Icelandair

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Iceland

Due to its proximity to the U.S. and the relatively short Icelandair flight to get to this European country, Iceland tends to be viewed as a destination for a long weekend. Sure, you can hit some of the highlights of this island in a few days, but it’s worth spending more time here in order to truly explore this Nordic country. Not only can you fly directly to Iceland from 13 U.S. gateways with Icelandair, but also with the airline’s stopover program, you can choose to add up to seven days in Iceland at no additional airfare. That means you can combine a visit here with another European country and get a bonus vacation. Here is our guide to spending time in the Land of Fire and Ice, whether you have only a few hours or a few leisurely days to explore.

One of the best—and most relaxing—ways to get right into the groove of Iceland is to visit the Blue Lagoon, conveniently located en route from the airport to Reykjavík. (International passengers fly to Keflavík airport, about 50 minutes away from Iceland’s capital city.) Pre-booking is required, and children ages 2-13 get free admission. There are locker rooms for storing your luggage and changing into your bathing suit, so you can seamlessly submerge yourself into geothermal seawater set amidst the backdrop of Mars-like volcanic scenery in no time. Be sure to put some silica on your face for the ultimate natural facial. Other on-site amenities include a steam and sauna room, as well as an in-water mask bar (for a silica and algae combination) and an in-water bar so you can stay hydrated in the lagoon.

A walkable, compact city, Reykjavík is full of traditional Icelandic buildings, colorful boutiques and restaurants as well as unusual attractions like the Icelandic Phallological Museum (which is exactly what you think it is). Head to the tallest church in Iceland, Hallgrímskirkja, for a great view of the city.

Blue Lagoon

Taste of Reykjavík

Grab some cash (Icelandic króna) and make a beeline for Kolaportið Flea Market in Reykjavík if you fly into Iceland on a Saturday or Sunday throughout the year. Located inside an enormous industrial building near the harbor, the flea market is packed with goods like handmade jewelry from Icelandic stones, second-hand records, shoes, antiques and warm woolen sweaters ("lopapeysa") and hats knitted by elderly locals. Should you need sustenance for all that shopping, the aforementioned hot dog stand and lobster soup are close by.

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With its proximity to the Arctic Circle, Iceland is in a prime location for the bucket-list experience of seeing the Northern Lights. The season here starts in September and lasts through April, and usually the light show is visible for more than 100 nights each year. Reykjavík Excursions offers a number of Northern Lights tours, ranging from small groups to boat outings, for a chance to catch this phenomenon. Try to do this on your first night, just in case the weather isn't clear and you need to reschedule. For a guaranteed glimpse, visit Aurora Reykjavík: The Northern Lights Center, a museum that gives you a 360-degree virtual reality experience, as well as a 30-minute Northern Lights movie and even a Northern Lights photo simulator, so you can pretend that you saw the real thing.

Northern Lights

Whales

If you’d rather see all the local whales at once, head to the Whales of Iceland museum in Reykjavík. Here you can walk around 23 lifelike whale sculptures, while listening to audio guides narrated by marine biologists. Visitors are encouraged to touch the soft and squishy sculptures, which were modeled after actual individual whales in the wild.

Sky Lagoon & Lava Show

For a different natural experience, head to the Lava Show, which (safely) recreates a volcanic eruption. Real lava is heated up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit and poured into a funnel leading to a showroom, where a guide demonstrates the power of molten lava. Visitors can see it flow, hear it sizzle and, of course, feel the heat. There are two locations for the show: Reykjavík and Vík, 118 miles away in the middle of the Katla UNESCO Global Geopark, surrounded by volcanoes, glaciers and black sand beaches.

Both the largest settlement in the East (population: 2,522 in 2020) and the youngest town in Iceland (age 76), Egilsstaðir sits on the banks of Lagarfljót river and has a large fishing industry. A flight here from Reykjavík takes about an hour and is worth it for its scenic hiking trails to fjords, waterfalls and Iceland’s largest forest, Hallormsstaður, where you can camp. Lake Lagarfljót is rumored to have Iceland’s version of the Loch Ness Monster, the Lagarfljót Wyrm.

