Iceland in the Winter

How I spent six days in Iceland.

No matter what season you travel to Iceland in, you are sure to be amazed by this small island's natural beauty. I recently visited Iceland in February for six days with my friend and her family. It was snowy, cold, and the sun set early, but that also meant traipsing across glaciers and chasing the northern lights. In the summer, you can find roaring waterfalls, lush greenery, and endlessly sunny days.

Although we spent less than a week in Iceland, we covered hundreds of miles throughout the Golden Circle and southern coast. There's is still so much of Iceland that we didn't see, but I feel like for our first time there we checked off the main highlights. Situated in the North Atlantic, this small Nordic country has so much to offer, in every season!

Day 1: Arrive & Reykjavik

We flew from Bostan Logan International Airport Tuesday night into Keflavík International Airport arriving early Wednesday morning. Keflavík is Iceland's major international airport and located about 30 minutes southeast of Reykjavík.

The Northern Lights from the plane!

Since we arrived so early and we were staying in Reykjavík for a night, I last minute booked us a hotel near the airport to catch up on sleep for a few hours. I would definitely recommend doing this if you're staying in Reykjavík the day you arrive since you likely won't be able to check into your lodging until much later. Also, who gets good sleep on a plane?

After a few hours of rest, we rented a car and headed into Reykjavik to officially start day one of the trip. Once we got into the city, we were starving so we headed to Sandholt Bakery. Our assortment of pastries, sandwiches, and coffees were all delicious. and I would highly recommend checking them out. Another famous bakery I had heard of was Brauð & Co, although we didn't get a chance to go there.

The rest of the day we explored Reykjavik. We stood at the end of the iconic Rainbow Street, checked out the out the Sun Voyager sculpture, and went to the top of Hallgrimskirkja, Iceland's largest church and a national monument. It is free to enter, but if you want panoramic views of the city and surrounding mountains (you do!), it will set you back only about $10.

Views from the top of the church.

To close end our day, we went to Apotek Restaurant. Iceland is super expensive, especially the food. We each ordered a drink, an appetizer, a main, and a dessert and it cost over $400 total! Despite the steep prices, I can honestly say that everything we ate was incredible and so fresh. Iceland is known for their seafood, so that was always my go-to and it never disappointed.

Day 2: The Golden Circle

We woke up early on our second day and headed to the Golden Circle, which is a popular route that take you through famous Icelandic sites. We explored Þingvellir National Park, Brúarfoss waterwall, Kerið crater, and more! My favorite spot was Kerið crater because you can, only in the winter, hike down into the crater and walk around the frozen surface of the lake.

Brúarfoss (left) and Kerið Crater (right)

Food options are limited in this remote area, so I would suggest stopping at the Efstidular Farm Hotel for lunch. Conveniently located off the main and not too far past Brúarfoss, you will be greeted by horses, cows, and dogs. While you're there, treat yourself to lunch and a scoop of homemade ice cream.

Also along the route is Silfra, an area that encompasses the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. The water is so fresh you can drink it straight from the earth!

After completing the Golden Circle, we drove a few more hours to the town we would be staying in for the next two nights. Vík is a small town and popular base for travelers heading further east along the coast. It is only home to about 300 people, so there is not a ton to do in the town. One thing I wouldn't miss is driving up to the Vík i Mydral Church for beautiful views from above of the town and coast.

That night, we set out to find the Northern Lights, despite being a little doubtful since clouds were forecasted. Just as we were ready to give up, we spotted them just over the mountains. They were weak and only lasted about five minutes but they were there!

If seeing the Northern Lights are on your bucket list, you will need three things: preparation, patience, and, most importantly, luck! You have to be in the right place at the right time, wait for them to appear, and you have to get lucky with the right weather conditions and strength of the lights. This was our second of three attempts to see them, and I feel lucky to have seen them, even if it was just a glimpse.

Day 3: Diamond Beach and Glacier Lagoon

Day three we headed to Diamond Beach and Glacier Lagoon. We stayed in Vík and from there they are about two hours east and conveniently located across from each other.

