Iceland Unplugged: 8 Days of Epic Nature at Your Own Pace

Land in Reykjavik, grab your rental car—Blue Car Rental is what we used and they were great—and head to Costco to pick up some snacks and a hot dog. Remember that Iceland is quite expensive, so buying items that you can eat for some of your meals will cut the cost.

Hvammsvik Hot Springs

Once you are fueled up, head to the gorgeous, rustic Hvammsvik Hot Springs. I recommend making a reservation ahead of time to ensure you can get in. These natural hot springs are nestled right up against the ocean, and you can often see whales and seals splashing around. Once you are properly boiled and relaxed, hydrate and grab a snack at their cafe, then hit the road to Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

If you are feeling up for it, make a stop or two to soak in the sights like Ytri Tunga beach, before checking into your hotel.

Northern lights

If you are in Iceland during northern lights season (September–April), start checking the first night and every night after. The conditions have to be clear and the KP Index has to be at least two. Since Iceland can be quite cloudy and rainy, you won’t necessarily get to see them every day you are there.

Tip: I recommend downloading the Aurora Forecast. It’s incredibly helpful.

After a deep, restful night’s sleep, get up early and hit the road to see all the sites of this beautiful peninsula. Luckily, with Fosshotel Hellnar, our breakfast was included. It was delicious and helpful to cut costs.

The Snaefellsnes journey

It’s easy to do the majority of the peninsula in one day. We started clockwise and stopped at locations like Londrangar Viewpoint, Malarrif Lighthouse, Djupalonssandur, Saxholl crater, Kirkjufell, and Bjarnarfoss.

Bring your own lunch or stop in Hellissandur along the way and eat at Matarlist and pick up one-of-a-kind souvenirs and a crisp glass of wine at Útgerðin - Concept Store & Wine Room.

Additional tips

You can take a tour inside of a lava cave at Vatnshellir Lava Cave. I recommend booking in advance if you want a specific time. While there was availability later in the day when we showed up, they didn’t have anything for the next hour so we decided to move on, but it would be a fun indoor experience.

There are also some stunning lighthouses along the way that require braving Iceland’s rugged F roads, so be sure your rental car is capable if you choose to make those stops.

Wake up early, catch the sunrise, and go for a hike. If staying at Fosshotel Hellnar, there is a path behind the hotel that will take you all the way to Arnarstapi. Feel free to go as far as you want before eating breakfast and hitting the road to go back to Reykjavik. If there was anything you missed the day before, do it now on your way, and be sure to soak in Gatklettur one last time!

Explore the city

Once in Reykjavik, check into your hotel and explore!

• Grab a late lunch at Sandholt—their fresh sourdough pasta is incredible, as well as any and all of their baked goods.

• Head to Vedur for a great happy hour or visit Vinstukan Tiu Sopar for an incredible wine selection and a moody underground experience.

• Roam around Rainbow Street, walk to the church, and go to the Bookstore Bar for live music and drinks!

• If the Northern Lights are an option, head to the Sun Voyager to catch a glimpse.

Tip: If you drove yourself, be sure to confirm whether your hotel has parking onsite. If not, download the Parka app and see what zone makes the most sense to park in.

Wake up in Reykjavik, head to Braud & Co for a cinnamon roll, a marriage cake, and a fresh loaf of bread for sandwiches. Or, head to DEIG workshop for some of the best bagels before you head to the Golden Circle.

The Golden Circle

A lot of people say to skip the Golden Circle, but this was one of my favorite days! We didn’t do all of the Golden Circle, and in fairness it was pretty crowded in spots, but so beautiful!

We started our day at the Kerid Crater, which was actually really fascinating and the water was a bright teal. You can even walk all the way down to the water.

Rye bread tour

From there we went to one of our favorite parts of the trip, a geothermal rye bread tour at Laugarvatn Fontana. It’s a quick 45-minute tour, where they explain the history of the town, the geothermal hot springs, and how the whole community cooks bread and stews in the ground.

You will dig up a pot of rye bread and bring it back inside to devour it with Icelandic butter and smoked trout! This traditional recipe is a sort of cross between bread and cake and has a truly unique flavor.

Bruarfoss and Gullfoss

With full bellies, continue on to Bruarfoss and Gullfoss to build up an appetite for Fridheimar. This greenhouse-turned-restaurant is not only stunning and borderline magical, but the tomato soup and huge pillow-soft bread are to die for.

If you want to sit in the greenhouse, be sure to make a reservation and get all-you-can-eat tomato soup with bread. We didn’t have a reservation, so our options were to sit at the bar or their wine bar & bistro. We opted for the bistro and it was equally beautiful!

