EN: Me and Alex visited Iceland this year, at the end of May. We spent 8 full days and managed to cover the whole Ring Road plus the Golden Circle without feeling rushed. We also managed to fit Snaeflesness peninsula into our itinerary, though when making plans at home we didn’t think we would have time.
Buuut, even though we were able to visit a lot of places in these 8 days, we still want to return and discover more of Iceland. If you ask me how much time would be enough to visit Iceland, I’d say you should spend at least a week. But I don’t think you could ever say that an amount of time is too much for Iceland.
In this article I will share with you our itinerary and tips and tricks of how, when and what to visit.
Firstly, I have to mention that we rented a campervan and spent most of our nights in it (excepting the first one when we had to “quarantine” at a hotel and other night when we encountered strong winds). So keep in mind that we managed to visit a lot of places because we had the freedom to explore at our own pace, without having to check in at a place in a specific town. I will write a post regarding the whole process of renting a campervan in another article, soon.
RO:
Eu si Alex am vizitat Islanda la sfarsitul lunii mai anul acesta. Am petrecut 8 zile pline si am reusit sa parcurgem intregul Ring Road si Golden Circle, fara sa ne simtim presati de timp. De asemenea, am reusit sa vizitam si Peninsula Snaefelsness in penultima zi, desi initial crezuseram ca nu vom avea timp.
Daar, chiar daca cele 8 zile au fost suficiente pentry a vedea cam toate atractiile principale, noi ne dorim mult sa ne intoarcem si sa exploram si mai mult Islanda. Eu chiar m-as muta aici pentru cateva luni. Daca ma intrebi cat timp ar trebui sa petreci in Islanda, as zice minimum o saptamana, dar limita maxima de timp nu exista.
In acest articol o sa iti povestesc itinerariul nostru desfasurat si tips&tricks despre ce, cum si cand sa vizitezi.
First day:
Fagradalsfjall Volcano:
EN: On the first day, after receiving the negative test results (when we went, we had to go screening at the border) at around 2 PM, we first went to discover the greatness of Fagradalsfjall Volcano (which at the moment of writing this article is still erupting). The Volcano is in proximity of Reykjavik, at about 40 minutes drive. We were lucky enough to witness a volcano erupting after being dormant for 6000 years. I don’t have words to describe the feelings, really. When we went, we could see the volcano from a close hill, but a few weeks after we left, the magma had spread so much that you could not see much of the volcano. But I do think it’s a something you should not miss while in Iceland, especially if it will still be erupting!
After visiting the volcano, we drove South and spent the night at a camping near Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui. We woke up with the view of the waterfalls and it was amazing
RO: In prima zi, dupa primirea rezultatului negativ (cand am fost noi, era necesar sa efectuam un test PCR la aterizare), in jurul orei 14, am pornit sa descoperim maretia vulcanului Fagradalsfjall, cel care la acel moment erupea. Vulcanul se afla in apropiere de Reykjavik, la aproximativ 40 minute de condus. Ne-am simtit foarte norocosi sa asistam la eruptia unui vulcan care a fost dormant timp de 6000 ani. Nu pot descrie in cuvinte ceea ce am simtit in acele momente. Noi am putut vedea vulcanul de pe un deal din apropiere, insa cateva saptamani mai tarziu magma a acoperit atat de mult in jur incat vulcanul nu s-a mai putut vedea decat de la departare. Am petrecut aici cam 4 ore. Traseul pe care l-am urmat noi avea 3.5 kilometri pe sens, dar majoritatea timpului l-am petrecut facand poze.
Apoi am pornit spre sud, intrucat aveam foarte multe de vizitat a doua zi. Am dormit intr-un camping langa 2 cascade populare si minunate din sudul tarii: Seljalandsfoss si Gljufrabui.
Second day:
Seljalandsfoss & Gljufrabui Waterfall
EN: First attractions for the day were, of course, Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui since they were near where we parked our van. Both are beautiful, but are very little comparing to other waterfalls in Iceland and not as spectacular as others. Seljalandsfoss is more popular because you can walk behind it and take beautiful pictures.
RO: Primele atractii pentru aceasta zi au fost, bineinteles, cele 2 cascade aflate langa locul unde ne-am parcat masina. Ambele sunt minunate, dar sunt totusi mici comparativ cu cele pe care urma sa le vedem in Islanda. Seljalandsfoss este mai populara deoarece te poti duce in spatele ei si sa facu niste poze spectaculoase la apus.
Skogafoss
EN: After a few minutes drive we reached Skogafoss, which to me was the most beautiful waterfall. It’s one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland, with a drop of 60 meters. It seemed huge and you can admire it both from below and above.
