24 Hours in Iceland

A few years ago I would have never imagined creating a 24-hour guide for an entire country.

But, with more and more airlines using Iceland as an extended layover, it actually seems realistic to only spend 1 day in this country.

And that is exactly what I did.

My most recent Europe trip started with an extended layover in Iceland. And I decided to squeeze every second out of my day. So, if you also only have 24 hours in Iceland, this is the guide for you! This itinerary includes time in Reykjavik, the Golden Circle, and even the Blue Lagoon.

Ready for a full day in the Land of Fire and Ice? Let’s get to it!

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Getting Here

Iceland is an island, so unless you want to swim (ha, don’t recommend that!) plan on flying.

Recently a few airlines started offering affordable flights to Iceland. My flight was technically a 24-hour layover in the country. But of course, you could spend much longer in this gorgeous country.

Check Iceland Air and WOW Air for some deals. And just a head’s up, you will fly into Keflavik International Airport (KEF). Reykjavik also has an airport, but it is a smaller domestic airport. Keflavik is about a 45-minute drive from Reykjavik.

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 Where to Stay

This really depends on how you want to structure your day.

I decided I only wanted to use my hotel for a few hours of sleep and a warm shower. So, I choose an affordable place near the airport. This allowed me to make a big loop:

If you only have one day, I recommend staying near the airport. That way you will have a short drive back to your hotel/hostel after ending your day at the Blue Lagoon. And you will be able to quickly get to the airport the next morning.

I decided to say at the Base Hotel (really, it’s basically a hostel). This was an affordable, no-frills place that was perfect for my needs. I really only spent like 10 hours in the hotel. Like most hostels, this place had an on-site bar which was a nice place to wind down and end the day.

You could stay in Reykjavik, but if you are following my itinerary, you would be adding a lot more drive time to your short day.

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Transportation

To make this itinerary work, you need to rent a car.

Reykjavik offers a public bus system. But you won’t be spending your whole day in the city. So go ahead and rent a car.

I was a little nervous to rent a car in another country. But honestly, it wasn’t a big deal. Since so many people go to Iceland to drive the Ring Road or Golden Circle, they are expecting tourists to rent cars.

Book your rental car ahead of time. There are a few different companies at the airport, but the budget options are just outside the airport.

You will have to take the rental car shuttle from the airport to the pickup. It’s not very far and you could walk if you wanted. But with luggage, it might be easier to just take the shuttle.

I rented through Sixt. Pay a little extra for a GPS if you feel nervous about driving without cell service. I did, but then found out my car actually had a built-in GPS. And they wouldn’t refund me for the other GPS. Oh well.

Just don’t forget, speed limits are posted in km/h instead of mph.

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Good to Know

Iceland is a pretty expensive country. Sure, you can get there on a cheap flight. But you might easily make up for that once you are there. If you are a budget traveler, be prepared for sticker shock.

Icelandic is the official language of Iceland. But most people speak also English.

Icelandic Króna is the currency. This roughly translates as 1 USD = 110 ISK

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Alright ready to dive into the itinerary?

Land at KEF

You made it to Iceland!

You probably had an overnight flight, so try to wake up and prepare for a full day. Don’t worry, we will be getting coffee very soon.

Once you get off the plane, its time to pick up your rental car. If you choose one of the companies in the airport, follow signs to the booths. If not, follow signs to the rental car shuttles.

Once you get to the rental car building, be prepared for a wait. Most tourists want to rent cars here. And the service I experienced wasn’t exactly quick. But once you get your car, it’s time to drive to Rejykavik!

Drive to Rejykavik

The drive is pretty straightforward. Although the road signs are in Icelandic, you should be able to follow the signs pointing to Rejykavik. Hopefully, you also rented a GPS (or your car came with one).

Turn on the radio, it was pretty fun to listen hear American music played by radio DJs speaking exclusively in Icelandic.

After your 45 minute drive, your first stop is breakfast at the colorful Brauð & Co. Look for street parking or paid parking lots. If you are visiting on Sunday, parking is free. If not, make sure you pay for parking.

