The Best 4 Day Iceland Itinerary For a First Trip

I just got back from a trip to Iceland where my husband and I spent four days exploring the country from our “home base” of Reykjavik. 

It was my first trip to Iceland (other than a quick stopover to visit Blue Lagoon in 2017), so I did a ton of research as to what we should do during my time there.

After doing the research, we knocked out a 4- day itinerary in Iceland that literally left me speechless and dying to go back to this amazing country. 

Here’s everything we did during our time in Iceland (without a car!) so that you can have a perfect four days, too!

If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick rundown of what we did. 

🚨 Note: You can do ALL of these things without a car (like we did), OR you can manage them with a car as well, of course!

Day One: Reykjavik’s Key Landmarks (and the cinnamon buns I won’t stop talking about)!

Day Two: Tour the Golden Circle 

Day Three: Excursion to the South Coast of Iceland and the Northern Lights

Day Four: Sky Lagoon and Shopping in Reykjavik

Arrival days are not for the faint of heart, so we took it pretty easy during our first day in Iceland. 

Walking Downtown Reykjavik

You don’t need any type of additional transportation to enjoy the Reykjavik city center. Spend some time acclimating to your surroundings and enjoying the glimpses of life in Iceland.

Downtown Reykjavik was so much more than I expected it to be. And, I was struck by just how peaceful it was. I did not anticipate that since most European capital cities are…insanely packed and noisy. 

Hallgrimskirkja

Take some time to pop into the Hallgrimskkirkja church. It doesn’t take long, and it is very easy to get to. 

I opted to just walk around the interior for a moment, but you can also pay to climb up to the top for a birds-eye view of the city.

Rainbow Street

Whether you mean to or not, you’ll probably end up on Rainbow Street. I mean- it’s right there! 

We didn’t even realize we were walking on it because it was covered in snow the first time we were there. But, it’s lined with plenty of shops and cafes for you to peruse. 

The Best Cinnamon Buns You’ll Ever Taste (& Coffee, duh)

Oh, good Lord. I swear I could talk about the Braud & Co. cinnamon buns for eternity… I likely will.

I won’t embarrass myself by telling you just how many of these I ate during our short four day stint- lol. But it was many!

Try one for yourself- they even have a vegan option! 

Perlan Museum 

The Perlan Museum is a local museum just outside of the city center. It focuses on Iceland’s geographic formation and unique natural wonders like the glaciers, volcanoes, and Northern Lights. 

The highlights of the museum include an ice cave model that you can walk through, a lava demonstration, and a Northern Lights planetarium show.

I have added Perlan Museum as part of this itinerary because many people I know love it. Just know that I did not. I don’t find it to be worth your time unless you’re very interested in the formation of Iceland and the historic/scientific background of the country. 

Though, there is a great cafe on the rooftop and a gorgeous view of Iceland from the lookout deck as well.

Dinner at Rok

If you eat one place during your time in Reykjavik, you should make it Rok Restaurant. 

I will eat here every time I am in the city. It was hands down our favorite meal. 

Rok uses local ingredients to craft a menu of small plates that are ever-changing with the seasons. From top-notch dishes to delicious cocktail specials and an amazingly intimate and unique atmosphere, I can’t say enough about our experience here. 

⭐Make sure you make reservations at Rok. It is very popular and is a smaller restaurant.

Time to get out of the city and have some fun exploring the countryside!

Thingvellir National Park

Get on up with the sun! (When I was there in winter, that didn’t mean I had to get up early though- lol). Head to Thingvellir National Park for an awesome morning hike. 

This is one of the best National Parks in Iceland, and it is actually a place where you can walk between the ridges of two tectonic plates- crazy!

The hike we did was super doable- maybe a moderate difficulty at most. You can start at the visitor’s center and then head to the Almannagjá Fault trail. This is where you’ll hike between the North American Plate and the Eurasian Plate. 

The hike takes around an hour. 

Once you finish the hike and end up near the P2 lot, you can also opt to take a quick 15 minute walk up to the Öxarárfoss Waterfall. It’s uphill, but it’s quick and beautiful. 

⭐If you don’t have a car and still want to see the Golden Circle, try this tour, which includes almost all of the stops I mention on day 2!

Friðheimar Tomato Farm & Lunch

Friðheimar tomato Farm is an amazing place to stop and have lunch and see a green energy biological tomato Farm. This family-run establishment is right on the road to your next stop, so you don’t really have to go out of your way.

It’s also a fantastic spot for lunch- some of the most amazing tomato soup that I have literally ever had!

Plus, they have some really neat other options that utilize their home-grown tomatoes like their take on a mimosa with tomato, tomato wine, and even tomato beer.