Egilsstaðir

Akureyri

A flight from Reykjavík to Akureyri, the second-largest settlement in Iceland, takes about 45 minutes. Located in the north, Akureyri lies directly on the Ring Road and is in a perfect location for exploring nearby attractions. The Myvatn region is an active geothermal area full of otherworldly hotspots and may look familiar to Game of Thrones fans as it was used to represent the lands North of the Wall. Dettifoss is considered the most powerful waterfall in Europe. Ásbyrgi Canyon’s horseshoe shape is steeped in Icelandic folklore and full of lush trees (a rarity in Iceland). The Myvatn Nature Baths offer relaxation in both steam and geothermal water.

Catch a domestic flight

As you’ve already cleared customs entering Iceland, flying domestically is a breeze with Icelandair, as the speedy process is more like catching a bus than what Americans are used to with the TSA. While international flights happen at Keflavík airport, domestic flights take place at Reykjavík airport, close to the city center. Take advantage of the opportunity and fly to a different region (or two) and stay overnight there.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula, which juts out from west Iceland, is sometimes referred to as “Iceland in Miniature” due to the various terrain found here. It takes about two hours to drive around the peninsula without stopping—but you’ll want to stop for all the natural landscapes like the sparkling fjords, sandy beaches (both black and white), picturesque waterfalls and glacier-capped stratovolcano. (Yes, you read that right. There is a glacier on top of a volcano here. Iceland is utterly amazing.) If, after completing the Ring Road, you still wanted even more adventure, rent a four-wheel-drive vehicle and go off-roading. In the central highlands, you can hike in Landmannalaugar, which is full of colorful rhyolite mountains. In southern Iceland, head to Fimmvörðuháls, where the diversity ranges from waterfalls and ice caps to volcanic soil and a forest. Nature is truly king and queen in Iceland. After all that adventure, you might find yourself wishing you had stayed longer.

Not far from Reykjavík, Hafnarfjörður is a bustling town with cafés, museums, stores—and of course, thermal pools for soaking. Built on a lava field, you’ll see big rocks in backyards as you stroll around. Legend has it that Icelandic elves live in lava rocks, so Hafnarfjörður is also called the Town of the Elves. The real reason to stop there though is to see the Viking Village, originally created as a meticulous prop for a movie, but now an attraction where you can roam back in time. About 230 miles east from Reykjavίk, you’ll want to get out of the car to explore the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Iceland’s deepest lake at 814 feet. Take a boat tour to get close to the icebergs, composed of ice that’s more than 1,000 years old. You might also spot seals in the water or skuas flying around.

Ring Road

Take full advantage of Icelandair’s stopover program and stay in Iceland for the week. This will give you the opportunity to rent a car (driving on the right) and do the entire Ring Road, the nickname given to Iceland’s main motorway, Route 1. As the name implies, this route goes around the island in a full circle, sticking to the coast and avoiding the central, uninhabited highlands. Whether you do the entire 825 miles or just part of it, you’ll be headed toward some of Iceland’s most popular tourist attractions. Do make yourself acquainted with Iceland’s driving rules before heading out.

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If the thought of snorkeling or diving between two tectonic plates (even in winter) fills you with a rush of desire and adrenaline, head to Silfra Fissure in Thingevellir National Park. Full of glacial meltwater from nearby Langjökull glacier, Iceland’s second largest, Silfra Fissue is literally the only place in the world where you can dive between two continents. The crystal clear waters give you underwater visibility of up to 328 feet down. You can also explore Langjökull glacier from the inside, by walking through a man-made tunnel on a guided tour. There are opportunities to ice climb on glaciers all year long, with most guided tours taking place on the Snæfellsjökull glacier in the west and the Vatnajökull glacier in the east.