RO: Dupa ce am condus cateva minute, am ajuns la alta cascada, Skogafoss, care pentru mine este cea mai frumoasa ever. Este una dintre cele mai mari din Islanda, avand o cadere de 60 metri. Este spectaculoasa, nu pot sa explic de ce am simtit un asa magnetism puternic fata de ea. O poti admira atat de jos, cat si de sus, daca urci niste trepte.
Solheimajokull
EN: Our next stop was at Solheimajokull, a glacier in the Southern Iceland, easily accesible from the parking spot (10 minutes walk). It was the first time I ever saw a glacier in real life and it was really impressing. At that moment I acknowledged the words behing the saying that Iceland is the land of fire and ice. Truly amazing.
RO: Urmatoarea oprire a fost la Solheimajokull, un ghetar din sudul Islandei, foarte accesibil de la parcare, la 10 minute de mers pe jos. Fiind pentru prima data cand am vazut un ghetar in real life, am fost foarte impresionata. Acela a fost momentul in care am inteles de ce tara asta se numeste “the land of fire and ice”.
Solheimasandur Plane Wreck
EN: Another popular place that we visited on our second day was Solheimasandur Plane Wreck. This plane crashed in the middle of nowhere in 1973 and it quickly became a popular attraction of the Southern coast of Iceland.
It was a long walk of 3.5 kilometers one way and the wind was blowing really hard, but we made it to the plane and back. The tough part is that there’s nothing to see on the way, so it’s more like a psychological test to not get bored and return to the car:)). The plane is pretty spectacular and it’s a great spot for photo lovers (like me?).
RO: Un alt loc popular pe care l-am vizitat in aceasta zi a fost Solheimasandur Plane Wreck. Acest avion s-a prabusit in pustietate in anul 1973 (nimeni nu a fost ranit) si a devenit un obiectiv popular. De la parcare drumul a fost- sau a parut- destul de lung, 3.5 kilometri pe sens, iar vantul batea fooarte tare, dar am rezistat eroic. Partea cea mai dificila mi s-a parut faptul ca pe drum nu este absolut nimic de vazut, este doar pustietate, asa ca e mai mult un test psihologic decat unul de anduranta fizica. Avionul este insa foarte fotogenic, iar pentru niste poze senzationale merita drumul.
Reynisfjara Black Beach
EN: Reynisfjara is one of my favorite places in Iceland. The basalt cliffs, the black sand, the sea, the birds, the waves, everything is amazing! Be aware of the sneaker waves and don’t get close to the water!
RO: Unul dintre locurile mele preferate din aceasta excursie. Coloanele de bazalt, plaja neagra, marea, valurile, pasarile, totul este de vis. Ai insa grija la valuri si nu te apropia de apa!
Dyrholaey lighthouse
EN: Our last stop of the day was Dyrholaey lighthouse. It’s a great viewpoint to admire the surrounding landscapes. This is also a great place for bird watching since is a protected area for nesting birds.
RO: Ultima oprire a fost farul Dyrholaey. Este un viewpoint perfect pentru a admira peisajele inconjuratoare. Este, de asemenea, un loc bun pentru iubitorii de pasari, fiind o zona protejata.
Third day:
Fjadrargljufur Canyon
EN: First stop of the day was at this beautiful 9000 years old canyon. There are many viewpoints offering different perspectives over the canyon and it’s not so much to walk. We found it really impressive and it’s a place I’d go back to. Unfortunately it was the only canyon we visited during our trip, I wish we had time to explore more.
RO: Prima oprire a zilei a fost la acest canion superb, de 9000 ani. Exista multe viewpoints care ofera diferite perspective asupra canionului, si nu este mult de mers pentru a ajunge la ele. Ni s-a parut foarte impresionant si este un loc in care ne-am intoarce. Islanda are o multime de canioane, dar acesta este singurul pe care l-am vizitat.
Svínafellsjökull glacier
EN: We were unlucky with this one because the road to the parking lot was closed and we had to park the car really far. We walked approximately 3 kilometers each way and it was really hot at that moment. But we were also lucky to be the only ones at this spot and to have the glacier for ourselves.
RO: Am fost putin ghinionisti cu aceasta locatie, intrucat drumul catre parcare era inchis, asa ca a trebuit sa parcam masina destul de departe. Am avut de mers aproximativ 3 km pe sens, iar spre surprinderea noastra, soarele era foarte puternic. Am avut totusi si norocul de a fi singurii la acest obiectiv, asa ca am avut ghetarul doar pentru noi.