I had a holiday special drink that was like mulled spiced tomato wine, and they even dressed it up to look like Rudolph. It was super cute!

At the Tomato Farm, they also have Icelandic horses that you can visit with.

The family breeds and races them. You can see a horse show, but we just enjoyed a cute little opportunity to see some Icelandic horses up close and pet them.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Your next stop is the amazing Gullfoss waterfall. This was honestly one of my favorite stops during our entire 4 days in Iceland. I was so glad that we added it to our itinerary.

What I loved most about this waterfall is not that it’s an amazing sight. While it is, it’s also incredibly easy to get to. It’s really only about a 5-minute walk, and it is not a strenuous one.

You can see the falls from the top, or you can opt to walk down a few sets of stairs to view them from the bottom. Either is a great view.

There’s also a cute little cafe, a store, and some restrooms here if you need them!

Geysir Geothermal Area

Geysir is another stop that’s near Gulfoss and is on your way back to Reykjavik, so it makes sense to stop here- even though, if I’m honest, it was not the most amazing thing we saw during our time in Iceland.

Geysir Geothermal Area is just a section of geysers with one very large geysir in the middle that you can see erupt. it was cool to see- the geysir erupts every few minutes or so- it shoots high into the air.

But, in reality, as long as you’ve been to Yellowstone, you’ve probably seen something similar.

I did appreciate the cafe here- it was a good spot to grab a little snack, and their store was pretty impressive as well if you’re looking for a place to get souvenirs.

⭐This full Golden Circle guided tour includes Geysir geothermal area and many other stops!

Dinner at Posthus Food Hall

 I could not talk enough about Posthus Food Hall. This was one of our favorite dinners in the city, mainly because of the ambiance and because of the options for eating.

Think of a food court or food hall, but more upscale. It’s low-lit, there are fantastic seating options, and you have about 10 different places where you can get food!

We opted to have a Bento Box from Sushi Social and a pizza from Pizza Popolare, and we also tried the shrimp bowl from Fuku Mama.

Maybe skip the pizza- we felt like it was soggy and really not that good, but the bento box and the shrimp bowl from Fuku Mama we would totally get again!

Day three on your Iceland itinerary is going to be spent along the south coast of Iceland. It’s another day of driving between sites, but you won’t be in the car for too long at any leg.

Vik

First and foremost, you’ll drive down to Vik, a town along the water on the south coast of Iceland. This adorable little town is a good stopping point and is where we chose to get lunch.

We ate in Strondin Pub. It was okay-not my favorite, not my least favorite.

But definitely give yourself some time to walk around this town before you head off and do other things.

⭐This South Coast guided tour includes a stop in Vik, plus a bunch of other stops including a glacier hike! It’s the perfect option if you’re in Iceland with no car.

Vikurfjara and Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

In Vik, you will find the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. This was way cooler than I imagined it would be.

Like, I didn’t really care to see it, if I’m being honest. But it was definitely a unique place to visit.

To walk out onto the sand, you don’t need a ton of time here. It’s a pretty quick walk- you take some photos, and there’s really not a ton to see.

But I thought it was definitely worth seeing- there are some very dramatic landscapes and photos I have from this visit that almost don’t seem real.

Skogafoss Waterfall

Next, you’re headed to Skógafoss waterfall. While it wasn’t as jaw-dropping to me as Gullfoss, it was still worth the stop– the shape and formation are totally different.

The only thing is that this is definitely an Instagram versus reality situation.

On Instagram or Tiktok, this waterfall looks incredible. It looks like you’ll have this epic, peaceful view all to yourself.

But in real life, it’s packed with people angling for the perfect shot.

There is a set of very steep (and very long) stairs that lead to the top for a different perspective of the waterfall. I personally skipped them (because I’m not out here chasing a stair-climbing record), but if you’re up for it, the view from above could make this stop feel a lot more dramatic!

Skogar Folksmuseum

I am mentioning the Skogar Folksmuseum simply as an effort to stop you from wasting your time- lol.

So many of the tours and people who go through this area stop at this museum, but I was SO disappointed by it.

There is a cute (very small) section of the museum area that has small houses and kind of is like an open-air museum in that it shows different houses and how they looked throughout various times in Iceland’s history.

It’s interesting to see how Icelanders might have lived, but it’s not as if the homes are very intricate or as if there’s a ton to do. 

The area was originally a private collection that was eventually turned into a folks museum and a transport museum. It’s actually very hard to explain, but it’s kind of just like a bunch of old stuff shoved into a warehouse and called a museum.

