There’s good reason Iceland has become such a hotspot recently. Extremely easy to get to from Boston (direct five hour flights!), Iceland has something for everyone. We recently took a quick weekend trip, so let’s find out how you should spend 48 hours on this beautiful island in the Northern Atlantic.
When to Go to Iceland
Due to its northerly latitude, Iceland has extreme seasons. The country goes from almost continual sun in the summer to only four hours of daylight in the winter! While we can’t wait to go back to Iceland for the summer to explore the northern part of the country (further from the airport and tougher to traverse to in the snow), we took on the challenge of meticulously planning our short time 48 hours in Iceland. We scheduled our trip to the minute to maximize the precious hours of sunlight while planning awesome activities for when it was dark.
48 Hours in Iceland – Where to Stay
We wanted to explore all as many amazing natural wonders of Iceland as possible, so we decided to stay outside of Reykjavík. We chose the Ion Adventure Hotel, a Design Hotel, located near our planned route on the Golden Circle (~200 mile loop starting in Reykjavík around southern Iceland with some incredible sites). This was the optimal place to stay so that even during just 48 hours in Iceland we would be able to see lots of the landscape and country!
Being outside the city, the hotel was the perfect home base for our travels. Complete with a Northern Lights bar and outdoor pool, it made for the perfect spot to watch the stars after a busy day of traveling.
48 Hours in Iceland – What to Do
We took the Friday evening flight on Wow Air from Boston to Iceland, arriving around 5AM on Saturday in Reykjavík. We hopped in our rental car (totally recommend a 4×4 SUV) and headed out towards the Ion Adventure Hotel in the darkness. Like I said, there is only a few hours of daylight and even by the time we arrived for our 48 hours in Iceland, which was around 7:30am, there was still no sign of the sun.
We arrived at the hotel, enjoyed some breakfast and then started our day around 9:30AM.
Our first stop was the Ljósafossstöð Powerstation, about 30 minutes from our hotel. This a great first stop because the indoor exhibit is something to enjoy before the sun peaks over the horizon. Open and free to public, you can check out the different science exhibits that explain how Iceland generates a majority of its power in a renewable way.
Next stop was really a can’t miss, the Kerid Crater. An old volcanic crater, this is sight to be seen!
Just after we arrived the sun finally rose at 11:03. Third on the list was a unique church, Skalholt Cathedral.
Almost noon, it was time for lunch which makes our list of must see destination all on its own—Fridheimar Greenhouse. Self-described as a “culinary experience”, the greenhouse specializes in everything tomatoes. Producing over a ton of tomatoes each day (all year-round!) the greenhouse is a great source of fresh produce for the Icelanders. Their signature dish is the tomato soup. When you finish your bowl, help yourself to another!
After you order your tomato soup and any other complementary dishes, you are provided access to an unlimited supply of soup with beautiful homemade bread. The fresh tomato soup pairs perfectly with the bread and accoutrements we found back at our table: cucumber relish and sour cream. After plenty of fresh soup and bread we toured the greenhouse, learned about the different varieties of plants, and even met the busy bumble bees (living inside those hive boxes) that keep the whole place running year-round!
Sticking to our tight schedule, we left lunch around 1PM and went off chasing waterfalls. First up was Faxi waterfall. Only 10 minutes from lunch, Faxi waterfall was quite an impressive site.
Next we headed to see the Great Geysir. Geysir (no longer an extremely active geyser) is recorded as the first documented geyser by Europeans. Just next to Geysir is Strokkur, a huge geyser that goes off every 7-10 minutes. We were lucky to catch a few eruptions!
At 2:30PM, and with only about an hour left of daylight, it was time for a snowmobile tour on a glacier! Using TripAdvisor, we were able to find and schedule our four hour snowmobile tour with Arctic Adventures. The group met at the Gullfoss parking lot (Gulfoss is another incredible waterfall that is a must to see!), loaded into the offroad trucks, and headed out to the glacier. Then at the base camp we suited up with a snowsuit, helmet, googles and gloves and were ready to ride. Two people to a snowmobile, we rode out to the Langjökull glacier.
At the edge of the glacier (the second largest in Iceland at about 350+ square miles), we suited up and rode our snowmobiles. After about 30 minutes, we arrived at an undergroung ice cave that we got to explore! After exploring the ice cave, it was time to hop back on the snowmobiles and head back to the base camp!
By this time (6:30PM) it was pitch black. The sun had started to set while we were on our ride, but once we got out onto the glacier it was already dark. After a long but fun day, it was time to head back to the hotel for dinner.
We enjoyed so many Icelandic treats at dinner, including: cured meats, lamb, and fish. For dessert we had a great collection of homemade sorbet and baked goods.
After dinner we relaxed in the heated pool to try to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights. Unfortunately, you need the perfect set of weather conditions. While we didn’t get to see them, we had a lovely time admiring the incredible sky regardless.
Sunday, the next morning, we woke up and enjoyed plenty of Icelandic Skyr at breakfast before leaving to check out Thingvellir National Park (where you can actually walk in between two tectonic plates)! When we arrived (~9:30AM) it was still barely dusk, which made it feel even more surreal walking around in the semi-darkness.
Just after 10AM (civil daylight) the sun started to appear, really allowing us to take it all in!
After enjoying walking in an actual fault line it was time to head into Reykjavík for lunch. We had lunch at Ostabúðin right in downtown Reykjavík, where we chose to again try out the local flavors. We started with roasted whale meat and a fish chowder. And for main courses we opted for lamb and salt cod. Everything was perfect after a chilly morning of exploring!
Following lunch we had a little time to explore downtown Reykjavík, getting to check out some of the cute shops and of course visiting Hallgrímskirkja Church! At certain times you can actually climb to the top to see the city, although this wasn’t the case during Sunday service.
Sadly after a nice walk around town, it was time to head back to the airport. Even on the way back we were able to take in more of the breath-taking scenery in by car!
Getting There
Getting to Iceland is extremely easy, especially with the direct flights from Wow Air. Once in Iceland, renting a well-equipped car is highly recommended to get from Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík (about 45 minute drive) or wherever your trip takes you.
The Blue Lagoon is between the airport and Reykjavík, and most recommend visiting right before leaving. Unfortunately we didn’t have time before our flight (with exploring the national park, lunch, and downtown Reykjavík), but look forward to visiting next time. We absolutely loved our time in this beautiful country and cannot wait to return again!
For more quick but exciting weekend getaway ideas read all about how to spend a weekend in Monaco and what a weekend on Martha’s Vineyard looks like!
One response to “48 Hours in Iceland”
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