Dive or climb

Golden Circle

When looking at packaged trips to Iceland, you’ll often see one highlight being the Golden Circle. The name refers to the scenic, circular, roundtrip route from Reykjavίk to three popular attractions: Thingevellir National Park, Strokkur Geysir and Gullfoss Waterfall; “gullfoss” means “golden falls” in Icelandic. The word “geyser” is actually Icelandic, originating with one particular “geysir” that isn’t very active anymore. Strokkur Geysir, however, erupts every five to 10 minutes. Thingevellir National Park sits in a rift valley caused by continental drift, so you can see your grammar school geology classes in action. You can also have a very cool underwater experience here, so keep reading.

Ísafjörður

Flights to Ísafjörður in the winter can be spotty thanks to the weather. Do note that at all times, the normal landing pattern involves a sharp 180-degree turn next to the mountains.

For a quick meal, give your taste buds the opportunity to experience one of Iceland’s best offerings (and something Travelzoo staff still rave about years later): the creamy lobster soup at Sægreifinn (Sea Baron), a small sea shack located in the old harbor area. Another must-try are the Icelandic hot dogs (called "pylsur"), which are made with lamb meat; Bæjarins beztu is the most famous hot dog stand in the city, but the line moves fast. If you have enough time for a sit-down meal, head to Islenski barinn restaurant for a taste of traditional Icelandic dishes, such as shark and reindeer.

See as much of the country as you (virtually) can with a trip to FlyOver Iceland, a simulated ride that suspends you, feet dangling, in front of a 65-foot wraparound screen as a film plays different scenes. The ride’s motion—combined with wind, mist and scents—makes passengers feel like they really are zooming through the air over Iceland’s natural landscapes.

If the taste of the Blue Lagoon whet your appetite for geothermal relaxation, you’re in luck as Iceland has more on tap. Sky Lagoon is just minutes from Reykjavík and offers essentially an infinity-pool experience, only in hot springs, and with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. While all passes include the lagoon and the glacier pool, visitors can upgrade to the full seven-step wellness ritual that also includes the sauna, energizing mist, cleansing scrub, steam and shower.

Thanks to the long summer daylight hours (i.e. the midnight sun), along with relatively shallow depths, the waters around Iceland are a great place for whales to find food. This, in turn, makes it an incredible place for humans to spot whales. More than 20 different species of whales spend time in Icelandic waters and there are whale-watching tours all over the island. Some of the best places to spot whales include Húsavík for humpback whales; Akureyri for humpback and minke whales along with dolphins; Reykjavík for minke whales as well as puffins; Snæfellsnes peninsula for orcas, also known as killer whales, as well as sperm whales; and Hólmavík for humpback whales.

Egilsstaðir (left); Hallormsstaður (right) Photo credit: Visit Iceland

Lakagígar

Fagradalsfjall Volcano

Westfjords

Látrabjarg

Kolaportið Flea Market

Whale watching with Special Tours Iceland

Dettifoss

Goðafoss

Ásbyrgi Canyon

Isafjörður

Látrabjarg

Dynjandi

Photo credit: Visit Iceland

FlyOver Iceland

Sky Lagoon (left); Lava Show (right)

A 40-minute flight from Reykjavík, Ísafjörður is located in the Westfjords region of northwest Iceland. Strolling the waterfront town, you’ll see wooden houses with corrugated tin roofs—homes built by fishing merchants two hundred years ago. Learn more about the fishing industry here at the Westfjords Heritage Museum, which also somewhat curiously also houses an extensive accordion collection (190 currently on display). The Museum of Everyday Life bills itself as a museum that collects human connection, and exhibits include photo albums with written memories, sensory jars to breathe in as well as headphones to listen to stories from ordinary people. Natural attractions include Westfjords’ largest waterfall, Dynjandi, as well as the cliffs at Látrabjarg.

Ice climbing

Silfra Fissure

A few hours | three days | five days | seven days