Iceland has always been on my travel bucket list! After a quick three-day getaway, I can say with certainty, I will be back! Below is a guide to how I spent 3 busy days exploring the land of fire and ice!
- When to Visit:
- Weather:
- Currency and Cost:
- Where we stayed:
- Getting Around:
- Day 1:
- Day 2:
- Day 3:
- Last Activity and Travel Home:
- If We Had More Time:
When to Visit:
Iceland offers so much variety depending on the month. You can’t go wrong with a visit at any time of the year.
Some considerations when planning your trip:
Midnight Sun: Late May to Early August
- 24 hours of daylight (give or take). This phenomenon occurs in locations close to the arctic circle and is most intense on the summer solstice, June 21st. Hotels provide blackout curtains, so you can get some rest.
Aura borealis or “Northern Lights”: September to April
- You need dark clear skies and must be away from light pollution for a chance to see the Northern Lights. The Icelandic Meteorological Office provides a daily aurora forecast and a radar guide for cloud cover. One of our tour guides shared that he had the best luck seeing them in September! We were unfortunate on this winter trip and will have to book a return trip for another chance!
Puffin Season: Late April to Late August
- You can spot the iconic Icelandic puffins in the summer months near the coasts.
Lupines: Peak June and July
- Beautiful purple flowers that are in peak bloom during late spring to early summer.
Whale Watching: Peak July and August
- Whale watching tours are offered year-round, however, the summer months are recommended for the best chance to spot them. Winter tours may have weather related cancellations.
Sheep Roundup: September to October
- Known as réttir to Icelanders. It is a tradition when farmers “roundup” the sheep from the mountains that were grazing during the summer months
Hot springs: November to March
- Although most springs are open and accessible all year round, they are best enjoyed during the winter months
Natural Ice Caves: November to March
- Most are open seasonally in the winter months when the weather is cold.
I was lucky enough to visit in December and experience an Icelandic winter. One of the coolest things about a trip in December is that you get to experience long dark days – much nicer than it sounds! As it gets closer to the winter solstice (December 21st), there is less daylight. We traveled early December and there were only about four hours of daylight daily. Does 4 hours of sunlight a day sound miserable? I can assure you it isn’t, when you get to spend it in Iceland! It’s not only 4 hours of sunlight with 20 hours of darkness, the sun peaks through the horizon during sunrises and sunsets and creates gorgeous skies that provide enough daylight to enjoy Iceland’s beautiful landscapes.
Weather:
Iceland in winter is no joke because of its location near the arctic circle. Make sure to pack a heavy coat, appropriate shoes/boots, and lots of layers! Be prepared for harsh winds, icy roads, and chance for snow!
Average temperatures in December:
-2°C (28°F) to 4°C (39°F)
Currency and Cost:
The Icelandic Króna is the currency. At the time of writing this post, $1=approximately 123 ISK. We used a credit card with no foreign transaction fees for anything. Cards were accepted everywhere.
Tipping in Iceland is not expected because service workers are paid a livable wage.
Iceland has a reputation of being expensive. I found gas prices to be the most expensive, which makes sense because Iceland is a remote island. Food and drinks in Iceland are not cheap, but nothing too crazy, figure NYC prices. Some travelers prefer stopping at a grocery store and making their own food or sandwiches to save money here and there.
Where we stayed:
101 Hotel, Reykjavik, a Member of Design Hotels
We had one home base for this three-night trip. Our home base was in Reykjavík, the country’s capital. 101 Hotel was Iceland’s first boutique hotel, established in 2003. This property was centrally located in Reykjavík. Everything was walkable in the city and the hotel offered accessible parking.
I chose to book only one hotel for this trip instead of an additional hotel on the other side of the island, because there was so much I wanted to see near the capital (as well as the convenience of not having to pack up bags).
101 hotel is also a member of the Marriott family which is a plus!
Getting Around:
We reserved a rental car through Expedia and the company was called, GO Car Rental. We rented a Renault Capture, a hybrid Suvan. We opted for a hybrid vehicle in hopes of saving money on gasoline (gas costs about 300 ISK per liter). Overall, we had no complaints with the car. It got us through Iceland safely, even with some ever-changing winter weather.
We used the app, Parka to pay for parking throughout our trip at parks and tourist attractions. As mentioned below, most parks offer free admission, but require a payment for parking. Parka makes it convenient.
Time to EXPLORE!
Day 1:
Our flight from New York arrived at Keflavik International Airport at 4:30 AM (GMT). This was an early start to the day and I was determined to make the most out of it.
Note – there are 2 airports in Reykjavík. Keflavík International Airport is about 50 minutes from the city center. The city of Reykjavík has a domestic airport. If you don’t rent a car there are bus transfers from the international airport to the capital city.
