5 Days in Iceland: Beautiful Views, Delicious Food, and Complete Rejuvenation

Take an overnight flight and arrive early in the morning. Grab your rental car and make sure it is the right type to drive through snowy roads! Drive into downtown Reykjavik and grab some breakfast at Braud & co. They have a variety of traditional Icelandic pastries and fresh baked bread. Try as many as you can and maybe even grab a loaf to go for the drive home!

Next visit Hallgrimskirja, a giant lutheran church in the city. Learn about the history and the tower to see views of the city!

Explore downtown and check out the gorgeous views at the harbor and waterfront. There is so much street art, interesting architecture and cute shops. If you love watches, I highly recommend a stop by ArcTic watches. This charming boutique store, owned by a local family, sells high quality handmade watches. On the wall are pictures of celebrities from around the world who have visited! Have Lunch at Islenski Barinn. They offer unique local dishes. If you are feeling adventurous, try the reindeer burger, fermented shark and some local drinks. Definitely make a stop at OMNOM Chocolate, featured on Zac Efron's “Down to Earth” their chocolate bars are delicious.

Check into your hotel at the Blue Lagoon. I prefer the Silica Hotel because it is quieter and a bit more boutique. If you want direct access to a spa and restaurant, book the Retreat hotel. Both give you access to the Blue Lagoon. You can also ask for private lagoon access. Spend as many hours as you want floating in the lagoon, trying various face masks and relaxing. Shower and have dinner at the Lagoon Restaurant, which has delicious food and beautiful views of the lagoon.

Wake up and spend some more time at the lagoon and visit the Spa if you would like. Indulge in the Silica hotel’s delicious breakfast. If you have the time and want more time relaxing at the Blue Lagoon, stay another night! If you are ready to continue, hop in the car and get ready to complete the golden circle drive. Be prepared to see plenty of sheep on the way! Your first stop is at Thingvellir National Park. This is a UNESCO world heritage site. Definitely leave time for hiking and the visitor center. Next, head onto the Great Geysir. While this is cool, it is not as unique as the other stops, especially if you have seen Old Faithful. If you need to cut time, this is what I would cut. Continue on your drive to Gulfoss Waterfall. This was an absolutely stunning sight to see! Stay in a hotel nearby. If you need to cut a day out, continue your drive here up to Akuyeri and combine Day 3 with Day 4.

Wake up early, cue up your Icelandic music on Spotify and start your long drive north to Akureyri, “the capital of the north.” This area of Iceland is not to be missed! It is less visited by tourists and has some of the prettiest views.

Check into your cozy cabin or hotel covered with windows so you can keep an eye out for the Northern Lights.

Stop by the Christmas House, a year-round Christmas store celebrating the holiday. They have 2 stories of goodies, a large advent calendar section, a bakery, food and hot drinks. They even have traditional Icelandic holiday treats. It’s an adorable little stop, especially if you love the holidays and this gets you in the season's spirit. This is the perfect place to grab an ornament or Christmas decoration to remember your trip.

Have dinner at the North Restaurant. This was the best meal I had in Iceland and one of the best meals I have ever had in my entire life. It is a 7 to 10 course tasting menu with a wine pairing, featuring unique and local herbs, vegetables, meats. The drive is worth it alone just for this meal!

Spend your night out on a guided Northern Lights tour. You will learn all about the country, how to spot the Northern Lights and what they actually are. Akureyri is one of the best places to spot them. Please remember that it is a natural phenomenon and does not occur every day. If you don’t see it that night, some tour operators will take you out for free again the next night.

Today you are driving the Diamond Circle. I thought this was the most beautiful area of Iceland and my favorite part of the trip. It was also much less crowded and more stunning then the Golden Circle. It is also harder to get to.

Depending on what time of year you go and the weather, some roads on the Diamond Circle may be cut off. Due to road closures, I only visited Lake Myvatan, Husavik and the Godafoss waterfall. If possible, you should also visit Dettifoss waterfall and Asbyrgi Canyon.

Godofass Waterfall was simply breathtaking. There is a small area to walk around as well to see it from different angles. Next, head to Lake Myvatan and take your time driving around the lake. There are many different viewing points for you to get out and walk around. Lastly, head to Husavik. This is a small fishing town that was also featured in the Eurovision movie with Rachel Mcadams and Will Ferell. There are some small museums here and you can take a whale watching boat out, but those were both closed when we went. Definitely stop at the restaurant for lunch with a view of the water. Have some hot cocoa and walk around the harbor, looking at the various docks and boats. It’s now time to head back to downtown Akuyeri. Spend some time walking around downtown and grab dinner. Cuddle up in your cozy room and keep an eye out for Northern Lights!

Wake up early and have a quick breakfast. Then hop in the car and drive back to the Reykjavik airport to return your car and fly back home. Handmade sweaters are a great souvenir.