Jökuwlsárlón Glacier Lagoon
EN: Wow. This place was magical. From the small pieces of glacier that were slowly spinning on the water, to the large number of seals swimming, everything was mesmerizing. Another must see.
RO: Locul asta a fost wow. Parea desprins din alta lume fata de tot ceea ce vazuseram pana atunci. Pe lac erau bucati mari de ghetar care se miscau, am vazut o multime de foci inotand, tot peisajul a fost de vis. Un alt loc de neratat!
Diamond Beach
EN: We followed the google maps instructions but either the location was wrong, or we were really unlucky to be at the wrong time here, because we didn’t see any “diamonds”. I was really looking forward to see this one, but I was disappointed. Good thing was that everything else of Iceland was way better than I expected (and my expectations were really high).
On this day we had also planned to visit Svartifoss but we skipped it because we were in a rush and felt too tired to walk another 4 kilometers :(. If I knew there was so much to walk to the Svinafellssjokul, I would’ve chosen to go to Svartifoss instead. Next time.
RO: Am urmat fix drumul de pe google maps, insa fie locatia era pusa gresit pe harta, fie am fost extraordinar de ghinionisti, pentru ca nu am vazut niciun “diamant”. Recunosc ca am fost destul de dezamagita. M-a consolat insa faptul ca Islanda m-a surprins cu o multime de alte locuri minunate.
In aceasta zi planuiseram sa vizitam si cascada Svartifoss, insa am zis pas deoarece nu ne-am mai simtit in stare. Poate daca as fi stiut ca vom merge atat la Svinafellsjokul, as fi ales sa merg la Svartifoss instead. Data viitoare.
Stoksness beach and Vestrahorn mountain
EN: Our last attraction for the day was Stoksness, a black beach near Vestrahorn mountain. The landscape here is something unique, and we also enjoyed the road to this place. This is a private property so you have to pay a small tax to enter.
We headed east and spent the night in southern east. Oh, and on the way we met a lot of sweet reindeers.
RO: Ultima oprire a fost la Stoksness, o plaja vulcanica, vegheata de muntele Vestrahorn. Peisajul este unic, ne-a placut mult si drumul pana aici. Este proprietate privata, deci trebuie platita o mica taxa de intrare.
Ne-am indreptat apoi spre Est, iar pe drum am intalnit o multime de reni simpatici.
Fourth day:
Djupivogur bath
EN: We started the day with a swim in a geotermal pool located in a remote place, close to the sea. The water was really hot, it was pretty difficult to get in, but after getting used to it it felt great.
We then headed North. We rushed a little the North-East, because we had to be in the North the second day for a whale watching experience.
RO: Ne-am inceput ziua cu o baie intr-o cadita geotermala, intr-un loc remote, in apropierea marii. Apa a fost foarte calda, dar dupa ce m-am obisnuit putin cu ea, a fost chiar placut.
Ne-am indreptat apoi spre Nord. Ne-am grabit putin in aceasta zona, deoarece trebuia sa fim in Nord a doua zi pentru un tur cu barca.
Dettifoss and Selfoss
EN: These waterfalls are a few minutes one from another. Dettifoss is the second most powerful waterfall in Europe and it is really impressive. We had the chance to admire a rainbow next to it. Selfoss is a smaller waterfall, not as impressive, but since it’s at 3 minutes walking distance, it’s worth a visit.
RO: Cascadele sunt la cateva minute pe jos una de cealalta. Detifoss este a doua cea mai puternica cascada din Europa, de aceea chiar e foarte impresionanta. Am avut surpriza de a vedea si un curcubeu in imediata proximitate. Selfoss este mult mai mica, nu atat de spectaculoasa, insa fiind la 3 minute de Detifoss, merita o privire.
Hverir
EN: Hverir is a geothermal spot with boiling mudpools and steam vents. It is easily accesible by the car and it’s a 10 minutes stop. Oh, and you should know it stinks.
RO: Hverir este o zona geotermala cu noroi fierbinte si fumarole care elibereaza abur cu sulf. E foarte usor de ajuns cu masina, fiind o oprire de maximum 10 minute. Ah, si ar trebui sa stii ca… miroase urat.
Husavik town
EN: Husavik is one of the most popular city for whale watching in Iceland. But we didn’t come here for that. We came to have a real dinner at a real restaurant (after many hotdogs and sandwiches), and to visit the port and feel the pulse of the North. We had an amazing fish soup at Naustid. And fish and chips. Thank me later.
