Martie sent me a list of places she wanted to see in Iceland, gathered from online research. I used a guidebook from Lonely Planet and a large, waterproof National Geographic map as well as online videos. I added to the list Martie had compiled for each day, then used maps to come up with a route and approximate times between.

A note about the Icelandic alphabet: The fifth letter is transliterated to the English D, even though it’s not the same sound. The third to last letter is transliterated to TH which is the sound it makes. The second to last letter is transliterated to AE but makes a hard I sound. The last letter is transliterated to O, but makes a U sound like in the word FUN. It helps to know this to pronounce Icelandic words. It’s interesting to note that the letter Z is no longer used; as of 1973 the letter S officially replaced it. Z will appear in some proper nouns or older texts.

Original itinerary with notes in italics: (some places copied and pasted; some typed with English keyboard)

June 29 – Reykjavik – Hotel Reykjavik Centrum, Aðalstræti 16, 101 Reykjavík (bus stop 1) – (+354) 514 6000

Kattakaffihusid Cat Cafe

Old Reykjavik – historic quarter & shopping

Lake Tjörnin

National Museum (10-5)

(supper at 101 Bistro)

June 30 – Reykjavik – Hotel Reykjavik Centrum, Aðalstræti 16, 101 Reykjavík – (+354) 514 6000

Old Reykjavik – historic quarter & shopping

Old Harbour area

Whales of Iceland museum (10-5) could skip Husavik whale museum

Omnom Chocolate factory (11-8) creative ice-cream treats

Bonus Grocery and Kronan Grocery

Perlan Museum (9-9)

Grand Reykjavík Cathedral (elevator ride to bell tower-great views)

(Supper at Ramen Noodle House)

July 1 – Reykjavik to  Hveragerdi    Hotel Ork, Breiðamörk 1c – 810 Hveragerði – (+354) 483 4700

Pick up rental car at 8:00 am

Blue Lagoon at 10:00 reservation; leave at noon-ish

lunch in Grindavik or Porlakshofn (Heima Bistro buffet)

(1 hr from Lagoon) Black sand dunes, near Porlakshofn 1:00-ish

(10 min) Raufarhólshellir – lava tunnel cave (3pm reservation)

(5 min) Votaberg Tectonic Cliff (terrible road, skip it or walk in)

(12 min) Hveradalir Geothermal Area (after supper and check in)

(20 min) Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River (did Kerid Crater)

(7 min) Hotel Ork; (Hofland Eatery – great pizza for supper)

July 2 – Hveragerdi    Hotel Ork, Breiðamörk 1c – 810 Hveragerði – (+354) 483 4700

Thingvellir National Park:  

(40 min) Hrafnagjá Observation Deck

(7 min) Tourist info center with cafe

(Drove to paid parking lot)

Logberg(LawRock), Oxararfoss, Langistigur and other sites on trail

(20 min) Porufoss with parking and short walk

(25 min from tourist info) Laugarvatn (hot springs lake) Geothermal Area

town has Lindin restaurant (delicious lunch)

Efstidalur II dairy barn for ice cream (delicious dessert)

(25 min) Strokkur Geyser

(10 min) Gullfoss waterfall (most famous waterfall, means golden falls)

(30 min) Fluoir – geothermal greenhouses, Farmers’ Bistro 3km nw of town (missed this one—closed)

(20 min) Skalholt Cathedral (barely made it before closing – worth it)

(40 min) Hotel Ork (leftover pizza for supper and walk to Bonus)

July 3 – Hveragerdi to  Vik   Hotel Dyrholaey, Ás, 871 Vík, (+354) 487 1333

(stopped in Hvolsvollur for gift shopping)

South Coast:

(20 min) Kerid Crater;  (done July 1 after supper)

(25 min) Fredheimar tomato farm reservation at 11:30 (had to cancel – no time to wait; booked months out – very popular)

[(40 min) Caves of Hella] need reservations/ can’t do w/ farm(timing not right for us – skipped it)

