5 Days in Iceland - An Unforgettable Sightseeing Itinerary.

AD Call me reminiscent but I've recently been looking back at our trip to Reykjavik with the fondest of memories. It was an unbelievable experience and I'd recommend our 5 days in Iceland to anyone who'll listen. Here's what we got up to.

Our 5 Days in Iceland.

Where we Stayed in Iceland.

Our home for the five days was Reykjavik, the Icelandic capital based on the south eastern side of the island.

We flew into Keflavik airport, located our hire car, and headed straight to the city.

Instead of a hotel we opted for an Air BnB in the city centre. We decided to do this as we found hiring a holiday home to be much better value for money. There are some stunning hotels in Reykjavik, but we personally felt the majority of them were quite overpriced... Something which *spoiler alert* felt like a regular occurrence in Iceland.

Hiring a car in Iceland.

Something we did and I'd highly recommend doing is hiring a car in Iceland. If you can of course! Having the car and that extra freedom to get around the island, made our holiday so much better. It also saved us an absolute fortune when it came to doing excursions across the island. It's worth noting you absolutely need a 4x4 camper in Iceland. With most companies you'll have the option for a small hatchback style car, but from experience you're much better off paying the extra and going for something bigger. You don't see many cars that aren't 4x4's in Iceland.... And there's a reason for that!

Day 1 - Reykjavik & Roudholar.

Reykjavik.

There's no end of things to do in Reykjavik. Whether it's excursions, monuments or great street food you're on the hunt for, there's something for everyone. It really is a wonderful city.

In terms of monuments theres a number of attractions you need to visit during your 5 days in Iceland. Hallgrimskirkja is a parish church in the centre of Reykjavik standing at 74.5 meters tall. From the bottom it's a stunning view, but from the top you could say it's even better. The Harpa concert hall sits on the coastline and is probably one of the most recognisable landmarks in the city. Again from the outside it's a stunning building, but I'd really recommend getting inside to experience the incredible interiors and sea views from the top.

Food wise, you absolutely need to try seafood whilst in Reykjavik. Being so close to the sea, everything is locally sourced and of the best quality! It's amazing! Totally contrasting however is the soup restaurant Svarta Kaffid. It's really popular, so I'd suggest getting there early to experience their delicious soup served in a freshly baked bread bun.

You can do a number of excursions from Reykjavik such as a whale watching tours, northern lights tour or the infamous golden circle tour. The only thing I would say is it's best to prebook online before you fly out to Iceland. I found the tour operators in Reykjavik to be pretty pricey. You'll get a much better deal by pre-booking.

_{[Hallgrimskirkja]}

Roudholar.

It makes sense to tie Roudholar in with your day in Reykjavik. It's a short fifteen minute drive away, but gives you a completely different experience compared to the city.

Also known as the red hills, Roudholar is amazing as your first experience going 'off grid' in Iceland. It's a huge area of land perfect for rock climbing, crater exploring and lake viewing. The space feels so baron, yet so full of life at the same time! It also feels not very well known. There are lots of things in Iceland which feel really touristy, but Roudholar is not one of them.

_[Roudholar]

Thingvellir national park.

Thingvellir national park sits on part of the golden circle route in Iceland. The park sits in a rift valley caused by the separation of two tectonic plates. And boy you can tell that when you're there. The rocky cliffs and fault lines feel prehistoric. You'll see hot springs, waterfalls and the most incredible land views. Travelling out to Thingvellir national park really sets the tone for the rest of your trip.

As we only had 5 days in Iceland we tied Thingvellir in with another attraction, but you could easily spend all day exploring the national park. It's huge!

_{[Thingvellir national park]}

Kerio.

Kerio is a volcanic crater lake located on the southern side of the island. It makes up part of the western volcanic volcanic zone along with langjokull glacier and the Reykjanes peninsula. The crater stands at 52 meters high and holds a lake in the centre.

We paid 400ISK to visit the crater which currently equates to £2.80 – A price I’d pay time and time again for such amazing views of this natural wonder.

_[Kerio]

Day 3 - Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

Snaefellsnes peninsula.

The Snaefellsnes peninsula sits on the western side of Iceland and is known for its dramatic landscapes. The area is dominated by the 1446 meter high Snaefellsnes volcano which is topped by a glacier and the most insane sight to see. You'll also find Kirkjufell, the iconic arrow head shaped mountain sitting at 463 meters high.

From here you can also take a hike to the black sand beach in Djupalonssandur. A must see when visiting the island.

From Reykjvavik it's a two hour car journey to Snaefellsnes peninsula so I'd definitely recommend using a full day to visit. There's so much to see and do in the peninsula that you won't be disappointed. It's definitely worth the longer travel time.

_[Kirkjufell]

Skogafoss.

A must for your 5 days in Iceland is the breathtaking 60 meter high waterfall, Skogafoss on the Skoga river. Because of the huge drop the waterfall permanently produces a rainbow. Sometimes even a double rainbow on a lucky day. Thankfully we chose to go on a lucky day! It was just stunning!

On the eastern side of the waterfall you'll find a hiking trail which takes you to the top of the waterfall. If you can, I'd 100% recommend making the trail. Not only will you get fantastic views of the waterfall but you'll be situated between two glaciers. It's the most amazing setting!

_[Skogafoss]

Vik.

A little further along from Skogafoss is Vik and its must see black sand beach. I'm a big beach fan, but I've never seen anything like the coastline in Vik.

As the name suggests the beach features jet black sand and pebbles. And is also framed with the most stunning basalt cliffs and sea stacks which are so incredibly interesting to the eye. I’ve not seen anything like this in real life before. They were truly amazing.

From here you could also take a 4km walk to the famous Solheimasandur plane crash wreckage I’m sure it’s an amazing yet haunting sight.

_[Vik]

Day 5 - Strokkur, Gullfoss & The Blue Lagoon

Strokkur.

A natural wonder of Iceland is its geysers, fountain style eruptions from geothermal locations on the island. Strokkur belongs to Haukadalur valley area which features mud pools, fumaroles and a number of other geysers.

Strokkur usually erupts ever 8 minutes and usually gets to 20 meters high, although it has been known to reach double that. Although a regular occurrence, you'll have to be quick with your cameras as the eruptions only last two seconds.

_{[Haukadalur valley]}

Gullfoss.

Gullfoss waterfall is one of the biggest natural attractions on the island and ultimately one of the best things to do in Iceland. Although really densely populated with tourists the natural wonder didn’t feel too busy due to the sheer scale of the waterfalls.

There are two waterfalls which make up Gullfoss on the Hvita river. One being 11m and the second standing at 21m high. With water crashing down at an average of 110 cubic meters a second it’s insanely impressive. And loud!

Gullfoss is a must see for your 5 days in Iceland.

_[Gullfoss]

Blue lagoon.

No trip to Iceland is complete without a visit to the blue lagoon. The geothermal spa based in the south west of the island is a must see and the perfect way to end your holiday.

It's essential to prebook your visit to the blue lagoon and if I could recommend anything, it's to do it sooner rather than later! Depending on the package you can expect to pay £50+ for your spa visit, but it's well worth it.

I don't think you can go to Iceland and not go to the blue lagoon.

_{[Blue lagoon]}

Have you been to Iceland before? It's honestly one of the most beautiful places we've been to! I'd love to go back in the Summer time.