7 days Iceland: Reykjavik + Golden Circle + South Coast + Jokulsarlon

Trip map

Click each numbered marker to see the corresponding day.

Day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   Arrival Reykjavik

   Direct Paris-Reykjavik (KEF) flight (3h30, Iceland Air/Transavia/Easyjet, €200-450 return). No visa (Schengen, ID card sufficient). Land at Keflavik (50 km from Reykjavik). FlyBus transfer (3,100 ISK = €21, 45 min) or rental car (Hertz/Avis, €60-100/day with full insurance - ESSENTIAL for Ring Road). Settle hotel in Reykjavik centre (Canopy by Hilton €150-250, Kvosin Downtown Hotel boutique €130-200) or guesthouse Laugavegur €80-120. Evening Laugavegur (main lively street) + local restaurant dinner (Icelandic fish + lamb, Snaps €40-60/person).

   Tips

   • · Car ESSENTIAL for Ring Road: book 2-3 months ahead (otherwise x2-3 price last minute)
   • · Full insurance MANDATORY (gravel, wind, volcanic sand - non-insured excess ruinous)
   • · Bring warm clothes + waterproof (even in summer: 10-15 °C + winds + frequent rain)
   • · Reykjavik hotels OFF weekend: -30% vs Friday-Saturday
   Reykjavik →
2. 2

   Day 2

   Reykjavik + Blue Lagoon

   Morning Reykjavik: Hallgrimskirkja (iconic 75m-high church, tower climb €13, panoramic view), Harpa (concert hall with honeycomb facade, free), Sun Voyager (seaside sculpture), Laugavegur street art, Penis Museum (only one in the world, €30, yes really). Lunch Reykjavik Roasters (coffee + sandwich €10-15) or Cafe Loki (traditional Icelandic cuisine, lamb soup €15). Afternoon drive Blue Lagoon (45 min, 60 km southwest): mythical geothermal lagoon with milky blue water at 37-40 °C, free silica mask. MANDATORY time slot booking (€80-150 depending on package). Sunset in the lagoon (very photogenic).

   Tips

   • · Blue Lagoon: BOOKING MANDATORY 2-4 weeks ahead (limited slots, sold out)
   • · Prefer sunset slot (Premium €100-150, face masks included)
   • · Bring strong conditioner (silica damages hair, hotel advised)
   • · Cheaper alternative: Sky Lagoon (Reykjavik centre, €70-110) or Laugar Spa (€40)
   Reykjavik →Blue Lagoon →
3. 3

   Day 3

   Golden Circle

   Golden Circle day (260 km loop, 5-6h driving + stops). Depart 8am. Thingvellir National Park UNESCO (45 min from Reykjavik): ancient Viking parliament since 930 AD (Europe's oldest), tectonic fault between Eurasian and North American plates (walking visit Almannagja, 2h), Silfra snorkeling option (€199 with dry equipment, water at 2 °C visibility 100 m). Geysir & Strokkur (1h, free): Strokkur eruption every 5-10 min up to 30m high. Lunch Geysir Center (buffet €35). Gullfoss (15 min, free): 'golden falls', 32m drop in 2 levels, rainbow on clear days. Back Reykjavik 7pm. Reykjavik fish & chips restaurant dinner (Icelandic Fish & Chips €18-25).

   Tips

   • · Golden Circle: really 260 km, 5-6h driving minimum, depart 8am
   • · Silfra snorkeling: unique experience swimming between 2 tectonic plates, €199 with equipment
   Þingvellir →Gullfoss →
4. 4

   Day 4

   South Coast: waterfalls + black beach

   South coast day (Ring Road east, 300 km return, 6-7h with stops). Seljalandsfoss (1h30, free): 60m cascade you can walk behind - unique photo passing behind the water curtain (waterproof essential). Skogafoss (10 min further, free): 25m wide, 60m high, photogenic from below. Lunch Skool Beans (bus-cafe in Skogar, €15-25). Reynisfjara (basalt black sand beach near Vik): Reynisdrangar rock stacks (legend says petrified trolls), basalt caves. WARNING: dangerous sneaker waves (1-2 tourist deaths/year). Back Reykjavik 7-8pm.

   Tips

   • · Reynisfjara: DO NOT APPROACH WAVES (deadly sneaker waves)
   • · Seljalandsfoss: passing behind = GUARANTEED WET (waterproof + waterproof bag for camera)
   Seljalandsfoss →Vík →
5. 5

   Day 5

   Jokulsarlon: icebergs + Diamond Beach

   LONG day to Jokulsarlon (380 km, 5h there, 5h back - plan to sleep there one night if possible). Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon (free access, €30 zodiac boat excursion 30 min between icebergs): turquoise waters with floating icebergs broken off from Vatnajokull glacier (8,100 km2, Europe's largest glacier). Diamond Beach (1 min walk): icebergs stranded on basalt black sand, sparkling in the sun like diamonds. If available: ice cave (December-March, €150/person, 4h). Back Reykjavik at night OR night hotel in Vik/Kirkjubaejarklaustur (Magma Hotel €200-300).

   Tips

   • · Jokulsarlon in 1 day return = exhausting (10h driving). Prefer 2 days with night in Vik
   • · Ice cave: strict season December-March, limited places, book 2 months ahead
   Jökulsárlón →
6. 6

   Day 6

   Reykjavik shopping + aurora (Sept-March)

   Quiet day in Reykjavik. Morning public geothermal pool Laugardalslaug (€4, jacuzzi + hot pots + sauna - authentic local experience). Afternoon souvenir shopping: lopapeysa jumpers (real Icelandic wool €100-200), Skyr (local yogurt), salted licorice (peculiar taste), volcanic products. High-end restaurant DILL (1 Nordic Michelin star, €150/person) or Matur og Drykkur (revisited Icelandic cuisine, €60-80). If September-March season: aurora borealis excursion (€60-100/person, 3-5h by bus, 60-70% observation rate per clear night).

   Tips

   • · Aurora borealis: STRICT SEASON September-March + clear sky + Kp index > 3
   • · Geothermal pool Laugardalslaug: must-do local experience, only €4
   Reykjavik →
7. 7

   Day 7

   Reykjavik -> Paris return

   Quiet morning Reykjavik or last visit. Brunch Sandholt (iconic bakery, pastries €5-10) or Cafe Babalu (vegan friendly, €12-18). Return car KEF airport (45 min drive). 3h airport margin. Direct Reykjavik-Paris CDG flight (3h30). End of trip. For luggage: last bottles of Brennivin (caraway eau-de-vie, national alcohol, €30-40) at airport duty-free.

   Tips

   • · Airport car return: 30 min extra margin for insurance formalities
   • · KEF airport duty-free: Brennivin cheaper than Reykjavik centre
   Reykjavik →

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