How to Spend 2 Days in Iceland: The Weekend Guide

With so many flights opening up through Reykjavik, Iceland is becoming more accessible than ever. It is a gorgeous country full of adventures and definitely deserves the time to properly explore it. Plus, it’s is a great place for a road trip and renting a car is a must if you want to get out and explore the country. However, if you do find yourself in Iceland for a stopover, there are still plenty of things you can do during 2 days in Iceland.

Iceland has a lot to see and you can’t possibly see it all in two days. If you have a week in Iceland, you’ll be able to venture out further and see some of the incredible landscape around the country. So is it worth going for such a short amount of time? Absolutely. There is so much beauty in the country and there are some great things to see on your trip that are close enough to Reykjavik.

Getting There

The main airport in Iceland is Keflavik International Airport (KEF) which is located in the southwest corner of the island about 45 minutes away from Reykjavik. The airport here is really nice and it’s easy to navigate since there’s only one terminal.

Getting Around

By Car

If you only have 2 days in Iceland, renting a car is a great idea. There are four rental car companies within Keflavik airport that are located in the arrival hall: Hertz, Budget, Avis and Bilaleiga Akureyrar. There are other rental car companies just off the airport that will pick you up in a shuttle from the arrival hall and take you to the rental.

Rental car prices will differ depending on when you go and what the demand for them is at the time. You might find them for $25 a day or $100 a day. But either way, you’ll want to make sure you reserve a car well in advance.

• You can rent a car with an American driver’s license
• Gas is per liter and will be expensive.
• You drive on the right side of the road.
• Road signs will be listed in km.

If you don’t have international phone service or are worried about the quality of service you’ll have in some of the more remote places, you can download an offline map from maps.me. It’s a lifesaver and works just like the Maps app!

By Bus

There is a public bus route that runs from the airport to Reykjavik every 1-2 hours. However, once you arrive in Reykjavik, you’ll still need transportation to get to and from attractions. If you only have two days, it’s easiest to just have a car. You could opt for taking tours instead but Iceland is easy to explore on your own.

2 Days in Iceland

For a long weekend or 2 days in Iceland, you’ll want to stick to things that are within a few hours of Reykjavik to maximize your time. And there are some great highlights that are located near the southwest corner that aren’t too far from the capital. One of the main things to do, the Blue Lagoon, is just a short drive from the airport.

The capital city of Reykjavik is in close proximity to the airport, so it’s a good home base to stay for the next few days while you explore the area.

Day 1 Itinerary

For your first day in Iceland, you’ll want to get checked in to your hotel and you’ll likely want to have a more leisurely day exploring since you’ve just arrived. Luckily, one of Iceland’s top attractions is not too far from the airport.

Soak in the Blue Lagoon

The famous Blue Lagoon is located just 20 minutes from the airport. Depending on when you arrive in Iceland, you may be able to drive straight here on your way to Reykjavik. It’s best to go here first since it’s an additional 50 minutes to Reykjavik (or you can switch this itinerary around and go here last on your way back to the airport). If you wanted to check in first, you’ll be backtracking and losing some time.

The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal lagoon that formed within a lava field. The water is enriched with minerals creating a spa-like experiencing while soaking.

There is nothing else like the Blue Lagoon and it will feel great after a travel day. The water is a milky light blue and the warm temperatures of the water can keep you there all afternoon. Fancy a drink? Just swim up to the bar in the water and get one. Want a facial? Use the white mud full of deep-cleansing wonders.

Tickets: There are different time slots available and to ensure you get a spot, you’ll want to reserve a ticket in advance. Once you choose a time slot, you’ll have an hour window to arrive. There are different packages you can choose from:

Explore Reykjavik

Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, is a great city full of friendly people and cute shops. Its location is right on the water and offers beautiful views whether you get them from the coastline or a viewpoint. There are many things to do in the city, especially if you visit Reykjavik in winter!

Sun Voyager

Iceland has a lot of viking history and there are lots of facts and viking things sprinkled around Reykjavik (and elsewhere in the country I’m sure). Head to the water’s edge to see The Sun Voyager, a steel sculpture that resembles a viking ship. You’ll also get a beautiful view of mountains in the distance.

The sculpture is called The Sun Voyager as it’s an ode to the sun and considered a dreamboat. The artist wanted to convey dreams, hope and the promise of undiscovered territory.

Location: Sæbraut, 101 Reykjavík

Hallgrímskirkja

Another highlight to see is Hallgrímskirkja, a beautiful white church with iconic architecture. It also happens to be the tallest in Iceland. If you happen to go during the opening times (I did not), you can climb up the tower for a fantastic view.

Outside the front is a statue of the famous viking, Leif Erikson, who is believed to have led the first European expedition to America. The statue was a gift from America to commemorate the 1,000th year of Iceland’s parliament. And actually, it was not placed in front of the church–the church was built behind it 13 years later!

Tjörnin pond

Right outside the National Gallery is the Tjörnin pond. If you happen to come during winter or early spring, chances are the lake will be frozen solid. When I was here, there were people walking across the lake as a short cut so we walked out on it at sunset to watch the sun light up the buildings.

