By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 3 December 2017 | Updated: 21st January 2026
With its volcanoes and hot springs, mountainous, icy landscapes and glaciers, national parks and beautiful waterfalls, Iceland is on people’s bucket lists, and it deserves to be! So, how should you spend your time in Iceland on your first trip? Having visited Iceland a couple of times now, once in the winter and once in the spring, we know a few tips and tricks to maximise your time and explore all of the best places.
For our first trip, we had the pleasure of spending 5 days in Iceland just before Christmas, with twinkling fairy lights lining the streets in Reykjavik and Jólaglögg at every corner. We managed to do a lot of the main sights and attractions that you would want to for your first trip, including the Golden Circle, Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik sightseeing, black sand beaches, waterfalls and of course the Northern Lights! So, bobble hats at the ready, here is our guide on how to spend 5 days in Iceland, an Iceland winter itinerary for first timers:
📍 5 days in Iceland – Day 1: Reykjavik
📍 5 days in Iceland – Day 2: The Golden Circle & Blue Lagoon
📍 5 days in Iceland – Day 3: Reykjavik & Northern Lights Tour
📍 5 days in Iceland – Day 4: South Iceland Coast
📍 5 days in Iceland – Day 5: Reykjavik
How to Spend 5 Days in Iceland Map
How To Spend 5 Days In Iceland: Iceland Winter Itinerary For First Timers
For this Iceland itinerary, we don’t recommend hiring a car as you only have 5 days to play with, so it is much easier to see the sights of Reykjavik on foot, then take a couple of day trips out of the city with local tour guides. If you would rather not walk everywhere, then the Reykjavík City Card is a great option for unlimited travel by bus throughout the city.
Plus, if you are visiting in the winter, then you are more than likely going to come across some terrible weather (strong winds, snow, ice, etc), which, unless you are very confident in driving in, just isn’t safe either. Strangely, during our winter trip to Iceland, we had no snow! All the locals kept telling us how mild the weather was for the time of year, but it is normally very, very snowy.
So that being said, we highly recommend booking a few tours and tickets in advance to guarantee that you get to do the excursions:
We also recommend basing yourself in Reykjavik rather than elsewhere, as it is easily walkable and also the main hub for local attractions and trips out of the city. We go into the best places to stay below, but Centre Hotels Arnarhvoll is one of our favourites.
If you have more time to spend in Iceland, then we suggest booking a day trip to the west coast along the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, or if you are looking to spend at least a week in Iceland, check out our Ring Road itinerary, which is ideal for those who want to see the rest of Iceland, not just Reykjavik.
5 Days in Iceland – Day 1: Reykjavik
Upon arrival anywhere new, the plan is always to figure out the local neighbourhood by getting completely and utterly lost in it. In this case the beautiful city of Reykjavik.
We wandered around, taking in the artwork and sculptures everywhere alongside the natural scenery of snow-peaked mountains across the bay. We also ventured into the Christmas markets that were there at the time, bumping into the world-famous Coca-Cola vans with music blaring and Christmas lights blinking.
But one thing we highly recommend you do is book to go on a foodie walking tour of the city with a local. Not only can you learn about the culture in Iceland, but you can also try local dishes at family-run restaurants, famous restaurants and lesser-known locations too. You can’t come to Iceland without at least trying some local seafood, traditional lamb, street food hotdogs, and, for the adventurous, fermented shark!
Another thing you should do whilst spending your 5 days in Iceland, is learn all about the local landscape, in particular how lava has shaped Iceland. (We’ve all seen what it is going on around Grindavik and the Blue Lagoon in recent years!). One amazing place to do this is at the LAVA Show, just a short walk from the centre of the city to the harbour, where you not only learn all about lava but witness it first hand!
To finish off our short first day in Reykjavik, we had some of the traditional Christmas drink Jólaglögg at the markets (basically a type of mulled wine), along with eating an absolutely delicious hot dog from a tiny window along a street in the town centre, you won’t need much more if you have done the foodie tour! This place has since shut, but there are two amazing hot dog stands nearby as well, Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur or Víkinga Pylsur – Lækjartorg.
As with most hotels that you stay with whilst in Reykjavik, our hotel gave out Northern Lights updates as to whether they were likely to be seen / if any tours were going out to chase them. This being our first night there, we jumped straight on a minibus tour and went out to search for them when the call came through!
Little did we know that 15 minutes into stopping, at a normally good vantage point, the clouds would roll in and the rain would begin to fall… Needless to say, we didn’t get to see them on our first night; we just got a bit cold and wet.