Breakfast at Brauð & Co

This is the place for fresh bread and pastries in Reykjavik. When you walk inside you can watch the bakers preparing the treats in the open kitchen. I don’t think you could go wrong here, but they are known for their cinnamon rolls. They also have a few healthier options in their small refrigerated section. This is also a great place to try your first skyr (Icelandic yogurt).

Coffee at Reykjavik Roasters

When you leave Brauð & Co, turn right. After a minute you will reach Reykjavik Roasters.

This specialty coffee shop slowly and carefully creates each cup of coffee. Don’t expect to be in and out here. But it is the best coffee in Reykjavik. And I had the best mocha of my life at this coffee house.

They sell an assortment of pastries, so they would probably disapprove of you eating the Brauð & Co treats here. Instead, take your coffee into the small public square right outside the coffee shop. There is a bench outside the coffee shop or you could sit somewhere in the square.

Soak in Reyjkavik’s vibe. This city is so cute. You will be surrounded by colorful buildings and probably a few cats (seriously, there were cats everywhere. Most of them had collars but they were given free reign to roam the streets).

Visit Hallgrímskirkja Church

You can’t miss this Reykjavik landmark.

This Lutheran church is unlike anything I’d seen before. The architecture was inspired by Iceland’s rocky landscape. It opened in 1986, after 41 years of construction. It is named after the famous Icelandic post, Hallgrímur Pétursson.

At 244 ft tall, it is one of the tallest buildings in the country. Visitors are welcome to take an elevator to the top of the bell tower for a fantastic 360°degree view of the city. Check the website for operating hours. Typically, the tower opens at 9 am. Tourists gather around the doors waiting for the opening.

It costs 1000 ISK to visit the bell tower. You can’t purchase tickets in advance, so be prepared to wait and pay at the church.

Walk Around Reykjavik

After leaving the church, spend some time exploring Reykjavik. Soak in the interesting architecture and street art.

I mostly followed this self-guided walking tour from the Beer and Croissants blog. But if you don’t have time for a walking tour, at least make sure you walk around and see the colorful street art. Also, don’t miss the Harpa. This impressive concert hall was also designed with Iceland’s unique geography in mind. Soak up the view from outside, or step inside for an even more spectacular view.

Start the Golden Circle Drive

Alright, after exploring Reykjavik it’s time to start the Golden Circle drive.

The Golden Circle is a 300km (or ~186 miles) sightseeing loop. This route takes you past some of Iceland’s incredible scenery. And with one day, you won’t have time to make every stop. But you can still hit the highlights. And trust me, it’s worth it.

I followed this route. And while it got a little rushed at the end, I was able to fit everything in.

Þingvellir National Park

So it’s time to say goodbye to Reykjavik. From here, drive about 45 minutes to Þingvellir National Park.

Þingvellir is a beautiful area steeped in history and lore. It is also designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 930 AD, the first “parliament of Iceland” met in Þingvellir (which literally translates to “the fields of parliament”). Then, it was a gathering of leaders from the various groups that occupied Iceland. The gathering was extremely successful and power was smoothly transferred year after year. In fact, since it’s founding, this parliament has continued to operate (except for the brief period between 1799 to 1844).

Find a parking spot near the Hakið Visitor Center. Here, you can take a short hike along the  Öxarárfoss Waterfall Trail. This trail takes you through the Almannagjá fault, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.

Follow signs to the Öxarárfoss Waterfall. This stunning waterfall (which can be seen in Game of Thrones) is actually manmade. It was rerouted hundreds of years ago by members of the early Icelandic parliament.

Haukadalur Geothermal Field

Make your way back to the trailhead. The visitor center sells snacks, so you may want to grab something for the next part of the drive. There are also clean bathrooms here.

From here, drive an hour to the Haukadalur Geothermal Field.

If you are hungry, go ahead and eat at Hotel Geysir. You can park here and it is right across the street from the Haukadalur Geothermal Field.

But be prepared, everything at Hotel Geysir is expensive. It’s not because the restaurants are fancy. Food in Iceland is just very expensive. And you won’t find many other options on the Golden Road.

The hotel has a few restaurants including a walk-up counter, cantina, and a soup bar. I ended up ordering a $15 bowl of soup. Woah.

