Lizzy's Sweet Kitchen

Trip Summary

1. December 7
   • Flew into Reykjavik Airport
   • Went to Bridge Between Continents
   • Costco
   • Bonus Grocery Store
   • Walk around Reykjavik – Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre
   • Stayed at: 101 Hotel, Reykjavik
2. December 8 – Golden Circle Day
   • Þórufoss
   • Þingvellir National Park (Öxarárfoss)
   • Brúarfoss
   • Geysir
   • Gullfoss
   • Brúarhlöð Canyon
   • Stayed at: 101 Hotel, Reykjavik again
3. December 9 – Southern Coast
   • Seljalandsfoss
   • Skógafoss
   • Kvernufoss
   • Dyrhólaey cliffs
   • Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
   • Stayed at: Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon, Hnappavellir
4. December 10 – Glacier Hike
   • 6-hour ice cave and glacier hike
   • Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
5. December 11
   • Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
   • Skaftafell
   • Short walk to Hvannadalshnúkur
6. December 12
   • The town of Vik
   • Sólheimasandur plane crash site.
   • Kerið Crater
   • Northern Lights Tour
7. December 13
   • Blue Lagoon
   • Walked Reykjavik – Shopped
   • Hot dogs at Bæjarins beztu
8. December 14
   • Höfði House
   • Sun Voyager,
   • Ingólfsgarður Lighthouse
   • Flew Home

Some background…

My husband and I went on this trip as my wedding present to him. We weren’t looking to make this a budget trip, but we also didn’t want to break the bank. We were there for a week in December 2024, flying out of Denver, CO on Friday 12/6 and leaving Iceland on 12/14.

Day 1: Arrival in Reykjavik (December 7)

Stayed at: 101 Hotel, Hverfisgata 10, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

I wouldn’t say this was our favorite place we’ve ever stayed. The location was fantastic, but the rooms felt a little dirty (I am particular with cleanliness, I’ll admit). It was next to a club, which many people complained about because of the noise, but we travel with a white noise machine so that didn’t affect us. They also charged us a small fee for tea kettle use, which I thought was unnecessary. Overall, not bad but not great — I’d say 3.5/5. The location gives it a lot of points.

We landed in Iceland bright and early at 6:05 AM and picked up our rental car from Enterprise.

Our first stop was the famous Bridge Between Continents. This unique spot is a literal bridge between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. It was extremely quiet when we got there around 8 AM, and only two other people showed up later. Honestly, it was such a fun first stop in Iceland — peaceful, and we basically had the whole place to ourselves.

After the bridge, we headed to Costco for lunch — a classic Costco hot dog — and to grab some groceries. We didn’t buy too much, just bread and fruit since it was only the two of us. Then we stopped at Bónus grocery store to stock up on snacks and essentials. We’d heard it was the cheapest grocery store in Iceland, and it was still more expensive than the US, but it helped. We brought prepackaged goods we were allowed to bring in, like jerky, ramen, dehydrated meals (which I made), granola bars, etc., and that saved us a lot on this trip.

We walked around Reykjavik before our northern lights tour, stopping at Harpa Concert Hall, Hallgrimskirkja and exploring the main streets. A nice way to dip our toes into Iceland.

Our Northern Lights Tour started at 8:30 PM. Unfortunately, no lights that night. We made sure to book the tour at the beginning of the trip so if we didn’t see them, we could try again later in the week. The company told us we had up to 2 years to rebook a tour for free if we didn’t see them.

Day 2: The Golden Circle (December 8)

After breakfast, we set out to explore the Golden Circle. Our first stop was Þórufoss around 9:30 AM. A hidden gem of a waterfall with a fun backstory (Game of Thrones fans will recognize it).

Next, we visited Þingvellir National Park, where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge visibly separates the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. We checked out Öxarárfoss waterfall, then continued to Brúarfoss — which was stunning.

Next up was Geysir. Honestly? Maybe it’s because we went to Yellowstone in the US only four months earlier, but this was extremely disappointing. If you have limited daylight and have already seen other geysers, especially Old Faithful, I’d say skip this.

Our journey ended at Gullfoss, which was majestic and absolutely worth it. We actually wish we got the chance to spend more time there but our daylight was running out!

