5 days in Iceland Itinerary: The Perfect Icelandic Adventure

Iceland is one of my absolute favorite places I’ve ever visited! Glaciers, lagoons, watefalls, hot springs, Northern Lights, and so much more. Iceland is an adventure and nature lovers dream.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit twice, once in fall and once in winter & enjoyed both trips so much! If you want to explore Reykjavik, the Golden Circle Highlights + the South Coast – 5 days is a perfect amount of time. This 5 day itinerary makes for a great first trip to Iceland. For this itinerary you’ll spend your first 2 nights in Reykjavik, your 3rd on Iceland’s remote south coast & your 4th back in Reykjavik. Details below!

One note, If you want to explore some of the more remote North and East areas, you’ll need more time!

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!

Planning your Iceland trip? Use my Iceland Travel Guide as the perfect jumping off point for exploring all Iceland has to offer!

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 it ahead of time you can go right from the airport before heading to Reykjavik (more on that below) I’d dedicate at least 3 hours at the Blue Lagoon & then head to Reykjavik. I recommend checking into your hotel & exploring Iceland’s vibe-y capital city!

Blue Lagoon

Iceland’s Blue Lagoon is hyper instagram famous, and a must-see on your trip to Iceland. The neon 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 and natural water. The blue color comes from the silica and the it reflects light when suspended in water.

The Blue Lagoon is a really 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, which was one of my favorite parts. I don’t know if it was just placebo, but I swear my skin was glowing in my Blue Lagoon pictures!

There is also a bar serving alcoholic drinks, waters, juices etc. Most tickets come with at least one complimentary beverage! A wine with a view in the Blue Lagoon is a 10/10 Iceland experience!

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! You can also check Viator if tickets are sold out on the Blue Lagoon website or to see if Viator is cheaper! 

Getting There:

From the Airport

Blue Lagoon is only about 20 minutes from the airport vs. 50 minutes from Reykjavik, so my recommnedatio is 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. You can also book it so you get picked up at the airport and dropped off in downtown Reykjavik!

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. 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!

Pay close attention to your ticket departure – if your departure time is 10:30, that means departure from the main bus station, there will be a note indicating your hotel pickup is 30 minutes earlier, I totally missed that and missed my first bus!

Blue Lagoon & Your Hair

If you have long hair, don’t be too concerned. I read some crazy stories about people’s hair being ruined for weeks 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, like soaked through my hair.
• 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 on both visits to the Blue Lagoon and had no issues with my hair even though I dunked under the water!

Where to Stay in Reykjavik

After you’ve finished at the Blue Lagoon, head to downtown Reykjavik, where I recommend staying for the first 2 nights and last night of your trip.

There are tons of hotel options in the downtown area that are all walkable to the main sites, as Reykjavik itself is not that big, 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! I also loved the nearby  Apótek Hotel – if you need a place with parking (extra fee) this hotel was perfect!

What to do in 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 – try one of Reykjavik’s infamous coffee shops, like Reykjavik roasters or one of the fun bars like Lebowski’s or Hús Máls og Menningar (a bookstore that also is a bar with live music!)

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 a great day trip from Reykjavik. After a day of exploring the Golden Circle, head to the Sky Lagoon, located conveniently 10 minutes from downtown Reykjavik it’s one of my favorite places in Iceland.

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 2. joining an organized group tour. I’ve taken a group tour and it definitely hits all the highlights (except Brúarfoss) and is super convenient, but exploring on your own gives you more flexibility in terms of how long to spend places and trying to beat the crowds. I’ve done both and feel like it’s a personal preference!

My full Golden Circle Travel guide can be found here!

Golden Circle Highlights!

• 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) near the bottom parking lot. 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 used to require a bit of a hike, but now there is parking a 5-ish minute walk from the waterfall. (Many guided tours didn’t include this stopin my experience, so check your itinerary if you’re booking one!)

• 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. You may be wondering if it’s worth visiting both Blue and Sky Lagoon (especially given the cost) but 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 $80 and can be found here.

Getting There: busses run from downtown Reykjavik (it’s about 10 minutes from downtown) or you can get a taxi easily!

Day 3: South Coast Pt 1.

Diamond Beach & Glacier Lagoon

Day 3 hit the road early (like 6 or 7AM) from Reykjavik to start your trek down the South Coast all the way to two of the most incredible spots in Iceland; Diamond Beach and the nearby Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. They’re located about 5 hours from Reykjavik, 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!

Diamond Beach is free to visit!

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)

Ice Cave Tour

I visited during March and we did an ice cave tour. It was stunning! The tour company will drive you up to the glacier where you’ll then hike the glacier (so cool) with crampons to a variety of Ice Caves. The caves were so, so stunning and unreal. See ice cave tour options here.

