Note: the times in this itinerary are in the local Greenwich Mean Time Zone (GMT) which is 4 hours ahead of EST. In this itinerary we use the 24-hour clock ("military time") as is most commonly used in Iceland.
DAY 1: FRIDAY, JULY 18th | WELCOME TO "NICELAND"
Arrive at KEF airport and transfer to Reykjavik. Most flights from the US or Canada to Iceland arrive at around 8:00 am. We will meet at the Keflavik airport and drive into Reykjavik. People arriving at different times will also be escorted from the airport. Check-in isn't until 3:00 pm but we will try our best to accommodate as many early check-ins as possible if available. We can leave our bags with the concierge until your room is ready.
12:30 ~ Organ recital at Hallgrímskirkja Church. One of the tallest structures in the country at 244 feet high, this architectural icon has incredible acoustics. It houses a famously large pipe organ by the German organ builder Johannes Klais of Bonn. This Lutheran church is named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614–1674) and was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson in 1937 to resemble the trap rocks, mountains and glaciers of Iceland's landscape. The house organist Björn Steinar Solbergsson will perform a short concert of Icelandic composers for us. After the concert, we’ll take a lift up to the viewing deck and view Reykjavík and the surrounding mountains from this scenic observation tower.
13:30 ~ Welcome Bubble Brunch at Kol. We'll begin our journey with an orientation brunch to celebrate being in Iceland with champagne, Tiger shrimp torpedos, chicken and waffles, brown pancakes, eggs benedict, and yuzu and caramel ice cream for dessert.
15:00 ~ Check In at Sand Hotel and nap. We’ll be staying at our favorite boutique hotel with contemporary Scandinavian design in Reykjavik. The Sand Hotel is well-located in the heart of Reykjavik on the high-street, Laugavegur. Take the afternoon to rest and readjust to the new time zone.
19:30 ~ Dinner at Rök. Enjoy our own private room at this celebrated restaurant features contemporary cuisine and architecture that reflects Icelandic tradition under a cozy turf roof.
DAY 2: SATURDAY, JULY 19th | ICELANDIC MUSIC
Breakfast at the hotel. The Sand Hotel has a breakfast buffet with a variety of hot and cold choices and is included every morning at the hotel. A typical Icelandic breakfast usually consists of skyrr (Icelandic yogurt), müsli, green apples, oranges, coffee, eggs, oatmeal, kleinur (Icelandic cardamom crullers), and their miraculous cod oil for the daring! The buffet is open from 7:00 to 10:00 am. Meet in the hotel lobby ready to go at 9:45 to leave for our first activity.
10:00 ~ Introduction to Reykjavik: An insider's perspective with our guide Thor Tulinius. Throughout the week, we’ll be led through Icelandic culture, landscapes, and other phenomena by our illustrious leader, Thor Tulinius. Thor is a well-seasoned actor and director of theatre having performed in over 50 theatre productions for the Reykjavik City Theatre, The National Theatre of Iceland, and various professional theatre groups. He also founded his own theatre company, Thibilja, in 1989. Also an extraordinary guide, Thor tells stories of the sagas and legends, explains and discusses many aspects of Icelandic life and economics, and executes an impeccable program.
12:00 ~ Private tour of Harpa Concert Hall. Experience the award-winning architecture of Harpa and visit areas that are not open to the general public. Our guide Baldvin will share some of Harpa’s secrets, stories of odd incidents and the struggles during the economic crisis. Learn how Icelandic nature, volcanoes, glaciers, and the Arctic light inspired the unique design by artist Olafur Eliasson and the amazing glass facade of the house – and be able to photograph it from new intriguing angles; allowing you to explore the less visible brilliance of this world-renowned hall. https://en.harpa.is
13:00 ~ Lunch at Messinn. This cozy little restaurant has unique local cuisine, exquisite seafood, large portions, and a beautiful environment. We’ll have a two-course meal that includes a starter of creamy fish soup and a main course of pan fried Plokkfiskur served with potatoes and salad and pan-fried Arctic char with honey, almonds, cherry tomatoes, lemon and butter. The vegetarian option is pan fried chickpea and carrot fritters with cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, chili, ginger and cashews served with tomato hummus, salad and potatoes. http://messinn.com
15:00 ~ Private informal concert and studio visit with Edvard Egilsson. Eðvarð Egilsson is an accomplished TV/Film/Commercial and art composer hailing from Reykjavik, Iceland. Eðvarð studied piano and percussion, fine-tuning his skill and love for music from an early age. With a foundation in classical composition, his main musical focus is a combination of classical music, found sound, and analog synthesis. Eðvarð is also a founding member of the music group Steed Lord, in which he was the music producer. Formed in 2006, Eðvarð and Steed Lord have performed and collaborated with many well-known artists all over the world. We’ll visit his studio to hear him perform and talk about his music.
