Part 1 Itinerary: Reykjavik and the Golden Circle
D and I had only 10 days of vacation time. I was on fall break for a study abroad program with a strict attendance policy, and D had only a limited number of vacation days away from work.
So, we tried to be strategic and to have everything planned down to the hour. Then we got to Iceland and didn't follow the plan.
Here is — chronologically in photos and short snippets — how our trip actually unfolded:
Day 1: Reykjavik
Hallgrímskirkja
Laugavegur
This is one of Reykjavik's main shopping streets. It has some of the coolest cafes, shops, and designs. Be sure to stop by and check it out!
The Sun Voyager
Harpa Concert Hall
Icelandic Street Food
You can try fermented shark here! The traditional lamb soup and the shellfish soup are also amazingly delicious here, but we were too hungry and forgot take photos of them.
Day 2: Golden Circle
The actual driving time of the Golden Circle from Reykjavik and back is roughly 3.5 hours. However, you'll be stopping at many points, so it will take about one full day.
Þingvellir National Park
Efstidalur II
We made a quick pit stop by this family farm's ice cream barn for some homemade ice cream. You can see the cows as you're eating your dessert.
Icelandic Horses
You can find these friendly Icelandic horses hanging out on the side of the road along the Golden Circle.
Bruarfoss
Finding this place was a challenge. We read this blog to see how we could find this waterfall, but then couldn't figure out where to park and where exactly to enter the field. We ran into several other tourists coming back from the waterfall who pointed us in the right direction. Once you're on the narrow trail, however, it's a quick few minutes walk to the waterfall.
Lunch at Friðheimar
We stopped for lunch, much later than expected, in a greenhouse. This restaurant had tomatoes growing throughout the greenhouse and fresh tomato soups. Do make a reservation if you plan on going as the wait time can be very long. If you don't have a reservation, however, you can still get tomato soup and bread at the bar, featured in the photo above.
Haukadalur
Gullfoss
Northern Lights
This was the first time I had ever seen the Northern Lights in person! It was absolutely breathtaking. Iceland has an Aurora Borealis forecast you can check out here to see how active it might be on a night and where it is likely to be visible.
Additional stops to visit
If you have more time or more daylight hours, don't forget to check out:
- Secret Lagoon
- Kerið
In sum
We deviated quite a bit from our itinerary on Day 2. We were so fascinated by the landscapes in Iceland that we ended up staying at each place much longer than anticipated. By the time we left Gullfoss, the sun was already starting to set, so we opted to grab hot dogs for dinner at Pylsuvagninn in Selfoss and then head straight to the guesthouse instead.
If you plan on traveling farther than the Golden Circle, check out "Part 2 Itinerary: The Road to Vik" here!