(1.25 hr from tomato farm) Seljalandsfoss waterfall

(10 min walk) Glujfrabui waterfall

(20 min) Eyjafjallajökull Info 

(12 min) Skógafoss (hike) 

(6 min) Skogar Museum, 9-6 (not done)

(10 min Hike from parking lot) Kvernufoss (not done)

(30 min) Sólheimajökull (glacier hike tours popular here)

(35 min) Dyrholaey Lighthouse: stone sea arch, sourthern-most tip

(21 min) Reynisfjara Beach & Reynisdrangur sea stacks

(14 min) Víkurfjara Black Sand Beach & Reynisdrangar sea stacks(at 9pm to see puffins coming in to roost and also saw humpback)

(4 min) Vík i Myrdal Church(just took a photo)

(4 min) Vik Wool factory(not open; supper at The Soup Company)

(12 min back to) Hotel Dyrholaey, 7-9:30 breakfast buffet

July 4 – Vic to Hofn    Hotel Hofn, Víkurbraut 20 780 Höfn in Hornafjörður – (+354) 478 1240

South and East Coast(first stop Vik police station – report stuck sheep)

(Stopped at Elhraun Lava Field to see moss heath)

(50 min) Fjaðrárgljúfur River Canyon; two parking spots and hiking

(11 min) Kirkjubaejar-klauster, tiny service town, lots of photo spots (Kirkjugolf and Hildir’s grave)

(30 min) Lómagnúpur Scenic Spot(pulled in but just changed drivers)

Vatnajokull National Park

(25 min) Skaftafell – Skaftafellsstofa (visitor’s center)

Svartifoss (black falls) 1.8km trail from visitor’s center

(15 min) Svínafellsjökull Glacier

(45 min) Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon with icebergs & Diamond Beach(added a duck boat excursion; all others need advanced reservations)

(10min) Hali, town with stacked books museum Porbergssetur & restaurant(excellent supper)

(1hr) Hotel Hofn

July 5 – Hofn to Egilsstadir   Hotel Hallormsstadur 701 Egilsstaðir – (+354) 471 2400

East Coast

Hofn Viewpoint and Nature trail (book exchange nearby)

(20 min) Vestrahorn – black sand and grass tufts (unique); extra fee/viking village also extra fee(drove to but opted not to stay and pay)

(5 min) Stokksnes lighthouses out on peninsula(didn’t pay to drive out)

(45 min) Hvalnes Nature Reserve Beach, orange lighthouse

(15 min) Fauskasandur, views and Stapinn rock 

(40 min) Úlfseyjarsandur, black sand beach(stopped in Djupivogur for WC, souvenirs and lunchtime instead)

(1 hr) Petra’s stone & Mineral Collection in Stoovarfjorour (9-5pm)

(1 hr) East Iceland Heritage Museum in Egilsstadir (10-6pm)

(8 min)Fardagafoss near Egilsstadir; before or after museum(hiked after museum and after supper at Askur Pizzeria)

[(25 min) Seydisfjordur, town with picturesque church w/ rainbow walkway] (no time for this one)

(25 min) hotel from EIH museum

Hengifoss waterfall (9 min drive from hotel, long hike?) (skipped)

July 6 – Egilsstadir to Lake Myvatn    Hotel Laxa  Olnbogaás, 660 Myvatn  – (+354) 464 1900

(40 min) Jökulsá á Dal útsýnispallur(bridge over blue water-nice)

(16 min) Torfhúsin I Hjarðarhaga/ turf buildings

(1.5 hr) Dettifoss west side parking lot and see Selfoss, too

East side of Lake Myvatn(did after supper at Skutias ice cream and Bistro Sel soup and salad bar in Sel-Hotel – traditional Icelandic food)

(37 min) Hverir Geothermal, mudpots and steam vents (15min hike)

