Ultimate 4 Days in Iceland Itinerary
Iceland is one of my absolute favorite destinations and I’d love to visit for a longer trip in the future, but it also makes for a great short trip, especially if you’re traveling from the US East Coast! For those also planning a short trip, I’ve compiled my ultimate four days in Iceland itinerary.
Four days gives you enough time to see many of the amazing sites Iceland has to offer! Be warned, this is a fairly jam packed itinerary (as most of mine are haha) but there is just so much to see in Iceland I didn’t want to waste a second of my limited time there! This itinerary includes Reykjavik, Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle Day Trip, Sky Lagoon and 2 days exploring the highlights of Iceland’s south coast!
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
Day 1: Blue Lagoon & Reykjavik
For your first day in Iceland I recommend stopping at the infamous Blue Lagoon! It’s conveniently located right near the airport, so if you plan properly you can go right from the airport before heading to Reykjavik (more on that below) After a few hours at the Blue Lagoon I recommend checking into your hotel & exploring Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik.
Blue Lagoon
Iceland’s Blue Lagoon is a must-see on your trip to Iceland. The insta-worthy blue water is filled with natural minerals touted as being great for skin and overall health. The water actually is run off from a local geothermal power plant, but don’t worry the it’s clean, natural water. The blue color come from the abundance of silica and the it reflects visible light when suspended in water.
The Blue Lagoon is a truly unique experience! The massive open-aired lagoon is impressive & depending on your ticket level you’ll be offered a variety of face masks from the face mask bar. I don’t know if it was just a placebo effect, but I swear my skin was glowing after my trip to the Blue Lagoon!
There is also a bar serving alcoholic drinks, waters, juices etc. and most tickets come with one complimentary beverage!
You’ll probably want to plan to spend at least 2-3 hours at the Lagoon, depending on how long you want to soak.
If you have long hair, don’t be too concerned. I read some crazy stories about people’s hair being ruined for days after being in the Blue Lagoon, but I also knew I would not be able to resist the temptation to dunk my head haha. There’s a few things you’ll want to do to make sure your hair is fine after swimming in the lagoon:
- Before going in the Lagoon wet your hair & mask it in a deep conditioner. I just used my standard conditioner – but I have thick, curly hair, so I used A LOT.
- After swimming in the Lagoon wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo and load up on the conditioner & leave-in conditioner to prevent the sulfur from causing you hair to dry out.
I did the above and had no issues with my hair!
Tickets:
Tickets start at about $60, include a face mask and a free drink. They can be purchased here. You can also upgrade to buy tickets that include more face masks, massages, etc!
Getting There:
From the Airport
Blue Lagoon is only about 20 minutes from the airport vs. 50 minutes from Reykjavik, so it may make sense to head to the Lagoon straight from the airport. They even offer luggage storage in their parking lot! It costs roughly $6 a bag.
If you haven’t rented a car, you can take a bus from the Airport. Transportation can be purchased while you’re booking your ticket (which I did) or separately here. Transportation on it’s own is about $30 round trip.
From Downtown Reykjavik
Blue lagoon from Downtown Reykjavik is about a 50 minute drive. There is a large parking area that is free for guests.
If you haven’t rented a car, you can take a bus from downtown. Transportation can be purchased while you’re booking your ticket (which I did) or separately here. Transportation on it’s own is about $30 round trip. During booking they’ll have you meet the bus at the local bus stop nearest to your hotel. You might then be combined into a larger bus with other outside of downtown Reykjavik. The experience was super convenient!
Where to Stay in Reykjavik
After you’ve finished at the Blue Lagoon, head to downtown Reykjavik, where I recommend staying for the first two nights of your trip. There are tons of lovely hotel options in the downtown area that are all walkable to the main sites, but I cannot recommend Hotel Reykjavik Saga enough! I stayed there for 5 nights on my most recent trip and loved it, also the breakfast was amazing!
