Looking for the perfect long weekend in the Winter? Consider Reykjavik Iceland! I’ll admit Iceland was never on my bucket list, however seeing the Northern Lights was. So when Mike suggested we do a long weekend in Reykjavik, he was surprised that I jumped on the idea…and so was I! We booked the trip through Icelandair which was surprisingly easy and stress free. We spent 3 nights and packed in as much as we could during our time there. It truly was a trip of a lifetime and I’ve put all my tips together to create a Reykjavik Iceland Travel Guide.
How to get there
You can fly direct to Reykjavik Iceland from several US locations on Icelandair. From Chicago it’s a quick 6 hour flight. We booked tickets in coach, however they offer a chance to bid up to Saga class, which is what they call first class. It’s actually a genius idea and I wish US airlines did it. We ended up bidding super low and won! We probably didn’t need first class for a 6 hour flight, but it was very nice.
Icelandair also offers what they call an Iceland Stopover. You can fly fly from the US to anywhere in Europe and “stopover” in Iceland for a few days then continue on your way. They don’t charge anything extra for the stopover either, it a pretty good deal.
Where to stay
We stayed in the city center because we wanted to be able to walk everywhere. However you can stay pretty much anywhere in the town as they have shuttle service with multiple drop off locations.
We stayed at the CenterHotel Thingholt, it’s a small boutique hotel in the center of town. The room was tiny, probably the tiniest room we’ve ever been in (and we travel internationally a lot) and warm, we actually had to open the windows to cool down. If you stay here, bring your ear plugs, its located next to a club that stays open till 4am!
What to do
Northern Lights Tour
The highlight of the trip, the only reason why we booked this trip, was to see the Northern Lights. It’s been a long standing bucket list item for me. Sadly we never saw the Northern Lights as it was too cloudy on the night of our tour :(. Regardless, book a tour to see the Northern Lights, as it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Insider Tip – Book this tour early in your trip, because if you don’t see them on the tour due to the weather, the tour companies will let you re-book for another day.
Golden Circle Tour
The Golden Circle consists of three breathtaking locations around Iceland; Thingvellir National Park, Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss Waterfall. The sites are world renowned and once you see them you will know why. There are several options to see these beauties, you can drive it yourself, take a private tour, or a guided group tour. We opted for the group tour and while we had a great time and an amazing tour guide, we wish we drove it ourselves. Our main concern was the weather and hitting a huge snow storm when driving the circle, but looking back we probably could have done it without a problem.
Thingvellier National Park is the location where both the North American and Eurasian tectonic plate meet above sea level. The park is huge and you can literally see for miles in any direction. The land was lush with mossy green rolling hills and deep brown rocks. Here you will see the very first church built in Iceland. It’s absolutely breathtaking. Insider Tip – there are bathrooms here for use, but you must pay a small amount to use them, have coins with you.
Geysir Geothermal Area is where the term Geysir originated. In this area the Geysir erupts every 3 minutes with hot geothermal water that reaches 100+ degrees. It truly is a sight to see, as its 100% natural and shows off Mother Nature in all her glory. Insider Tip – There is a full visitors center here with a mini cafeteria, general store and restrooms (for free).
Gullfoss Waterfall is a 100 foot double cascading waterfall that roars. It’s hypnotizing to watch the waterfall not once, but twice down the countryside. On a sunlit day you will have the chance to see rainbows in the mist no matter what direction you look. Insider Tip – Take the staircase down to get a closer view of the falls, it’s a trek back up to the top, but worth it.
Blue Lagoon
A gigantic thermal bath with water temperatures above 100 degrees. The pictures I saw online paled in comparison to being there myself. The lagoon is amazing, the water color is a beautiful blue color with steam rising above the black volcanic rock that surrounds the lagoon. While in the lagoon there is a swim-up bar, a couple of stations for silica mud and algae masks, and a quiet area to receive in-water massages. Keep in mind while the water is super warm the air is still cold.
The lagoon is large and once you are outside the locker room its a bit of a free for all. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- You need to reserve a time at the Blue Lagoon and you should do so as soon as you know you are going to be in Iceland. Times fill up fast and it’s never too early to book your time and package.
- Plan your visit to the Blue Lagoon to be when you first arrive in Iceland, or right before you leave. The lagoon is about 20 minutes from the airport and the bus takes you right there, it’s literally on the way to the airport.
- Tie your hair up, the lagoon water is very drying to your hair. They offer conditioner to put in your hair, but I opted to just tie mine up and be careful.
- Grab a locker close to the scanning station it will be more convenient
- Get the package with the robe. You can leave your towel in the locker room and bring your robe with you lagoon side. This way you will have something dry to towel off with when you get dressed.
- Hang your robe inside a plastic bag (like how you pick up dry cleaning) and then on the hook outside. This way you can identify your robe from all the others that look identical.
Geothermal Baths
Iceland is known for its Geothermal baths and the locals “love a good soak” (people literally said that all the time). I personally think if your doing the Blue Lagoon you can skip the other baths. There are few remote baths in the countryside that are less commercial and would probably be cool to check out.
Hallgrimskirkja Church
Visit the top of the church to get a Bird’s Eye view of the town of Reykjavik. The view allows you to see a 360 view of the whole town. The bright colored house scattered across the town are iconic.
Reykjavik Town
The town is adorable and the main strip is located on a couple parallel streets. There are little shops with locally made Icelandic Sweaters that are crazy warm. I didn’t buy one because they were too warm and too expensive for my tastes. There are a few chain stores mixed in along the cute streets as well. One of my favorites was 66 North, which is similar to Northface. They are the go-to store for outdoor gear in Iceland. I’m still dreaming about the raincoat that I passed up.
Sun Voyager Sculpture
Located along the waterfront this sculpture is stunning. When the sunsets in the background its a beautiful sight to see. Take it in for a few minutes and then head to the concert hall to warm up.
Harpa Concert Hall
A unique modern day structure located in the Old Harbor. This building houses the local concert hall and is beautiful inside and out. Head over there to stay warm and admire the stunning glass wall.
Where to Eat
News flash! You are not going to Iceland for the cuisine so prepare yourself now. I had a hard time in Iceland with the food, lots of fish…everywhere! I did manage to find a few good spots, with non-fishy cuisine.
Mat Bar – Our favorite restaurant in Iceland. A small bistro that was packed for hours. We snagged a seat at the tiny bar and had an amazing meal and delicious wine.
Reykjavik Chips – Fries in a cone with dipping sauces, need I say more? They are delicious and a great snack. Its down a little side street off of Laugavegur.
Icelandic Fish and Chips – Best fish and chips you will ever eat. It’s not located in the main part of town though, as it’s down by the harbor.
Icelandic Hot Dog Stand – All I’ll say is you have to try it. It’s cute little stand with the best spice brown mustard I’ve ever had.
Joe and the Juice – This is like the Icelandic Starbucks, there was one on every corner. It’s a great concept and they are slowly opening up in the US.
Canopy By Hilton – I love a hotel lobby bar! This was a cute hotel with a great little lobby bar and small restaurant. I’ll admit I got homesick and had to get my hands on something American.
I loved my long weekend in Iceland, even though I didn’t get to see the Northern Lights. It was a great trip, once in a lifetime. Are you planning a trip to Iceland soon or do you have questions or need recommendations? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you!
If you’re looking for even more travel guides, check out my three part France Travel Guide, here, here and here!
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