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The Best 7-Day Itinerary for Iceland: What To Visit
Where Is Iceland Located?
Iceland. Where is it located—Europe or North America? Geographically, this island nation in the north Atlantic first settled by Vikings straddles both.
You could call it the westernmost country in Europe or the easternmost country in North America.
But don’t call it dull.
Iceland offers some of the most spectacular landscape views in the world.
In fact, the hardest thing about a trip to Iceland may be fighting the urge to pull your vehicle over every two minutes to snap yet another picture of the awe-inspiring vistas.
Read on to learn about when to go and the best things to see and do on a 7-day trip to Iceland, including the main cities to visit.
When To Visit Iceland
Many travelers wonder when is the best time to visit Iceland. The answer depends on your priorities.
If you’re hoping to see the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, you’ll have the best chance of spotting these eerie colorful lights between October and April. The days are much shorter then, with around 4-5 hours of daylight in early January. Wondering where to go to see the Northern Lights in Iceland? Traveling further north on a clear winter’s night will improve your chances. Just remember to go to northern Iceland to see the Northern Lights if you want the best chance of an impressive spectacle.
To enjoy long days outdoors and relatively warm weather, you’re better off visiting between May and September. In fact, with 20 or more hours of daylight in mid-summer, you probably won’t ever see a sunset here. During one trip in June, I recall looking out the window of my hotel room at close to midnight. It looked like a strange late afternoon landscape that was very, very still.
This is also one of only a few places in the world where you can see puffins. The best time to go to see puffins is probably July or August.
If you’re planning a 7-day trip to Iceland, you’ll probably get the most out of it by traveling here during summer. That’s the season this itinerary is designed for, when most tourist facilities and roads are open. You can have a busy but still very enjoyable trip driving the circumference of the country with a full week during a summer visit. This is still fairly rigorous though, with a day or two of driving 400-500 kms. Make it 8-10 days in Iceland if you’d like to enjoy everything at a slower pace.
Even though you could probably drive around the entire island in a couple of days, I’d recommend against trying the full circuit if you have only 3 or 4 days in Iceland. Pick just a few of the cities and regions in Iceland to visit from the list below so your experience isn’t too much of a rushed blur. Focusing on the Snaefellesnes Peninsula, Golden Circle, and Dyrholaey/Jökulsárlón is a good approach if you have only a few days in Iceland.
Short Overview of 7 Days in Iceland
Day 1: Arrive in Reykjavik and pick up your rental car. Take a walking tour of Reykjavik. Visit the Arbaer Open Air Museum and 871 Settlement Museum. Sleep in Reykjavik.
Day 2: See Hallgrímskirkja church, then depart Reykjavik and drive along Highway 1/The Ring Road to begin your tour of the Golden Circle: Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, and Gullfoss Waterfall. Sleep in Selfoss.
Day 3: Drive to Skogar and see the museums. Visit the black sand beaches of Dyrholaey. Visit Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. See the fishing village of Höfn. Sleep in Höfn.
Day 4: Visit the fjords, steam vents, and boiling mud pools of Myvatn. Sleep in Laugar.
Day 5: Visit Trollaskagi Peninsula and Borgarnes Settlement Center to learn about how the Vikings settled Icelend. Sleep in Akureyri near the Arctic Circle.
Day 6: See the awesome landscapes of Snaefellesness Peninsula. Sleep in Reykjavik.
Day 7: Explore Reykjavik and see the National Museum of Iceland. Return home!
The Best 7-Day Iceland Itinerary in Detail
Now here’s an in-depth look at what to do on this great itinerary driving around Iceland in 7 days. This will take you on a counterclockwise journey around the country on the Ring Road. If you’re doing it at the end of summer, consider doing it clockwise instead. That way, you’ll end up at the warmest southern cities last.
Day 1: Reykjavik
You have arrived in Reykjavik! Pick up your reserved rental car. You’ll be doing a lot of driving during the next week. Blue Car Rental, Fara Car Rental, Lava Car Rental, and Orange Car Rental are a few of the reputable companies popular with travelers to Iceland.
