The Best Travel Guide for 7 Days in Iceland

I have made it a goal in my 20s to check as many items off my bucket list as possible. These places range from only a few hours away from South Carolina to flying over oceans. After backpacking around Europe with my younger brother, Cage, in 2019, spending three weeks in Austria and Holland after graduating college, and all the trips in between, Iceland has remained at the top of my bucket list for years. Now after spending 7 days in Iceland, I can confirm that the landscapes are as beautiful as the photos online. Here are all the best places I stayed, dined, and visited.

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Iceland Over the Years

Over the past decade, tourism in Iceland has grown rapidly due to the diverse landscape and iconic attractions like the Blue Lagoon, Glacier Beach, and the countless waterfalls. And, in the 60 million years since Iceland began to form, volcanoes have played a huge role in forming the diverse landscape that so many people flock to see today. While lava is viewed as mostly a destructive force, it is so much more than that. It provides mineral resources, and places like Iceland with active volcanoes, are able to use volcanic-heat as geothermal energy.

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Planning a 7 Day Trip

Planning a 7 day trip in Iceland with the help of these 5 categories turns travel plans into a reality. From transportation, lodging, and dining, to activities, and culture, these are my planning tips for making a memorable vacation.

1. Transportation
2. Lodging
3. Dining
4. Activities
5. Culture

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Transportation

Icelandair has a few great non-stop flights from the USA to Iceland. I flew from Raleigh, NC (RDU) to Keflavik, Iceland (KEF) and it was only 6 hours of air time. After arriving, we rented a car for the week through Reykjavik Rent a Car. Before deciding whether we would rent a car or use public transportation and a tour bus, I read many articles about what was recommended for traveling around Iceland in May. What I found was that many travelers recommended renting a car over using public transportation because:

1. Renting a car provides more flexibility for spontaneous adventures or changes in plans
2. Public transportation is often late or delayed due to weather
3. If you have more than one person traveling and can split the cost of a car–it is totally worth it

This was a great decision for us, as we did in fact decide to shift plans and go to Glacier Beach for the day, which would have been much more difficult if only relying on public transportation. Also, renting a car makes transporting luggage between towns much easier.

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Lodging

Guesthouses and hotels are a great option in Iceland (& Air B&Bs were comparable in pricing). Guesthouses (also referred to as apartments) offer clean linens, a mini kitchen, and can be found in many of the smaller towns and villages that don’t have hotels. That being said, hotels are also a great option in cities but can get pricy during the tourist season (June – August). Here are a few places we stayed that I would recommend booking:

The Greenhouse

After landing in Iceland after a redeye flight, this was the perfect lodging for two nights. The first floor of the hotel is a cafe, ice cream shop, food hall, boutique, and barber shop, while the upstairs is lodging. This makes for such a fun and open atmosphere to either meet new people or keep to yourself. We enjoyed a walk around the town and then dined at the pizza restaurant right down the street from The Greenhouse. If this sounds like somewhere you’d like to stay, visit the website here.

Hvammból Guesthouse

What a gem right outside of Vik. Vik is located at the very south of Iceland and is known for its black sand beaches and basalt columns. This was the perfect stay after a day on the Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar) — an archipelago of 15 islands and 30 rock stacks off the South Coast of Iceland. Link to site. This guesthouse was so clean, had all the necessary kitchen accessories, and was perfectly cozy after a long day in the cold and rain.

Silica Hotel

The Silica Hotel is a part of the Blue Lagoon and is located just steps from all its attractions. While it is affiliated with the Blue Lagoon, it is a wonderful oasis away from all the tour buses full of people. This was our final night in Iceland, and, it was 100% worth the splurge. After enjoying the welcome champagne, floating in both the Silica and Blue Lagoon, and devouring the widespread breakfast buffet, I am going to officially make the last night of a trip -splurge night- as it leaves such a special craving for the next trip on the horizon. Speaking of cravings, here are some of my favorite dining options in Iceland.

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Dining

Instagram is a great place to look for local food spots and in Icelnad’s capital, Rekjavik, there is no shortage of yummy options. I find cafe, lunch, and dinner by either searching the name of the restaurant or by searching the location and looking under the tagged posts on Instagram. Also, if you’re a foodie like me, chances are that you also watch Food Network or the Cooking Channel. These shows often have the “best of” in large cities. I have eaten at some great places recommended on these shows. Some of our favorite foods while in Iceland include:

• Lamb and Vegetable Soup
• Ham and Cheese Pastry
• The. Best. Fish and Chips
• Turkey Tacos with Slaw
• Hazelnut and Snickers Bar Gelato

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Activities

When it comes to filling the day with happenings, I like to focus on movement, being outdoors, and participating in activities that are unique to my travel destination. This might include a sunrise/sunset hike, a trip to the closest beach, attending a sporting event, collecting food from the market for a picnic lunch, and so much more. In Iceland, we did a lot of hiking. Here were some of our favorite trails and adventures:

• Reykjaladur Hike in Hveragerði
• Heimaklettur on Vestmannaeyjabær Island
• Volcano Hike (Eldfell) on Vestmannaeyjabær Island
• Lava Tunnel Tour
• Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon Hike (you might recognize this place from some Game of Thrones scenes)
• Drive to Glacier Lagoon + Diamond Beach
• Snorkeling through Silfra in Thingvellir National Park

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Culture

The key to fully enjoying a place and feeling present there is to experience its authentic culture. While many locals in tourist towns like to keep to themselves, it’s always a treat when you find where the local families eat for dinner, shop, or spend their free time. Iceland was one of the friendliest places I have been–starting with the flight and everything after that.

I try to do most of these when I am traveling.

• Try a food or cuisine common in the place
• Visit a town that isn’t touristy
• Learn a few words in the native language
• Buy a clothing item and /or other souvenirs to bring home
• Take lots of photos
• Write down the happenings after each day
• Take note of random and different observations

For more on planning for a trip/vacation, this is a must-read, “How to Start Planning Your Next Vacation Now”

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conclusion

Did you know that Icelanders believe there are trolls, elves, and hidden people on the island? I actually met a women on the Lava Tunnel tour who was swore she’d seen two trolls earlier that morning. Hmmm what do you think?

It’s official! Iceland is a place where magic things happen, whether that includes mystical beings or a conbination of all the beautifully contasting landscapes, Iceland is a must-add to every bucketlist.

For more photos and videos from the trip check out my Instagram (just scroll below) 😉

xxx

Allie