Iceland – an itinerary
It has been a little over a year since my trip to Iceland, and there’s not a day that goes by when I don’t miss it and wish I could just move there already. Everything was, not as beautiful as I had imagined and hoped it would be, but even more, surpassing even my wildest expectations.
Admittedly, the way we planned our itinerary was a bit unorthodox, as we followed neither the Ring Road nor the Golden Circle, which is what most (at least according to our research) first-timers tend to do. We really just made a list of things that we wanted to see and asked, “Can we drive there in the time we have?” If the answer was yes, then we went there. We also allowed ourselves to stop whenever we saw something we wanted to explore further – being careful not to stop in the middle of the road, of course (which is not only dangerous but also illegal).
Though I have separate entries for all of these elsewhere on the blog, I thought it’d be good to have every place we visited in one handy post. So, without further ado, here’s the itinerary we followed when visiting Iceland in June, 2019.
Day 1
We began our trip in Reykjavík, though we were only there for one night. The first day, we saw a few sights, walked around and took in the city, had dinner, and had our first glimpse of the midnight sun.
What we saw:
Where we ate:
Where we slept:
Thor Guesthouse – this guesthouse is apparently not taking reservations at the moment, which I hope is a temporary thing. We were so happy with our stay here!
Day 2
On our second day, we stopped for breakfast before loading up with groceries and taking off for our first destination: Þingvellir National Park, where we spent a few hours exploring a small fraction of what there is to see. As we soon discovered is customary in Iceland, we also made a few stops on the way to and from our destination.
What we saw:
Where we ate:
Where we slept:
Day 3
Day 3 had us driving to Southern Iceland, seeking out the black beaches and a few waterfalls. Reynisfjara was at the very top of my list of things to see in Iceland, and it did not disappoint. I was especially happy to be able to experience it alongside the midnight sun, with the sky somewhere between pale pink and blue, and the hush of evening settling in.
What we saw:
Where we ate:
Where we slept:
Day 4
On Day 4, we drove all the way up to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, which quickly became my favorite region. This was where, for the first time, we had “bad” weather, though it was mostly just dark clouds rolling on the distant horizon, a hint of rain, and strong gusts of wind — which, if I’m being honest, fit the landscape perfectly.
What we saw:
Where we ate:
Where we slept:
The Old Post Office Guesthouse
Day 5
On Day 5, we explored more of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, making several stops as suggested by our host at the Post Office Guesthouse, and even going on a hike (me! on a hike!). We also had a snack at the cutest café I’ve ever been to, and paid a visit to a troll-human half breed while in Arnarstapi. We made a very late return to Reykjavík, where we may or may not have accidentally set off the guesthouse fire alarm at 4am while making popcorn in the microwave.
What we saw:
Hike from Hellnar to Arnarstapi
Where we ate:
Where we slept:
Guesthouse Andrea
Day 6
On day 6 we visited a few museums, picked up some souvenirs, and explored the city’s charming streets in search of street art until the last possible moment.
What we saw:
The National Gallery of Iceland
The National Museum of Iceland
Where we ate (and drank):
Where we slept:
Guesthouse Andrea
Where we shopped:
The Handknitting Association of Iceland
Iceland is my most treasured trip. A huge part of it was the lovely company I had the great fortune of sharing it with, and another was the country itself – the people, the sights, how small I felt at every turn, and how liberating that was. It was also unlike anywhere I had ever visited, and so much more beautiful than I was expecting, even though I’ve been obsessed with it for as long as I can remember.
While we found lodging to be averagely priced when compared to other places in Europe, it is a very expensive country when it comes to food and gas, so do keep this in mind when planning a trip to this northern country. But if you’re ever able to make it – go. Don’t even second-guess yourself, just go. Not even in your wildest dreams will you regret it. I know I didn’t ❤
Gold Colored Fox 
Iceland looks so beautiful, especially Reykjavik! I wrote about Iceland was, but before that, I never knew how amazing it could be. Great post!
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I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you! 🙂
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You’re welcome!
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