(5 min) Myvatn Geothermal area, Blue Lake, more hiking

(5 min) Grjótagjá (lava cave)

West side of Lake Myvatn (did first; museum then horseback ride)

(15 min) Sigurgeir’s Bird Museum (12-5)

Horseback riding tour at 4 pm near Lake Myvatn

(15 min) to Hotel Laxa, breakfast 7-10am

July 7 – Lake Myvatn to Husavik & Akureri   Hotel Kea, Hafnarstræti 87-89 600 Akureyri  – (+541) 220-1350

(50 min from Hotel Laxa) 10:30 Whale watching & Puffins tour at Husavik, North Sailing ticket office in Húsavík is across from the big church (11:00-2:30)(time changed to 12:30-3:30, toured church and walked to Apollo training monument)

(50 min from Hotel Laxa) Husavik Whale Museum (9-6pm) – before/after sailing?  (Skipped – Whale museum in Reykjavik)

(3 min from whale area) Geosea – Geothermal Sea Baths

(40 min) Goðafoss Waterfall

(46 min from Godafoss) Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall  Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall in North-Iceland in extraordinary Basalt Column Settings | Guide to Iceland(skipped as over 1.5 hour out and back drive)

(35 min w/tolls from Godafoss) Akureyri Museum (noon-5pm, free)(arrived too late)

(10 min walk from hotel) Akureyri Botanical Gardens (9am-10pm, free, cafe)(after supper at Bautinn and shopping near hotel)

July 8 – Akureri to Borgarnes    Hotel Hamar,  310 Borgarnes  – (+354) 433 6600

West Coast 

(1.5 hr) Glaumbaer turf farm museum and Askaffi, a quaint tea room

(1.25 hr) Kolugjufur Canyon and waterfalls  Kolugjúfur | Visit North Iceland

[ if time (40 min) Hvitserkur sea stack (Vatnsnes Peninsula) gravel road]

[ if time (30min) Illugastadir seal watching spot (Vatnsnes Peninsula)]

(50 min) Byggðasafn Húnvetninga & Strandamanna museum (10-4pm)(skipped to do Vatnsnes Peninsula which would recommend seeing)

(50 min) Grábrók volcano

(30 min) Ullarselid Wool Center (11-5pm) (closed before we could see it)

(15 min) back to Borgarnes Settlement Center(meant to eat supper here, but waitress directed us to Englendingavik – great)

(8 min) Hotel Hamar (drive by it on the way to the wool center – check in?)

July 9 – Borgarnes to  Reykjavik – Hotel Reykjavik Centrum, Aðalstræti 16, 101 Reykjavík – (+354) 514 6000

Snaelsfellsnes Peninsula

(1.1 hr) Súgandisey Island Lighthouse in Stykkisholmur, quaint town, fish&chip(pay WC at harbor parking lot)

(40 min) Kirkjufellsfoss park, iconic and Kirkjufell Mtn, Grundarfjordur town

(1 hr) Ondverdarnesviti lighthouse(crazy road, would recommend go as far as Skardavik beach then turn around)

(45 min) Snaefellsnes Peninsula National Park, Snaefellsjokull(took alternate route, but missed visitor’s center )

(25 min) Saxholl Crater(unfortunately missed due to need for WC)

(12 min) Djúpalónssandur beach(did not stop)

(7 min) Vatnshellir Cave(another cave tour place – skipped)

(3 min) Malarrif Lighthouse and Visitors Center

(3 min) Longdrangar View Pt.

(8 min) Hellnar View Pt., town has cafes

(7 min) Arnarstapi Cliff View Pt, has food, too(and pay WC)

(30 min) Ytri Tunga Beach with white sands

(1.5 hr) Old Akranes Lighthouse (skipped)

(50 min) Reykjavik(Omnom ice cream, Food Hall nearby for supper)

July 10 – Airport

Return rental car at airport

Left hotel at 5:00 am, filled up near airport, returned car to Hertz and made it through security by 7:30.