RO: Husavik este unul dintre cele mai populare orase pentru plecarile cu barca in cautare de balene. Dar noi nu am venit aici pentru asta, ci pentru ca voiam sa luam masa la un restaurant adevarat (dupa o multime de hotdogi si senviciuri), sa vizitam portul, si sa simtim putin atmosfera din Nord. Am mancat o supa delicioasa de peste la Naustid. Si fish and chips. Thank me later.
Godafoss
EN: The gods waterfall. Our last attraction on the forth day. It’s one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, and in my top 3 (on the 2nd or 3rd place).
We slept at a camping near Akureyri.
RO: Cascada zeilor. Ultima noastra atractie pe aceasta zi. Este una dintre cele mai frumoase cascade din Islanda, si in top 3 la mine.
Fifth day
Akureyri botanical garden
EN: Since we had one free hour before going to our next stop, we decided to check the botanical garden of Akureyri. The entrance was free. The garden is not that big, but we could admire a lot of flowers that we had seen during our trip and learn their names. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed our morning walk.
RO: Intrucat aveam o ora libera inainte de a ne indrepta spre urmatoarea locatie, am decis sa vizitam gradina botanica din Akureyri. Intrarea este gratuita. Gradina nu e foarte mare, dar am putut admira multe flori pe care le-am intalnit de-a lungul excursiei. Vremea a fost perfecta si ne-am bucurat de plimbarea matinala.
Whale watching Hauganes
EN: The highlight of the day was the whale watching experience in Hauganes. Hauganes is a small village located in Northern Iceland where fishing is the main industry. We had booked the experience 2 weeks in advance and paid approximately 80 dollars/person. The experience was great from the begining to the end. They provided us waterproof suits, and we served coffee and donuts on the boat. We were lucky to see about 5 whales and at the end we had the chance to fish. I catched a Cod!
Our plan for the rest of the day was to head to Snaefelsness peninsula but the strong winds scared us so we had to check in at a motel on the road. I guess you haven’t felt the whole Icelandic experience if you didn’t encounter bad weather.
RO: Highlight-ul acestei zile a fost excursia cu barca pe mare din Hauganes. Hauganes este un sat mic pescaresc din Nordul Islandei. Rezervaseram experienta cu vreo 2 saptamani inainte si am platit aproximativ 80 dolari/persoana. Ne-a placut mult toata experienta. Ne-au oferit ei costume waterproof, iar pe vas am servit cafea si gogosi. Am fost norocosi sa vedem 5 balene, iar la final am pescuit. Eu am prins un Cod!
Planul ulterior era sa conducem catre peninsula Snaefelsness, insa vantul foarte puternic ne-a speriat rau, asa ca ne-am oprit la un motel de pe drum. Cred ca nu poti spune ca ai avut experienta completa in Islanda daca nu ai intampinat vreme urata.
Sixth day:
Golden Circle
EN: It was about time we visited the most popular itinerary in Iceland – Golden Circle. We spent a lot of time on the road (almost 3 hours) from the North. Unfortunately the weather was not on our side and it was still pretty windy and it was raining, so we decided to skip Thingvellir National Park as it was a lot to walk.
RO: Era momentul sa vizitam si noi faimosul traseu Golden Circle. Am petrecut mult timp pe drum din Nord pana aici (aproape 3 ore). Din pacate vremea nu a fost de partea noastra, era vant si ploua, asa ca am decis sa lasam pentru alta excursie parcul National Thingvellir, deoarece totul se petrecea in aer liber.
Geysir
EN: The great geysir was the first geyser known to modern Europeans, and the English word Geyser derives from Geysir. There are many geysers here, but the most popular one is Strokkur, because it erupts at every 10 minutes. The Great Geysir is in a period of inactivity.
RO: Marele Geyser din Islanda este primul geyser cunoscut de Europeni, iar cuvantul Geyser deriva de la acesta. Sunt mai multe geysere in zona, insa cel mai popular este Strokkur, deoarece erupe o data la aproximativ 10 minute. Marele Geyser este inactiv la acest moment.
Gullfoss
EN: One of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland, it’s a powerful and impressive waterfall. We saw people getting really close to it, but we decided to admire it from a safe distance.
RO: Una dintre cele mai populare cascade din Islanda, este foarte puternica si frumoasa. Am vazut oameni care se apropiau fooarte mult, dar noi am decis sa o admiram de la departare.