I would say you should skip this stop, and instead, you should just spend more time in Reykjavik later this afternoon

Hot Dogs for Dinner

You absolutely want to have hot dogs for dinner- and I SWEAR I never thought I would say that sentence!

Let it be known that I do not really like hot dogs, but for Icelandic hot dogs, I make an exception. You have to have an Icelandic hot dog from Baejarins Beztu Pylsur during your time in Reykjavik. 

First of all, it’s probably the cheapest meal you’ll have in the city because, let’s face it, like everything’s expensive in Iceland.

But it is a lamb, beef, and pork hot dog with onions and crispy onions and two kinds of sauces-I don’t know, it’s just amazing! Way better than you think it’s going to be- you totally have to try one for dinner! We went back twice!

The Northern Lights 

The only reason I even went to Iceland in the middle of winter was because the Northern Lights were on my husband’s bucket list. And I can confirm that you definitely want to see them!

Here’s the key: you need to see them before your last night, otherwise you cannot go back out for another try the next night. Many different companies will offer you a second tour the following night if you are not successful enough to see the Northern Lights the night that you go.

Basically, seeing the Northern Lights is like a gamble, and you want to give yourself the best opportunity to see them that you can.

Northern Lights on Your Own

We were able to see the Northern Lights on our own without a tour. The best way to do it is to make sure you’re in an area with as little light pollution as possible. Therefore, we actually took a taxi out to The Grotta Lighthouse, which is about 15 minutes outside of Reykjavik.

It cost us $30 or $40 each way, but this takes you outside the city where we were able to see some amazing Northern Lights without the light pollution of the city.

Definitely download the Northern Lights app on your phone. It’ll tell you where people have spotted them and what your chances for seeing them each night are. It was a really helpful resource as we started to look for them.

Take a Northern Lights Excursion

Your other option is to take a Northern Lights Excursion, and I might recommend doing this trip simply because you have a higher chance of seeing them vs. going yourself.

You get picked up in Reykjavik and a tour director takes you to see the Northern Lights, so obviously these people are trained in how to chase the Northern Lights. They look at the weather, plot where the lights are, and they have a good idea of where to go in order to have the best views.

This way, you also will be able to go a second night if you miss them the first night.

This tour will even give you suits to keep you warm (which I didn’t realize IS necessary) and will also take professional photos for you, which is a huge plus! 

I did not realize how hard it can be to take really good photos of the Northern Lights until I was trying to do it with increased exposure.

⭐This is the guided Northern Lights tour from Reykjavik that I recommend! It was spectacular!

Day 4 in Iceland is all about relaxation and exploring more of Reykjavik- a city that blew me away more than I anticipated.

Coffee At Hygge Coffee

A morning with coffee at Hygge Coffee is a must.

I was so shocked by how peaceful walking around the streets of Reykjavik was in the morning- even if I had only gone out just to grab another cinnamon bun- LOL!

(No, seriously, I grabbed them all the time).

All that to say, there’s something about taking in a quiet morning in Reykjavik with a coffee and pastry in hand.

Visit Hot Springs at Sky Lagoon 

In my opinion, Sky Lagoon is way better than Blue Lagoon (yes, I’ve done both!), so if you’re choosing between the two, I’d definitely recommend Sky Lagoon instead.

It’s only about a 15-minute ride from Reykjavík, super easy to reach by taxi, and honestly, not that expensive for what you get.

What we loved most was how calm and peaceful it felt—way less crowded and more relaxing.

Plus, your entry includes the seven-step spa ritual, which was such a cool experience. You start with a cold plunge (yes, it’s freezing, but trust me, it’s worth it), then move through a sauna, mist room, and other steps, including a sugar scrub that leaves your skin feeling amazing.

The whole experience felt like stepping into another world—just an awesome place to unwind and soak in Iceland’s beauty.

⭐ You can book entry to Sky Lagoon WITH transfer included here!

Lunch at Kol Deli 

For lunch, Kol Deli was a standout. It had rave reviews, and it did not disappoint. We grabbed a sandwich to go and just wandered around—it was the perfect quick and delicious stop. Definitely recommend!

On the flip side, one place I wouldn’t recommend? Café Loki.

People love this place—seriously, everyone raves about it. But we walked in, sat down, looked at the menu… and no one ever came to help us. And, plus, the menu was really underwhelming. So we walked right back out. Maybe we caught them on a bad day, but based on our experience, I’d say skip it. 

Shop Around Reykjavik

I didn’t expect to want to spend as much time in Reykjavík as I did, but I loved it. The best part? You can walk pretty much anywhere, making it super easy to explore. This is also a great time to do some shopping!

