In our opinion, the South coast of Iceland is the most beautiful part of the country. If you have a limited amount of time to be traveling around Iceland than visiting the South coast would be our recommendation. You could easily see everything you need to see within 5 days.
The lush landscapes, unlimited waterfalls, and unique accommodations make the Southern coast of Iceland one of the best spots to explore. When we visited a couple of years ago we spent 10 full days and did the entire Ring Road.
Looking back, we could have
| Day 1: |
| Day 2: Geysir | Gullfoss | Thingvellir |
| Day 3: Jökulsárlón |
| Day 4: Vik |
| Day 5: Reykjavik |
I’ve laid out this itinerary as the best option so that you aren’t driving too much every day. Feel free to adjust it as much as you want!
Day 1 | Reykjavik & Blue Lagoon
Most international flights from North America will likely land in Iceland first thing in the morning. Before you even leave the airport I would make one major suggestion: pick up any
The second piece of advice I’d have is to get a car rental right from the airport. There are tons of options and for the purpose of this itinerary for South coast Iceland, you won’t need a 4×4 which will save you tons of money.
We actually found driving in Iceland quite easy. If you stick to the main roads, they are well paved and easy enough to navigate.
Blue Lagoon | I’ll be honest, I’ve been to my fair share of tourist traps and so naturally I was wary of the Blue Lagoon. Especially after I saw the price of a ticket. I’ll tell you what though, I was completely wrong.
The experience is uber popular for a reason. Do not miss it! Plan to arrive first thing in the morning for the best experience as it can get quite busy throughout the day.
Reykjavik | After spending some time getting over your jet lag and relaxing from your long flight, drive to Reykjavik. You’ll have the afternoon to hang out and get acclimatized. Iceland’s main city is quiet small so you really won’t need that much time to see everything – an afternoon should do it
After you’ve spent a couple of hours exploring, enjoy Happy Hour! Most of the bars in the main area have Happy Hour at different times of the afternoon so you could literally enjoy it all night!
Day 2 | Geysir, Gullfoss & Thingvellir
This will likely be one of your busiest days during your stay in Iceland because you’ll be visiting 2 of the most popular spots. I would also recommend you get an early start to the day.
After grabbing a quick breakfast in Reykjavik, hit the road and head to the Geysir area. The reason I would recommend doing this first is that it’s one of the most popular spots for people who have layovers in Iceland or limited amount of time. It’s a short drive for Reykjavik which makes it all the more popular.
After spending some time in the Golden Circle, head back in the car and drive to Thingvellir (Pingvellir) National Park. Make sure you leave plenty of time for your tour but also be sure to explore the park either before or after depending on your timing.
Geysir area | If you’re wondering where that famous natural water spout lives, the Geysir area is it. The Geysir is actually a natural hot spring that explodes several times an hour. There are plenty of places to park around the area, just make sure to look for the proper signs. You can’t miss it once you get to the area, just look for the hoards of people standing around in a circle!
Gullfoss | The Gullfoss waterfall is one of the most popular in Iceland. It’s easy to see why once you descent upon the epic spot. In my opinion, it puts Niagara Falls to shame.
Thingvellir | This was one of my
Day 3 | Jökulsárlón
I dare you to try and say that 5 times fast! You’re in for a bit of a drive today so be sure to leave early enough and give yourself plenty of time.
In all honesty, I found some of the best moments during our trip to Iceland were while we were driving. There’s so much to see at every point in the South coast of Iceland that I bet you’ll find you’re stopping far more than you anticipated.
Make sure to stop for food when you need to. This might sound funny but we basically lived off of hotdogs during our trip – they were delicious and super cheap at the gas stations we stopped at!
Jökulsárlón |Give yourself as much time as you want here because it’s truly one of the most unique places you’ll find in Iceland – or anywhere in the world for that matter. Often called, Glacier Bay, this is where you will find giant ice chunks that have broken away from a glacier. They travel through this small bay before they reach the sea. It’s quite an experience sitting there for some time watching this happen.
Day 4 | Vik
Another one of my favourite spots in the South coast of Iceland was Vik. There is honestly so much to do here that you’ll find your itinerary is going to be jam packed. Make sure to leave plenty of time in your itinerary to do what you want while considering the driving distance between the areas.
Most of the popular attractions in Vik will have parking sites available nearby so you don’t need to worry about that. There are also usually cafes or restaurants nearby. If you find yourself on a budget then do some research beforehand so you can find the best spot for a meal based on your budget.
Black Sand Beach | Heading from the East, this will be one of the first places you hit. It’s also one of the most iconic for the area. The black sand was something I had never seen before. Contrary to what you might think though, this is not a place to go swimming! The waves can get really high and dangerous but definitely take some time and walk around.
Dryholaey Lighthouse | If you’re looking for the most epic view of the Reynisdranger and the surrounding landscape then this is where you’ll want to situate yourself. There’s a parking lot nearby so feel free to wanter around as you see fit!
Seljalandsfoss|I know there are a million and one waterfalls in Iceland but this was one of my favourites. Because it’s warmer on the South coast of Iceland, there is a lot of moss that grows around the area and you can even walk behind the falls! This is one of the most photographed waterfalls in Iceland
Seljavallalaug Pool | When we visited Iceland a couple of years ago this spot was still fairly unknown and a bit of a hidden secret. While I’ve been told it’s gained popularity quite a bit, I would still put this in your itinerary to visit. I would just make sure you put your bathing suit on underneath your clothes because the changing room is anything but private.
Day 5 | Kerid & Reykjavik
Depending on how much time you have left in your South coast Iceland itinerary, I would make sure to save a bit of room and time for your drive back to Reykjavik. There are a few other smaller spots you can check out on your way.
Kerid | The one spot that stands out the most to us is the Kerid crater. The crater was actually once a volcano that erupted which depleted all of its magma and collapsed under the weight. The beautiful colouring on the inside of the crater make it an interesting spot for some photos!
There you have it, our perfect itinerary for spending 5 amazing days in the South coast of Iceland. What are you waiting for? Go book your trip!
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