Sights to See in Iceland

Reykjavik

hallgrímskirkja

þingvellir

strokkur geyser

bruarfoss

gullfoss

kerið

seljavallalaug

seljalandsfoss

skogafoss

solheimasandur plane wreck

Dyrholaey arch

Reynisfjara beach

fjaðrárgljúfur canyon

Skaftafell

Diamond Beach.jpg

Skaftafell Ice Caves

Jokulsarlon

Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon

{please note: not all images in slideshow are mine; images selected based on what sights look like in the winter}

Iceland Regions

On this trip, I traveled the southern region of Iceland and part of the eastern, so I will mostly discuss the amazing sights I saw in these areas

"Golden Circle" vs. "Ring Road"

The Golden Circle is a day trip loop out of Reykjavik (around 3.5 hours without stopping). But trust me, you're going to want to soak in the beautiful views and take lots of photographs!

If you have time, try Fridheimar Farm for lunch, which closes at 4 pm. Also, if you are interested in swimming between tectonic plates, sign up for the Silfra Diving Tour (more info in Activities Blog).

Note: If you end up staying at the Ion Hotel, it is prime location to begin the Golden Circle.

The Ring Road/Route 1 is the road that runs around the island and connects several towns in Iceland (around 18 hours without stopping; 828 miles).

These are just a few towns that Route 1 connects, but there are several more sights to be seen!

Most people fly into KEF International Airport, which is about a 45 minute drive from Reykjavik. Don't worry too much about traffic, but in the winter, people may be driving slower because of the icy road conditions.

From KEF, some people choose to go directly to Blue Lagoon, since it is only 20 minutes out of the way, and it's a perfect way to relax. For me, personally, I cannot relax after a long flight and I prefer to check into my hotel and get settled. So another option is to visit the Blue Lagoon the day before your flight on your way to the airport. If you don't like waiting in line and you want your spa day to be effortless, I would suggest paying a little extra money to purchase the premium or luxury ticket. If you aren't tired or you're just a super chill person, the standard ticket is fine. Buy them BEFORE your trip though. The time slots fill quickly.

Depending on what time it is and what you're more in the mood for, you can either take on the Golden Circle the same day you fly in, or you can just enjoy walking around Reykjavik. One main attraction is the Hallgrimskirkja Church. Go to the top if it's a clear day!

Originally, I had planned to drive from Reykjavik to Jokulsarlon in two days, but because of a flight cancelation and then an emergency landing in Glasgow, Scotland, I had to make this trip in one day. While it is possible, I would not recommend it. I basically had to breeze through most of the sights to make it on time to the glacier tour. Stop in Vik for the night and ENJOY THE VIEW! You made it all this way, so don't rush it!

Here was my original 4 nights/5 days itinerary for exploring the city/southern part of Iceland:

Day 1: Fly into KEF, check into my hotel, enjoy the rest of the day and evening in the city

Day 2: Enjoy the morning in the city; drive the Golden Circle; Silfra Diving Tour; enjoy one of the hidden geothermal pools; spend the night at the Ion Hotel

Day 3: Begin my road trip south; Glacier Hike Tour; spend the night in Vik

Day 4: Ice Cave Tour; Diamond Beach; begin my road trip back to Reykjavik (with a few more sights to be seen)

Day 5: Drive to Kirkjufell if weather permits; Blue Lagoon; fly back home!