Dinner and evening on your own. Enjoy Reykjavik’s Saturday nightlife. Eat dinner independently and see a concert or go for a hot soak in the popular Sky Lagoon. We'll recommend places to go.
DAY 3: SUNDAY, JULY 20th | ICELANDIC ART
7:00 – 9:30 ~ Breakfast at the hotel. Meet in the lobby at 9:45 to depart.
10:00 ~ Introduction to Icelandic Folk Music with Funi. The ensemble Funi breathes new life into great Icelandic songs that have been hidden for too long in old recordings and dusty old books. Its founders, Bára Grímsdóttir and Chris Foster will cover main areas of Icelandic folk music such as Rímur, Tvísöngur and hymns. They’ll demonstrate the lángspil and fiðla, play archive recordings, and perform live. Feel free to ask questions as the format will be informal and conversational.
11:30 ~ The Fischersund Fragrance Journey. Experience an incredibly artful scent journey in Reykjavik’s third oldest house that envelopes an approach to craftsmanship through local ingredients and artisanal ways of the legendary Sigur Ros family. It includes a revolving scent exhibition and a tasting of their signature Icelandic Schnapps.
13:00 ~ Lunch at Kaffivagninn. Founded in 1935, Kaffivagninn is one of the oldest restaurants in Iceland. Famous for its fish and chips, this authentic Icelandic spot initially gained popularity with the local fisherman and has become a staple restaurant.
14:30 ~ Visit to painter Gudrun Einarsdottir’s studio. We’ll visit the studio of a painter who does fascinating work making abstract paintings with paint materials through a natural process that resemble the Icelandic landscapes.
16:00 ~ Private visit to the studio of sculptor Steinunn Thorarinsdottir. We’ll visit the gallery of the local internationally renowned sculptor and site-specific installation artist Steinunn Thorarinsdottir. Her sculptures are rooted in the chilly and windswept island and although they can be seen all over the world in different contexts and locations they seem to emanate from deep down in the volatile, volcanic substrata of her own country. We’ll have the chance to meet the artist and hear an inside perspective on the world of art in Iceland. http://tveirhrafnar.is
17:00 ~ Return to the hotel to relax. Continue exploring Reykjavik on your own or return to the hotel to relax. Please be ready at 19:45 to leave for dinner.
19:00 ~ Tasting menu dinner at Fiskmarkadurinn. Take a moment and savor the best of Icelandic cuisine with a tasting menu that head chef Hrefna Rósa Sætran and her team have created from the freshest selections of Reykjavik’s fish market. http://www.fiskmarkadurinn.is
DAY 4: MONDAY, JULY 21st | WESTERN ICELAND
Breakfast at the hotel.
9:00 ~ Backroad drive to Thingvellir National Park via Nesjavellir. We'll take a scenic backroad to get to Thingvellir National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to the rift valley between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates and the site of the ancient Icelandic parliament, the Althing. On the way we'll pass by the Nesjavellir Geothermal Plant.
11:00 ~ Take the scenic back road 550 between glaciers to Husafell. On the way we’ll pass by the OK glacier that is Iceland’s first glacier to melt from climate change.
13:30 ~ Lunch at Húsafell. Húsafell is a tiny village surrounded by glaciers, an ice cave, miles of lava fields, and lava waterfalls. It is a known as a great place for hiking and also the location of the famous Icelandic film Of Horses and Men. We’ll have lunch at Hotel Húsafell Bistro.
