multiple restaurants in the area (along with hotels) and a food court in the travel center

Feeding Icelandic Horses

Next on our Golden Circle drive was Bru Horse Farm’s roadside stand to feed and pet Icelandic horses. This is the perfect pit stop on the way to Gullfoss if you want to get up close and personal with horses!

Some may let you pet them, some are just there for photo ops, and some are there just for the snackies. Be gentle with them and be happy with what you can get 🙂

You can buy a small cup of “horse candy” for 300 ISK or 500 ISK for two cups to feed them a little snack (only feed them this and not anything else). This is a digital, honor-system transaction where you pay via a QR code. Be sure to keep your hands flat when feeding them to keep those fingers safe!

If riding Icelandic horses is at the top of your bucket list, consider a tour with Thor Hestar located on the Golden Circle between Kerid Crater and Fridheimar run by a local Icelandic-American couple. Stop at Kerid earlier in the morning, take a 10:00 a.m. horse riding tour, and then have lunch at the tomato farm.

Gullfoss

Arguably the most popular destination on the Golden Circle is Gullfoss (Golden Falls)! Though not the largest waterfall in Iceland, it’s still powerful, impressive, and gorgeous.

This two-tiered waterfall produces constant mist, which is perfect for rainbows in the afternoon if the sun is out.

The lower path was closed for the winter by the time we got there but the upper paths and viewing areas are open year-round.

Because of the mist here, you might want to wear some of your waterproof clothing (including pants) if the lower path is open. We didn’t get too wet just at the upper viewing area.

It can also get icy in the colder months though so be mindful of what shoes you are wearing, walk carefully, and/or get your microspikes out.

• Parking: Free!
• Bathrooms: Yes
• Food: Panorama Restaurant & Cafe for sandwiches and hot soups

Ice Cream at Efstidalur II

I wasn’t sure if we’d have enough time for ice cream at Efstidalur, but I’m so glad we fit it in! The ice cream is so creamy and delicious – maybe some of the best I’ve ever had. Personally, I loved the strawberry best but we also got cookies and cream which was really good too.

Given that Iceland is a colder climate, you might think ice cream is a weird idea. It’s not and 100% worth a stop!

While you’re eating your scoops of ice cream, you can watch cows through the window chomping on hay and even get a chance to peek at some sleeping babies through a little viewing window.

Öxarárfoss

Our last stop on the Golden Circle was Öxarárfoss in Thingviller National Park. I actually went back and forth on two stops to round out our Golden Circle itinerary – Öxarárfoss or Bruarfoss (which is close to the Efstidalur dairy). I had high hopes that we could fit in a couple of spots at Thingvellir, so in the end, I chose Öxarárfoss.

Sadly, we ran out of time to see everything on my list. Exploring Thingvellir more will definitely be on a return-trip itinerary to Iceland! The Golden Circle really is worth more than just a day trip if you want to see everything.

This waterfall looked so cool partially frozen and was a reminder that winter was basically upon us.

To get to Öxarárfoss, there is a path and boardwalk that’s pretty frozen over. My boots were unkind to me and I again fell right on my butt walking back to the car (thankfully my backpack softened the blow to my back).

• Parking: 1,000 ISK via Check.it – there’s a kiosk to pay or a QR code to scan and pay online; one parking fee is good for all lots for the day at Thingvellir
• Toilets: Yes at “ParkingP2 WC”

Dinner at Forrettabarinn

Our last dinner in Iceland was a nice sit-down dinner at Forrettabarinn (Old Harbour location), which translates to The Appetizer Bar. Their main focus is serving small plates to try a variety of dishes! We each chose set menus, which are actually quite common in Icelandic restaurants.

For Me: A four-course meal with smoked salmon, chicken and feta quesadillas, fish of the day (which was a delicate halibut with veggies), and skyr mouse for dessert. All excellent.

For Him: A four-course menu with langoustine soup (so good!), beef carpaccio, horse fillet (super interesting and adventurous, but not far off from a beef fillet), and sticky toffee pudding (which is one of our all-time favorite desserts).

And with that, another long day of Iceland adventures was complete!

Day 7: Farewell, Iceland!