Breakfast at Kokulist:
After picking up the car, we grabbed breakfast and coffee at Kokulist, a small cafe near the airport. At the early hour, the cafe was filled with locals grabbing breakfast before heading to work.
Don’t forget – it’s pitch black outside during this hour in winter.
Secret Lagoon:
From Keflavik International Airport, we hit the road and traveled to Secret Lagoon, just under 2 hours away from the airport and near the sites on the Golden Circle. It is locally known as Gamla Laugin and is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, built in 1891 at the geothermal area near Flúðir.
The water is about 38-40°C (100–104°F ) and is rich in sulfur.
We arrived at 10am, opening time, and to our amazement, we practically had the pool to ourselves. The water was super relaxing and a nice way to start our trip after traveling. It costs 4200 ISK per adult.
My hair was beginning to freeze!
Note – At Icelandic pools/hot springs, you have to shower before entering, fully naked. Secret Lagoon offers appropriate locker rooms with a communal shower area. Since we got there at opening, I was the only woman in the locker room at that time.
Golden Circle:
Iceland’s Golden Circle is a popular tourist route that has three main stops, Geysir Geothermal Area, Gullfoss Water Fall, and Thingvellir National Park. The whole loop is about 300km. You can see it all in one day, however we split it into two days because of a special activity at Thingvellir National Park (keep reading)!
Golden Circle: Geysir Geothermal Area
The famous Strokkur Geyser erupts every 7-8 minutes and blasts up to 25-35m in the air. There are also some smaller fumaroles located in the park and trails to explore for more beautiful views.
Free to see, just pay for parking.
Lunch at Geysir National Park – Geysir Glima
We had a quick lunch at the national park’s service area. We enjoyed warm bowls of soup, Fiskisúpa (Icelandic fish soup) and Kjötsúp (Icelandic lamb soup).
Golden Circle: Gullfoss Waterfall
Iceland’s most famous waterfall is Gullfoss which translates to “Golden” in English. It’s one of three main attractions on the Golden Circle. The water drops down into the canyon of the Hvita River.
There are two viewpoints – upper platform and lower path. We visited the upper platforms. The Lower path is closed in the winter for safety.
Free to see, just pay for parking.
Kreid Krater:
Kerið crater is often an add-on to the Golden Circle. It is a volcanic crater formed around 6,500 years ago. The cost was 600ISK (about 5USD) per person, and is open for touring during daylight. The stunning blue water was frozen when we visited. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes, as the path is icy in the winter and is made from volcanic ash. We experienced the beginning of a beautiful sunset at 3:30pm.
After some exploring, we drove to Reykjavík to check into our hotel.
Dinner at Islenski Barinn:
After checking into 101 Hotel, we had dinner across the street at Islenski Barinn, which translates to Icelandic Bar. We enjoyed Icelandic Cod fish and chips and a Reindeer burger. A very warm and cozy vibe with quick service.
Rainbow Street:
After dinner, we did some exploring around Reykjavík. We walked Skólavörðustígur or “rainbow street”, a famous pedestrian street in the city that was painted rainbow to celebrate Reykjavík’s pride! There are small shops and restaurants on the street.
Hallgrimskirkja:
Follow rainbow street to reach the famous church, Hallgrimskirkja. This iconic landmark is the second tallest building in the country at 74.5m (244 ft). It is free to enter, although it costs 1400ISK to climb the tower. Make sure to check the church’s calendar for the mass schedule and service events before booking your visit.
Day 2:
Day 2 of our adventure – I booked a Vatnajökull Glacier hiking tour for 12:30pm that began in Skaftafell. This journey to Skaftafell is 4 hours nonstop from Reykjavík. We left our hotel at 6am and made the journey along Ring Road and made some stops along the way.
Ring Road:
Iceland’s Ring Road (or Route 1) is the most famous road in Iceland. It circles around the entire country and is 1,322 km (821 mi) long. It is a 2 lane road that connects Icelandic towns together. Traveling Ring Road is a scenic drive and if you travel to Iceland you’ll be driving on it at some point during your trip since it connects you to all the spots. If you have more time to explore Iceland, you can consider doing a full loop.
Seljalandsfoss:
Our first stop was the famous Icelandic waterfall, Seljalandsfoss. Admission is free, just pay to park. Surprisingly, at this dark, early hour we were not the only ones here.
Víkurfjara Black Sand Beach:
Iceland has many black sand beaches. The black sand is formed from eroded volcanic rock. We made a quick stop at “Black Sand Beach” in the town of Vík. This was my favorite sunrise ever and the beach was so peaceful.
Fjaðrárgljúfur:
Another beautiful park for a quick stop – the canyon can be accessed by hiking a hill that is about 2km (1.3mi) long. It was extremely windy and icy (crampons would have been helpful). The ice on this route slowed me down and now we had to race to our tour! (oops!)