Check out the Arbaer Open Air Museum in the morning when it opens (or catch it after you’ve taken the walking tour that follows). Here you’ll find a nice collection of 19th and 20th-century buildings including a smithy, church, stable, houses, and more. Staff are dressed in period costumes.
Highlights include a historic home that shows how Icelanders of the 1920s lived and display cases filled with typical belongings that accompany descriptions of how Icelandic society and culture have changed over the decades. You can enjoy traditional Icelandic foods at the on-site Dillons Cafe.
The museum is open from 1000-1700 from June-August and 1300-1700 from September-May.
Dwellings at the Arbaer Open Air Museum
Then try to catch the Free Walking Tour Reykjavik, departing at 1030 or 1330 on summer days from the Parliament Building. This easy and informative 2-hour walk provides a good orientation to the city as well as the history and culture of Iceland.
Later that afternoon, visit the 871 Settlement Exhibition to learn about early Icelandic history. One interesting tidbit: studies of Y chromosomes and mitochondrial DNA show that most Icelandic men are of Norse descent while the majority of Icelandic women are of Celtic descent. Did Vikings often marry or abduct women they encountered in Ireland and bring them here? Aside from interesting historical passages, you’ll see the remains of a 10th century Viking hall inside this museum.
Day 2: Hallgrímskirkja, The Golden Circle (Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss), and Selfoss
Check out of your hotel in Reykjavik and visit the towering Hallgrímskirkja church, one of the city’s most impressive structures, on your way to Thingvellir National Park. Visible from miles away, it’s hard not to notice the 245-foot tall Hallgrímskirkja regardless of where you are in Reykjavik. The exterior is far more impressive than the plain and peaceful white interior, which holds a gigantic pipe organ. Out front stands a bronze statue of the famous Viking explorer Leifur Eiriksson (Leif Erickson), believed to have discovered North America.
Hallgrímskirkja is the largest church and one of the tallest buildings in Iceland
Begin your tour of the “Golden Circle” of Thingvellir, Geysir, and Gullfoss by driving about 15 miles east of Reykjavik to Thingvellir National Park.
Thingvellir is Iceland’s first national park as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Vikings created the Althing, a democratic parliament, here in 930 AD. At the Visitors Center you can watch a short film about the area’s history. Then walk down a path between two massive cliffs. These are the edges of the North American and European tectonic plates, and are slowly pulling away from each other at a rate of a few millimeters per year. On the valley floor you’ll also see bogs, fissures, gorges, a lake, and a trademark cluster of houses.
Thingvellir National Park
Then visit Geysir, which has several hot water geysers and blue pools of scalding water. This area looks kind of like the USA’s Yellowstone National Park. If you wait just a few minutes, you’ll see jets of water shoot from Strokkur Geyser. You can eat lunch at one of several on-site restaurants. At the gift shop, ponder the bizarre souvenir cans of fresh Icelandic air. That’s right, you open up a can and inside is “Icelandic air” (!)
Look but don’t touch Geysir’s scalding pools
Gullfoss (Golden Falls) is truly one of Iceland’s must-see sights, with titanic, sweeping falls roaring through a canyon. Don’t miss the chance to take some great photos here. You’ll see walls of spray from the thundering waterfalls and perhaps even a rainbow or two here.
Gullfoss waterfalls
With that, your tour of the Golden Circle draws to a close. Proceed to Selfoss, one of the bigger southern cities, where numerous good lodging options are available for the night. Selfoss will also give you the chance to resupply on toiletries and snacks at one of the local supermarkets.
Day 3: Skogar, Dyrholaey, Jokulsarlon, Hofn
After breakfast, depart Selfoss for Skogar Museum. It’s actually three museums: an Open Air Museum displaying Icelandic architectural history, a Folk Museum with regional crafts, and a Technical Museum focusing on transportation and communication. The Open Air Museum is the highlight, with a delightful array of Icelandic dwellings including a church, assorted homes and farmhouses, a school, animal sheds, and a series of turf roofed stone houses. The museums are open from 0900-1800 during the summer.