Explore Reykjavik
I recommend spending the rest of your day exploring downtown Reykjavik. It’s a cool town with lots of restaurants, cafes, shops and bars. You can see my full Reykjavik travel guide here, but some of the top things to see are:
- Hallgrímskirkja – a large church that dominates the Reykjavik skyline. You are able to pay to take the elevator to the top for epic 360 views of Reykjavik and beyond. It costs about $7 to go up
- Rainbow Street
- The Sun Voyager
- Main streets of: Laugavegur, Austurstræti & Hafnarstræti
Dinner at one of Reykjavik’s Top Restaurants
Reykjavik has a great food scene with tons of good restaurant options from local Icelandic food, to Italian to Mexican and more! I’ve compiled my list of best restaurants in Reykjavik here. But my top recommendations would be
- Apotek – upscale Icelandic fare
- Hamborgarabúlla Tómasar – best burgers in Reykjavik
- Lemmy – best pub food in Reykjavik
Day 2: Golden Circle Day Trip & Sky Lagoon
For your second day in Iceland I recommend venturing out of Reykjavik and exploring Iceland’s infamous Golden Circle. The Golden Circle features some of Iceland’s most iconic places to visit and is doable as a day trip from Reykjavik. After a long day of exploring, head to the Sky Lagoon, located conveniently 10 minutes from downtown Reykjavik it’s a perfect place to relax and unwind!
Golden Circle Tour: Thingvellir, Brúarfoss Waterfall, Geysir, Gullfoss Waterfall & Kerid Crater
You have two options for exploring the Golden Circle from Reykjavik 1. renting a car and exploring on your own (recommended) 2. joining an organized group tour. I’ve taken a group tour and it definitely hits all the highlights (except Brúarfoss) but exploring on your own is definitely preferable in my opinion! My full Golden Circle Trave; guide can be found here!
- Thingvellir National Park – This national park features dramatic, moody views of the coastline & is a UNESCO world heritage site. The park features coastal views, gorges and a small waterfall (Öxarárfoss) You can also scuba or snorkel at Sifra, which is the place where the two tectonic plates have slowly begun splitting apart (about 2cm a year) Entrance is free, but it is about $5 to park for the day if you’re driving.
- Brúarfoss Waterfall – Waterfall known for it’s unique blue colors caused by glacier water. This one does require hiking (4.5 mile round trip) so you’ll need to be ok with the hike and spending at least 2 hours on this portion of your trip. (Pictured above)
- Geysir – An active geysir that shoots bright blue, burning hot water high into the air every few minutes you can visit. This is also a great spot to have lunch! Right across the street next to the parking area is a large visitor center with several lunch options, including quick grab & go options and more sit down type options.
- Gullfoss Waterfall – One of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls, this massive waterfall drops 105 feet into a deep canyon. On a sunny day you’ll see a series of rainbows (pictured above)
- Kerid Crater – Kerid Crater is another unique stop on your Golden Circle tour. The volcanic crater feels like something from a different planet. At the bottom of the deep crater is an almost eerie, but pretty deep teal lake. There is a small parking fee (about $3) and entrance is free other than parking!
Sky Lagoon
I cannot reiterate enough how much I loved the Sky Lagoon. I know you might be thinking you’ve already been to the Blue Lagoon, do you need to see another? For me, the answer is definitely yes! Sky Lagoon is located right near downtown Reykjavik and can easily be reached by taxi in 10-15 minutes and is a great place to soak and relax after a long day exploring the Golden Circle!
The oceanside geothermal lagoon offers stunning panoramic ocean views as you soak in the relaxing water. It’s a great place to see the sunset, the northern lights, or just the Icelandic coastline.
They also offer a 7 step “experience” that involves soaking in the lagoon, a cold plunge, a sauna (with the most stunning views) a cold fog mist shower, cleansing body scrub, a steam & a shower. This was a super cool, refreshing experience before heading back to soak in the lagoon and grab a drink from the swim up bar.
Cost & Tickets: Tickets start at about $50 and can be purchased here.
Getting There: busses run from downtown Reykjavik (it’s about 10 minutes from downtown) or you can get a taxi easily!
Day 3: Reykjadalur, Skogafoss, Solheimajokull Glacier, Black Sand Beach & Vik
For days 3 & 4 of your trip I recommend venturing out of Reykjavik to explore Iceland’s South Coast. There is so much to see. If you prefer to stay in Reykjavik you can do a shorter day trip, but to see all the highlights I recommend taking two days to explore the south coast, spending a night in Vik.
Reykjadalur Thermal Hot Spring River
The Reykjadalur hot spring river makes for a great first stop if you wish to start your day with a refreshing hot spring soak! If you’ve had enough between Blue & Sky lagoon you can skip this stop and head straight to Skogafoss, but these natural thermal river hot springs are magical!
