Articles/Executive Routes
Reykjavik and the South Coast: A Two Day Route
A two day Iceland itinerary that combines an afternoon in Reykjavik with a full day drive along the south coast to waterfalls, black sand, and a glacier tongue.
Two days in Iceland sounds impossible. It is not, if you accept that two days means one full day of driving and one calm afternoon on foot. The south coast of Iceland is a straight line east from Reykjavik along the ring road, and in a single well planned day it delivers three of the most photographed waterfalls in the country, a black sand beach that looks like nothing else in Europe, and an optional glacier walk.
The full ring road takes seven to ten days. This route takes the best 240 kilometers of it and gets you home for dinner.
Day one: Reykjavik on foot
Reykjavik is small. The whole downtown is walkable in an afternoon. Start at Hallgrimskirkja, the tall concrete church on the hill that is the visual anchor of the city. Climb the tower for the view over the colored tin roofs down to the harbour. It costs about 1200 kronur and it is worth it on any clear day.
Walk down Skolavordustigur, the street painted with rainbow stripes, into the main shopping and cafe area of Laugavegur. Have lunch at Sandholt bakery or at a hot dog stand called Baejarins Beztu Pylsur, which sells the sole reasonable food product in Iceland: a lamb hot dog with crispy onions and mustard, for 700 kronur. It has been in the same spot since 1937.
Afternoon: walk out along the harbour to the Harpa concert hall, the geometric glass building on the water, and continue to the Sun Voyager sculpture. This is the compulsory Reykjavik photograph and the walk to it is one of the best waterfront strolls in northern Europe.
Evening: hot pool, not the Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is 45 minutes from Reykjavik and it is a fine experience if you have already booked and paid. It is not the best hot pool in Iceland and it is nowhere near the best value. Locals go to Laugardalslaug, the largest public pool in Reykjavik, or Sundhollin, the beautiful art deco pool in the center of town. Entry is about 1300 kronur, towel rental extra.
Iceland's pool culture is the closest thing the country has to a national religion. There are hot pots at every temperature, a cold plunge, a sauna, and quiet people from every walk of life sitting in the steam. Do this instead of the Blue Lagoon.
Day two: the south coast, in the correct order
Leave Reykjavik by 08:00 in a rental car. Route 1 east. First stop is Seljalandsfoss, 130 kilometers from the city, about a 90 minute drive. It is a 65 meter waterfall you can walk behind. The path is slippery. Waterproofs are essential. Fifteen minutes is enough.
Ten minutes further east, take a small detour to Gljufrabui, a hidden waterfall inside a canyon. It is on the same road and it is on almost none of the maps. Wade in through the shallow stream. This is the moment that turns a good day in Iceland into a memorable one.
Continue to Skogafoss, 30 minutes further. A 60 meter classic waterfall with a viewing platform at the top and a rainbow at midday when the sun is behind you. Climb the stairs, come back down, drive on.
Reynisfjara and lunch in Vik
Reynisfjara is the black sand beach south of the village of Vik. The basalt columns rising out of the sand, the sea stacks called Reynisdrangar in the water, and the puffins in summer make it one of the most photographed beaches in Europe. It is also dangerous. Sneaker waves have killed several tourists over the last decade. Stay well back from the water. There are warning signs. Read them.
Lunch in Vik. Not many options. Sup Ur Kollun in the small church hall serves a good soup of the day and is the best value meal on the coast.
Optional: glacier tongue and the return
If the weather is holding, continue east another hour to Solheimajokull, a glacier tongue extending down from the Myrdalsjokull ice cap. Guided walks on the ice run several times a day and cost around 15000 kronur per person. It is genuinely a glacier walk on a real glacier, and the guides are well trained.
If the weather has turned, turn back at Vik. The drive home is about three hours and the light in Iceland fades quickly outside summer. Do not push east if the forecast says wind or snow. Weather in Iceland changes faster than any respect for a driving plan.
The one Icelandic driving rule
The single most important rule of driving in Iceland: check road.is before you leave, every morning. It shows the current state of every road in the country in real time. A road that is green in the morning can be closed by afternoon. The website is in English. It is the difference between a good trip and a bad one.
Frequently asked
Questions we get about this trip
Can I do this route without a car?+
Yes, on a guided day tour. Every hotel in Reykjavik can book one. You lose the flexibility to skip stops or stay longer at ones that matter, but the price is comparable to renting a car for the day.
Is winter driving safe?+
In central Iceland, only with a 4x4 and prior winter driving experience. On the south coast in daylight in a modest snow, it is manageable in an SUV. Read road.is. Do not drive at night in winter as a first time visitor.
How expensive is Iceland?+
Very. Budget around 25 to 30 euros per person for a simple lunch and 50 to 80 for a dinner. Fuel is around 2.90 euros per liter. This is the real cost of the trip and it is unavoidable.
