2 Week Iceland Itinerary

The Golden Circle is a tourist route that leads east from Reykjavik. It’s best tackled in one full day by car. The circuit takes you to some of Iceland’s most dramatic natural attractions. If you’re visiting Iceland for the first time, and you’re based in Reykjavik, the Golden Circle is definitely an option. However, if you’re driving the Ring Road around Iceland, we recommend skipping it. If you choose to drive the route, we recommend the following:

Top things to see and do in the Golden Circle

• Thingvellir National Park – Walk between continental plates at Almannagja Gorge, where the North American and Eurasian plates are actively moving apart. From the visitor center, take the footpath to the waterfall Öxarárfoss.
• Laugarvatn Fontana Hot Springs – Stop here for lunch. This excellent buffet-style lunch offers soups, salads, geothermal bread, local trout, etc.. You can also spend a few hours soaking in their natural hot springs.
• Geysir – Walk around this active geothermal area and wait for the geysers to erupt. You’ll likely see Strokkur (the Churn) erupt but might have to wait quite some time to see Geysir (the Gusher) spit its load.
• Gullfoss (Golden Falls) – Impressive cataract waterfall. 
• Gamla Laugin – Natural geothermal pool, known as the Secret Lagoon.
• Kerið – Crater lake. This was our favorite stop. You can walk the rim of the crater and go down to the teal-colored lake. There’s a small entry cost (400 ISK in 2017).
• Frost og Funi – Eat dinner here. This restaurant and guesthouse overlooks a river and is nestled between active geothermal hills. The solarium-style dining room allows you to appreciate the steaming natural landscape. Reservation recommended. 

Stay in Hveragerði

• Hjardarból Guesthouse, Hveragerði. Modest, but cozy and clean farm guesthouse. The guesthouse is surrounded by farmland. We stayed here after driving the Golden Circle Route.
• Guesthouse Frost and Fire, Hveragerði. This restaurant and guesthouse overlooks a river and is nestled between active geothermal hills. We came here for dinner, but we would have loved to have stayed here too. Also, it’s very close to the Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River trailhead.
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Your 2 week Iceland itinerary begins in Southern Iceland, a region packed with beautiful places to visit. Today, you can hike to hot springs, discover ancient habitations, and visit museums. As you drive along the Ring Road, you’ll see isolated farmhouses dwarfed by mountains. You’ll also see majestic Icelandic horses standing stoically in the bitter wind.

Top things to see and do in Southern Iceland

• Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River – This is a 1-hour hike that takes you to a bathing platform, where you can soak in a hot river.
• Lunch at Kjöt og kúnst (soup buffet and geothermal bread) or Eldstó Art Cafe
• Seljalandsfoss Waterfall – 65-meter high waterfall. A path leads behind the waterfall. Make sure to wear a rain jacket.
• Eyjafjallajökull Erupts – Very small museum about the Eyjafjallajökull eruption (2010). There’s a 20-minute video that chronicles the life of one Icelandic farm family as they rebuilt their lives after the eruption.
• Rutshellir Caves – Ancient habitation and cave built into and under a rock.
• Seljavallalaug Pool  – outdoor public pool built in 1923
• Musée de Skógar – Open-air folk museum
• Skógafoss Waterfall
• Dinner at Hotel Skogafoss Bistro Bar – Casual dining area with a great view of the waterfall.

Stay near Skogar

• Welcome Edinborg, Eyvindarhólar. Small, cozy,  rustic rooms. The highlight of staying here is the surrounding rugged scenery. It’s gratifying to simply look out the window. This guesthouse is close to the Eyjafjallajökull Erupts museum, Rutshellir Caves, Skógafoss, and the open-air folk museum Musée de Skógar.

As you journey further East on the Ring Road, you’ll find that the scenery becomes more dramatic. The main highlight of today’s itinerary is visiting the black beaches around Vík.

Things to do in Vík

• Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach – There are many black beaches in Iceland, but this seems to be the famous one. What makes it really special are the basalt columns on the beach, the view of the Reynisdrangar Cliffs (basalt sea stacks), and the Hálsanefshellir Cave. Dress warmly, because it can be very cold/very windy.
• Lunch at Black Beach Restaurant – casual, cafeteria-style restaurant. They cook up a delicious turnip soup.
• Black sand beach Vik – another beautiful beach, though less busy.
• Dinner at Suður-Vík Restaurant

Stay in Vík

• Guesthouse Carina, Vík. Beautiful rooms, delicious breakfast and communal bathrooms. We loved staying here. The location was perfect and the breakfast was memorable. The guesthouse is located directly in the town of Vík and very close to the beach.