From the parking lot it’s about 3km, mostly uphill, so it can take about 45 minutes to get to the river. You’ll hike past many hot pools, brimming with steam that fills the valley, these are not for swimming, but hike on a bit farther to find the river!
Tickets/Cost: Entrance is free, but you will need to pay for parking at the lot.
Skogafoss
Nexy up is Skogafoss. Skogafoss is one of the most incredible places I’ve seen in my life. The stunning waterfall features a 200 foot drop and is over 80 feet wide. It’s size is absolutely epic, and the view from the bottom is unreal. If you’re lucky enough to visit on a sunny day you’ll see a full rainbow next to the falls! See my pic above!
Solheimajokull Glacier
Solheimajokull is one of Iceland’s most popular glaciers to visit, despite being one of the smallest. This is due to its accessibility from Reykjavik. The ash-covered glacier is a popular spot on the South Coast, and many people take excursions onto the glacier. This should be booked through a guide, as you’ll need the proper equipment.
You can hike into Solheimajokull from the parking area in about 15-20 minutes and enjoy the views without needing to book a tour!
Reynisfjara Beach
Last stop before reaching Vik for the night is the infamous black sand beach, Reynisfjara. The black sand formed from volcanic rock, and the stunning basalt formations rising from the ocean make for epic coastal views.
Please be careful at this beach and do not get too close to the water. It is prone to rogue waves that can suddenly rise and crash 50-100 feet higher up the shore than previous waves.
Vik
Vik is a charming, small town located right near Reynisfjara. This is where you’ll spend the night before spending day 4 exploring some other highlights of Iceland’s south coast. If you’re visiting from November-March it’s also a great place to see the Northern Lights!
Make sure to drive up to the viewpoint from the church. It’s just a few minutes from the small downtown area and offers stunning views over Reynisfjara & the basalt columns.
The town is sleepy, but quaint and a has a few nice restaurant/bar options:
Day 4: Diamond Beach, Glacier Lagoon & Seljalandsfoss
For your final day in Iceland you’ll explore some of my absolute favorite spots on the South Coast! This is a bit of a long day of driving, so definitely get an early start!
Diamond Beach & Glacier Lagoon
Two of the most incredible spots in Iceland are Diamond Beach and the nearby Glacier Lagoon. They’re located about two and a half hours from Vik, so it is a bit of a trek to get there, but so worth it.
Diamond Beach is a stunning black sand beach that is famous for the iceberg fragments that drift onto the shore. On a sunny day at Breiðamerkursandur (or Diamond Beach) the iceberg fragments glisten and sparkle with the stunning backdrop of the Icelandic coastline. If you’re lucky you might see an Orca whale looking for seal!
Directly inland from Diamond Beach is Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. This stunning lagoon is the deepest lake in Iceland and is the best place to see Icelandic seals that flock to the area. The lagoon is created (and keeps growing) due the the melting of Iceland’s many glaciers.
While visiting the lagoon you can take a boat tour (April- October only) or visit the infamous ice caves (Nov-Mar only)
Seljalandsfoss
For your final stop, head to Seljalandsfoss, one of the most stunning waterfalls in Iceland! It’s about three hours from Diamond Beach, but heading back in the direction of Reykjavik and the airport.
I absolutely recommend timing your trip to Seljalandsfoss around sunset. It is absolutely one of the most epic places to see the sunset in Iceland. The views of the sun setting over Vestmannaeyjar (the Western islands) is unreal.
The stunning waterfall sits in a valley that offers amazing views of the cascade from either side. But, the best view is walking behind the waterfall! Be prepared to get soaked from the spray of the massive waterfall, but walking the path behind the falls is a can’t miss!
While you’re there, check out the “secret waterfall” Gljufrabui. It’s a short walk from Seljalandsfoss and is almost entirely hidden. You can find it by following the river flowing from the base of the falls out to the valley. You’ll have to walk across the rocks of the river into a small cavern where once it opens up you’ll see the tall stunning water fall, entirely impossible to see from outside the cavern.
Worth a hike in, but beware your feet will get wet!
To see more of my recommendations for Iceland, check out my full Iceland travel guide!