Then head to your new hotel, in Vik or the surrounding area.

Today is a hiking day to see all the waterfalls in the surrounding area. If you are staying in Vik, get coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and a light breakfast from Skool Beans. The American school bus turns into a funky cafe that is totally worth the hype.

Waterfall exploration

After coffee, make your way to Seljalandsfoss - Gljúfrabúi Waterfalls, I would recommend getting here early as it is really popular. You can walk to both from the parking lot and even walk behind Seljalandsfoss!

From there, head to the abandoned plane wreck, Sólheimasandur. I was skeptical of this, but it was actually a cool site to see. You can hike about two miles one way or take the shuttle.

Head to Skogafoss, another popular waterfall, and climb up the 529 steps. Sounds a lot worse than it is and it is totally worth the ascent, especially if you continue on the trail. If you were to complete the whole hike, you would see over 20+ waterfalls. We saw about five more before turning around. Most visitors do not continue past the first viewpoint, so the trail was only lightly trafficked and a very pleasant stroll.

Before heading back to Vik, pull off and climb the step hill to the Loftsalahellir Cave. Take a breather and take in the views inside and outside of the cave.

Next up, stop at Dyrhólaey Viewpoint and Lighthouse. This was one of our favorite spots. The water crashing against the black rocks and formations was mesmerizing. In the summer, there may be puffins!

Evening in Vik

Finally, head back into Vik to grab a pie at Black Crust Pizzeria and a beer at the local brewery, Smiðjan Brugghús.

Be sure to stop by Katla Wool Studio to pet the sweetest pup and pick up a handmade wool item. The puffin hats are too cute!

• Tip: This is a busy day, so feel free to break it up a little bit or not hike as long. That’s what we did but ended up having a lot of free time the next day.

Also, make sure you have your Parka app to pay in each lot.

This day is also a long one, mainly because of the drive to the Glacier Lagoon. This area we felt was the busiest but still enjoyable.

Glacier Lagoon experiences

At the Glacier Lagoon, there are so many options for tours. We did a hike to an ice cave, which was very educational! I was really interested in the Zodiac Boat Tours after being there. The glaciers are huge and blue, and the zodiac boat takes less people to bring you as close to the glacier as possible, all while having an opportunity to see marine wildlife!

There are some food trucks here serving up lamb burgers, fish and chips, seafood soup and more for lunch.

After filling up on some food, walk under the bridge to Diamond Beach. It can be crowded and there may not always be as much ice as you see online, but nevertheless it is still fascinating to experience.

Head back on the road to Mulagljufur Canyon and be prepared to hike for the views. It is well worth it, but it’s a muddy and slightly steep hike.

Svartifoss trail & return to Vik

From there, head to the Svartifoss trail. You will see three waterfalls in total. This was our favorite hike and favorite three waterfalls of the whole trip. Also fairly steep but well-maintained and so worth it. We came during autumn and the foliage with the basalt columns against the waterfall was breathtaking!

Head back to Vik, and grab dinner at the Soup Company before falling into a deep sleep!

After a good night’s sleep, see the final sights in Vik and maybe drop by Skool Beans again.

Stop at Reynisfjara beach, but be very careful of the sneaker waves and pay attention to lights indicating whether or not it is safe to be on the beach. Sneaker waves come in unexpectedly and the current is strong enough to pull you out to sea.

Snap a few photos of Vik’s hilltop church before you head back to Reykjavik.

Return to Reykjavik

Once you are back in Reykjavik:

• Hit some museums or climb to the top of the church.

• Have lunch or a drink at Posthuss Foodhall. We had great brennivin drinks at Drykk located in Posthuss.

• Do some walking and shopping before heading to dinner at Skreid or ROK.

It’s your last chance to catch the Northern Lights!

It's your last day in Reykjavik, so try the last bakery—maybe Baka Baka or Mokka Kaffi—and check off anything you haven’t done yet before heading to Blue Lagoon.

The Blue Lagoon

I know people say Blue Lagoon is touristy and crowded, but we had the best time! I would also recommend making reservations here. We picked a basic package that included a drink, a face mask, and a towel.

The locker rooms and showers are huge, so it makes showering before and after comfortable and perfect for right before or after a flight. Grab your face mask, a drink and find a quiet place to hang out. Once you are good, relaxed, and cutting it close to your flight boarding, take a nice shower and head to the airport.

• Tip: Don’t get your hair wet at the Blue Lagoon—the silica in the water will dry it out. Keep it pulled back and cover it in conditioner to protect it from any accidental splashing.