The Perfect Three-Day Iceland Itinerary
People spend spring breaks, honeymoons, and summer-long sojourns exploring all that Iceland has to offer. It truly is a marvelous country with a plethora of landscapes to wander. However, given the short, nonstop flights from the East Coast (NYC, Boston) to Reykjavik, it is starting to gain popularity as a nice long weekend destination.
We took our own journey to Iceland in the fall of 2021 and had a blast exploring a bunch of cool places in Iceland. We’d suggest a nice 3-day itinerary to do a mix of city & nature activities to keep things fresh and at a good pace. You’re going to want to start and end in the southwest of the country, as that’s where the 2 main airports are.
Day 1: Land in Iceland, Explore the Blue Lagoon and get some hiking in.
With only three days to your time in Iceland, try to schedule a flight that arrives the previous night or early in the morning to maximize your time here; it’s going to be a sprint!
Luckily, the most commercially-famous attraction in Iceland is only a 20-minute drive from Kelflavik Airport, the main international airport. So you’ll be headed to the Blue Lagoon right after landing! Don’t worry, they have stalls to store your items and rooms to change in. While it may feel a bit touristy, the Blue Lagoon is a must because of how unique the spa options are. How many other places can you get drinks and massages while sitting in a geothermal spa within a lava field? They also have a history lesson within the lagoon where a guide takes you through the geological wonders that allowed for the lagoon to be built. You’ll thank yourself for visiting the Blue Lagoon to minimize your overall driving time and soak off after your flight.
After visiting the Blue Lagoon, go to the Fagradalsfjall Volcano to hike around the area. Only half an hour away from the lagoon, it is notable for erupting continuously for six months in 2021. We were lucky enough to see it during this period, but it still makes for a lovely hike to see the volcanic geology & landscapes that are so famous in Iceland. There are different hiking levels here, but you can easily spend anywhere from 1-3 hours exploring.
I’d advise you to close your day off back in Reykjavik, which you should budget around an hour to drive to. This is the main city in Iceland, providing you ease of access to accommodations and food options.
Day 2: Explore Reykjavik and spot Waterfalls on the way to Vik
Start your middle day in Iceland early and get some breakfast in Reykjavik city center. It is a vibrant and friendly city, noted for their breads and fish. The large Hallgrimskirkja Church is one of the city’s main tourist attractions and provides a nice setting for a scenic breakfast.
After getting food and walking around Reykjavik, try to set out by noon, so you have some daylight for the natural sights. Iceland is known for beautiful waterfalls and you should try to explore two on the way to Vik, a remote town in south Iceland hosting a unique black sand beach.
Seljalandsfoss is the first waterfall you should stop at. It is quite large and has a beautiful 360° view if you choose to walk behind the fall. Soon after, you will come up on Skogafoss, which is considered to be even more majestic. You can do a stair-laden hike to see more of the falls; if you wish to venture out further, there is a walking path at the top of Skogafoss that takes you further into the landscape. Definitely make sure to stop and enjoy the natural beauty these two waterfalls have to offer.
Finally to cap your day, you will arrive at Vik where you should plan to spend the night. If there is still light outside, head to Reynisfraja beach, famous for having black sand. Even if it is already dark outside, you may be in luck! The Northern Lights are visible in Iceland during the winter months of the year, so if you head to the secluded beach at night, you may get a little lucky to see the incredible phenomenon. Make sure to rest up enough as you have a packed final day!
Day 3: Do the Golden Circle, Return to Reykjavik
You’re going to start your day with yet another new landscape; this time, the Solheimajokull Glacier calls. Nearby to Vik, visitors can choose to spend the whole day trekking here. However, given our time constraints, we think you may want to see some more sights before leaving the country.
The Golden Circle is the most famous, and thereby the most crowded, tourist itinerary for Iceland. The two spots that we think are worth it are Gulfoss Waterfall and Geysir, which you should try to see on your way back to Reykjavik.
Gulfoss is humongous compared to the previous day’s falls, but it is packed with tourists and more commercialized, so keep that in mind when visiting the wonder. There is a restaurant by Gulfoss if you’re getting hungry during your journey. Within an hour’s drive, there is a famous attraction of a field of natural geysers, simply known as: Geysir. It is pretty exciting to see bubbling water shoot up out of the ground every few seconds, adding to the list of new natural phenomena in Iceland.
If you have some extra time before your flight, we recommend checking out Gamla Laugin (the Secret Lagoon) near Geysir. It’s not so much of a secret, as many people are there, but it provides a bit more of a casual feel to the lagoon experience. It is a very relaxing way to close out the trip.
Head straight to Keflavik Airport or into Reykjavik center to spend the night, reminiscing about a magical three days in Iceland!
