ICELAND : A WEEK ITINERARY

A WEEK IN ICELAND

 To visit Iceland, we rented a car to travel all around the island. Our 8-day journey was possible because we drove a lot, and we were also lucky with the weather because we didn't encounter any closed roads. However, ideally, we would recommend 10 days for this journey because we couldn't visit the north side of the island properly.

We chose to go in February for a chance to see the Northern Lights. We saw some, but this year they weren't that strong. If you go in winter, you have to be prepared because it is really cold and windy. Sometimes, the weather can block roads for a day or cancel activities. We also advise you to take a 4x4 to travel; sometimes, we got a little fright on the road. You also need to be comfortable driving, but don't worry, it's not that complicated; you will always follow the main Ring Road N1.

Iceland is just so worth visiting! You will never remember how to pronounce the names of the places you discovered, but you will never forget those incredible landscapes. You will never see anything like this anywhere else!

Day 1: Reykjavík

We arrived at the end of the afternoon at Keflavík Airport, and we went to pick up our rental car. We booked with Guide to Iceland, which works with Northern Lights Car Rental; it was the best deal we found. We chose a 4x4 for more safety because we were in the middle of winter. They also took the time to explain the rules and recommendations to us. We drove for 45 minutes to reach Reykjavík, where we booked our accommodation via Airbnb.

Day 2: Reykjavík

We visited the capital on foot. First, we went to the modern cathedral Hallgrímskirkja. After that, we went to the old town, and through the street of Laugavegur, we reached the center. On this street, you will find shops, bars, restaurants, etc. We stopped to eat lunch at Icelandic Street Food. We really recommend you go because it's good and cheap. We chose the seafood soup served in a big bread bowl, and you can refill it for free! After lunch, we continued to walk towards the Old Harbour, and we continued to walk along the sea and entered the Harpa Concert Hall to warm up and admire the architecture. We finally went back to the old town to enjoy Icelandic beer at Bravo. And then we went home, took a warm bath, and went to bed early because tomorrow we will take the road to do the Ring Road of Iceland. (Be careful: if you have silver jewelry, don't put it under hot water in Iceland; it will turn black...)

Day 3: Kerið crater, Gullfoss falls, Geysir Strokkur, and Secret Lagoon

Food in Iceland is quite expensive, so the first thing we did before hitting the road was to buy groceries at a supermarket. We decided to save money on food, so we made sandwiches to eat on the road and planned to cook in our different accommodations at night. Here we are, heading east. After less than an hour's drive, our first stop was the Kerið Crater. The entrance cost a few euros, and it was really impressive; you can walk around the crater. It was a great walk to start the day. The next two stops are really touristy, so a bit crowded, but they both have free access. We drove for more than an hour and arrived at our second stop, Gullfoss Falls. The view was just breathtaking. Between the falls and the third stop, Geysir Strokkur, it's only a 10-minute drive, where you can also see Icelandic horses. We made a quick stop to say hello. Strokkur is a geothermal area with mud pools, fumaroles, and geysers. Geysir itself is really impressive; you have to be patient to see it erupt, which happens every 6-10 minutes. Its usual height is 15–20m, but sometimes it can go up to 40m. We were so amazed. We drove for 25 minutes to enjoy our last stop of the day: the Secret Lagoon. Created in 1891, the Secret Lagoon is a geothermal pool with a spouting geyser. The entrance cost around €20, but it's just so good and relaxing to be in water of 38°C when outside it's only -2°C. We finally drove 45 minutes to our accommodation for the night, which was next to Selfoss city. (A really nice Airbnb with a nice host, horses, and the possibility to see the Northern Lights.)

Day 4: Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Skógafoss waterfall, Sólheimajökull glacier outlet, Dyrhólaey arch and Reynisfjara black sand beach

After a 1-hour drive along the south coast of Iceland, we arrived at our first stop, Seljalandsfoss waterfall. It's an amazing waterfall where you can walk behind the cascading water. It's just a 20-minute drive to arrive at the next stop, Skógafoss waterfall, where you can walk to the top of this incredible waterfall! We tried to get as close as we could, but the ground was icy, making it super slippery, and the wind was strong – not easy, but we managed to get closer to enjoy this incredible view. On the road between these two stops, you can find a fence full of ladies' bras! Some locals started this tradition of putting bras on the fence when they were having a party and stole some bras from a local lady nearby. Since then, people passing by have donated bras to the fence. Will you also leave your bra? The third stop is Sólheimajökull plane wreck, only 10 minutes away by car. But be ready: from the parking lot to the plane wreck, it's about a 1-hour walk! (You also have the possibility to take a shuttle). In 1973, a United States Navy DC plane ran out of fuel and crashed on the black beach at Sólheimasandur; fortunately, everyone on that plane survived. It's a really mystical landscape with this abandoned white plane on this black sand beach. The next stop, a 20-minute drive, was the lookout at Dyrhólaey arch. You will have a breathtaking view of the sea, volcanic rocks, and black sand beaches. This spot is perfect for sunset. Before it started to get dark, we quickly drove 20 more minutes to Reynisfjara black sand beach and enjoyed this incredible black sand beach with a pink sky! Just beautiful! And we finally drove one more hour to arrive at our night accommodation.

