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Perfect 1 week Iceland Itinerary

Iceland is one of my all time favorite countries.It’s a perfect destination for your next adventure because it is in a sweet spot between undiscovered/isolated and investing in infrastructure to allow for tourism. The only negative thing about this place is that it is incredibly expensive.

How long to spend in Iceland?

I spent 8 days in Iceland which was perfect for getting a full taste of the island. If I were to do it again I would take a full 2 weeks so I could visit 2 things I did not have adequate time for: Hornstrandir and the Interior. Assuming you don’t feel the need to go wandering in the wilderness, in 8 days you can actually drive around the entire island. It is a bit of an aggressive itinerary so if you are more low key just pick 1-2 regions and stick with that (south and south east, west side and the fjords, north and northeast, etc).

Most people who visit Iceland only spend 1-3 days doing so and visit primarily the golden circle (which includes Gulfoss waterfall, Thingvellir, and Strokkur) as well as Reykjavik and the blue lagoon. This is because all these places are in decent proximity to the airport, roads are good, and they are magnificent attractions, which offer a lot of variety of scenery. They are well documented though so I won’t be going into too much detail on them in this post. 

Useful things to know before travel to Iceland

  • If you are only hitting the main attractions listed above, you can actually pay to take a tour bus to them which would be a much cheaper option than renting a car. However, if you want flexibility and get away from the other tourists, you need to rent a car, which can be pricey. And even though you don’t truly need it legally, I think having a 4×4 car was fantastic since not even all parts of the main “highway” are paved. It gives you a bit of a sense of ease to have a stronger vehicle.
  • You don’t need much cash – card is king.
  • You won’t be sleeping much at night because of the lack of darkness (in the summer), so consider that in adding time to your days to explore!
  • Bring snack from home or stock up in Reykjavik – you’ll be passing through many remote areas where food options can be limited, so be prepared!

Where to stay in Iceland?

Our accommodation decisions were mostly based on price and all was booked through booking.com. We spent:

  • 1 night in Stokeyari (in the south)
  • 1 night in Hofn (southeast)
  • 1 night in Akureyri (north)
  • 2 nights in Holmavik (northwest)
  • And 1 night on each end of the trip in Reykjavik.

Western and Southwestern Iceland Must See Attractions

Fridheimar Tomato farm

The Fridheimar Tomato farm is a must stop for a quick dinner. You get to dine on all you can eat tomato soup and bread in the middle of a tomato green house, one of the few in Iceland (just try growing tomatoes on an island that is covered in darkness 9 months of the year!).

Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Home to some weird lava landscapes, you can basically just drive around the peninsula in a day trip from Reykjavik or spend a night here to go at a more relaxed pace. Highlights include Kirkjufell (the mountain/volcano) and Kirkjufellsfoss (the waterfall), Gerðuberg basalt columns which basically looks like The Wall from Game of Thrones, and the Búðahraun lava field and church. 

Hveragerdi Hot Springs

We had so much fun getting to this hot spring. It is a few miles hike in but it is so beautiful, with lots of sheep wandering around and hot springs gurgling up from the river. When you get down to the part of the river that is deep enough and wide enough to sit in, there are planks and areas to change in, as well as rock damns where people pool together to soak in the riverbed. A lot of people brought beers and a picnic and seemed to make a day of it (we showed up at 8pm without having dinner so were not as well prepared).

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A small waterfall flows in the foreground with a grassy, cone-shaped mountain under a cloudy sky in the background.
Rocky coastline with dark volcanic rocks and patches of seaweed beside a calm, cloudy ocean under an overcast sky.
Wooden footbridges cross a green valley with hills in the background and a gravel path in the foreground.
A small black wooden church stands near gravestones on a grassy field under a cloudy sky with mountains in the background.
Tall, vertical basalt rock columns rise from a grassy hillside under a cloudy sky.
People sit and eat at tables inside a large greenhouse with plants growing in the background under artificial lights.

Northwest Iceland and the Westfjords Must See Attractions

There is something both exhilarating and terrifying about being somewhere so remote. Come prepared with gas in your tank and food in your car because there is nothing for miles and miles. The towns that do exist have about 1 restaurant or convenience store each. It is absolutely gorgeous though and unlike anywhere else I have ever been in the world. There is also great hiking throughout the westfjords. 

Holmavik

An incredibly cute town along an inlet of the Norwegian Sea, this place is a great base camp for the rest of the Westfjords. There are a few restaurants but not much else (still bigger than most towns in the area). We stayed in an incredible AirBnB here for 2 nights.