Our last stop before losing all our light was Brúarhlöð Canyon, which was nice but I think we both agreed we wanted more time at Gullfoss. We missed Friðheimar Tomato Farm because it closed early, which was sad because we are big tomato lovers. We also stopped at Kerið Crater later, but it was pitch dark, so we decided to come back another day.

Day 3: South Coast Adventures (December 9)

Stayed at: Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon, Hnappavellir, 785 Öræfi, Iceland

We loved this hotel. It had that modern Icelandic architecture vibe you see in a lot of Airbnbs on the south coast. Breakfast was free thanks to our platinum Orbitz status (huge win — food is pricey in Iceland and we still hadn’t eaten out yet). They had a spa area with a sauna and hot tub, and also offered dinner. The food was fine, but my one gripe is that I like my meals very hot, and it came out lukewarm. This also happened at another restaurant in Reykjavik, so maybe it’s an Iceland thing.

Our first stop was Seljalandsfoss. We didn’t have time, nor could we find the route to Gljúfrabúi, but I’ve heard nothing but amazing things.

Next was Skógafoss, followed by Kvernufoss — our favorite waterfall of the day. You can walk behind it, which is so much fun, but be warned: you and your backpack will get soaked. We brought a dry bag for our camera gear, and I highly recommend it, whether you’re going behind waterfalls or just walking in Iceland’s sideways rain.

We then went to Dyrhólaey for beautiful coastal views, and finished the day at Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. This was probably one of my favorite stops of the trip. It’s dramatic, gorgeous, and if you’re a Game of Thrones fan like me, it’s a perfect nerd-out spot.

That night turned out to be one of the best of the trip. I noticed a faint green line in the sky outside our hotel and realized it was the northern lights. They got brighter throughout the evening. We had dinner, then went to the hot tub, where we ended up watching the northern lights dance across the sky. No phones, no photos — just us, in the moment. Magical.

Day 4: Ice Caving and the East South Coast (December 10)

After breakfast, we set off for our Ice Cave Tour, meeting at Jökulsárlón Main Parking at 10:30 AM. The weather was perfect — no wind, no rain — which is a big win in Iceland.

This was our favorite activity of the whole trip. We splurged on the 5-hour glacier hike instead of the 3-hour and it was worth every penny. Our group was active and our guide took us further than normal. We learned a lot and got to go inside a cave that’s only accessible during the winter hikes. I can’t recommend this enough. Link to Viator Glacier Hike Tour

When we got back, we only had time for Jökulsárlón, where the ice looked like diamonds against the black sand. We skipped Diamond Beach across the road because it was already dark, and we felt like we’d seen enough “diamonds” for the day.

Later on, we had dinner at the hotel, which would have been amazing if it had just come out hotter. We ordered sheep carpaccio to start, Wyatt had cod, I went for lamb sirloin, and the butter came topped with volcano salt! Solid 4.5/5 — the only flaw was the food temperature.

Day 5: More Ice and Diamonds (December 11)

This day could have been planned better. We ended up backtracking a lot, which wasted daylight. If I could redo it, I’d start with Skaftafell and Hvannadalshnúkur in the morning, then end with Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon.

We first went to Fjaðrárgljúfur, which was absolutely breathtaking. My brother went to Iceland in the summer, so it was fun to compare how different it looked in the winter.

Then we drove back to Skaftafell and hiked as the daylight was disappearing. The views were incredible, and before it got completely dark, we did a short walk to Hvannadalshnúkur with headlamps.

That night we had drinks at the hotel bar. I had a Shiraz by Penfolds Winery and Wyatt had Garún NR.19 from Borg Brugghús — one of the best beers we’ve ever had. I gave it a 4.75/5 and he gave it a 4.25/5, he’s a harsh beer critique.

Day 6: Back to Reykjavik (December 12)

Stayed at: Stay Apartments Bolholt, Bolholt 6, Reykjavik, 105 Iceland. This spot was a great setup with a full kitchen, something we really wanted since we ate most of the food we brought almost every night. The trade-off, it was farther from the main strip compared to our first place. But honestly, having that kitchen made all the difference for us!

After breakfast, we headed toward Reykjavik. First stop was Vik, where we visited the little white church on the hill. It had amazing views of the coastline.

