4 Days in Iceland: A Whirlwind Itinerary of All the Best Places

by | Last updated Aug 23, 2023 | Europe Itinerary, Iceland

You will be spellbound by Iceland’s natural beauty. Thundering waterfalls, “diamond” beaches, floating glaciers, towering sea stacks, mystical canyons … this country almost seems unreal! We had 4 days in Iceland to explore all these main highlights in addition to trying out the top foodie spots. It was a whirlwind of a trip but completely worth it. This itinerary can only be accomplished if you go during the summertime when the Midnight Sun occurs. Read on to find out how we did it.

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the Gulfoss Waterfall in Iceland
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DAY 1: GOLDEN CIRCLE

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Arrive at the airport in Iceland on a red-eye flight at 9:35 am. 

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10:30 am: Pick up the car through Blue Car Rental. Grocery run at BONUS to pick up snacks and drive to Thingvellir National Park.

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1:15 pm: Arrive at Thingvellir National Park and see Oxarafoss Waterfall and Almannagjá Gorge, where the earth is pulling apart! Afterward, warm your body up with some delicious homemade tomato soup at Friðheimar Farm. 

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4:30 pm: Witness the Strokkur Geysir and the Gulfoss Waterfall and finish out the day with ice cream at Efstidalur Farm.
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Breakfast: on the plane. Late lunch/early dinner: Friðheimar Farm.  

Skógafoss Waterfall in Iceland
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DAY 2: WATERFALLS + GLACIER + SEA STACKS

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10:00 – 11:30 am: Walk behind one of the most spectacular waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss. Drive 25 minutes more to Skógafoss Waterfall.

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3 pm: Watch the floating icebergs at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach.  Enjoy hot, creamy lobster bisque at a food truck.

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5:45 pm: Hike the 60-minute trail to the “Black Waterfall,” Svartifoss.

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7:30 pm: Enjoy walking along the mystical Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon.

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9 pm: Check into the hotel and grab dinner in the town of Vík. Then check out the towering sea stacks next to the crashing ocean.

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Breakfast: Skeiðvellir Panorama House. Lunch: Heimahumar food truck. Dinner: Smidjan Brugghus.

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Overnight: Hotel Kria

Picturesque Reykjadalur Hot Springs River
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DAY 3: PUFFINS + HOT SPRINGS + REYKJAVIK

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11 am: Drive to nearby Dyrhólaey to see if you can spot some puffins. 

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2 pm: Hike 45 minutes to a local favorite, Reykjadalur Hot Springs. After, drive to Reykjavik to enjoy some delicious fish & chips.

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7 pm: After a hot shower, walk around Reykjavik to check off all the top sites: Bæjarins Beztu Pyslur (famous hot dog stand), Hallgrímskirkja Church, Harpa Concert Hall, and Sun Voyager. 

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8:15 pm: If you are a foodie, you will love checking out all the food vendors at the Hlemmur Mathöll Food Hall. Highly recommend Skal! 
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9:30 pm: After dinner drinks at my favorite cocktail bar, Apotek.

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Breakfast: Hotel Kria. Late lunch: Fish & Chips Vagninn. Dinner: Skal!
Blue Lagoon in Iceland
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DAY 4: BAKERY + BLUE LAGOON + FLY HOME

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10:45 am: Walk around downtown Reykjavik one more time and pick up some cinnamon buns at the local bakery, Braud & Co.

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1 pm: Check in to the Blue Lagoon.

2:30 pm: In-water massage.

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6 pm: Drop off rental car.

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8:20 pm: Fly back home.

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Breakfast: At the Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel/Braud & Co. Dinner: on the plane.
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MAP VIEW OF 4-DAY ICELAND ITINERARY

A Map of 4 days in Iceland Itinerary
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WHO WILL LIKE THIS ICELAND ITINERARY

  • Outdoor adventurers 
  • Road trippers 
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BEST TIME TO VISIT ICELAND

  • The best time to go to Iceland is mid May-mid August! This time frame is when the Midnight Sun occurs, where the sun never fully sets. We went in early July and were able to pack in a ton of activities and hikes late into the night.

 

  • The other time to consider coming to Iceland is late September -late March IF you want to see the northern lights. The peak of the lights is in September and March, which corresponds with the Equinox. However, there is no guarantee. It all depends on the weather.
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ACCOMMODATIONS

  • Skeiðvellir Panorama House (1 night)
Skeiðvellir Panorama house

  • Hotel Kria (1 night)
View from our room at Hotel Kria in Vik Iceland

  • Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel (1 night)
Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel
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AIRLINES

Icelandair

  • 11:50 pm direct flight from the east coast of the United States to Keflavík International Airport (KEF), which took about 6 hours.  

  • 8:20 pm direct flight from KEF to the United States
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CAR RENTAL & HOW TO GET AROUND

  • All the sites in Iceland are quite spread out. I would highly advise renting a car. We used the local company, Blue Car Rental. I highly recommend them!
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TOUR OPERATORS

  • None. This is one of the few trips we did not need a tour for any portion of our road trip. Iceland is truly a DIY destination.
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LUNCH/DINNER RESERVATIONS

  • None. All of the restaurants we chose did not require reservations.
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WHAT I WOULD HAVE CHANGED

 

  • Of course, if you have more days to spare, the extra time would make this road trip much more relaxed.

 

 

  • I would have loved to have seen the Blue Ice Cave while we were visiting Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.

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