15:00 ~ Visit artist musician Páll Gudmundsson. Páll Guðmundsson is an artist and musician. He sculptures faces of people such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Arvo Pärt, Björk, and the Icelandic writer Thor Vilhjálmssonout of the rock he finds around Húsafell. Páll is also working as a musician with a unique idiophone, a large xylophone-like instrument made of stones called the “steinharpa.” He crafted the instrument himself using stones found around his home where he was born and still lives. With the instrument he has performed along with the Icelandic band Sigur Rós and will perform a short selection for us.
16:30 ~ Stop at Snorrastofa in Reykholt. This sleepy town is known for its research center on the medieval era in Iceland and the home of the legendary saga writer and politician Snorri Sturluson who lived in Reykholt until his death in 1241. Snorriʼs records of the Old Norse language and Nordic mythology are invaluable to modern scholars. The quality of his writing made him the foremost historical writer of medieval times throughout Europe. His style, bringing his characters to life, makes fascinating reading even today. Snorri was a wealthy and powerful chieftain in the age of unrest and civil war preceding Icelandʼs loss of independence. Return to the hotel around 7:00 pm. http://www.snorrastofa.is/en/
19:00 ~ Dinner and evening on your own. Take some time to explore your last night in Reykjavik on your own, go shopping, relax, and experience the nightlife. Please see our list of recommended museums, galleries, stores, and restaurants for more information.
DAY 5: TUESDAY, JULY 22nd | SKOGAR
Please note that the various activities on our Southern Iceland excursion are subject to weather changes. We will also hope to spontaneously make space in our schedule to experience a "rettir," or roundup, where shepherds gather their wild ponies and sheep after roaming free all summer to bring them in for the cold winter. Rettirs are unpredictable and depend on the weather.
Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
9:00 ~ Depart for southern coast excursion. We will depart on our four-day journey eastbound with one of our favorite local guides who will show us the best of Iceland’s Southern coast.
12:00 ~ Lunch, waterfalls, and the Skogar Folk Museum. Skogar Museum is a cultural heritage collection of 15,000 regional folk music and craft artifacts that tell the incredible survival story of Iceland's history. They are exhibited in historical churches, schools, and houses that were brought to the museum from various places in Rangárvallasýsla and West Skaftafellssýsla and reconstructed on the site. We’ll see the Skogafoss Waterfall, have a light lunch and get a guided tour of the folk museum before hitting the road at 3:00 pm.
15:30 ~ Dyrholaey Point. We'll stop at this beautiful lighthouse on a cliff where we can see the arch into the sea, black beaches, and columnar basalt.
16:30 ~ Check into Hotel Kría. We’re staying two nights in a new hotel in the country village of Vik. This evening we can relax amongst the sublime nature that surrounds us and enjoy a true Icelandic experience in the countryside. If we're lucky we'll see an Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). https://www.hotelkria.is/
19:30 ~ Dinner at Strondin Pub. We’ll enjoy a locally sourced meal a few meters from Vik’s famous black sand beach.
DAY 6: WEDNESDAY, JULY 23rd | JÖKULSÁRLÓN
Breakfast at the hotel.
9:30 ~ Day trip to Jökulsárlón. Drive east and savor every moment along the way of the planet’s most stunning landscapes.
11:00 ~ Skaftafell Glacier. Skaftafell is one of East Iceland's most beautiful locations, where we will be treated to striking white fingers of the Vatnajökull Glacier against a backdrop of green fields and black sands.
12:30 ~ Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon. Visit a magical lagoon of turquoise iceburgs that float in an other-worldly body of fresh and salt water. It is the deepest lake in Iceland, located on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park, and is our farthest-east destination before turning back. This cinematic landscape is the backdrop for many films such as "Batman Begins" and "Tomb Raider," "James Bond" and music videos including "Holoscene" by Bon Iver. Begin with lunch (on your own) at the food trucks or cafeteria then we'll take a 30-minute sail among the huge icebergs on an amphibious boat, get to taste the 1000-year-old ice, and if we're lucky, see seals bobbing in the lagoon. There is a simple cafe and some food trucks where you can get lunch on your own (cost of lunch not included).