Next was the Sólheimasandur plane crash site. If I could tell you not to do one thing in Iceland, it’s this stupid plane crash. I feel so strongly about it because I didn’t want to do it — but my husband did, and he hit me with the classic, “You planned everything, let me have this” line. So of course, I tagged along.

We decided not to take the bus because, well, it cost money, and how far could it be? Just 3.5 km (about 2 miles) from the parking lot. It felt like I walked 5 miles on way! I honestly think they put the parking lot so far away to make you pay for the bus. On the walk, it started raining, which we totally didn’t expect. Rule #1 in Iceland: no one can predict the weather.

When we finally got there, it was literally a crashed plane covered in stickers, with influencers posing for photos everywhere. We took a couple of shots ourselves — it photographs well, I’ll give it that. But we took the bus back because honestly, we both thought, “What the heck was that?” I’m pretty sure we got upcharged, but at that point, we just wanted to get back to the car.

Easily one of the most regrettable time-wasters I’ve experienced, and I’m not being dramatic. If you’ve been and liked it, I’m judging you, and I don’t trust your recommendations. Anyways…

We stopped at Kerið Crater on the way back and actually saw it in daylight this time. It was stunning.

That night we tried for the northern lights again but had no luck. Locals told us October is a better month because skies are clearer. Kind of funny, right? Our whole trip was about seeing the Northern Lights, and lots of people said the darkest months would be best, which makes sense, but the skies just weren’t clear most of the time we were there.

Seeing the Northern Lights really just comes down to luck, hitting the right time and conditions. We weren’t too disappointed though, since we got a glimpse of them a couple days earlier, which made the whole trip worth it.

Day 7: Relaxation at the Blue Lagoon (December 13)

We arrived at the Blue Lagoon bright and early at 9:00 AM. I know it’s kind of a controversial spot, but honestly, we liked it. Going early meant it was super quiet, and soaking in the warm water while it was still dark outside was something special. We left around 11:30 AM, just as the crowds started rolling in. Plus, we visited only a couple weeks after the nearby volcano erupted, so that probably kept the numbers down too.

My advice? Definitely go early, it can get really busy later in the day, and that can take away from the experience. Would we go back? Probably not, but we’re glad we did it once. Next time in Iceland, we’d love to explore more local geothermal baths instead, but this trip we didn’t want to sacrifice daylight hours for it.

The rest of the day was spent walking around Reykjavik, shopping, and eating hot dogs at Bæjarins beztu.

Later that night, we celebrated my IAAP CPWA certification with dinner at a delicious spot called Reykjavík Kitchen. I went for the 3-course wine pairing meal, Coffee cured salmon, Lamb ribeye and Crispy cardamom short crust. Wyatt ordered the beef tenderloin steak, don’t worry, I happily shared my food! Everything was excellent, though once again the food came out a bit lukewarm for some reason (Iceland, what’s up with that?).

After dinner, we hit the town and checked out an Irish pub my brother recommended. It was a blast and a perfect way to cap off the night.

Day 8: Final Day in Reykjavik (December 14)

On our final day, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and took sometime to walk around any part of Reykjavik that we wanted to still see. We slowly made our way to Höfði House, famous for hosting the 1986 Reykjavík Summit between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. And walked along the water to the Sun Voyager and Ingólfsgarður Lighthouse. It was such a beautiful morning but we had to make our way back to the apartment to get our things. Before we left we grab some bakery items from Brauð & Co right next to our apartment. It was kind of funny because in America most 95% of the time food tied to gas stations are not good, it’s like getting a 7/11 pizza slice. However, I do find in many other countries this is not the case and that was not the case here. The bakery items were exquisite, I still think about them 8 months later. It was such a wonderful surprise. After we made our way to the airport.

As our adventure came to an end, we prepared for our departure at 4:55 PM, filled with memories of Iceland’s breathtaking landscapes and unique experiences.

Overall

Iceland offers a myriad of stunning natural wonders and unique experiences, from the mesmerizing Northern Lights to the captivating landscapes and warm hospitality of its people. This journey was truly unforgettable, and I can’t wait to return, maybe next time in the summer, to explore even more of what this magnificent country has to offer!