If you've come to Iceland for the ice, look no further these two spots. Glacier Lagoon is fed by Vatnajokull Glacier as ice naturally melts and breaks off from it. We saw many birds and seals swimming in the water and laying atop icebergs.

Then, we made our way across the street to Diamond Beach, aptly named for the chunks of ice that resemble diamonds glittering in the sun. This was one of my favorite spots as it was the most unique "beach" I've ever been too. Massive, thick chunks of ice line the shore and float in with the tide. Some of the chunks we saw were the size of a small car! The ice breaks off from the glaciers in the adjacent Glacier Lagoon and most of them are jagged, rough and have a blue-ish hue to them.

Since Iceland's southern coast is pretty remote, we backtracked about an hour west to Kirkjubæjarklaustur (try pronouncing that one!). We stayed here for the next two nights and it is one of, if not the only, area to stay if you're planning to visit the nearby Vatnajökull National Park.

Day 4: Vatnajökull National Park

We woke up early on day four to drive to Vatnajökull National Park for our glacier hike. Vatnajökull Glacier is the largest glacier in Europe and we hiked Falljökull Glacier which is a smaller tongue or outlet of Vatnajökull. The tour we did was with Artic Adventures and I would highly recommend it. They provided us everything we would need for the hike, including helmets, harnesses, crampons, and boots.

For over five hours, we climbed up, down, over, and around the glacier. I loved every second of it! With a glacier thousands of years old beneath our feet, we oohed and awed at every magical turn. In the bright sunshine, the glacier appeared even more majestic. The crunch of our crampons on the snow filled the air as we snaked in and out of blue glacial cervices. Being so high up on the glacier gave us incredible views on the coast and surrounding mountains. Unfortunately, it was super windy this day (gusts up to 40 mph), so we couldn't hike as far up the glacier as planned, but that didn't stop us from having an amazing time.

This hike was by far the most memorable thing we did on the trip and highly recommend adding it to your bucket list.

Day 5: Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

On our last full day in Iceland, we left Kirkjubæjarklaustur to drive the five hours back to Reykjavík. Along the way we stopped at the famous Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, which is near Vík. This black sand beach is home to enormous basalt stacks, roaring Atlantic waves, and panoramic views of Iceland's southern coast. From the beach, you can also see the Dyrhólaey Penninsula and Arch.

We also stopped at two massive waterfalls, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. For amazing views, hike up the 527 steps to the top of Skógafoss. If you're looking for a bite to eat in the area, head to Mia's Country Van! The fish and chips are so good.

Seljalandsfoss (right) and the view from the top of Skógafoss (left).

Day 6: Blue Lagoon & Depart

No trip to Iceland would be complete without a trip the world-famous Blue Lagoon. The water in the Blue Lagoon in 100% natural and extracted from deep below the earth's surface. It is filled with silica, algae, and other healing minerals. The water is a consistent 102°F and naturally cycles itself every 40 hours. You can read more about the water here.

We booked the "comfort" tickets, which comes with entry into the Blue Lagoon, a silica mud mask, a drink, and a towel. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were steam rooms and saunas to enjoy in addition to the lagoon. Our tickets were for 9 a.m. which gave us plenty of time to enjoy the lagoon before our flight later. I would recommend booking an earlier time slot if possible as it does get more crowded as the day goes on.

Now, I know the Blue Lagoon is super touristy. You probably have seen things on the internet telling you why you should or shouldn't go to the Blue Lagoon. Like a lot of touristy things, there's reasons why they attract so many people. The Blue Lagoon is a very unique experience and sought out destination for people visiting Iceland. You probably don't have anything like it where you're from- I certainly don't. I went in with zero expectations and I think that is the best way to approach it. If you go in thinking it's going to be a memorable, fun experience relaxing in geo-thermal water under the Icelandic sky, then it will be! Just embrace every moment in this incredible country.

And that's everything we did our trip to Iceland! If Iceland is not on your bucket list already, then it definitely should be. Although I've now been Iceland, I would happily go back many more times and to check it out in the summer. I hope this post was in some way helpful, interesting, or inspiring. Thanks for reading and keep your eye out for more travel content!