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5 Days in Iceland - Itinerary Planning Help

My parents and I will have 5 days/5 nights in Iceland at the end of June and would love to get some advice on trip planning.

We plan to rent a car from the airport. Should we base ourselves in Reykjavik or move around different parts of the country? If moving around is better, which cities would you recommend staying overnight and what sights should we see on each day? We're interested in seeing the best sights but would like to keep driving to a minimum and on easier routes if possible.

Thanks in advance!

Posted by
59 posts

I definitely think it's better to see as much of the country as possible in your limited time. How much more depends on your travel pace and how long you want your days to be. You will have plenty of daylight during this time of the year :) You may want to spend a night or two in Reykjavik and then maybe make another base at Selfoss. It's a decent size town, and you can take nice day trips from there to get a feel of the country outside the capital. It's hard to say what you would enjoy specifically, but there is no shortage of beautiful hikes, scenic drives and waterfalls in Iceland. If you want easier routes stick to ring road 1 and stay off F roads which require a 4 wheel drive. You can PM if you have any specific questions.

Posted by
7049 posts

Allow at least 2 full days just for Reykjavik. You won't need a car there, it's very walkable. There are only two "largish" cities in all of Iceland - Reykjavik and Akureyri, the rest are tiny villages. Take a look at the Reykjavik and Iceland Tourism websites online - they have excellent info.

Posted by
9 posts

Thanks so much for your responses! Super helpful in planning for our trip :)