If you’ve only got a long weekend, it’s possible to see many highlights of Iceland! Before our cruise departure – my husband and I took advantage of the extended daylight hours to roadtrip to the southern part of Iceland. Since we’d be visiting places in the north on our cruise and many of the popular sites are in the south, we spent our extra days in this area.
Day 1
After an overnight nonstop flight from Denver – we picked up our rental car, refueled with caffeine, and began our first day of exploring Iceland! We ventured to the Golden Circle and our first stop was the Geyser Geothermal Park. After seeing the eruption – we moved onto the main event of the Golden Circle – Gulfoss Waterfall. In the land of numerous waterfalls this is one you don’t want to miss… impressive is an understatement!
Another waterfall was up next on our Golden Circle roadtrip – the unique Seljalandsfoss. Make sure to have your rain gear for this one, as you can walk behind it and feel the spray! While you’re here – take the short trek to Gljufrabui waterfall. The path is lined with wool grass that looks like cotton blowing in the wind. Not many others take this detour – but I suggest it, even though the waterfall is small – it’s in a hidden, pretty area.
Before staying overnight in Vik – we drove to the Dyrholaey Peninsula to search for puffins. Our efforts were rewarded with the cliffsides filled with puffins – my husband was in photography heaven! And as a bonus – the coastal views of the black sand beach and sea stacks are postcard worthy!
During your overnight in Vik, check out Blackcrust Pizza for dinner – yum!
Day 2
After a much needed sleep, we got an early start for day 2 in Iceland. Driving east – our first stop was the Mossy Lava Fields. With the lava covered in moss – it feels a bit like you’re on another planet here. As this can be seen right off the highway – we made a quick stop to check it out… but the glaciers were calling us.
During the drive to Diamond Beach – the landscape changes dramatically! The lava fields changed to some of the most lush, bright greens my eyes have ever seen and at times it looked like we were in Ireland. Next up was Diamond Beach and what a place! Wow – it’s really just one jaw dropping site after another in Iceland. Icebergs on a black sand beach – glistening in the sun, waves crashing on them – I could have stayed there all day.
Across from Diamond Beach is Jakulsarlon Lagoon. With over 40 glaciers feeding into it – it’s mesmerizing watching the gigantic icebergs. My husband also had the best fish and chips of his life at the food truck here! π
Retracing our drive from Vik earlier in the day – the scenery was no less impressive. Before going on to Hella (about an hour from Reykjavik) for our overnight – we made a stop atΒ the famous Vik i Myrdal Church in Vik. It’s another great stop for photo ops of Vik and its famous coastline.
Day 3
We chose to spend our last day exploring Reykjavik. With so many natural wonders to experience in Iceland – don’t forget to spend a little time in their lovely, colorful capital city. You can’t miss the Hallgrimskirkja Church towering over the city center and the first stop I recommend is breakfast at Braud & Co. Those cinnamon rolls are worth the calories and sugar spike! This is also a a great area for souvenir shopping, as my husband and I couldn’t resist some matching Iceland beanies. π Einstock is the perfect location on Rainbow Street to stop for a drink and people watching.
I also suggest a walk along the wharf in Reykjavik to check out the Sun Voyager stainless steel statue. It resembles a Viking ship – but the sculptor intends it as an ode to the sun or for a vessel of dreams.
During our wanders in Reykjavik – my husband and I discovered a great spot to taste a local beer and grab dinner, at Brewdog.
We made the most of our 3 days in Reykjavik and the southern part of Iceland! There was quite a bit of driving on this itinerary – but we also left plenty of time for exploring the sites and soaking in the scenery. We’ll catch you next time Blue Lagoon! π
Until the next adventure – bon voyage!
Kris