Vatnajökull Glacier:
I booked the tour directly with Arctic Adventures entitled, “Into the Glacier- Glacier Hike & Ice Cave from Skaftafell”. The tour has multiple start times to choose from and it was amazing! One of my favorite experiences ever and the best part of this trip!
They provided us with necessary helmets, crampons, boots, and an ice axe at the base camp before hoping on a short bus ride to Falljökull. Before beginning the trek, we were separated into smaller 10-12 person groups and the guides assisted us with the equipment.
Ice Caves:
While on top of the glacier, we climbed through two ice caves.
After the guided ice trekking tour, which lasted about hours, we made our way back to Reykjavík traveling west on Ring Road.
Dinner at Black Crust Pizzeria in Vík:
This order at the counter style pizzeria offers personal size pizzas. The crust is made from volcanic ash, giving it a black color. They also offer sourdough crust. We had to try their famous langoustine pizza. Delicious!
Northern Lights:
On our ride back to the hotel, we stopped at many different dark remote places to try our luck at seeing the Northern Lights. We were unfortunate -but that just means I have to book another trip to try again!
Day 3:
Golden Circle: Thingvellir National Park
Our last stop along the Golden Circle was Thingvellir National Park. The national park is about 45 minutes away from Reykjavík. I booked one more tour with Arctic Adventures entitled, Silfra Snorkeling Tour. Yes, snorkeling in ICEland!
Admission to the park is free, just pay for parking
Silfra Fissure Snorkeling:
Silfra is located between the tectonic plates of Europe and North America. The fissure is filled with Langjökull glacier water and takes around 100-200 years to reach the fissure creating a stunning clear visibility 50 meters (490 feet) below. The water temperature is 2-4°C (35-39°F) all year around.
The tour provided appropriate insulated dry suits and snorkeling equipment. They divided us into small groups of 6 and we floated down the rift as a group.
This was an incredible experience floating in the bright glacier water between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
It was freezing! At the end of the tour, it began to drizzle.
The pictures clearly do not do it justice, but it was so nice of our guide to take photos of us.
Note – the tour company also offers scuba diving experiences!
After this adventure, we headed back to our hotel in Reykjavík and took much needed HOT showers.
Lunch at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur:
When in Iceland, a hot dog at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur is a must! It is made from locally sourced organic and hormone free lamb, beef, and pork.
In Reykjavík, they have a famous stand on Tryggvagata that is even open late on weekend nights for the bar crowd to enjoy a snack after a late night out.
Local Tip – “ask for “eina með öllu”, which means “one with everything”—a hot dog topped with ketchup, sweet mustard (pylsusinnep), crispy fried onions, raw onions, and creamy remoulade sauce.” — Just say “with everything” if you aren’t up for practicing your Icelandic.
Eating and Drinking in Reykjavík:
There was a light drizzle while exploring the city. We opted to do some casual bar hopping.
The Laundromat Cafe:
Grabbed a drink and a snack. This cafe/restaurant has a super cozy and relaxed vibe. Open all day for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. They even offer laundry machines as well!
Bastard Brew and Food:
We stopped here for happy hour! They offer lunch and dinner. Loved the bookshelves and decor here as well.
Tres Locos:
It was getting late and options were limited for dinner service. We stumbled upon a Mexican Restaurant and it turned out to be really good. Nachos, fish tacos with Icelandic Cod, and margaritas were delicious!
Last Activity and Travel Home:
Blue Lagoon:
Blue Lagoon is a famous man-made geothermal spa located in a lava field. The water is mineral rich with silica and sulfur and the algae helps hydrate the skin. The water is between 37–40°C (98–104°F ) year-round.
Highly recommend going when you arrive or right before departure since it is close to airport and nice to relax before or after a travel day.
We went right after a volcanic explosion in Grindavik so we had to navigate many road closures to get there, and there were some unexpected detours along the way.
We booked the Comfort Package for 81USD which included entrance, a face mask, and a drink of choice. Make sure to make a reservation!
It’s super touristy but very relaxing and wasn’t crowded which was a bonus!
Tip – make sure to lather your hair with conditioner before going in and don’t get your hair wet!
After relaxing in the blue milky waters, we drove 25 minutes to reach Kaflavík airport where we returned the rental car before our return flight.
If We Had More Time:
I loved exploring Iceland! As mentioned above, Iceland has so much to offer all throughout the year. I would love to experience the midnight sun and see some puffins!
I would also have loved to travel the Ring Road in its entirety which most itineraries recommend 7-10 days to drive around the country and stopping along the way
Snæfellsnes Peninsula: If we had one more day, I would have added exploring the Snæfellsnes Peninsula to this itinerary. About 2 hours from Reykjavík.
No matter what kind of trip you plan in Iceland, it will be incredible. There is nothing like the natural beauty of this country, from glaciers to volcanoes. The land of fire and ice will not disappoint! I can’t wait to return!
Getaways with Gabby 
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