3-day city break in Reykjavik, Iceland – in search of the Northern Lights
The trendiest destination this winter?
Yes, it’s Iceland!
And for a very simple reason: your chances of seeing the Northern Lights this winter are incredibly high, thanks to increased solar activity that leads to more frequent and more intense auroras!
So, if you also want to see the Northern Lights for the first time, take advantage of this winter and plan a trip to Iceland!
In this article, I’ll walk you through all the essential information for a fantastic few-day getaway to Iceland. I’ll show you how to travel efficiently, enjoyably, and on a budget that’s as friendly as possible!
Content
About Reykjavik and Iceland
Iceland is, for us, one of the most impressive tourist destinations we have ever been to! A highly developed island, located between the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, close to the Arctic Circle, with a very high standard of living.
An island with landscapes that seem to be detached from other worlds, which will surprise you at every turn! You can see it all here: moss-covered lava fields, huge waterfalls, active geysers, imposing glaciers. Just go a few kilometers out of Reykjavik, and you will see all of this!
Iceland has an area of 103,000 square kilometers, but is not densely populated. The country's population is under 400,000, making Iceland the most sparsely populated country in Europe.
Reykjavik, the world's northernmost capital, and its metropolitan area are home to the largest number of inhabitants, approximately two-thirds of Iceland's population.
Geographically, Iceland is closer to Europe than to mainland North America, although the island encompasses parts of the tectonic plates of both continents.
The island is very active geologically, with many active volcanoes, but also with strong geothermal energy, respectively hydroelectric energy due to numerous rivers and waterfalls.
Politically, Iceland is part of the Schengen area and the European Economic Area (EEA), but is not a member of the European Union. Iceland is a member of NATO, although it is the only country without its own army.
The official currency is the Icelandic krona, and 1 euro = 146 ISK (exchange rate at the time of writing this article, November 2025).
What you need to know about Reykjavik and Iceland
Let's see logistically how to organize a few days vacation in Reykjavik and Iceland.
All the information in this article is valid for a trip in winter, in search of the Northern Lights, when the daylight hours are few, and the weather is less friendly. But it can also be adapted to a summer route, why not?
Although in summer, if it were up to me, I would choose to explore the entire island in a campervan, it would be the absolute experience in Iceland!
How to get from the airport to Reykjavik
Reykjavik International Airport is 50 km from Reykjavik, which means you will need a means of transport to get from the airport to the capital.
You can rent a car directly from the airport, or you can take the shuttle bus that takes you from the airport to the city center. is the company responsible for this route, and a return ticket costs 50 euros. este compania responsabila de aceasta ruta, iar un bilet dus-intors costa 50 euro.
How to get around in Iceland
Even if you arrive in Reykjavik thinking of a simple city break, my advice is to not limit yourself to the city and go out to explore the island, at least nearby. You don't even have to go too far from Reykjavik and you will already discover the natural treasures of Iceland!
With a rental car in Iceland
We rented a car for the entire duration of our stay in Iceland. We chose the company Cars Iceland, but you can search on rentalcars.com the perfect option for you.
For a small car, Toyota Auris, we had to pay 50 euros/day. Additionally, with full insurance and the second driver included, we reached 80 euros/day, without a deposit.
Why did we choose full insurance?
Iceland is a country with various natural risks, it is well known that doors are torn off by the wind or windshields break due to pebbles on the road. In addition, if you encounter any problems on the road, roadside assistance can cost several hundred euros. That is why, for our peace of mind, we chose the full insurance option. In another country, we might have thought differently.
Is such a small car enough? Don't you need a 4×4?
If you are only staying in Iceland for a few days, going on the Golden Circuit, on the south coast of the island and staying only near the capital, then such a car is more than enough.
4×4 is recommended if you want to get away from Reykjavik, to get closer to the center of the island, to places that are difficult to access.
But otherwise, a car of this size is suitable for Reykjavik and its surroundings. The main roads are very good, there is constant traffic at 90 km/h, there is no traffic, and the sights to visit are directly on the road.
However, if you want to get to Iceland in the summer, consider a campervan holiday! Iceland discovered with a van is wonderful, and definitely worth the experience!
We are fans of the vanlife, we have our own van that we travel with often, and that is precisely why we know how beautiful this way of traveling can be: to be free, flexible and have the whole world just yours! We are sure that Iceland is one of the perfect destinations in Europe for a van trip, especially if you want to travel the entire Ring Road, the circular road that surrounds the entire island.
With organized tours in Iceland
If you don't want to rent a car in Iceland, don't worry, there are organized tours for everything! Iceland is very touristically prepared, and offers visitors different options to reach the important points on the island, at least near Reykjavik.
You can find Northern Lights tours (Northern Lights Bus Tour), Golden Circle day trips (Golden Circle Full-Day Tour with Kerid Crater), day trips in the South of of the island (South of Iceland Full-Day Trip), tranfer to Blue Lagoon (Blue Lagoon Admission with Transfers), and more.
Just check GetYourGuide for tours departing from Reykjavik, and you'll find them all!
Where to stay in Reykjavik
Iceland is not a cheap country, we all know it! By default, we can expect the price of accommodation to be high. But, surprisingly, in November, off-season, we found more than decent prices for accommodation, around 100 euros/night.
