HotelReykjavik
“Right next to the capital, handy for the first and last night of the road trip.”
- 201 Hótel (Kópavogur)
- Double room
- Breakfast included
- Close to Reykjavik
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Before you go, here's what you need to know to visit Iceland : all the practical info we wish we'd found in one place before our 13-day road trip around the island.
Adeline and I did a 13-day loop around Iceland, in late February and early March, driving a 4x4 on the Ring Road. The Golden Circle, the south coast, an ice cave under Vatnajökull, the Eastfjords, Mývatn, Akureyri, Snæfellsnes: one after another, the craziest landscapes we've ever seen
We were incredibly lucky: no storms, no closed roads, and northern lights on four nights. On this page, we've gathered everything to help you visit Iceland on a road trip: our itinerary, our real budget, our accommodations and all our articles.



13 days, about 1,320 km (820 miles) on the Ring Road, counterclockwise, plus the Golden Circle, Snæfellsnes and Reykjanes. Click a stop to read the article.
Waterfalls, glaciers, hot baths, accommodations… every place on our road trip, on Google Maps.
Here are our real expenses for 13 days in Iceland for two, in winter, flights included. Life is expensive there: we mostly cooked for ourselves and ate out very little.
11 nights in Iceland + 1 night in Paris on the way back: ≈ €124 a night for two in Iceland. 33% of the budget
Ice cave with Ice Guide, Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, Mývatn Nature Baths, parking at the sites. 17% of the budget
Train to Paris and Transavia direct flight Orly – Keflavík. 14% of the budget
13 days with Blue Car Rental, Dacia Duster 4x4, full insurance included: ≈ €46 per day. 13% of the budget
About 1,320 km (820 miles), with a liter at around 220 ISK. 10% of the budget
Very few restaurants: it's expensive and not always very good. 9% of the budget
Groceries at Bonus and Krónan: we mostly cooked for ourselves. 5% of the budget
📊 The full breakdown of our budget, item by item →
To pay on site without unnecessary fees: how to pay in Iceland?

All the articles from our Iceland road trip, sorted by theme. Pick what tempts you!
Car Rental in Iceland: Our Tips and Our Review of Blue Car RentalRead the article →
How to Pay in Iceland: Currency, Card or Króna?Read the article →
Traveling in Iceland: The Must-Know Apps and WebsitesRead the article →
Where to Stay in Iceland: Our Tested Places, Stop by Stop on the Ring RoadRead the article →
10 Things to Know Before Going to Iceland: Our Tips After 12 Days on Route 1Read the article →
Golden Circle in Iceland: Our Itinerary, Visit Time and PricesRead the article →
Hiking to the Heart of Fagradalsfjall Volcano and Meradalir in IcelandRead the article →
Blue Lagoon in Iceland: Prices, Booking, Volcano and Our ReviewRead the article →
Ice Cave in Iceland: Our Vatnajökull Glacier Hike at JökulsárlónRead the article →
Sky Lagoon in Iceland: Prices, Ritual and Our Review vs. the Blue LagoonRead the article →
Mývatn Nature Baths (Earth Lagoon): Prices, Review and Our TipsRead the article →Our tested accommodations, stop by stop, between small hotels and guesthouses, often with a hot tub. With a big favorite: The Potato Storage. All the details in our Where to stay in Iceland article.
Hotel“Right next to the capital, handy for the first and last night of the road trip.”
Guesthouse“A quiet guesthouse, perfect for sleeping after a day on the Golden Circle.”
Guesthouse ·“Our biggest favorite of the trip: an exceptional place at the foot of the glaciers.”
Hotel“A quiet hotel on the outskirts of Egilsstaðir, with a hot tub to relax.”
Hotel“A farm on the shores of Lake Mývatn, chosen for watching the northern lights.”
Hotel“Right in the city center, a stone's throw from Akureyri church: everything is within walking distance.”
