Travel Itinerary: Iceland
Get excited for an unforgettable Icelandic getaway! Spend three days in Vik, the southernmost village in Iceland. Known for it’s picturesque wooden church and black sand beach. The seafront village is bordered by the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, which covers the Katla volcano. Next, head out on the Golden Circle Route and travel 110 miles to Hotel Gullfoss. Spend the next couple days traveling to the nearby famous Golden (Gullfoss) Waterfall and neighboring geysers. Your final two days will be in Iceland’s capitol, Reykjavik, exploring the country’s largest city and making a day trip to the famous (and touristy) Blue Lagoon Spa.
Day 1: Welcome to Iceland
Welcome to Iceland! Land at the Keflavík Airport in Reykjavik and make the 2.5 hour drive to Vik. Check into your hotel and grab food.
Logistics: We flew from Boston to Reykjavik direct with Icelandair. We rented a car through FOX. In order to get to the car rentals you need to take a shuttle from outside of the airport (there are four rental companies directly within the airport, with service desks located in the terminal’s arrivals hall - Avis, Hertz, Budget and Europcar).
***FYI, we rented an AWD vehicle to navigate any tricky roads. While it isn’t required to navigate this itinerary, it gave us peace of mind and was nice to have on some of the less kept roads.
Once you’re in the rental vehicle, navigate to your Vik hotel by using Google Maps on your phone (you’ll need to download the offline Google Maps for the area you’re traveling in Iceland ahead of time). Along the way you’ll witness absolutely stunning views of the countryside, with plenty of pull offs for gas or some necessary caffeine.
Accommodations: Book a room in Vik! We stayed at Hotel Vik, it was directly across the street from the grocery store and walking distance to the brewpub. They have charming modern rooms (they offer standard rooms, apartments and cottages) with a restaurant and lobby bar on site.
To-do: We arrived to Vik hungry and jet lagged (with a baby who napped the entire plane ride and car ride) so we decided to grab a beer and burger at the local brewpub, Smiðjan Brugghús. Then we settled in and relaxed after a day of traveling.
Day 2: Black Sand Beach (Reynisfjara)
Black sand beaches are formed from volcanic ashes, and with Iceland being home to around 130 volcanoes, they’re a country well known for their black sand beaches. Reynisfjara is considered the most famous black sand beach in Iceland, it is a 13 minute drive from the hotel. Aside from the beauty of the black sand on the beach, Reynisfjara also has enormous basalt stacks (try to find Kyle in the picture below), towering cliffs and caves - all of which add to the stunning beauty of the beach!
After you’ve done your fair share of exploring the beach, drive 22 minutes to The Dyrhólaey Peninsula. The peninsula is famous for its beautiful views of Iceland’s South Coast, as well as the historic lighthouse (Dyrhólaeyjarviti). Then there is the Dyrhólaey Viewpoint, home to the stunning rock arch (a result of centuries of erosion, pictured below). There is plenty to do and see in the Dyrhólaey area, so take your time and soak it all in.
For the next couple nights, we grabbed dinner at the hotel restaurant, Restaurant Berg. There food was good and it was convenient for traveling with a 9 month-old.
Day 3: Hike a Glacier
Book a glacier walk with Arcanum Adventure Tours! We booked the Glacier Walk - Sólheimajökull Discovery, as we were trading off child care responsibilities with another couple and wanted to take the shortest tour possible while still being able to have the experience! It was a family friendly glacier walk (if your children are 8 years or older!) and considered an “easy” skill level. You’re given crampons and an ice pick and after brief instruction you hike the glacier with a guide for approximately 2.5 hours. The guide has vast knowledge regarding the changing dynamic of the glacier and the effects of global warming.
Day 4: Travel to Geysir
Logistics: The drive from Vik to Hotel Gullfoss is 2 hours and 8 minutes. The views along the way are stunning, with many beautiful stop-offs. We stopped at the Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls. Skogafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland at almost 200 feet tall - you walk right up to it (be prepared to get wet!) or see it from above by climbing the steps up to an observation platform. The Seljalandfoss waterfall is a gorgeous waterfall you can walk behind (we didn’t because we had Selima with us, and you get REALLY SOAKED), wear waterproof shoes or spiked shoes, if possible. Also, if the path behind the waterfall is deemed too slippery it will be closed.
Accommodations: We booked a room at Hotel Gullfoss. It is a beautifully decorated contemporary hotel, family owned and operated since 1988. It is perfectly located, only 10 minutes (at a maximum) away from all the best sights in the area.
To-do: Settle into your hotel, take in the stunning views from your room and then grab dinner at the hotel restaurant.
Day 5: Explore the surrounding area
Enjoy the beauty of the area! We spent the day visiting the famous geyser, Strokkur. It goes off every 5-8 minutes and really is a sight to see! We then headed over the the Gullfoss waterfall, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world. We again dined at our hotel restaurant (we really didn’t find any restaurant as good as ours in the area).
Day 6: Drive to Reykjavik
Logistics: Drive from Hotel Gullfoss to the city capital, Reykjavik. The total trip will take 1 hour 33 minutes.
Accommodations: We booked an Airbnb in the heart of downtown. It was the perfect location to be walking distance to all the best restaurants and shops in Reykavik.
To-do: Check into your Airbnb and then head out on the town to explore Reykavik!
Restaurants:
Rossopomodoro: Italian
Sandholt: Bakery
Te & Kaffi: Tea and coffee
Svarta Kaffið: Soap and bread bowls
Osta Budin: amazing food! Says it is closed for now, but hoping it reopens after covid passes
Day 7: Free day in Reykjavik
Spend today free to do as you wish. This is your last day in Iceland, make the most of it! We spent the day seeing all the downtown area and then dined out on a rare date night (thanks to the couple traveling with us!). We had a delicious three course meal (with wine pairing) at Osta Budin.
For a fun day trip, consider a visit to the Blue Lagoon Spa! We did not make the trip there during our time in Reykjavik, but it comes highly recommended (even though it is touristy).
For information on our MUST-HAVES when traveling with the girls, check out our travel gear page!
We hope you found this itinerary helpful with planning your unique experience abroad.
As always, live presently and travel often!