Five Days In Iceland In Winter: What To See & Do

This post shares details on how to spend five days in Iceland.

For my thirty-second country and annual Christmas trip, I decided to head down to Iceland, which has been on my bucket list forever.

Now that I have covered about 75% of European countries, it was only right to visit Iceland.

Unlike in other countries, I was a bit anxious, even though it was my fourth Nordic country, but then I decided to face it once and for all.

Like most people, I’m not much of a fan of the cold weather, but I do manage to get by most of the time.

So this trip posed a bigger challenge as I needed to put into practice everything I’ve learnt about layering for the weather.

After two full weeks in a constant panic, I was finally ready for the trip.

Also, there is a consensus that a trip to Iceland isn’t the cheapest, but at this point in my life, I’m more about maximising the experiences I can as a single, childfree woman in her 30s.

So, I closed my eyes and let my credit card do the talking.

This trip required a bit of planning, so I’m going to share everything I did to ensure the trip was a success.

Here’s How To Spend Five Days In Iceland

Iceland is a Nordic island country that sits between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean.

It is known for its breathtaking landscape, characterised by volcanoes, geothermal hot springs, glaciers, and lava fields.

When I was booking this trip, I was super anxious about the possibility of a volcano erupting and how it would ruin the entire trip.

I was generally anxious about the entire trip and the possibility of various mishaps.

Still, I was reassured by the professional tour guides, who ensured all the tours went smoothly and safely.

Flights

Once I decided to come to Iceland, I booked the trip as far in advance as possible.

I booked a return flight with Icelandair for €182/£159 in March, which was honestly a steal because it also included a carry-on luggage.

Naturally, I would have booked with easyJet, but I’ve decided to start shopping smarter and explore various airline options, especially when I need to travel with carry-on luggage.

The money I might save by booking with a low-cost budget airline would have gone toward luggage fees.

Icelandair was such a fantastic option, especially since Reykjavík is a hub for layovers to the US and Canada.

The service was top-notch, although everything had to be accessed for a fee, including using your Bluetooth.

Anyway, for a two-hour flight, I didn’t mind at all as I brought my snacks and entertainment.

Airport Transfer

Perhaps my favourite thing about Iceland is how much it caters to tourists, which you would notice right from the airport.

I did not realise how significant tourism was until our tour guide explained that it has been their biggest export and the most important contribution to their economy.

This means all your experiences are tailored to ensure the tourist’s journey is as seamless as possible.

It’s safe to say that they don’t joke with us.

Anyway, as I do with most, if not all, of my trips, I had to plan for an airport transfer, especially since Keflavík Airport was 45 minutes from Reykjavík, so there was no train or subway to take into the city centre.

So, I booked a round-trip ticket from my hotel to the airport.

Thankfully, the closest pick-up/drop-off points were a two-minute walk from my actual hotel, which turned out to be incredibly convenient for the entire trip.

I booked a ticket through GetYourGuide with Flybus.

They were prompt, professional and cheaper than the private airport transfer options.

Accommodation

I know the most recommended way to explore Iceland is to rent a car, but for those of us who don’t drive, the next best thing you can do for your trip, particularly in December, is to pick a hotel with the closest pick-up/drop-off option for your group tours.

Honestly, it’s such a game-changer, as the wind was extreme, which made the temperature feel colder.

You want to ensure that you’re walking as little as possible in that weather.

When I was booking my hotel, my original pickup location was about ten minutes away, but that suddenly felt too long, which isn’t usually the case for me.

Thankfully, I was able to change it when booking the tours.

Hotel Review

I booked Hotel Aska for four nights in March as well; it came to €451, which I thought was a good deal for Iceland.

The hotel is self-service, which is honestly one of my favourite types of hotel to stay in.

They immediately give Airbnb vibes.

At this kind of hotel, you do not see or interact with any staff.

All the information you need for your entire stay is usually emailed to you when you check in online.

Obviously, there’s a phone number for emergencies, but I never really have any need to use it.

I saw only one cleaner in the morning, and hardly any guests.

Again, these are my favourite types of hotels for a reason.

My room was clean, spacious and had everything I needed for the trip, with the most important thing being a kettle.

I carried a flask of hot water on my daily tours, and it saved me a fortune on hot drinks.

My only issue was a couple of ceiling bulbs that needed replacing.

Other than that, I got on well with the mood lights.

Although there was a slight lack of restaurants around, the hotel was a 15-minute walk from downtown Reykjavík, which was the city centre.

When I return to Iceland, I will definitely stay in this hotel again.

Public Transportation In Reykjavík

I didn’t really need to use much public transport, since I had booked tours for most of my itinerary.