Your Iceland road trip continues East to some of Iceland’s most surreal attractions and landscapes. You’ll drive through Eldhaun, a massive moss-covered lava field. You’ll walk the rim of a deep canyon and hike to a waterfall framed by basalt columns. You’ll visit two glacier lagoons, where fragmented icebergs float and seals swim.

Top things to do in Southeast Iceland

• Laufskálavarða – This is the only place in Iceland that you can build a cairne (rock stack). There are hundreds here (if not more).
• Eldhraun – Massive moss-covered lava field. You’ll drive through it.
• Fjaðrárgljúfur Deep Canyon – You can walk the rim to various vantage points. There is an icy blue river that ribbons through the canyon floor.
• Lunch at Systrakaffi
• Skaftafell / Vatnajökull National Park – Trailhead to Svartifoss Waterfall and Svínafellsjökull Glacier. This is also a meeting point for glacier hikes, which are run by different tour groups.
• Fjallsárlón – Glacier Lagoon at the south end of the glacier Vatnajökull. Floating icebergs. In the winter, the lagoon freezes.
• Diamond Beach – Broken off icebergs from Jökulsárlón float out to sea and land on this black sand beach.
• Jökulsárlón – Breathtaking glacier lagoon.

Stay in Borgarhöfn or Höfn

• Lækjarhus Farm Holidays, Borgarhöfn. The rooms are basic, though comfortable. You have access to a kitchen and dining area. This guesthouse is located on a farm. One of our most memorable mornings was exploring the land around the farmhouse.
• Fosshótel Vatnajökull. Glacier views, comfortable rooms, and excellent breakfast. This hotel is located near the Ring Road close to Höfn. We didn’t stay here, but it’s on our wish list.

If there’s one drive in Iceland to experience, this is it! It approaches the realm of magic. Treeless black mountains plunge into the ocean. A Viking film set stands abandoned amidst grazing horses. Reindeer and whooper swans dot the landscape.

Top things to do in East Iceland

• Hoffell Hot Tubs – a slight detour, but a nice way to start the day.
• Vestrahorn – Photographers love this Mountain. It’s best viewed from Stokksnes.
• Viking Cafe – You can grab a coffee at this rugged cafe. After parking and paying a fee, you can walk to the black sand beach (Stokksnes) for a view of Vestrahorn mountain. You can also drive to get even closer. When we arrived, we could barely see 5 feet ahead of us, so, unfortunately, we didn’t see the sand dunes. But, we walked in the direction along the foot of the mountain and stumbled upon an old film set of a Viking settlement.
• Stokksnes – Black sand beach, small sand dunes, and view of the mountain Vestrahorn.
• Lækjavik – Stunning stretch of coastline. Lots of birdlife. Waterfalls everywhere. Mountains plunge into the ocean.
• Djúpivogur – Coastal town in the East Fjords
• Lunch at Hótel Framtíð
• Öxi Mountain Pass – This is a mountain pass. We opted to take this road instead of the 1 because it was faster. It’s unpaved/gravel, so only take this road when there’s good weather. The drive is very scenic. 

Stay in Egilsstaðir

• Lyngás Guesthouse. Comfortable, clean and “spacious” rooms. You have access to a communal kitchen and dining space. Egilsstaðir (Egilsstadir) is a good base for exploring the East Fjords.

Today, you’ll venture to remote towns in the East Fjords. Venturing to these destinations is probably best in summer when the weather is milder and you have an opportunity to see puffins. When we visited in April, it was very cold and windy. And, it was too early in the season to see puffins. Additionally, all tourist establishments and cafes were closed (winter mode).

Top things to do in the East Fjords

• Seydisfjordur – Town at the base of a narrow fjord with bright colored timber houses. It has a strong Norwegian heritage and was settled in the 10th century by a Norwegian. The town has an active fishing and fish-processing center. There are several hikes you can do in the area (Vestdalsá).
• Borgarfjörður Eystri – Dramatic mountains framing this remote town. Puffin sightseeing area at Hafnarholm. We didn’t see any puffins here in mid-April (a bit too early). Nothing was open. Perhaps, it’s best to come here in the high season.

Stay in Mývatn

• Eldá Guesthouse. Simple, utilitarian guesthouse with communal kitchen. The location was great for exploring around the lake. The guesthouse is close the geothermal area Hverir, the Mývatn Nature Baths and Grjótagjá cave.
• Vogafjos Guesthouse (aka Cowshed). We ate three meals here. It’s warm, rustic and charming. If the food is any indication of the guesthouse itself, then this is probably a really nice place to stay.

