How to Make the Most of your Iceland Stopover

Iceland is currently experiencing a huge tourism boom and after spending a couple of days there I can see why. It is hands down one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life. Every direction you look there are beautiful mountains, amazing waterfalls, AND GLACIERS!

To encourage people to visit the country, Iceland air offers the option to stop in Iceland for up to seven days on the way to your destination with no extra cost. I created my own stopover using a different air lines but now that I know this is an option I will definitely take advantage of it next time.

I spent three days in Iceland and although I obviously didn't have a chance to see the whole country I did explore a lot of the south coast and saw some pretty incredible things. I may not have taken Iceland air but the concept is still the same! Here is how you make the most out of your time in Iceland:

Day one: On the morning of our first day we got up after only three hours of sleep and headed on a snorkeling tour! Somewhere along the line I thought it would be fun to snorkel in almost freezing water (34 degrees) in between two tectonic plates! And I was right it was such an amazing experience! You can read about my Silfra Fissure snorkeling adventure and see how I survived the freezing water!

After we got back we took a quick nap and got cleaned up. We decided to take a walk around town and head to Hallgrimskirkja (the tallest and most famous church in Iceland) and take an elevator to the top, the view is fantastic! The city of Reykjavik is full of cute shops, restaurants and street art, make sure to stop and get a hot dog with everything on it off the street, Iceland really likes their hot dogs.

We were there in July which means the sun doesn't set until about midnight, my body was so confused but it was so cool, make sure you take advantage of the extra hours of sunlight while you are exploring.

Day two: It was time to explore the Golden Circle and for that we would need a car. We rented from a place called Reykjavik Cars, they were extremely helpful and flexible, especially when I had to change the reservation the day before. We left the city about 10AM and set off to our first stop which was Þingvellir National Park. This spot was cool because it was a look out point where we could see exactly where we had snorkeled the day before.

Stop number two was the Strokkur Geysir! The geyser erupts about every 5-10 minutes making it one of very few natural geysers to erupt reliably. You can also find some turquoise hot springs around the area as well which are absolutely stunning.

The next stop was the Gullfoss Waterfall! Be prepared to get a little wet.

The last stop on the road trip was Kerið Crater. You can hike around the rim and water of this crater. There is a small fee to get in but it is worth it.

After our day of driving and sight seeing we made our way back to Reykjavik to have some dinner. Then it was time to cross the Blue Lagoon off my bucket list!! It was everything I had hoped it would be! Perfect for relaxing after a long day. There was a bar, silica masks and you could stay as long as you wanted. We stayed for a solid two hours, but make sure you make a reservation ahead of time! If you are running low on time make sure you squeeze this in before heading home, it is close to the airport and a good place to stop right before you head home.

Day Three: This was our second road trip day, we had way more ground to cover than the day before so we got our start early at 7AM.

Our first tip was the Seljavallalaug secret hot springs. To get there make your way to the farm house at the base of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano. Once you pass the farm it is the first left. park the car and follow the pipe and the river.

Seljavallalaug secret hot springs

While driving out by the south coast we stopped in the town of Vik and explored the black sand beaches. We also stoped at an abandoned airplane that had crashed on the beach in the 70s. WARNING! When you park your car to see the airplane be prepared THE WALK IS LONG AF! It is about two miles ONE WAY, it took us about 45 minutes to walk to the crash sight, it's in the middle of nowhere and seems to move farther and farther away from you as you walk towards it! It is really awesome sight to see, but you've been warned :)

There were also some sweet waterfalls along the way, my favorite was Seljalandsfoss! One of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland and you can walk behind it! How cool is that?!?! You will have to pay about $7 for parking but definitely don't miss it!

And most importantly: Don't forget to pet the horses along the way

Money saving tips: Buy some breakfast at the grocery story that you can eat over the course of your stay. We got a box of cereal that we ate every morning and sometimes for a snack. You may be tempted to get your food at the 24/7 grocery stores that you see down town but they are meant for tourists and the prices are higher. If you need food, shop at one of their stores called Bonus, we were told by the cashier at the 24/7 store (after we already paid) that Bonus was way cheaper and we should be shopping there!

Stay at a hostel! This is a money saving tip wherever you go, hostels are almost always cheaper than a hotel and the best part is you can make a bunch of new friends which is great if you're traveling solo. I stayed in a room of 16 people, throw a pair of ear plugs in and you wont even know that anyone else is there!

Hostelworld.com is my favorite site to use. It shows you all the hostels in the city and what they offer. Make sure to look for places that have linens and free breakfast included.

Besides the fact that making friends is great, you can also use them to save some money too. Iceland has so many amazing sights to see but not all of them are close to the main city of Reykjavik. If you aren't willing to spend your whole day on a tour bus then renting a car is your next best bet. This is where your new friends come in! The more people you put in your rental car the less it will cost each individual, it will be way cheaper to split the car 4 ways than pay for it yourself. Once you find some new friends see what their plans are for the week and see if you guys can make a road trip out of it.

After a long day of walking, hiking and driving we were hungry! But the restaurants in Iceland can be pretty pricy so we opted for a hot dog from a stand on the street! Iceland is weirdly proud of their hot dogs so it is something you should definitely try!

There is no need to spend money on bottled water in Iceland! Not only is it safe to drink the water out of the tap, its also safe to drink out of rivers and streams. Drinking the water out in nature always makes me nervous but I was told if the water is not muddy or seawater it is safe to drink. I did try some but I made sure it was crystal clear, and I survived! It was actually really good. Bring a reusable water bottle and fill up anywhere!