But for my non-tour day, I had to use public transport.

It was mainly straightforward to use.

All you need to do is download the ‘Klapp’ app and buy tickets from there.

A single adult ticket costs 670 kr, about £3.97.

Once the ticket is purchased, activate it as you board the bus, and you can use it for about 75 minutes before it expires.

What To Pack For Iceland In December

The other aspect of the trip that gave me so much anxiety was the packing list.

I was visiting Iceland for the first time as a non-outdoorsy person, trying all these activities, and I didn’t know what to pack.

Two weeks before the trip, I researched a winter packing list for Iceland and started panic-buying supplies.

Some of which I kept, others I returned.

For this post, I’m going to share everything I packed, including what I bought and actually used.

I tried not to buy too many things that wouldn’t fit my existing lifestyle; I had to be able to wear them again after the trip.

Outer Layers

• I bought a new waterproof, windproof and insulated coat: Craghoppers Rosalind II Jacket. As someone who gets cold very easily, I don’t joke with my longline coats. I already had a regular puffer coat and a Seasalt Cornwall lightweight waterproof coat, but it was too light for this trip.
• I got a Mountain Warehouse Pakka Waterproof Overtrousers, which came in so handy. It’s packable, affordable and keeps the water out. I originally ordered the Berghaus Deluge 2.0 Over-trousers, but I returned them because I could not justify the price.
• I got a 40L waterproof bag cover, but I didn’t use it because I left my bag in the tour bus while exploring. So that was returned.

Upper Body Layers

• Base Layer: I packed three pairs of the Marks & Spencer Heatgen Medium Thermal Crew Neck Top. I had two pairs from previous winters, so I just bought one more pair as backup.
• Mid Layer: I packed a Woolovers 100% Wool Quarter-Zip Jumper and an Autograph 100% Cashmere Roll-Neck Jumper, both of which I already owned. I bought an Autograph Cashmere Vest as an extra layer, but it was too thin and didn’t keep me warm enough. I also forgot my cashmere scarf. The only thing that kept me warm was my airport fleece, the Columbia Jasper Ridge™ Pebbled Fleece Half Snap, which I bought last-minute at TKMaxx. The Fleece jumper was thick enough to fill out any gaps under my coat.

Lower Body Layers

• Base layer: I packed three pairs of my go-to Primark fleece leggings, which I’ve worn for several winters now. I also bought the Marks and Spencer Faux Fur-Lined Denier Thighs, but I didn’t use them, so they were returned.
• Mid-layer: For my outer trousers, I packed Marks & Spencer’s Wool Tailored Trousers, a perfect layer to wear under my waterproof trousers without bulk. For non-tour days, I packed a pair of Marks & Spencer Straight Leg Jeans.

Accessories

• Socks: I packed about four pairs of thin thermal socks and bought four extra pairs of Marks & Spencer Heavyweight Thermal Boot Socks. I used two pairs of the latter for tour days, which kept my feet very toasty.
• Footwear: I bought a new pair of Merrell Moab 3 GTX shoes as a backup for my Salomon XT-6 Gore-Tex, which arrived late. I originally purchased the Merrell Thermo Chill 2 Mid Hiking Boots, but returned them because I could not see myself wearing them again after this trip.
• Gloves: I got two pairs of insulated waterproof gloves and two pairs of regular gloves. I had to ditch the layer and stick to one pair of the former.
• Neck: I got a Nevica 100% Merino Wool Neck Gaiter, but I didn’t enjoy using it. I should have brought one of my cashmere scarves instead.
• Swimsuit: I got one for my trip to the Sky Lagoon.
• Hand warmers: I got a 5-pack from Amazon, but I ended up using it just once.
• Sunglasses: Alas, this was not necessary.

In general, I would say your outer waterproof shells, which include your coat, trousers and footwear, are as crucial as your thermal base layers.

Without the waterproof shells, you’ll be limited in exploration, especially around the waterfalls.

You want to explore without worrying about getting wet.

Also, the weather changes sporadically, so you want to be protected from the elements at all times.

I’m pretty pleased with everything I bought for this trip, since I can definitely use it again.

Five-Day Iceland Itinerary

For my first time in Iceland, I wanted to get the essential experiences out of the way, which is precisely what I did.

So the next time I come, I’ll pick up from where I left off and book more niche experiences.

Day 1

I landed on a Monday afternoon and booked a Northern Lights Tour for the evening.

I was conflicted between seeing the Northern Lights and visiting the Blue Lagoon straight from the airport.

Unfortunately, I chose the former over the latter.

After settling into my hotel, I got bundled up and was picked up by the tour company, BusTravel Iceland.