14:30 ~ Diamond Beach. Icebergs fill Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and wash up on shore, standing dazzling and defiant in stark contrast to the black sand beach. A highlight photographers, nature-lovers, and wildlife-enthusiasts. It is the home to many seals and is one of the best places in the country to see orcas from the shore.
16:30 ~ Return to Vik. Our drive home is just as beautiful as our drive there. We'll take a scenic detour on a smaller road that cuts through the coastal countryside and make stops along the way for photography. Throughout our scenic drives we will curate a selection of some of Iceland's finest music to complement the breathtaking scenery.
19:00 ~ Arrive at the hotel. Have dinner on your own at Drangar, the Hotel Kria’s delicious restaurant, or walk to many other restaurants that are close by.
DAY 7: THURSDAY, JULY 24th | VIK
Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
10:00 ~ F-Road to Þakgil. We'll take a secret backroad that traverses through some of the most stunning volcanic valleys winding back to a remote encampment. Many scenes from Game of Thrones were shot here.
12:30 ~ Lunch at Sudur Restaurant in Vik. Have dinner at one of our favorite cottage restaurants in Iceland. This is country cuisine as good as it gets. After lunch we'll depart Vik returning west.
14:30 ~ Cake and live music at country home of Valborg Ólafsdóttir. Valborg and her husband are both musicians and moved to the countryside from the city with their children. Valborg has invited us into her idyllic home. She will make us cake and pour us coffee while she takes up the guitar and sings us her songs.
16:00 ~ Seljalandasfoss Waterfall. After music and cake we will visit this majestic waterfall which is most beautiful in the afternoon light.
18:00 ~ Check in at 360 Boutique Hotel. We’ll spend our last night at this family-run luxury hotel in the heart of the beautiful southern Icelandic countryside. We'll have access to a spa which includes a pool with warm geothermal water, a sauna and relaxing lounge with fire. https://360hotel.is/
20:00 ~ Final Dinner at 360 Hotel. Celebrate our last night in Iceland with a traditional Icelandic three-course meal from the owner’s family culinary traditions of farm-to-table products and a panoramic view of South Iceland.
DAY 8: FRIDAY, JULY 28th | REYKJANES PENINSULA
Please note: You will be brought to the Keflavik Airport to arrive at least two hours before your flight time. The day will otherwise follow the schedule below:
Breakfast at the hotel.
9:00 ~ Check Out of 360 Hotel. This morning we will continue West toward Grindavik visiting different natural and cultural sites of interest. We’ll explore the coastline and discover the stunning cliffs of Krýsuvíkurbjarg—an area renowned for the thousands of seabirds that nest in the rugged hillside beside the crashing surf of the Atlantic Ocean. Observe kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills, and other birds as they dive into the sea to feed or frolic with their flock.
10:00 ~ Visit Eyrarbakki. Eyrarbakki is an interesting old fishing village on the south coast of Iceland. For centuries, its harbor was the main trading center for the southern region. The only original Icelandic architecture other than Reykjavik.
11:00 ~ Stop at the Krysuvik Geothermal Area. Walk through the remarkable solfatara fields of Krýsuvík, where we'll discover an expanse of steaming volcanic vents and boiling hot springs, framed dramatically by a range of multi-colored hills. We'll find mud pools, sulfur deposits, and wildly colorful explosion crater lakes formed by volcanic eruptions that glow with a deep green hue from the thermal algae and crystals which absorb the sun's rays.
12:30 ~ Swim in the Blue Lagoon. Our final destination will be to the famous Blue Lagoon natural hot springs where we can relax before taking a flight home. The mineral water ranges from a warm 98-104 degrees Fehrenheit and contains large amounts of silica and algae which soften the skin. The lagoon’s mud bar features silica masks that soften the skin even more. We have Premium passes that include entrance, silica mud mask, towel, first drink of choice, the second mask of choice, slippers, bathrobe, and sparkling wine if dining. Massages and other spa treatments are optional for an additional expense. If you have a late flight we recommend getting a massage or upgrading to the Retreat Spa. It is expensive but one of the most outstanding relaxation experiences available anywhere. Have lunch on your own at the café (meal not included). https://www.bluelagoon.com/
Keflavik Airport. We will escort you to the KEF airport depending on your flight time to catch your flight home. Most flights to North America depart at around 17:00.