Dreaming how to escape your hectic city life for a few days? Wanderling among breathtaking Icelandic landscapes might be your next travel plan. Iceland has been on my Bucket list for a while and I am thrilled to share with you my 4-days breathtaking itinerary to Iceland for an unforgettable stay in the country of volcanoes!
Table of Contents
DAY 1: Icelandic capital’s highlights
Where to stay in Reykjavik?
The first thing we did after landing in Iceland was to check-in in our Airbnb accommodation. I booked an Airbnb in the central area of Reykjavik with everything in 15-minutes walking distance. Iceland is not a budget destination, so I’ve chosen Helga’s place that was just perfect for our stay! The place was very nice and the location was top! Therefore, we arrived at Helga’s place in the late afternoon and decided to do the groceries first in order to have enough Skyr and food for the next day. Fortunately, Bonus supermarket was located in three minutes walk which was AWESOME!!!!!
All the roads in Reykjavik lead to Hallgrimskirkja church and cinnamon buns…
The first thing on our 4-days itinerary to Iceland was to go for a walk on the main street of Reykjavik – Laugavegur. This is the vibrant part of Iceland’s capital. Hallgrimskirkja church is situated nearby as well as a lot of souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants. We couldn’t resist and stop by the emblematic bakery Standholt. This is the place to have a good coffee with a Cinnamon or Pistachio bun or just some irresistible cake…After all, a short break between the airport and the main city sights never hurts. Furthermore, we gazed in awe in front of the highest building in Reykjavik – Hallgrimskirkja church. With no doubts, the pictures are breathtaking and say more about this imposing sight than me.
Next on the Icelandic must-do list: Harpa concert hall
Another great sight not to be missed out in Reykjavik is Harpa concert hall. The building is located between the Old Harbor and The Sun Voyager. The spot is perfect to take pictures close to the sea and with all the surroundings. The Sun Voyager sculpture is also located nearby. Before coming to Iceland I was convinced that The Sun Voyager is made out of wood, but actually, it’s not. Actually, is a stainless steel sculpture and is one of the emblematic symbols of the Icelandic capital.
As dinner time has approached, we decided to try the local speciality – the best hot dogs in town – Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur. After this local feast, it was time to go back to our Airbnb and have a Skyr for dessert, even though local people eat it for breakfast.
DAY 2 – Whale watching excursion and Blue Lagoon relax day
Whale Watching boat trip
The second day of our Icelandic 4-days breathtaking itinerary began with a morning Whale Watching boat trip. Trip’s duration was around three hours, but unluckily, we could not see what we expected – a big whale smiling at us in front of the boat. So far, we were fortunate to see only one whale 100 meters distance away in front of the boat. Finally, and to our great surprise, a group of white striped dolphins were following the boat very closely and we enjoyed their show and company. And took a video of course…
Blue Lagoon mind-blowing relax time
After a three hours Whale watching boat windy trip, it was time to relax in the most amazing geothermal spa in the world – Blue Lagoon. The spa is very well organized and the staff puts at your disposal everything you need to immerse yourself in this unique experience. We spent the entire afternoon in the milky blue hot waters of Blue Lagoon while it was 10°C outside……Whmmmmm….
DAY 3 of my Icelandic thrilling itinerary – let’s conquer the South Coast
Icelandic South coast stops – Solheimajokull glacier, Reynisfjara black sand beach, Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls and village of Vik
As we wanted to enjoy our 4-days stay in Iceland without the frustration of taking care of everything ourselves, we booked all the day tours through the GetYourGuide website. The only thing we had to do is to be on time for the bus pick up. On day 3 of our mind-blowing Icelandic adventure, we embarked on a whole day trip to the South Coast. The itinerary includes Solheimajokull glacier, Reynisfjara black sand beach, Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls and village of Vik.
Our great guide provided us with a lot of interesting insights about Icelandic landscapes, culture, lifestyle and Sagas. Those of the group who booked a hike in the Solheimajokull were left there to enjoy the activity with an experienced guide. Our tour continued with a short walk on the Reynisfjara black sand beach enjoying numerous Puffins’ company.
The lunch break took place in the village of Vik which is located near a volcano that can destroy the village very quickly….So this is a must-see place before it disappears….
The tour ended with a visit of two of the most famous waterfalls in the Icelandic South Coast – Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls. As there was a path behind Seljalandsfoss, we’ve got a natural shower.
DAY 4 of my Icelandic rediscovery of stunning landscapes: The Golden circle
The Golden circle excursion
The Golden circle is top one touristic attraction in Iceland as it includes the volcanic crater Kerid, Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir area and the Thingvellir National Park. All these places are hot spots, full of tourists and for a reason…The places, the colours and the natural diversity you’ll see around are heavenly beautiful. Even for those who refuse to follow the beaten touristic paths, this is a must-do tour.
First, we visited the volcanic crater Kerid that is a synonym of autumn for me. It’s coloured in all the autumn shades – yellow, orange, red, green, brown. I’ve never visited a crater before, so for me, it was a thing to tick on my Bucket list.
Furthermore, we visited Gullfoss waterfall. It’s a massive waterfall!!! It’s huge!!! I did not imagine it sooo big with so powerful waters that are going down to the precipice. It was mind-blowing experience gazing in awe in front of the power of nature.
Let’s the Geysir explode
Next came on the list Geysir area. Personally, that was the highlight of our Golden Circle day trip. Before even imaging that one day I would reach Iceland and will enjoy a 4-days breathtaking itinerary in this beautiful country, I put a picture of the Geysir area on my wall behind my monitor at work. I was contemplating the picture a few months before it becomes a reality. Since then, I truly believe that visualising has something to do with me visiting Iceland.
The Geysir is real. It explodes every few minutes. The show is mind-blowing. I highly recommend you to not to miss out Golden Circle tour as you won’t see these landscapes anywhere!!!!
Finally, we arrived in between the two continental plates – European and American in Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park. This is the place to imagine how big the world is and how connected we can be. A great end of an unforgettable day!
DAY 5 Souvenirs, memories and time to say goodbye to Iceland
Everything comes to its end and so was our 4-days breathtaking itinerary to Iceland. As a souvenir from Iceland, I bought a box of volcanic black salt! For more information, check out my souvenirs collection here Ideas for souvenirs to bring from your next trip.
Are you ready to head to a short mind-blowing break in Iceland?
Thanks for reading!