They were very punctual, and we were taken to another meeting point to board the large coach bus.

After which, we made our way to the first hunting location.

Unfortunately, after three locations, we didn’t see the lights, so we rebooked for another day.

Unfortunately, due to adverse weather and heavy cloud cover, the second booking was cancelled.

I was a bit disappointed, to be honest, because we were standing in freezing conditions and we still didn’t see the lights, which was honestly no one’s fault, to be fair.

Hopefully, when I return, I’ll get a chance to see it again.

Day 2

For my second day, I booked the Golden Circle Tour, which I was excited about.

I was picked up again and joined the coach bus for a long day of sightseeing.

Despite the limited daylight hours, the tour guide made the most of them so we could see all the sights before it got dark, which I honestly appreciate; otherwise, it would have been a waste of money.

Day 3

For my third day, I took a short break from the tours to explore Reykjavík.

So I started my day in the Sky Lagoon.

Unfortunately, I had to make my way to the BSI Bus Terminal, where I would board the bus for a drop-off at Sky Lagoon.

I took an 11 am start time because I wanted to get it out of the way as quickly as possible.

The Sky Lagoon is a fifteen-minute drive from the city centre, so we got there in no time.

After checking in, we began the 7-step Skjol ritual, which I actually enjoyed, but unfortunately, you could access it only once and had to stay in the lagoon for as long as you wanted.

That got boring quickly, so I left after a few hours.

I wish we had extended access to the sauna, for instance.

There would be more incentive to stay longer.

When I was done, I joined the drop-off bus back to the BSI Bus Terminal.

Then I walked down to downtown Reykjavík to visit the iconic Hallgrímskirkja church, a sight to behold.

While the church itself is free to enter, I paid £8 to climb the tower and catch the stunning 360-degree aerial view of Reykjavík.

I was such a 10/10 experience; I loved it so much.

After which, I took a walk down from the church towards Rainbow Street.

It was quietly unremarkable, but it was good to see the mountain and the church from that spot.

When I got in, I got some hearty Beef Pho in a nearby Vietnamese restaurant and retired for the night.

Day 4

For my last full day, I had to do another signature tour: the South of Iceland Full Day Trip.

Coincidentally, all my tours were booked with the same tour company, so it was super convenient.

That is why I was shocked to see they had upgraded my tour from a coach bus to a small-group tour on a smaller bus.

I reckon that didn’t have enough people booked for the coach bus, but either way, it was nice and a lot more cosy.

The tour guide was highly knowledgeable and professional, making the most of the daylight hours.

We made it to all the sites before it got dark, which I honestly appreciate, since I was hesitant to book this tour given the limited daylight hours.

I figured I would rather be in a warm tour bus than exploring Reykjavík on foot.

Day 5

Unfortunately, I had to catch an early 8 am return flight.

I tried to book an alternative flight later that day so I could go to the Blue Lagoon before my own, but I couldn’t find any.

I definitely felt sad, but I figured I had more than enough reasons to visit again.

So I booked a Keflavík Airport pickup and drop-off with the same company, Flybus, which was much cheaper than a private transfer.

Booking all my tours and transfers through Get Your Guide was very convenient, as it became a one-stop shop for all my tickets, without the need to rummage through my emails.

Money Saving Tips For Iceland

This trip is definitely one of the most expensive I have taken so far.

I definitely understand how eating out can be expensive, but here’s how I was able to manage:

• Do a small grocery shop immediately upon landing to stock up on cheap supplies like bread, fruit, and snacks. This will keep your spending low. Use the budget store ‘Bonus’.
• Opt for breakfast from bakeries. I always love a good pastry for breakfast, especially since I was walking at least 10k steps on your days, so I had enough time to burn the calories.
• Get a Thermos Flask for hot water during day trips. This was such a lifesaver for me. While everyone was buying overpriced coffee, I drank hot water all day to stay warm. When I got back to my hotel, I drank as much tea as I wanted to make up for the hot water I had been drinking.
• Look for cheap eats near your hotel. You will never find me looking up ‘viral’ spots for food. I always eat at whatever restaurant is close to my hotel. For this trip, I dined twice at a Vietnamese restaurant because it was a seven-minute walk from my hotel.
• Look out for the price-to-quantity ratio for meals. For this reason, whenever I visit an expensive city, I mostly eat at Asian restaurants because I get much more value for my money. You will always get a massive bowl of rice or noodles to fill you up.

In Conclusion,

Spending five days in Iceland was definitely one of those trips for the books.

Sometimes, you need a break from monotonous travel and go out of your comfort zone; this is one for those trips.