Seventh day:
Snaeflessness Peninsula
EN: We really wanted to visit Snaefelsness Peninsula, so even though the weather was still bad, we decided to go for it. Best decision ever. The roads to the peninsula were really pitoresque, but the peninsula itself was the most beautiful part of Iceland for us. It looked a lot like the Southern part of Iceland, and we said it’s Iceland in miniature. Hundreds of waterfalls, volcanic landscapes, the sea, the mountains, it’s out of this world. Below I’ll list the most popular attractions in the Peninsula, but the magic of it lies in the roads and landscapes.
RO: Ne doream mult sa vizitam Peninsula Snaefelsness, asa ca, fiind penultima zi, chiar daca vremea era destul de nasoala, am decis sa pornim la drum. Cea mai buna decizie, ever. Drumul pana aici a fost superb, insa peninsula a fost cea mai frumoasa zona pe care am vizitat-o in aceasta excursie. Se aseamana mult cu Sudul tarii, dar parca ar fi Islanda in miniatura. Sute de cascade, peisaje vulcanice, mare, munte – totul este parca din alta lume. Mai jos gasesti lista cu cele mai populare atractii, insa magia Peninsulei o sa o simti pe toate drumurile ei.
Gerduberg Cliffs – beautifully shaped basalt cliffs.
Ytri Tunga – this is a popular place for seals spotting, but we didn’t have any luck.
Budakirkja – a beautiful and simple black church.
Londrangar:
EN: Basalt volcanic pillars that remained from a volcanic crater wchich has been eroded by the sea. I recommend you walk to them (it’s no more than 10 minutes walk). You can also wallk to a platform on a hill to admire the landscape from above. There are a lot of birds here, making the scenery even more magical.
RO: Sunt niste stanci uriase ramase dintr-un crater vulcanic dupa erodarea acestuia de catre mare. Iti recomand sa te plimbi pana la ele (nu vei merge mai mult de 10 minute). Poti merge de asemenea pe platforma de pe deal de unde poti vedea peisajul mai bine. Sunt foarte multe pasari in zona, care completeaza peisajul perfect.
Kirkjufell:
EN: I’m sure you saw this landscape in a picture before. Or maybe in Game of Thrones?! For the best photos of the mountain, visit the waterfall next to it – Kirkjufellsfoss.
RO: Sigur ai vazut peisajul asta in vreo poza candva. Sau poate in Game of Thrones?! Pentru cele mai bune poze cu muntele, viziteaza si cascada de langa – Kirkjufellsfoss.
Eighth day:
Sky Lagoon
EN: Sky Lagoon is a new geothermal lagoon located in Reykjavik. It has just opened in May 2021. We had to choose between this one and Blue Lagoon, but we decided to check this one as it was new and it included a 7 step ritual (really relaxing!). I recommend you reserve your spot a few weeks before as both of the locations might fill up.
We really loved Sky Lagoon, it was the best experience to end our trip in Iceland, it felt so relaxing, and those views over the sea – Oh my god! The sauna is a great addition.
RO: Sky Lagoon este o laguna geotermala noua, din Reykjavik. Doar ce s-a deschis in Mai 2021. Am avut de ales intre aceasta si Blue Lagoon, dar am decis sa o alegem pe aceasta fiind noua, dar si pentru ca includea un ritual in 7 pasi (super relaxant!). Iti recomand sa rezervi un loc din timp, deoarece atat Sky Lagoon, cat si Blue Lagoon sunt in general fully booked.
Noua ne-a placut extrem de mult la Sky Lagoon, a fost cea mai tare experienta cu care puteam incheia aceasta calatorie, ne-am relaxat foarte tare, iar vederea catre mare – OMG! Sauna este foarte misto.
Reykjavik
EN: We had a few hours before heading to the airport, and we wanted to explore Reykjavik. We walked in the town center, admired the colorful streets, had an icecream, and then said goodbye to Iceland. Until next time.
We couldn’t leave withouth checking the most famous church in Iceland – Hallgrímskirkja Church.
RO: Mai aveam cateva ore inainte de a ne indrepta spre aeroport, asa ca am decis sa exploram Reykjavik. Ne-am plimbat prin centru, am admirat stradutele colorate, am mancat o inghetata buna si apoi ne-am luat la revedere. Pana data viitoare,
Nu puteam insa sa plecam fara sa admiram faimoasa biserica – Hallgrímskirkja Church.
Iceland is my favorite place on Earth. Hope you’ll enjoy your trip and fall in love with Iceland as I did ❤️
PS: If you want to learn how to travel more for less, you must read my Ebook! It’s the complete guide for every beginner who wants to travel the world, but doesn’t know how to start! You will LEARN HOW TO: choose your next destination, book cheap flights, pick a hostel, save money on food and drinks, get free entrance to the most popular attractions & many other things!
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