Directly on the Ring Road, Lake Mývatn in Northern Iceland offers a lot to see and merits at least two full days. The lake itself was created by a large fissure eruption about 2,300 years ago. In the Middle Ages, the region was referred to as the devil’s piss. To get an idea about the size, it takes 40 minutes to drive around the lake.

When we visited in early spring, we experienced “I can’t feel my face” weather and needed shoe spikes to walk around. Your experience will be impacted by the time of year you visit. Consider the following:

• Winter/Early Spring:
  • Pros: significantly fewer people, no flies, northern lights
  • Cons: Snow and cold conditions make exploring difficult
• Summer:
  • Pros: Birdlife, birdwatching, outdoor activities, more scenic
  • Cons: More people, flies, more expensive accommodations

Top things to do in Lake Mývatn

• Hverir Geothermal Area
• Krafla Area –  Víti crater lake and Leirhnjúkur lava field  (best in summer, or when there’s no major snowfall).
• Mývatn Nature Baths (formerly called Jarðböðin) – A man-made lagoon filled up with steamy, warm geothermal water. This is a great activity when it’s cold. Bring your bathing suit, towel, flip flops, water, and student ID (discount).
• Fissure of Grjótagjá (Game of Thrones Love Cave)
• Dimmuborgir – Large area composed of bizarre lava fields and volcanic rock formations. There are several marked walking routes to choose from. Eat lunch at Kaffi Borgir.
• Hofdi – Beautiful lava pillars in the water. There’s a small forest along the lakeshore.
• Cowshed (Vogafjós Guesthouse) – Great place for lunch, or dinner. Food is fresh and local. You can watch cows being milked and taste the fresh milk.
• Optional half-day trip: whale watching in Húsavík

Stay in Mývatn

• Eldá Guesthouse. Simple, utilitarian guesthouse with a communal kitchen. The location was great for exploring around the lake. The guesthouse is close to the geothermal area Hverir, the Mývatn Nature Baths, and Grjótagjá cave.
• Vogafjos Guesthouse (aka Cowshed). We ate three meals here. It’s warm, rustic and charming. If the food is any indication of the guesthouse itself, then this is probably a really nice place to stay.

Apart from the urban area of Akureyri, Northern Iceland feels fantastically remote and desolate. Some villages seem like the perfect setting for a murder mystery or tragic love story. Definitely visit the hot pot Grettislaug. It’s a journey to get there, but it’s worth every pothole. 

Top things to do in Northern Iceland

• Goðafoss Waterfall – Horseshoe-shaped waterfall. You can access the waterfall from both sides.
• Akureyri – Iceland’s second largest urban area. We ate a delicious lunch at Kaffi Ilmur. They have a lunch buffet on the top floor.
• Hofsós – Coastal town. Really loved the remote feeling of this town. Even though nothing was open and we didn’t see any people, it was worth the stop.
• Skagafjörður – In this town’s harbor there’s a collection of dried fish racks.
• Grettislaug – Hot pot surrounded by majestic and remote scenery. This is a detour, but worth it! You need a 4WD to get here.
• Glaumbær – Folk Museum. Well-preserved turf houses.
• Víðimýrarkirkja – Turf-roofed Church

Stay near Blönduós

• Hotel Húni. Clean, budget hotel. During winter the hotel building is an elementary school with 53 students. The hotel is located near Hvítserkur.

Our original plan was to stay the night in Ísafjörður, but we had to shift our plans due to road closures. We stayed the night at the base of the fjords and ventured to the town of Hólmavík, situated on the east coast of the Westfjords. 

Top things to do in Northeast Iceland

• Hvítserkur – Spectacular rock formation located just off the coast. There are two pathways that lead from the parking lot. One leads to the Hvítserkur lookout point. The other, to the beach. The beach is closely located to a seal breeding area, so it’s likely that you’ll see bobbing heads follow you as you walk the black sand beach.
• Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft – Museum and restaurant. We visited the museum (loved it). After, we ate the seafood soup downstairs (highly recommend it). Something we learned: Most people in the Westfjords can trace their lineage back to someone who practiced wizardry/witchcraft.

Stay in Ísafjörður

• Sólheimar Studio Apartment

Weather permitting, you’ll be able to explore a segment of the Westfjords today. We took a day trip to Patreksfjörður. 