5 Days in Iceland – Day 2: The Golden Circle & Blue Lagoon
For day two of your 5 days in Iceland in winter, we recommend getting out of the city and embarking on the Golden Circle Route. This is a great opportunity for first-time visitors to Iceland to truly experience the nature that makes Iceland so unique, from incredible waterfalls to giant craters and all the bubbling hot pots and geysers in between.
Visiting in December meant we had limited daylight and a pretty sunrise hue for the entire day too, so we were making the most of the light and getting out exploring on one of the first tours to leave for the day, (so make sure you get some breakfast either at your hotel or grab some to go early!).
Golden Circle Stop 1: Haukadalur
First stop along the Golden Circle Route was the geothermal area of Haukadalur with its two famous geysers called Geysir and Strokkur. It is worth noting that the order you do the stops in may change depending on the weather and who is doing the driving; different tour guides prefer different routes!
The first thing you will notice upon arriving at Haukadalur is the weird moon-like landscape with steam flowing out of cracks and vents in the ground. Then, of course, that delightful smell of rotten eggs! You can wander up and around the bubbling mud pools and bright blue pools of boiling water, winding your way up to the main attraction, Strokkur geyser.
The original erupting geyser, called Geysir, no longer erupts, but Strokkur explodes out of the earth shooting boiling water 30 metres into the air roughly every 10 minutes… roughly. Well, more often than not, it will erupt just when you don’t expect it to and have turned away! Even on a wet winter day, you won’t feel cold with all the white billows of steam surrounding you.
Golden Circle Stop 2: Gullfoss Waterfall
Next stop on our Golden Circle adventure was the famous Gullfoss Waterfall.
After having a traditional Icelandic lamb stew for an early lunch at the top of the waterfall, we ventured back out into the wintry weather and headed towards the roaring sound of water. From here we descended a long staircase, from the open landscape above, along the edge of the roaring waterfall.
The Hvítá River is mighty and fast-moving, and you get up close and personal with it, so bringing waterproofs is a must! It disappears into a deep ravine, throwing up a thick white mist and masses of rainbows, but even with the rain and wind when we were there, it was an incredible experience.
Golden Circle Stop 3: Þingvellir National Park
The last stop for us (we didn’t get the chance to go to the Kerid Crater due to the weather conditions making it unsafe), but most certainly not least, was Þingvellir National Park. You could wander through the wintry wonders of this beautiful Icelandic landscape for hours on end, and believe me, we did. Þingvellir or Thingvellir National Park is the location of Iceland’s first Parliament, which started back in 930 AD, but it is also where you can see the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates slowly pulling apart from each other, creating deep cracks in the ground.
Silfra, one of these fissures, is full of icy, cold, super clear water where you can snorkel or scuba dive and be able to technically touch both the USA and Europe plates at the same time! We didn’t get the chance to dive this for ourselves, but we did get in some much warmer water later…
With snowfall-dusted mountains in the distance, we walked along wooden pathways with white waterfalls falling over black rock alongside us. It is a truly incredible landscape you will never want to leave.
The Blue Lagoon
After a long day walking around the incredible sights along the Golden Circle, we fancied a bit of relaxation, where better than the Blue Lagoon? After doing the Golden Circle, it is an easy detour back to Reykjavik via the Blue Lagoon, so why not add it on to your day? These geothermal waters are the perfect place to soothe those sore feet and soak in volcanic warmed waters after a busy day exploring Iceland in winter.
Grab your silica mud mask and a drink and swim your way around the warm waters, exploring the waterfalls and hidden sauna caves. As we got there in the late afternoon, it was already getting dark (the joys of a winter Iceland itinerary, it gets darker much earlier than you think), so you couldn’t see the blue waters so much, but if you’re lucky, you may catch the Northern Lights dancing above instead!
Depending on how long you have to spend at the Blue Lagoon, you can either eat there (they have a nice but expensive restaurant), or wait until you get back into central Reykjavik to eat. Sæta Svínið Gastropub is a great option for warm and homely food.
A short way into the journey back to Reykjavik, our bus driver pulled over and pointed out some faint aurora activity above us. Unfortunately, it was just too cloudy and such a pale light that we had to abandon the idea of going out on a tour and seeing the Northern Lights for the second day running… Not cool aurora, not cool.