Location: 101 Reykjavík

Take a Northern Lights Tour

Seeing the northern lights is definitely a bucket list item and if you visit Iceland during the winter months, you have a chance at seeing them. The Aurora borealis is most likely to be seen on clear nights around midnight. And you’ll want to make sure you are in a dark location so they are more visible (no city lights).

For day 2, you have a couple of options and it really just depends on how much driving you want to do. One of the most popular routes to drive in Iceland is the Golden Circle. (Another popular route is Iceland’s Ring Road which takes you all around the country!) This route takes you from Reykjavik and loops around Þingvallavatn, a large lake, to several natural landmarks and back again. You can also opt for driving part of this and/or opting to see another popular waterfall.

Drive the Golden Circle

To drive the entire Golden Circle, it will take about 3 hours, but you’ll actually be spending much more time stopping to see the attractions. If you do the whole thing, plan on spending the whole day exploring. There are several popular stops along the route to see:

Thingvellir (Þingvellir)

If you’re going clockwise around the Golden Circle, the first stop you’ll come across is Thingvellir National Park. It’s about a 45 minute drive from Reykjavik. Thingvellir was the site of Iceland’s parliament from the 10th-18th centuries and where a rift has caused two tectonic plates to separate.

The area is part of a fissure zone and there’s a rift valley that divides the continental plates of North America and Eurasia. The Silfra fissure cuts into an underground spring and because of that, you can actually dive or snorkel between two tectonic plates.

There are many different hiking trails to take within the park. You can also see the Öxarárfoss waterfall with large rocks at the bottom.

Entrance to Thingvellir National Park is free, but there is a small fee for parking.

Gullfoss

Another popular stop is the Gullfoss waterfall located in the Hvítá river canyon. It’s a unique, tiered waterfall that has a triangular shape with the water disappearing into a canyon.

There are several walking trails in the area and several viewpoints you can go to for different vantage points. This is another free attraction to go to!

Haukadalur

Along the route, you can head to Haukadalur, which is a geothermal valley. You can see two different geysers here called Geysir and Strokkur. Evidently Geysir was once the larger of the two but hasn’t erupted lately. Strokkur on the other hand, erupts every 10 minutes or so. You’ll find mud pots and hot springs in the area as well. It’s on public property so you can visit at any time.

Kerid Crater Lake (Kerið)

Continuing around the Golden Circle, you’ll eventually come to Kerid Crater Lake. This lake can be found in the center of a volcanic crater.

Optional: Skógafoss + Vik

Depending on when your flights are or if you have a longer weekend, you might have some more time to explore. If you have 3 days in Iceland or want to switch up the above two day itinerary, you can head over to Skogafoss and Vik. It’s a little further of a drive but there are some great things to see here as well.

Skogafoss

There are many different waterfalls in Iceland to see and another great option to see is Skogafoss, a beautiful waterfall near the south coast towards Vik. It’s located about 2 hours southeast of Reykjavik or 2 hours from Thingvellir.

It’s one of Iceland’s top waterfalls and the great part about it is you can walk right up to it (though you will get wet). And because of how much spray it produces, you can often see a rainbow here whenever the sun is out. There was a great rainbow when I was here but it was COLD.

You can also hike up to an observation platform right above the waterfall to see it from above. The view alone is worth the all the stairs up. Plus, there’s no entrance fee for the waterfall or the hike up!

Vik

Vik is a small, remote village located along the south coast of Iceland. It’s a further 30 minute drive from Skogafoss and just under 2.5 hours from Reykjavik. The town is next to towering cliffs, a black sand beach, and Katla, an active volcano (which also has ice caves!). And don’t miss the basalt columns on Reynisfjara beach!

• Fermented Shark – Shark meat that is cured with a fermentation process and left to dry for about 4-5 months. As you might have guessed, it has a strong smell and is certainly not for everyone.
• Fish – Iceland has about 340 species of saltwater fish and oftentimes there will be a ‘fish of the day’ that was caught earlier.
• Skyr – It’s kind of like a thicker yogurt, sweetened with sugar or berries.

Cocktails

• Reyka vodka – The cool thing about Reyka vodka is that it is made from glacial water and then distilled using energy from geothermal heat. Cheers!

• Egils Appelsín – a local orange soda brewed in Iceland since 1955.
• Brennivin – Iceland’s signature spirit, also known as “Black Death”. As the nickname might suggest, this is more of a novelty shot and not something to drink for fun.

What to Bring

Whether or not you visit in the summer or winter, you’re likely to have cool/cold weather. In the winter, you’ll want to be prepared for the worst. It can get very cold and even when I visited in the spring (March), the weather was still very cold. If you’re visiting around that time, here are things that were a necessity:

• Winter coat
• Warm boots (plus if they’re waterproof!)
• Gloves
• Fleece-lined pants
• Hat/ear warmer

When to Go

Iceland is beautiful in any season. If you go in the summer, you will get rushing water, rainbows and green grass. During the winter, you’ll get icy rocks, frosted waterfalls and a winter wonderland. And if you go somewhere in between (like me), you end up with ice and rainbows.

Any time is a good time to visit but it really depends on you and which season you’d prefer to see. And even if you go in and in-between time, it’s still beautiful.

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You can easily spend a much longer time exploring Iceland but with many flights opening up through Reykjavik, stopovers are very common. Don’t let 2 days in Iceland deter you though! There are lots of things to see in two days and you can always return!

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