Hotel“A country hotel in the middle of nowhere, with a hot tub and restaurant.”
Guesthouse“A stop on the edge of the fjord, ideal after a day on Snæfellsnes.”
The questions we're asked most often. Still have one? Email us, we'll be happy to reply
Not if you're from the EU: Iceland is part of the Schengen Area, so a valid ID card is enough for EU citizens. Others need a passport but usually no visa for short stays. Check the latest entry requirements before you leave.
Summer offers very long days and access to the Highland roads. Winter is the season for northern lights and ice caves. We went in late February: good weather, no closed roads and northern lights on four nights, but we were very lucky. Our full take: when to go to Iceland?
For the Ring Road (about 1,320 km / 820 miles), allow 11 to 13 days. We did the loop in 13 days, adding the Golden Circle, Snæfellsnes and Reykjanes, without rushing. The stop-by-stop details: our winter itinerary.
We spent €2,229 per person for 13 days, flights, car, accommodation and activities included. Life is expensive there: we mostly cooked for ourselves. The item-by-item breakdown is in the comparison tool above.
In winter, we strongly recommend it. We had a Dacia Duster 4x4 from Blue Car Rental, with studded tires and full insurance: €598 for 13 days, with no problems at all. Check the weather and road conditions every day. All our tips: car rental in Iceland.
Yes, roughly from September to April, when the night is dark and the sky is clear. We saw them on four nights, the most beautiful near The Potato Storage. The My Aurora Forecast app helps a lot. Our tips: where and when to see the northern lights.
Cards are accepted everywhere, even for small amounts. A PIN code is required at automatic gas pumps. We withdrew a few krónur on arrival, but hardly used them. More details: how to pay in Iceland.
Yes: the ice cave can only be visited with a guide, in winter. We did it with Ice Guide (glacier hike and cave, 5 to 6 hours, €187 per person): our biggest highlight. Our story: the Jökulsárlón ice cave.
We tried the Blue Lagoon, the Sky Lagoon and the Mývatn Nature Baths. Our favorite is the Sky Lagoon, with its ocean view. Our detailed reviews: Sky Lagoon, Blue Lagoon and Mývatn Nature Baths.
Vedur for the weather, Umferdin.is for road conditions, SafeTravel and 112 Iceland for safety, Parka for parking and My Aurora Forecast for the northern lights. All our apps: the essential apps.
Roadbook · 60 pagesBefore every trip, I prepare a roadbook with everything we want to discover. The Iceland one is 60 pages : it saves you hours of planning.
Over 180 Google reviews at 5/5: here's what our readers say about our Iceland tips. Thanks to them
We're planning a stay in Reykjavik in February and I want to thank Bastien for his valuable advice and how quickly he replied to my messages. His blog was a great help to us, with clear and accessible information.
Great road trip for Iceland. Everything was thought through, well done, it really helped us. Congratulations, what you've done represents a lot of work. Thank you so much.
It's pleasant to read, it's clear, very well documented, precise and without unnecessary waffle. A great tool for planning your getaways!
What a pleasure to follow this petit curieux day after day on this road trip in Iceland! The smiles! The sharing during and even after their journey! Thank you.
Thank you for sharing your journey in Iceland. Your photos are really pretty and dynamic. You made us travel and want to go there. Well done for the hours of planning and for your detailed trip, full of information and tips.
A great site full of good ideas. A real gem when you're planning a road trip in Iceland just a few weeks apart. Keep it up!
Very interesting site. Useful info, experiences that are a pleasure to read… Their little extra: they know how to get off the beaten path and suggest lesser-known visits.
Thanks for sharing about Iceland. Lots of very interesting information for planning our future trip.
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Let's work togetherWe hope this page helps you plan your trip to Iceland, and that it makes you want to discover the waterfalls, glaciers and northern lights the way we experienced them. A question, a doubt about your itinerary? Write to us, we reply to every message.