5 Days in Iceland – Day 3: Reykjavik & Northern Lights Tour
For your third day in Iceland, we are back exploring the city again, visiting local sights and unique buildings, of course, with some great food thrown in as well. If you don’t have breakfast included with your hotel stay the head to Café Babalú for food; if you do, then head here for lunch instead.
You can do this day in any order you fancy but the main stops/sights to take in are: Sólfarið Sun Voyager, Hallgrimskirja Cathedral, Harpa Concert Hall and The Sky Lagoon.
Visiting the Sólfarið or Sun Voyager is a must on many travellers’ bucket lists, and you can see why. This huge stainless-steel sculpture of a boat by Jón Gunnar Árnason sits beside the sea, looking out to the ocean and mountains beyond.
With just a short walk along the waterfront from our hotel, we were at the sculpture, which is surprisingly big! I’m not a tall person, but this made me look tiny! It’s thought that the Sun Voyager is a Viking boat; however, it is actually a dreamboat and an ode to the sun, dreaming of hope, progress and freedom. Kind of poetic, don’t you think?
After venturing to the Sun Voyager we walked back into the centre of the city via the Rainbow Street and to the tallest structure for miles around. The Hallgrimskirja Cathedral. This concrete tower can be seen from almost everywhere in the city and was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson in 1937, who was inspired by the shapes and forms created when lava cools into basalt rock. The perfect thing when you’re in Iceland, surrounded by volcanic landscape!
Climb to the very top of the building, believe us, it is worth it! You will be rewarded with views for miles, from the colourful rooftops of the town below, as well as out to the snow-peaked mountains beyond. From the Cathedral we walked back through the main city, taking in the impressive graffiti and green-roofed houses, then all the way around the waterfront along to the Harpa Concert Hall.
You can not miss a chance of getting out of the wind and into this incredible building. Both inside and out, it is an architect’s dream. Overhanging the North Atlantic Ocean on one side and reminding us a little bit of an igloo, with multicoloured glass windows, mirrored ceilings and lighting to rival the northern lights.
If you fancy another dip in geothermal waters, then the Sky Lagoon is a great place to go, and much easier to get to from Reykjavik than the Blue Lagoon. It wasn’t fully open on our last trip to Iceland (just means that we have to go back to try it for ourselves!), but it has a unique 7-step spa and an incredible infinity pool overlooking the ocean.
Now you can’t come to Iceland for 5 days and not want to see the Northern Lights, and after attempting to chase the elusive lights for two nights in a row with cloudy, rainy weather dampening our spirits on ever seeing them, we were beginning to think we never would. Then, third time lucky, the weather conditions were perfect, and after travelling down to the south of the island, out of the reach of any light pollution, we stood watching, waiting and hoping for a rare glimpse at the Aurora Borealis.
One thing you must do is set a timer on your camera and just let it take the shots for you, fully embrace the magic with your own eyes, not a camera lens! You need to get out into the deep Icelandic darkness and just fully engross yourself in watching the lights flicker and dance across the sky all around you. It is something so beautiful and unbelievable that it just takes your breath away, (we’ve seen them a few times since in different countries and we still can’t believe what we are seeing!). We were lucky enough to have a good half an hour viewing with little to no people around us, as our tour group was very small.
5 Days in Iceland – Day 4: South Iceland Coast
For day 4 of your Iceland itinerary, hopefully, after a joyful yet very late night chasing the Aurora, we recommend more sightseeing out of Reykjavik, this time a bit further out to as far south as you can get in Iceland. This means an early start, but a good 2-hour drive/nap before your first stop! We went on a few different tours during our 5 days in Iceland, and this one was one of our favourites.
Depending on when you book your tour to start, either get breakfast at your hotel or grab something to take on the road with you. Again, these tour stops are what is planned, but they can change on the day due to weather. We had family do the same tour as us in the spring, and the snow was so bad that you couldn’t get as close to the waterfalls as we had!
South Iceland Coast Stop 1: Sólheimajökulsvegur glacier
The first stop was at a Sólheimajökulsvegur glacier, near Eyjafjallajökull, which, when it erupted in the spring of 2010, stopped all air traffic over Europe. It was just a quick stop as we were passing by, but the eerie quiet on a misty morning, along with the occasional creak and crack from this vast amount of ice, is not to be missed.
South Iceland Coast Stop 2: Reynisfjara Beach
The next stop was Reynisfjara Beach with its famous black sand, crashing white waves and howling wind. With the volcanic sand as far as the eye could see and a stormy winter sea, we wandered around in amazement at the sheer beauty of the beach (we are used to white sand beaches after all!). The waves would smash into the rock faces and fly up the beach, covering the black sand with white foamy bubbles.