The western part of Skogar also has another large waterfall: Skogafoss.
Open Air Museum at Skogar
The black basalt beach of Dyrholaey (it means door-hill-island) is another must-visit location in Iceland. Here strange rock formations jut from large swaths of black sand, with green lava cliffs looking over them. These are the remains of volcanic islands. You might spot puffins and other birds here, especially during the summer. A walk along the beach is amazing if it’s open.
If you need gas or diesel for your car at this point, you can fuel up in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Now say that three times fast!
Black sand beaches at Dyrholaey
The glacier lagoon is Jökulsárlón will be one of the most remarkable sights of your entire trip to Iceland. It goes without saying that this is a must-see, but I’ve said it anyways. This is a rare opportunity to see icebergs up close and should not be missed.
Icebergs at Jökulsárlón
Jökulsárlón is not far from the main road, and the water is filled with blue, white, and black icebergs. You can see them from the cliffs above then walk right up to them along the shore. During my last visit, I saw a large iceberg crash into another with a thunderous roar.
Another view of Jökulsárlón
Overnight in or near the city of Höfn. The Selljavir Guesthouse just outside of Höfn offers clean and simple rooms with superb blackout curtains—perfect for a good night’s rest during the summer when it doesn’t really get dark outside.
Enjoy a nice dinner of lobster/langoustine tails at the upscale Humarhofnin restaurant.
Day 4: Myvatn, Hverir, Namafjall, Hverfell, Dimmuborgir, Skutustadagigar, Akureyri
Brace yourself, because this will be a long day of driving. It’s over 500 km to the next destination of Akureyri with several worthwhile stops along the way. En route you’ll see dramatic scenery—dark, snow-covered mountains, creeks, and basalt beaches.
The city of Egilsstadir is a ncie place to stop for lunch. Here I had a meal of mushroom soup, bread, salad, and coffee.
You’ll approach the Myvatn area by mid-afternoon. It’s loaded with many good natural sightseeing opportunities. You can stop briefly at the Krafla geothermal station to use the excellent bathroom facilities if needed and to learn about geothermal power if you have an interest. The area has a large crater that is ordinarily filled with striking blue water, but it was covered in snow when I visited.
Nearby are the spectacular Hverir and Namafjall. Here you’ll find a vast alien landscape of reddish-orange, blue, and gray steaming vents and boiling mud pools. You can park at Hverir and explore both places on foot. Stay on the walking path and don’t stray beyond any roped off areas for your own safety. The smell of sulfur here is quite strong and you may feel the urge to urinate.
Namafjall
Namafjall
The eastern part of Myvatn holds Hverfell. A long and arduous hike will take you to an enormous black crater.
From there, you can proceed to the lava flows of Dimmuborgir. An on-site map will lay out the easy walking path options through the craggy lava field here. Another display will tell you the story of the Icelandic Yule Lads, 13 sons of trolls who supposedly live in Dimmuborgir and only come out in the winter. They have names like Spoon Licker, Sausage Swiper, and Skyr Gobbler.
Wrap up your sightseeing in this area with a visit to southern Myvatn to see the pseudocraters in Skutustadagigar. Here you’ll find some interesting views of snowy rocks that resemble Uluru in Australia.
Make your way to Akureyri in the evening and enjoy a well-deserved rest after this long day. You can buy groceries at a store called Hagkaup.
Day 5: Tröllaskagi Peninsula, Borgarnes Settlement Center
Continue driving along Iceland’s Ring Road. Next you’ll experience Tröllaskagi Peninsula (Troll’s Peninsula) with tremendous views of fjords, mountains, and valleys.
Next visit the award-winning Borgarnes Settlement Center, which provides a wonderful and in-depth examination of Icelandic history, plants, and animals. With the help of an audioguide, you’ll learn about the discovery and settlement of the country. The center focuses on Egil’s Saga. Egil Skallagrimsson, a Viking, warrior, and poet supposedly descended from a shapeshifting werewolf, lived a colorful and extremely violent life to say the least. Fascinating artwork, models, and carvings help bring the stories to life.