Day 5: Katla Ice Cave, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, and Diamond Beach

We both wanted to have a unique experience in Iceland, and we chose to visit an ice cave. We booked it in advance via Troll Expedition. We chose to do the Skaftafell tour, but unfortunately, the night before, the agency contacted us to cancel due to weather conditions, so we had to choose another tour. Here we are, on our way to visit the Katla Ice Cave, a natural ice cave underneath the Katla volcano, which is still active. When you enter the ice cave, it's just incredible, beautiful, and breathtaking. It was one of our best memories of Iceland. We know it's a bit expensive, but it's the kind of thing you do once in your life. This activity took us the full morning, and we still had a lot to drive! The next stop is Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, a 2-hour and 20-minute drive away. Jökulsárlón is a large lagoon open to the sea. Icebergs calve from the glaciers and float first on this lake. The lake has grown because of the melting of the glaciers. They then travel to the sea and beach themselves on the shore. So, you have two things to see here. First, the lake, where you can see sea lions playing around these floating icebergs. Then, Diamond Beach, where you can admire a magical landscape and this black sand highlighting the blue and purity of the icebergs. The colors are amazing during sunset! Time for us to drive 3 hours to arrive at our Airbnb night accommodation located on the southeast coast next to Breiðdalsvík.

Day 6: Hverir geothermal area, Lake Mývatn, and Mývatn Nature Baths

We drove for 3 hours to reach the north side of the island. In the north, the snow was more significant, so it wasn't easy to access our first stop because the entrance and parking lot were under the snow. The first stop is Hverir Namafjall, a geothermal area with bubbling pools of mud and steaming fumaroles emitting sulfuric gas. The sulfuric gas emitted doesn't smell good at all! Then, we drove for 15 minutes to Lake Mývatn, a huge lake that offers a beautiful landscape. And to end the day, at only 10 minutes away, we stopped at the Mývatn Nature Baths. Similar to the famous Blue Lagoon but half the price and less crowded, so we chose to go to the Mývatn Nature Baths. The water is heated thanks to the geothermal area around, and the temperature is between 36 to 40°C. The water contains sulfur, which has a positive effect on asthma and other respiratory diseases and is considered to have a good effect on the development of skin problems. You can also enjoy a beer or a glass of wine in the lagoon and admire the beautiful sunset. So relaxing! Then, we drove for 3 hours to reach our night accommodation around the city of Sauðárkrókur. On the road around the city of Akureyri, you will go through a tunnel; you have to pay online to cross this tunnel. A sign is in front to tell you. Personally, we didn't see it, and we got a fine, so here's a little tip to avoid the same mistake.

Day 7: Kirkjufell mountain, Gerðuberg basalt columns, and Fossatún camping pods

Today, the weather conditions weren't the best, so we didn't see that much of these two beautiful sites that we advise you to visit. We drove for 4 hours to reach our first stop, Kirkjufell mountain. The drive wasn't easy today; there was a lot of wind and snow, so we drove slowly. One part of the road was between the sea and cliffs – a beautiful landscape, but we didn't feel that confident because of the weather conditions. Kirkjufell is a beautiful location with a 463-meter-high mountain and waterfalls just in front. Unfortunately, this day the waterfalls were frozen, and the landscape was so white that we couldn't see the mountain. We then drove for 1 hour to the next stop, the Gerðuberg basalt columns. Basalt is a rock made from lava. It is a row of perfectly shaped hexagonal basalt columns that go up to 14 meters and run along a 1-kilometer cliff, all made by nature. We could only see it from the main road because the access road was closed due to the snow. So, we continued to drive to our Airbnb accommodation for the night. It was about an hour away, and we really recommend you stay at Fossatún. It's a kind of camping with cute little wooden rooms. The owner is passionate about trolls; he wrote a book and created a nice walk around the camping area to learn more about the trolls. And we had the chance to see the Northern Lights this night!

Day 8: Back to Keflavík Airport

Today, it's time to leave this wonderful island. We slept a bit more and went to Reykjavík for lunch, which is an hour away. After lunch, we drove to the airport and flew home. Iceland was an incredible discovery with unique landscapes. We were so impressed to see so many kinds of natural landscapes on one island. The weather wasn't easy – cold and windy – but it was so worth it!