How to Spend 5 Days in Iceland
Last year, we spent almost two weeks in Iceland and it was a dream. It was better than I anticipated and we’ve commented about this so many times over the last year. I don’t like to revisit places but Iceland is one place that I would visit over and over again. That being said - this would not be * MY * ideal trip. Five days is too few in my opinion, however, I know that vacation time and money are at a premium. I guarantee that if you take this 5 day trip, you’re going to want to go again. So let’s get into it!
If you’re doing a quick 5 days in Iceland, I would recommend taking tours each day so that you’re not exhausted from all the driving. Let someone else do this for you so you can nap en route. With this option, you’re also going to want to home base somewhere in Reykjavik that is close to a bus stop. A car isn’t necessary but adds a convenience if you want to get yourself to and from the airport. Double check that your accommodation has parking!
If you don’t want to spend the money to rent a car, FlyBus is a great airport option and they offer combo tours so you can visit the Blue Lagoon en route. I’m pro public transportation whenever possible and we convinced my in-laws to take the FlyBus when they arrived and my parents when they flew out. No complaints from either party!
There are so many hotels, hostels, Vrbo options in Reykjavik for any budget. The whole area is walkable so don’t feel like you have to be right in the center of it all if that’s not in your budget. We stayed near Fly Over Iceland and to the city center it was about a 12 minute walk. That was with kids in tow.
A lot of tours pickup around 7:30 and while the downtown area is full of coffee shops, there are only a handful that open by 7. A few I frequented were Deig (bagel sandwiches, real donuts and cold brew - Also still dreaming about the chocolate sea salt donut), Kaffibressnan (one of the largest menus I came across and the glass building was a vibe). The grocery stores and convenience shops don’t have a ton of ready made coffee options either. If your morning coffee is important to you, plan for this.
Another thing to prepare for is food options. Most tours will have a food stop but eating out is not cheap. Your arrival day is a great day to grocery shop for the week. There is a Costco halfway between between Keflavik and Reykjavik as well as several grocery stores around town. We stocked up on eggs, bacon, bread, peanut butter and jelly and granola bars. The grocery stores usually have their hours listed in their signs like Kronan 8-20, netto 9-24 which I thought was a very cool way to show the hours.
Now that the planning is done - let’s travel!
Day 1: land at Keflavik, head to Blue Lagoon. This will be a great way to rest your body from your travels before you go, go, go. We purchased the basic package and I, personally, don’t see any value in paying for the more expensive packages. We had a great time and you’re allowed to stay as long as you want but you must pre-book and you’re only allowed to enter during your hour time frame so make sure you plan this with enough time to land, get your luggage and pick up your rental car. From landing to driving it took us about 2 hours. Make sure you shower well and lotion up afterwards. My skin felt super salty dry for days after. You’re required to shower before entering the lagoon and for longer hair they recommend loading up with conditioner to protect it if it gets wet in the water. Don’t forget a hair tie or a clip this day! Typically you’re not allowed to check in to your accommodations until 3:00 so this is a great time filler.
If you’ve rented a car, head to the Bridge between Continents for a quick photo stop. This is a cool place to see where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates have separated. The more you get into Iceland, the further these plates have shifted.
From here, head into Reykjavik and stop at Costco along the way (if that’s your plan). Here’s my tip: don’t purchase a Costco membership back home if you won’t use it after this trip. There are a lot of grocery stores in Reykjavik but if you’re traveling with a large group, you’re trying to be frugal with your food money, or you know you’ll be cooking a home a lot, this is a great option. If you’re traveling by yourself, you have no desire to have a Costco membership, and you have no set budget, carry on.
Once you’re checked into your lodging, make sure to walk around and explore the Reykjavik area. This is also good time to find the bus stop you’ll need for your tours. Every street is so colorful and packed with businesses and shops. You can visit the Harpa, the church, check out the stone and statue walk along the coast or even jump on the hop-on hop-off city bus tour.
Day 2: The Golden Circle tour day. This is a great self drive tour and you can find audio tours that work via GPS so you know exactly where to stop but for a quick getaway in Iceland I recommend going with a tour group. They’ll keep you on schedule and make sure you see everything along the way. The 3 main stops on a Golden Circle Tour are Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss, and Geysir. Other options to add on here are snorkeling at Silfra at Thingvellir National Park, viewing Kerid Crater lake and stopping for lunch at Friedheimar Tomato Greenhouse. Depending on what you add to this tour takes it from a 6 hour tour to a full day tour. If you have the time, my husband and I recommend doing the snorkeling at Silfra. It was such a cool experience to snorkel in between the tectonic plates and in the ice cold, clear water. Crazy to believe that water is millions of years old!
If you’re driving yourself on this day I highly recommend this audio tour. You only need to purchase one per vehicle and turn it on as you start driving.
Day 3: South Coast tour day. This tour is typically a 12-14 hour day. Well worth paying for a tour! This tour typically stops at Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, lunch in Vik (if you grab something quick, you can check out the black sand beach and view the famous church), then heads out to Jökulsárlón to visit the glacial lagoon and diamond ice beach. Even if your tour didn’t include the rib boat ride at Jökulsárlón, you can typically add it when you arrive there. I’d love to do it when our kids are older. On the way home, you stop in Vik again for a bite.
Day 4: I recommend going north on this day. You have the option to do an Into the Glacier tour or a Snæfellsnes Peninsula tour. Both are great options! The Snæfellsnes Peninsula was a highlight of my trip but it’s a long day trip. This is where the famous Game of Thrones mountain is and the cutest little town of Arnarstapi. The Into the Glacier tour is quicker and a very cool experience. You get taken onto the glacier in a modified German military vehicle. There are markers for where the iceberg used to reach and it’s truly a great visual to see how much they’ve melted per year. It also snowed on us while on the glacier in June!
Day 5: depending on what time your flight is on this day, you have the oppprtunity to fit in a whale watching tour, riding the Hop on Hop off city bus tour, or just walking Reykjavik and sight seeing on your way own. You don't need to book any of these in advance, you can wander down to the marina area and check out the time schedules for the whale watching. Each office has their schedule in the window and notices about the weather that day. Wander around downtown and shop for souvenirs that you didn’t know you needed or browse a few of the thrift shops! My favorite resale shop was Verzlanahöllin. If you didn’t visit the Blue Lagoon on your arrival day, you can visit it on the way back to the airport as well. Just make sure you allot enough time for yourself!
Last year I wrote a handful of blog posts on our travels in Iceland. Read about allllll the waterfalls here, What I Packed for Iceland in June, our day date Snorkeling Silfra, The Golden Circle day trip, Day Trip Around Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Each blog post is loaded with tons of information including what was worth it, entry fees, and other tips for traveling Iceland.
Are you convinced on planning a trip to Iceland? All of the above are just my opinions after one trip, but I’ve made sure to highlight what the whole group felt were winners overall. If you’ve been to Iceland - did I miss anything? Anything to add? Comment below!
Full disclosure: I’ve linked actual tours that we paid for and if you book through my links, I do earn a commission. Thank you to everyone that has supported me along the way!