Our final day in Iceland was nice and relaxed. We slept in a bit, packed up, and walked the streets of Reykjavík one last time on the hunt for souvenirs to take back home.

For lunch, we ate at the Icelandic Bar for a last taste of Icelandic cuisine and beer before making the trek back to Keflavík to return our car and bid Iceland goodbye.

Day 7 Highlights

• Souvenir shopping in Reykjavík
• Lunch at The Icelandic Bar
• Rental car return & flight home

Lunch at The Icelandic Bar

After our low-key morning of souvenir shopping (I had to get a magnet for my board at home and a coffee cup!), we sat down at Islenki Barinn (aka The Icelandic Bar) for our last bites of food in Iceland.

This restaurant is also one that can pop up on the food tour we took at the start of our trip, serving traditional Icelandic dishes (including that notorious fermented shark).

I had my second plokkfiskur since that was one of my favorite traditional dishes we had on our trip and it was just as good as the first one!

My husband had a burger with an Icelandic pancake, which was also pretty good, and we washed everything down with a tall, dark Einstok beer. It was the best casual farewell to Reykjavik and our time in Iceland in general!

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Alternative last day options: if you’re early risers, you can also spend your last day visiting the Blue Lagoon on the way to the airport or stop at Sky Lagoon for some pre-flight relaxation.

Goodbye Iceland!

On our Icelandair flight home, they announced that date as the official first day of winter in Iceland and gave all passengers complimentary kleinur and cocoa.

Just two days later, Iceland was hit with a debilitating snowstorm that left everyone snowed in for days. Whew! Although, would it have been a bad thing to be snowed in in one of my new favorite countries?

Itinerary Modifications

If you’re wondering if a self-drive itinerary around Iceland is for you, I get it. Driving can be intimidating in a new country – especially one with unpredictable weather like Iceland! I was personally contemplating basing us in Reykjavík for this whole week until my husband volunteered to drive (thanks btw if you’re reading this).

Group tours do mean a lot of time on a bus, but you don’t have to worry about directions or driving in unfamiliar weather.

How Much Did We Spend?

And now the burning question that’s probably on your mind…how much does a trip like this cost?

I’ve laid out our costs below as a couple. With regards to transportation, we split our rental car costs with another couple traveling with us, which also included gas and parking fees. If you’re traveling as a couple or even solo, I put the full totals in parenthesis so you can calculate the costs for yourselves.

Total Costs for 2 People

• Gas: $180.45 (we split gas with another couple, which totaled $360.91)
• Parking: $139.91 (we split parking with another couple, which totaled $279.82)
• Car Rental + Full Insurance: $422.45 (we split car rental costs with another couple, which totaled $844.91)
• Activities & Tours: $905.11
• Hotels: $1,858.36
• Flights: $2,466.22 (we did pay for extra legroom seats)
• Food & Drink: $1,494.25
• Travel Insurance: $92 (basic medical with World Nomads)
• Total for 2 People: $7,558.75 (give or take a few bucks since I may have left a few small receipts out here and there)

Money-Saving Tips

If you’re looking to make this trip more budget-friendly, here are some tips I can offer to save on costs:

• Book a smaller rental car – we needed an SUV to travel with four people (two of which were taller men)
• Find more budget-friendly food options (and drink less alcohol than we did…). We don’t mind paying a lot of money to eat out as food is such an important part of our travels.
• Book a room with a smaller bed. If you aren’t traveling with a nearly 6’4″ man like myself, you can save money by booking rooms with smaller beds and less space.
• Search for flight deals and be flexible with your dates. In my opinion, we paid way too much for our flights. Set fare alerts on Google Flights to get a better deal!

Iceland Final Thoughts

I tried to put into words here how much I absolutely loved our Iceland trip (trust me, you don’t even want to know the word count of this thing); however, Iceland is one of those destinations that will capture your heart once you see it in person for yourselves.

As someone who is primarily a city traveler (at least up until now), the nature blew me away at every turn. I can’t wait to come back, and yes, I already am typing up a second trip itinerary to see all the things we missed and more!

Skál, Iceland – thanks for the best introduction I could have ever asked for.

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