But after you eat, head across the street to the Haukadalur Geothermal Field. This geothermic field is filled with bubbling geysers. You will soon see people gathered around a few of the larger geysers. Geysir is the most famous geyser in the area (and it is where the English word came from). Although it is not always reliable, it can shoot a powerful blast 70m into the air. Strokkur is more reliable and erupts every 10-minutes or so.

Gullfoss

After watching the geysers, drive about 10 more minutes to the Gullfoss Waterfall.

If you have time, you can follow a trail down to the falls. But otherwise, enjoy the view from above. You will still get a spectacular view of the falls. And if you are lucky, you might even see a rainbow form over the water.

This ended up being a quick stop for me, but I’m glad I fit it in. Everything I saw in Iceland was stunning. The geography is unlike anywhere else I have been.

Crater Kerid

Ok, time for the last stop on the Golden Circle. From Gullfoss, drive about 45 minutes down to Crater Kerid.

This volcanic crater lake is a deep aquamarine color. The surrounding rocks give the water its stunning hue. This is a beautiful spot to see and photograph.

Head’s up, there is an entrance fee to visit this site. It is 400 ISK (about $3.60).

Make your way back to your car when you are finished at the crater.

Dinner

Ok, we are fitting a lot into this day. And if you looked ahead you already know that we are ending at the Blue Lagoon.

So dinner really depends on how much time you have left. You Blue Lagoon ticket will include a timed entrance. The Blue Lagoon is about a 1.5-hour drive from Crater Kerid.

Some options:

• If you have a TON of leftover time or want to skip the Blue Lagoon, consider heading back to Reykjavik. You could enjoy a world-famous hot dog or eat at one of the many local restaurants.
• Stock up at Hotel Geysir. Yes, it’s expensive. But you could grab some food to go for dinner.
• Stop somewhere along the route. Your options will be limited, but there are some fast food places between Crater Kerid and the Blue Lagoon. I know, not at all what I would normally recommend. But food just wasn’t a major priority for me in Iceland. I really wanted to fit in as much sightseeing as I could. So I stopped at a quick pizza restaurant on the way.
• Eat at Blue Lagoon. There are a few dining options here. They offer a small cafe with grab and go items. Or, you could book a table at one of the two upscale restaurants.

Blue Lagoon

You know all those stunning Instagram shots you’ve seen of people soaking in an Icelandic hot spring? The ones with milky blue water? Those were probably taken in the Blue Lagoon.

But you want to know a secret? The Blue Lagoon isn’t a natural hot spring. In fact, it was formed by runoff from a nearby geothermal power plant. The water is renewed every few days. But this is a major attraction. And it is one of those “when you are only in Iceland for a day you have to do it” kind of things.

Make sure you buy your ticket in advance. Check their website for closing times. When I visited, it closed at 10pm. So I booked a 7pm ticket. Other blogs warned that it could take a while to get checked in, changed, and showered. And yes, this is all a process.

Once you check in, you will be given a wristband (Disney fans, think something like a Magic Band). This is linked to your credit card and it is what you use to open and lock the lockers.

Once in the locker room, find an empty locker, change, and get in line for a shower. You must shower before entering the Blue Lagoon. And I also suggest putting your hair up and slathering it in conditioner. The sulfur or silica or whatever in the water can really dry out your hair.

When you are ready, head out to the lagoon. The water feels so good. I was a little unsure but as soon as my foot hit the water I realized how amazing this was going to be.

The basic package includes a free face mask and drink. But you are in no rush. Once you are in the Lagoon, you can stay until closing if you want.

There is a swim-up face mask bar and a swim-up drink bar. Make sure you take advantage of both.

This is such a relaxing way to end a full day in Iceland. Enjoy the sunset and steamy water.

Hotel

After the Blue Lagoon, make your way your hotel/hostel. If you are staying at the Base Hotel, you will have about a 20-minute drive. If you are feeling up for it, this hotel has an on-site bar. But I don’t blame you if you want to just head to bed. It’s been a full day!

Back to KEF

This hotel is a 5-minute drive from the airport. So in the morning, you can easily return your rental car and catch your flight. The rental car company can get very busy. So make sure you budget enough time to return the car before your flight.

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There you have it! One very full and exciting day in Iceland. Are you planning a 24-hour layover in Iceland? Let me know!

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