My favorite find was Icelandic Memories Local Arts, a shop featuring work from local artists. I’m pretty sure I spent a fortune here, but it was totally worth it. The pieces felt like real souvenirs—unique and meaningful, not the usual touristy stuff you end up tossing later.

Another must-visit? The Icelandic Handknitting Association. If you want authentic Icelandic wool products, this is the place to go. Everything here is actually made locally, so if you’re looking for a high-quality, handmade sweater, scarf, or mittens, this is the spot.

Final Dinner at Icelandic Street Food

Another spot that looked super interesting (but we, unfortunately, ran out of time for) was Icelandic Street Food. If you’re feeling adventurous, this might be worth checking out!

It is highly reviewed, and I see it recommended all over the place- Tiktok, Reddit, other blogs. 

We walked past it a few times, and it was packed all the time! A good sign!

The best time to visit Iceland varies greatly depending on what you want to see. My personal favorite time to visit Iceland is during winter, during December or January. 

I find that this time of year is much less crowded than others. Plus, I just can’t imagine going all the way to Iceland and not seeing the Northern Lights, you know?

Here are the best times to visit Iceland for various “Icelandic” things:

🌌 The best time to visit Iceland for the Northern Lights: September-April 

🪶 The best time to visit Iceland for Puffins: May-August (breeding and nesting season)

⛰️ The best time to visit Iceland for Glacier Walks: June- August 

You definitely want to stay as close to the center of Reykjavik as possible during your time in Iceland. We found that this made walking around the city much easier, especially during colder months. As well, that way, it’s easy to get around without a car.

Here are a few of my favorite places to stay in Reykjavik:

Iceland Parliament Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton

I can’t say enough about this hotel overall- I would stay here again in a heartbeat. We were so impressed by the clean facilities, the friendly staff, the comfortable rooms, and THE LOCATION. 

Iceland Parliament Hotel is smack dab in the middle of Reykjavik…and like a two minute’s walk from the cinnamon buns at Braud & Co, so….. You know, priorities. 

⭐ Click Here to Check Availability for Iceland Parliament Hotel!

Apótek Hotel Reykjavík by Keahotels

Apótek Hotel Reykjavík is a fantastic mid-range hotel option, located right on the main drag in downtown Reykjavik. The rooms are modern and updated, feeling almost like an apartment residence instead of a hotel. 

⭐ Click Here to Check Availability for Apotek Hotel Reykjavik!

Loft – HI Eco Hostel: Best Budget Option

There’s no way around the fact that Iceland can be expensive, and there are definitely ways to save on accommodation. HI Eco Hostel is a clean and comfortable property that offers quadruple occupancy rooms as well as larger dorm rooms for those open to hostel amenities. 

⭐ Click Here to Check Availability for Loft- HI Eco Hostel

Getting around Iceland is actually much simpler than I thought it would be initially. I did my entire 4 days in Iceland without a car, and we had no trouble getting around. 

Walking

We walked a lot in Iceland. I found that you can get pretty much everywhere in Reykjavik by walking.

We walked to the grocery store, to restaurants each evening, and even just to see the city each day. 

Don’t be afraid to walk- even in the cold it wasn’t all that bad!

Tours

Tours are a great way to get around Iceland. We took a Golden Circle Tour and to the South of Iceland. 

For us, this was a much more feasible way to get around than driving ourselves. In winter, the roads can be iffy, and depending on the weather, there are driving advisories. 

I definitely recommend letting a native Icelander take the wheel during winter and, if you’re traveling outside Reykjavik, do so by tour.

Taxis

Don’t rely on taxis for your full transportation in Iceland, but they are an option if you need it. 

Taxis (like pretty much everything else) are more expensive in Iceland, but they are convenient and easy to use. 

We took a taxi twice (to Grotta Lighthouse for the Northern Lights and to Sky Lagoon), and both times it was a seamless experience.

Rental Car

Contrary to some advice, you do not need to rent a car to get around in Iceland. You can easily manage without one. 

If you do rent a car, I recommend you use Discover Cars and research driving in Iceland a bit, as you do need to be well-versed in weather alerts and conditions.

Here are a few other things to know related to your Iceland itinerary:

When it comes down to it, 4 days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Iceland. My husband and I did this exact itinerary ourselves, and I truly wouldn’t have changed a thing.

I felt like 4 days gave us ample time to not only see the natural wonders of Iceland that are big hitters, but we also got a chance to explore Reykjavik for some down time and relax a little bit. 

You could easily spend more time in Reykjavik and Iceland as a whole, but I wouldn’t recommend spending less than four days there.

Either way- enjoy your trip! Iceland was incredible, and I would go back in a heartbeat.