Day 6: Snaefellesnes Peninsula: Eldborg, Gerdaberg, Raudfeldar, Hellnar, Djupalonssandur, Kirkjufell
Located in western Iceland, the Snaefellesnes Peninsula (Snaefellesnes means “snow mountain peninsula”) presents a wondrous array of sights in a fitting grand finale before your return to Reykjavik. The dramatic volcano Mt. Snaefellsjokul dominates the skyline. Snaefellsjokul National Park may be one of Iceland’s smallest national parks, but it punches above its weight. This place has it all, from sea cliffs and lava flows to black sand beaches and volcanic peaks.
You probably won’t be able to see everything you want to see, so prioritize in advance.
Here’s one approach that works very well, starting in the south and driving west in a clockwise direction across the peninsula. First see the large, dark crater at Eldborg, then visit the majestic basalt columns in a long row along a sheer wall at Gerdaberg.
Enjoy an early lunch at Hotel Rjukani in Vegamot and try the Icelandic tapas, where you can experience a variety of Icelandic foods.
Travel further west to Raudfeldar Canyon, walking along a path that leads to a canyon with mountains and a view of the ocean.
Then stop at a coastal area between Stapi and Hellnar filled with moss-covered blocks of lava on the beach and sparkling blue water.
Visit the Snaefellsjokul National Park Visitors Center at Hellnar to get better oriented and plan out the rest of your day of sightseeing. Some great driving lies ahead, and you’ll be tempted to stop your car and get out every few moments for a closer look at the varied landscapes.
See the black lava beaches and sheer walls of Londrangar and the black sand beaches of Djupalonssandur. Drive north past the crater of Saxholl and dramatic snow-covered mountains. Proceed to Grundarfjordur, with its bay, waterfalls, and peaks. A little further east you’ll find the famous mountain of Kirkjufell, where you’ll also enjoy a good view of the area’s marshes.
Kirkjufell
Be careful driving and don’t try the offroad F paths unless you have a 4WD vehicle with appropriate ground clearance. You could easily get stuck.
Pass the Berserkjahrann lava fields and proceed to Reykjavik. You’ll drive through an undersea 7-km tunnel en route.
Day 7: Reykjavik
Your journey draws to a close upon your return to Reykjavik. Before you go, be sure to check out the National Museum of Iceland. You’ll get a final lesson on Icelandic history and see some interesting things like a bronze statue of Thor, drinking horns, ancient scythes and sickles, brooches, swords, coins, and depictions of how Iceland looked at the time of its settlement. Back then it was covered in forest, but you’ll see few trees today.
National Museum of Iceland
Then catch your flight back home and reflect on the great trip you’ve just had.
Icelandic Food and Drink
Icelandic food is an adventure in itself. Check out our overview of some of the best (and one of the worst!) foods to try during your visit.
How to Get to Iceland by Air
If you’re flying to Iceland from North America, you have plenty of options. Icelandair and Play offer year-round flights to Iceland. Air Canada, Delta, and United offer flights seasonally.
What Are the Entry Requirements for Iceland?
If you’re a resident of a Schengen country, no visa is required for stays of up to 90 days. For non-Schengen visitors, you’ll need a passport that is valid for at least three months beyond the date you enter.
By late February 2022, Iceland had lifted all COVID-related travel restrictions. No proof of vaccination or previous infection is required. Those who are infected with COVID-19 will experience no quarantine requirements or restrictions on social gatherings. I don’t know when you’ll be reading this section though, so for the latest official guidance, click here.
Fun Facts About Iceland
- Iceland is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, with only around 300,000 people. About one-third of them live in Reykjavik.
- More than half of Icelanders either believe in elves or think they may exist. Construction projects have been moved away from places where elves supposedly live.
- The Icelandic language has more than 100 words for wind.
- There’s less genetic diversity in Iceland than in many other countries and much of the population is at least distantly related. Some Icelanders use a special dating app to show how closely related a prospective couple may be to avoid inbreeding.
- Iceland has one of the lowest rates of violent crime in the world.