Top things to see and do in the West Fjords

• Birkimelur Swimming Pool – Swimming pool and hot pot. The hot pot wasn’t that warm, but the scenery was incredible.
• Patreksfjörður – Fishing Village
• Lunch at Stúkuhúsid in Patreksfjörður – Friendly staff. The owner explained the whole menu to us. We ate the daily fish (Skarkoli) and the homemade cake. Great experience overall.

Stay in Staðarhólskirkja (Base of the Westfjords)

• Hotel Ljósaland, Staðarhólskirkja. This hotel with an on-site restaurant is delightful. The room was beautiful and comfortable. Moreover, the owner is very kind and helpful. He’ll help you plan out your next steps and make sure you’re having a good time. 

The rugged Snæfellsnes peninsula in Western Iceland is dotted with small fishing villages, remote farms, and mountains. The peninsula takes its name from the Snæfellsjökull glacier.

Top things to see and do in Snæfellsnes peninsula

• Stykkishólmur – Small coastal town and harbor. You can eat local blue mussels at the restaurant Sjavarpakkhusid. There’s a nice view of the town from the Island Stykkið.
• Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall – breathtaking view of Kirkjufell (Church Mountain), which is the most-photographed mountain in Iceland.
• Skarðsvík – Secluded golden beach surrounded by black lava.
• Saxhóll – Crater that rises 109 meters above sea level. You can walk to the rim of the crater easily via a iron ladder/footpath.
• Djúpalónssandur Beach – Gorgeous beach with interesting rock formations
• Hellnar – Coastal village, rocky beach, bird watching.  Primus Kaffi serves delicious soups and stews.
• Búðakirkja – Iconic small black church.

Stay in Midhraun

• Lava Water Accommodation – Guesthouse and self-catering apartments. The property is full of farm animals.

As you make your way South to Reykjavík, you can take some detours to visit waterfalls. Don’t miss out on the vegetarian lunch buffet at The Settlement Center.

Top things to do in West Iceland

• Borgarnes – Coastal town. Grab some baked goods at Geirabakari Kaffihus. Eat lunch at The Settlement Center (excellent vegetarian buffet).
• Krauma Geothermal Baths, spa, and restaurant.
• Barnafoss Waterfall
• Hraunfossar Waterfall
• Glymur Waterfall – Hike to Iceland’s second tallest waterfall 

Stay in Reykjavík

• Alda Hotel Reykjavík – modern design and great location. This hotel is on our wish list for future visits.

Iceland’s capital city is a cozy, colorful and funky place to be. We stayed three nights in Reykjavík, but we think two nights is sufficient, especially after a long road trip.

Top things to do in Reykjavík

• Take a city walking tour
• Visit Hallgrimskirkja Church – Take the elevator to the viewing platform. You’ll have 360° views of the city.
• Check out the concert venue Harpa – You don’t need tickets to walk in and marvel at the interior.
• Check out The Settlement Exhibition Reykjavík 871 +/- 2
• Brauð & Co. – the Best bakery in Iceland

Stay in Reykjavík

• Alda Hotel Reykjavík – modern design and great location. This hotel is on our wish list for future visits.

Most visitors come to the Reykjanes Peninsula with the sole purpose of visiting the Blue Lagoon. However, that would be a mistake, as Reykjanes is a treasure chest of interesting sites. We recommend dedicating at least one day to this southwestern region. Touring this region is a great way to end your 2 week Iceland itinerary. 

Here’s what we suggest, if you’re driving from Reykjavik to Keflavik Airport. We’ve also included things we wanted to do, but couldn’t fit in (in parenthesis).

Top things to see in Reykjanes Peninsula

• Fish Drying Racks in Hafnarfjordur – If you’re driving south on the 42, the fish racks are on the left side of the road before the 417 juncture. GPS: 64°01’04.7″N 21°56’52.2″W
• Reykjanesfólkvangur National Park – Moss Lava Fields
• Kleifarvatn – Lake
• Krýsuvík / Seltún Geothermal Area
• (Krýsuvíkurberg – Bird Cliffs)
• (Bryggjan Café in Grindarvík for Lunch)
• Gunnuhver Thermal Springs – Geothermal Area 
• Reykjanestá  – The southwestern-most tip of the peninsula. Here you’ll find cliffs, sea stacks, view of the Island Eldey, the hill Valahnjúkur, and Reykjanesvíti (the oldest lighthouse in Iceland).
• (Hvalneskirkja – Church)
• (Garðskagaviti – Lighthouse)

This wraps up your epic road trip through Iceland. Depending on your arrival and departure times, you can choose whether to drive through the peninsula on your first, or last day.