The waves are enormous, though, seriously, we were warned by a local that the waves are strong enough to pull you out to the sea, never to be seen again! They also have wave warning systems in place, so if a red or amber light is flashing, it is too dangerous to enter the beach.
Unique basalt column rock formations line the edge of the black pebble sand (similar to what you can see at the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland), and with the Reynisdrangar offshore rock formations, it makes this beach an unimaginable, almost alien landscape. It also makes this beach a must-visit in any weather; the wind and rain we had almost made it more unique!
There is a small cafe in the car park area behind this beach, Black Beach Restaurant, which serves hot drinks and snacks if you need them.
South Iceland Coast Stop 3: Vik
After our soaking at the beach, we headed a short distance away to the remote seafront village of Vik. With its colourful houses and old wooden church, Reyniskirkja, dating to 1929, overlooking the village, it was a perfect stop for a bite to eat and a hot beverage before continuing on our South Coast day in Iceland.
Depending on how much time you have at this stop there are some great places to eat; Black Crust Pizzeria and SKOOL BEANS cafe being two fantastic options.
South Iceland Coast Stop 4: Skógafoss
After Vik, we headed out to the first waterfall stop of the day, Skógafoss. This waterfall can be seen from the road, so there are always a few more tourists around than at other waterfalls (we have a full guide to all the waterfalls we visited in Iceland here), but don’t let that stop you from visiting.
Nothing beats the crashing sound of water hurtling over metres of stone to a misty abyss below. We climbed up the side of the waterfall for an incredibly high vantage point, if not a tad scary! There are views for miles from the waterfall mist out to the ocean in the distance.
After taking in the views, we descended the side of Skógafoss and headed for the base of the waterfall. The sound of the water crashing at the base is unbelievable. The closer you get, the better the experience, but yes, you will get absolutely soaked!
South Iceland Coast Stop 5: Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss. Possibly our favourite waterfall we visited in Iceland, purely because of how close you can get to it, and you can walk right up behind it too. Not many people seem to visit this one either, it is almost overshadowed by the bigger flashier waterfalls, so it all adds to the feeling of being out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nature.
You walk from a small car park along a gravel path to the base of Seljalandsfoss, where you can either stop there or, as we did, get adventurous and walk up and behind it. From here, the rushing water and dripping rock cover you in spray, but that’s all part of the experience. You can then walk even further around the back of the waterfall and on up to a high viewpoint.
After a long day exploring, we decided that it was time for a feast of traditional Icelandic food when we got back in Reykjavik (why not when you’re nearing the end of your 5 days in Iceland?). Let’s just say the food we ended up with was an experience, delicious but an experience nonetheless! If fermented shark, dried fish and sheep’s head sound like your idea of great food, then head to Iceland! It was surprisingly not as bad as it sounds, but needless to say, we did head back to the hotel via a hotdog stall as well…
The best places we ate local dishes were Lækjarbrekka and Íslenski Barinn.
Out of pure chance, when at our hotel, we headed to the rooftop bar for views out over the city on our last night. The opera house was lit up and putting on a great performance of what the Northern Lights look like, when lo and behold, the Northern Lights began to dance away right above our heads! The tell-tale bright green we had seen the night before wound its way above the city lights and out over the bay before disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. So be sure to keep your eyes on the skies even in Reykjavik!
5 Days in Iceland – Day 5: Reykjavik
For the final day of your 5 days in Iceland, we recommend having a relaxing day bumbling around Reykjavik centre, popping in and out of shops for warmth, wandering around the parks, maybe a museum or two, and stopping by lots of cafes. Being the world’s northernmost capital, it is cold but still beautiful.
The Laundromat Cafe, Reykjavik Fish Restaurant and of course Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur for more hotdogs!
Saga Museum, Reykjavik Maritime Museum, Whales of Iceland and of course The Icelandic Phallological Museum.
Instead of double yellow lines, how about a yellow, blue and white line? It may not be well known, but street art in Reykjavik is big. Whilst we were wandering through the city centre, we bumped into some seriously amazing artwork, including incredible full building/wall murals, so be sure to keep an eye out.
