Iceland was our first international trip back in 2017. Miso and I went on road trip with 3 other friends. We spent a week exploring the southern part of Iceland on a budget. Here is an example of an itinerary that you can see during your next adventure to Iceland based on what we did:
Day 1: Arrive early and explore the Reykjanes Peninsula after picking up your rental car. We went to enjoy the geothermal waters of the Blue lagoon after the long plane ride from NYC. We stopped briefly in Reykjavik for food but decided to save the exploring of the capital city for the last couple of days of our trip.
Day 2:
We booked accommodations just passed the city of Reykjavik. The next day we explored the Golden circle. We visited Thingvellir National Park, reveled in the Gullfoss waterfall, and then witnessed the geothermal area of Geysir which is home to the famous Strokkur geyser. Lastly, we visited the Kerid which is a volcanic lake in the Grimsnes area of Iceland.
Day 3: The next day we spent driving along the coast. We stopped to see the Skogafoss waterfall. We hiked to a geothermal bed of water that ran through the mountains creating a majestic landscape. We discovered the black sand beaches of the Icelandic coast before resting for the night.
Day 4: After a good nights rest, we drove up to explore the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. We had booked a guided tour of the Vatnajökull Glacier Blue Ice Cave to revel in the blue reflections of the cave. After the tour, we spent some time exploring the icebergs that dotted the blue waters. We spent the rest of the day enjoying the peacefulness of the Northeastern part of Iceland.
Day 5: we headed back to Reykjavik. Along the way, we made multiple stops. First, we explored Vik, and got lunch. Vik is known for their Baltic columns along their black sand beaches. We also went to see the abandoned United States Navy plane that crashed in Sólheimasandur in the 1970’s. Miso was excited because someone had etched in the work pig on the sid
e of the plane. After a long day, we got dinner and called it a night once we got to Reykjavik.
Day 6: Whenever, I go to a new city, I enjoy doing walking tours to learn a little bit of the history and the layout of the city. We started the day doing a walking tour, and explored the city. It is filled with cute shops, and restaurants. Tourists have come to love Icelandic hotdogs, so my friends enjoyed one of them. At night, we enjoyed a little of their night life.
Day 7: On our last day, we went to one of the biggest markets in Reykjavik that is held on Saturdays. It was filled with anything you can imagine for purchase. The one thing I remember was the Icelandic word that children use for farts is “prump.” We headed to the airport soon after.
Iceland is a beautiful country, and I want to visit it in the summer. We had gone in March to hopefully see the northern lights, but that was a fail. Here are some tips to keep in mind when visiting Iceland. The country is expensive, so if you are on a budget here are some tips to keep in mind. We stopped at a local grocery store to cover some meals, and mostly ate out for dinner. We found driving the coastline to be pretty easy as there is only one main road. There are also a lot of stops that could be made, so make sure you map out what you do not want to miss. The Icelandic people are very helpful people, so always ask questions to learn as much as you can about their culture. I highly visiting this country. It is definitely was a hidden gem, and highly recommend for everyone to visit.