Puffin watching

we stumbled upon this puffin watching tour to the island of Grimsey (careful, there is more than 1 of these islands in Iceland! This is the one that is NOT 40km away in the arctic circle), which can be picked up in the town of Drangsnes. I assume you can call ahead to book a tour, but we basically just showed up in the harbor as the boat was leaving and convinced a group of national geographic-esk Frenchmen to let us tag along. They were nice enough to say yes, and we had an incredible time exploring this uninhabited island, which has puffins, arctic turns, and sheep galore! Here is a similar tour available on Get Your Guide.

Drangsnes

The reason to go here, if not for the above mentioned puffin tours is to visit the awesome hot springs right off the main road. There are a bunch of tubs against the sea wall which are fed by a hot spring coming down off the mountain. They are more established than the hot springs at Hveragerdi, but super relaxing especially since you are right on the water!

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A sheep and two lambs stand in a grassy field with yellow wildflowers.
Two puffins standing on green grass by the edge of a body of water, facing the camera.
Person’s feet rest on the edge of a hot tub beside a can of Pilsner beer, with rocks and water visible in the background.
Small coastal village with colorful houses near the water, under a partly cloudy sky and surrounded by hills.
Several small fishing boats are docked in a calm harbor with buildings and hills in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Three people with cameras and telephoto lenses photograph wildlife on a grassy field near a body of water.

North Iceland Must See Attractions

Akureyri is essentially the capital city of this region and it is an adorable little town on a fjord inlet. You can base yourself there and drive the diamond circle which includes: Husavik, Asbyrgi Canyon, Lake Myvatn, and Dettifoss waterfall. Though we didn’t, you can technically fly into this town from Reykjavik if you don’t want to drive the approximately 380 kilometers to get there. 

Laufas farm house

This is a farmhouse which memorializes the life of Icelandic people of about 200 years ago, and is beautiful as it has lots of turf houses.

Godafoss & Dentifoss waterfalls

The first is right off the main road and easy to get to, and the second is down a 35km gravel road. It shakes you up a bit but was totally worth it (4WD vehicle recommended).

Myvatn Nature Baths

These super relaxing sulfur swimming pools make up essentially the Blue Lagoon of the North (and way less crowded, no reservations needed).

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Row of traditional turf-roofed houses with white walls and red trim set against grassy hills and a mountain backdrop.
Wide waterfall cascades into a river surrounded by rocky cliffs under a partly cloudy sky.
Wide waterfall cascades over rocky cliffs into a flowing river under a cloudy sky, with sparse vegetation in the background.

 Southern and Eastern Iceland Must See Attractions

I think the whole drive through this region I kept saying out loud, “this place can’t be real”. Though there are less things to “do” (unless you go glacier hiking, for a price), every turn is just absolutely magnificent, and you pass through so many different natural things – glacial tongues, lava fields, mountains, sea- that it is dizzying. In a good way, of course!

Jokulsarlon Glacier

One of the most popular sites in this part of Iceland, the Glacier leaves huge iceberg chunks floating in the water and along the beach, making for a fascinating and picturesque setting. You can tour the Glacier up close with a guide.

Folaldafoss

This gorgeous waterfall comes out as a single stream far below the imposing ridge above.

Dyrholaey Penninsula

Here you’ll find some scenic views of the sea as you drive the coastline.

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

Another great stop to enjoy the unique black sand beach and imposing surf.

Selheimajokull Glacier

A beautiful glacier to explore, best done with a guide.

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Waterfall flows into a rocky valley surrounded by layered cliffs and green vegetation under a cloudy sky.
View of a green coastal cliff and ocean waves with sea stacks in the distance under a cloudy sky.
A glacier with blue ice and dark sediment sits beside a muddy river, under a partly cloudy sky.
Chunks of ice rest on a black sand beach with waves and a cloudy sky in the background.
Large chunks of ice float in a calm, gray-blue glacial lake under a cloudy sky, with snow-covered mountains in the background.
A coastal cliff overlooks a long stretch of black sand beach with waves and greenery under a partly cloudy sky.

All in all, a dreamland of a country which I hope to return to soon. I should add that I flew on WOW airlines, which is a budget Icelandic airliner that also has the only direct flights to Iceland from San Francisco. Though it was “budget”, if you get on prepared with food and water and your own entertainment, the prices can’t be beat. Happy travels!

If you’re looking to do more exploring of countries in Europe with great hiking and natural beauty, check out my hiking in Norway post for more inspiration.

Rebecca runs The Adventure Beckons, a travel and outdoor adventure blog based in Vancouver, British Columbia. As an experienced traveler to over 40 countries and counting, she provides her readers with practical travel itineraries from day trips to multi-week adventures. She strives to balance nature and hiking with the must-see tourist highlights that are genuinely worth your time and money.

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