Where to stay in Iceland
For your first five days in Iceland, we highly recommend staying in Reykjavik rather than further afield. For our trips to Iceland, we have stayed in both city centre hotels as well as HI Hostels during our Ring Road trip, and all of them have been great:
🏨 Budget: Reykjavík Loft HI Hostel (variety of room types available, not just dorms)
🏨 Mid-Range: Centre Hotels Arnarhvoll (this is our favourite pick in Reykjavik, with a rooftop restaurant where we saw the northern lights from on our first trip and delicious breakfasts!)
🏨 Luxury: Canopy by Hilton
There are such a wide variety of accommodation options in Reykjavik so check out the below links for the best rates for your stay:
5 Days in Iceland: Iceland Winter Itinerary FAQs
How to get to Iceland
Getting to Iceland is very easy, with flights to the international airport at Keflavík from all across Europe as well as North America, as well as into Akureyri, in the north of Iceland. You can also take the ferry into various locations across Iceland from the Faroe Islands.
Getting around Iceland
You can get around Iceland via car, bus or with numerous tours. We’ve done both car and tours and both were great.
Do I have to drive in Iceland?
No, you don’t have to drive in Iceland, our first trip to Iceland we chose to stay in Reykjavík and just take day tours.
Are 5 days enough to see Iceland?
For a first visit to Iceland, 5 days is the perfect amount of time. With a couple of days to explore the capital and a couple of days for either hiring a car and driving out to the south or hopping on a tour or two. If you want to see more of Iceland than just what is local to Reykjavík or the south coast, then you are going to want a few more days.
Can you drive the Ring Road in Iceland in 5 days?
We wouldn’t recommend trying to see too much in Iceland in just 5 days, so definitely don’t try and drive the ring road in that amount of time! A couple of days out along the south coast or to the west coast, (both of which are a couple of hours’ drive away), would be enough assuming you want to spend some time in Reykjavík too.
Best time to visit Iceland
We have visited Iceland in both early December and mid-April and honestly, both were amazing times of the year to visit. Both were technically in the shoulder seasons in Iceland as well, which means fewer tourists, so for any trip to Iceland try to plan to not be visiting around the holidays or in the peak season.
Hiring a car in Iceland – Is driving necessary for 5 days in Iceland?
If you want to hire a car in Iceland then we would recommend going through Rentalcars.com for some of the best rates, however, driving isn’t necessary for 5 days in Iceland.
We spent our first 5 days in Iceland exploring the capital on foot and taking tours out from the city to the nearby south coast and Golden Circle, this way its less stressful and less hassle trying to get used to driving in a country that is quite often very snowy, and you can relax a bit more with someone else doing the driving. You also get the chance to learn more about the history and culture of Iceland as well, the perfect thing to do on your first trip.
Is the Blue Lagoon worth it?
The Blue Lagoon can be pricey, and there are definitely quieter and less touristy hot springs you can visit throughout Iceland, but we would say for the experience on a first trip to Iceland you should visit the Blue Lagoon. It makes a great stop on the way to or from Keflavík Airport too.
Is Iceland expensive?
Iceland is often seen as being notoriously expensive, especially if you are visiting from a country that isn’t already in the Nordics or Switzerland. That being said, there are numerous ways you can reduce your costs in Iceland, especially if you plan on driving the Ring Road.
Is it worth visiting Iceland in winter?
100% yes! It is always worth visiting Iceland, whatever the season, (we have visited in both winter and the end of spring into summer), but winter in Iceland is the best time of year if you want to witness the Northern Lights, which we would highly recommend!
How to spend 7 days in Iceland?
Check out our 7 day Iceland Ring Road itinerary for exactly how we would suggest to spend 7 days in Iceland, but in short, if you have 7 days in Iceland hire a car and get out exploring the Ring Road.
Can you spend 5 days in Reykjavik?
For our first trip to Iceland we stayed in Reykjavík for 5 days, but we ventured out on tours from the capital during this time as you only really need a day, maybe two, to explore everything Reykjavík has to offer. We wouldn’t suggest spending all your time in Reykjavík and not exploring other locations that Iceland has to offer.
Does Iceland have day and night?
Yes, Iceland does have day and night but, as with other Nordic locations, night or darkness is much longer during the winter months when the sun barely rises some days, and during the summer the sun doesn’t fully set, so night doesn’t really happen.
Conclusion: How to Spend 5 Days in Iceland: Iceland Winter Itinerary For First Timers
So that’s it, how to spend 5 days in Iceland, the perfect itinerary for first-timers. Iceland we will be back, not only to see you in all your midnight sun summer glory but to see the northern lights again in the snow-dusted landscape that only you can provide.
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.