A few notes on this option, you’ll need to be physically fit enough to spend an hour or so hiking across the glacier, it’s not super strenuous, but it can be slippery even with the crampons. Also, if you’re claustrophobic, note that the ice caves can be super narrow! I had to turn around in the last one because it got way too narrow and the guy I wasn’t sure where it ended!

Spend the Night on Iceland’s Remote South Coast

The area is not the most populated, so you definitely want to plan in advance. Vik is the only real town to stay in (still very small) but there are also some great hotels in between Vik and Glacier Lagoon that are good options as well!

Vik

Vik has the most hotel and accommodation options on the South Coast. It’s about 2 and half hours from Reykjavik and then another 2 and a half hours from Glacier Lagoon. My top two recommendations for hotels would be:

• Hótel Kría – this spot offers stunning mountain views, and on-site bar and restaurant and is only 5 minutes from the Black Sand Beach
• Hotel Vík í Mýrdal – another great option in Vik with an on-site bar & restaurants and Black Sand beach views

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

There’s a tiny town about an hour farther South than Vik (3 and a half hours from Reykjavik) that’s only about 90 minutes from Glacier Lagoon that has a few nice hotels. This is also a great place to see the Northern Lights because it’s super in the middle of nowhere and dark enough!

Magma Hotel – A stunning Nordic designed hotel with an on-site restaurant and amazing views

Hotel Klaustur – I stayed here on my most recent trip, the hotel was clean, with a good restaurant/bar on site. My favorite perk was the Northern Lights wake up calls you could set! The lights unfortunately never came out when I was there!

Tips for Chasing the Northern Lights

To see the Northern Lights you need two things 1. active solar activity & 2. a clear sky. There are 2 apps that were super helpful for Northern Lights Chasing:

• Hello Aurora – this will give you a % chance of seeing the aurora, cloud covet details, aurora strength (you want low clouds, high strength!) plus more technical details. BUT the best part is others nearby can share photos of the aurora with their general location on a map! You may be able to drive only a few miles and see the lights!
• Aurora – this app is similar it will give you a chance of seeing the lights by time frame (I found this app easier to understand than Hello Aurora) but recommend having both for the others sharing photos in the Hello Aurora app!

Day 4: South Coast Pt. 2

Vik, Black Sand Beach, Skogafoss, & Seljalandsfoss

For your fourth day you’ll drive back towards Reykjavik and explore the other highlights of the South Coast!

• Vik – If you didn’t opt to stay in Vik, make sure to stop there quickly on your way back towards Reykjavik. The viewpoint at the church overlooking Vik is one of the best places to get photos.
• Reynisfjara Beach is the infamous black sand beach. The black sand formed from volcanic rock, and the stunning basalt formations rising from the ocean make for epic coastal views.

• Skogafoss – Next 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. Since you’ll have visited the larger and more impressive Jökulsárlón glacier, I’d opt to skip this one.

• Seljalandsfoss – Last stop on the way back to Reykjavik is the stunning Seljalandsfoss (and the hidden waterfall nearby if you want to hike in to a watery cave to explore) Seljalandsfoss is a stunning tall, narrow waterfall that you can walk behind for the most epic views. My tour got us to Seljalandsfoss at sunset and watching the sun set over Vestmannaeyjar (the Western islands) from behind the waterfall is one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had, so time it for sunset if you can!
• Reykjadalur Thermal Hot Spring River – Another great spot on the south coast, closer to Reykjavik if you have time! These natural thermal river hot springs are magical! Most guided tours do not include this stop because it’s roughly 45 min walk/hike in each way! Entrance is free, but you will need to pay for parking at the lot. It may be hard to squeeze this in unless you’re visiting in the summer when there are so many hours of daylight!

Day 5: Hvammsvik Hot Springs

Spend your last day in Iceland at one of the most stunning places 45 minutes from Reykjavik, Hvammsvik Hot Springs, and get a chance to explore a bit of western Iceland’s landscape on your way there!

I visisted Hvammsvik Hot Springs on my most recent trip to Iceland and absolutely fell in love! I cannot believe this place isn’t more popular. It’s a series of natural hot springs located about 45 minutes from Reykjavik. The stunning series of pools are right on the ocean with views of the mountains. You can take a cold plunge in the ocean when you need a break from the hot springs.

The series of pools range in temperature, and the main pool has a swim up bar, similar to the Blue or Sky Lagoon. I absolutely loved this place, and spent several hours popping between the different pools and saunas.

You can get there via rental car, or they offer transfers from Reykjavik similar to the Blue Lagoon. I had a car so I drove myself, tickets cost $78. I bought them day of and the transfer options were already all sold out, so book in advance!