For example, the accommodation we chose cost us 95 euros/night, and it was excellent! An aparthotel with many accommodation spaces, a studio with a fully equipped kitchen, online check-in, 10 minutes walk from the center of Reykjavik, but also with free parking on the street.
We were very pleased with the accommodation we chose. Frost Apartments by Heimaleiga is the name of the property and we highly recommend it.
When we were looking for accommodation, we found several very good options, all in the same affordable price range and with high ratings on Booking, and we noticed that they were all part of the Hemaielga chain, just like our accommodation.
So we suspect that all the accommodations in this chain are as good as the one we stayed in. Here are their links:
What to eat in Reykjavik
We admit, for us food was the hardest part to manage in Iceland. It is very expensive to eat in the city, and you don't feel like paying at least 40 euros for every meal.
You can save money, however, if you have a studio with a kitchen, like we had, and prepare your own breakfast or something quick for dinner.
Lunch always found us on the road, so we had to eat at the restaurants of the tourist spots we visited.
Fish & Chips is eaten a lot in Iceland, and, most likely, you will not go through this trip without trying this dish at least once.
Instead, I want to recommend a cafe in Reykjavik. It is called Reykjavik Roasters and the coffee here is exceptional! It was our favorite place for morning coffee, being very close to our accommodation.
The city center of Reykjavik is full of cafes and pubs that are very colorful and chic, which seem to invite you in just by their original design, both outside and inside! If you end up here, we are curious about your experiences!
We went to a few locations in the center, and we tell you about each one:
- Café Babalu, a super cozy and welcoming cafe
- Padre Pizza, with a super good pizza! We recommend it!
- Sandholt, a pastry shop with very interesting products, you can also have lunch here. For example, we had tomato soup and pasta with mushrooms on the menu of the day. Tasty, we liked it!
How to catch the Northern Lights in Iceland
The main reason we chose to go to Iceland in November was, obviously, to catch the Northern Lights!
The winter of 2025-2026 offers great chances to catch the intense Northern Lights, specialists estimate that the solar cycle (approximately every 11 years) reaches a peak around 2025, which means higher solar activity, and implicitly stronger auroras.
But let us tell you how we learned to hunt the Northern Lights.
We initially participated in a guided tour (Northern Lights Bus Tour), where, indeed, the guide gave us valuable information on how to find the aurora in the skies. We didn't have much luck that evening, because of the clouds, but we went out on our own the following days, and we found it in all its glory! Brilliant and impressive!
We learned that, to catch the aurora, you need:
1. A clear sky, first of all! The aurora cannot be visible if the whole sky is covered with clouds.
2. High KP index. The KP index is an indicator used to measure the level of geomagnetic activity of the Earth, and is one of the most important parameters to estimate the probability of seeing an aurora.
The index is a scale from 0 to 9, where 2-4 means moderate activity, and anything over 5 means a geomagnetic storm, with a high chance of seeing the aurora!
The website we used in Iceland to check the aurora forecast was vedur.is.
We were lucky enough to catch an evening with a high KP index, 5, so we had the most beautiful show of the northern lights. A unique and unusual experience, which made it worth all the effort to go to Iceland!
3. Go outside the city, to not be influenced by its lights.
However, if you are lucky enough to catch a high KP index, there is a good chance that you can see the northern lights from anywhere, even from the city center!
If you have a car, I recommend putting a pin on Google Maps at the Northern Light View Point, near Reykjavik. It is a very good place to wait for the aurora, being close to the city, so you don't have to drive far, but at the same time, far from any city lights.
I just want to mention one thing here. I'm sure you've all seen pictures of the northern lights on the internet. But it's good to know one thing: the northern lights don't look exactly like the pictures on social media! Or at least, not as intense and colorful. Modern phones and cameras, whether used by professionals or amateurs, have settings that emphasize colors and brightness, and create images that are not always 1 to 1 with reality. The same goes for photos of the northern lights.
You can see in the pictures below how the northern lights appear in a filtered photo (taken with an iPhone with a long exposure time), versus how they appear to the naked eye. In reality it may seem a little more subtle, but absolutely fascinating. Keep in mind that in these photos it was a strong aurora borealis (KP 5).
And one last important tip: don't leave this aurora hunting experience to the last few nights, it's possible that the most intense aurora will appear on your first night in Iceland, and then you'll only have cloudy skies! The sooner you go, the better your chances of catching the aurora!
What is the weather like in Iceland
The weather in Iceland is cold, it's well known! Iceland has a subarctic oceanic climate, with cold, but not extreme, winters, but with very strong winds, which makes it seem much colder than the degrees on the thermometer show.
In Iceland you should come well dressed, especially in the winter months: layered, with windproof and waterproof clothes. It rains often in Iceland, and the wind is terrible!
In winter there are few hours of daylight. In November, for example, when we visited Iceland, the sun rose at 9:30 AM and set at 4:00 PM. But the long nights in winter are compensated by the white nights in summer. In June, the sun almost never sets in Iceland, and it is always light!
How to save money in Iceland
Prices in Iceland are high, expect that! Especially when it comes to eating out or going on day trips. It is one of the most expensive countries we have ever visited, if not the most expensive, and it can be a shock at first glance! Spending 40 euros on a meal can't be easy for anyone.
But there are a few tips I can give you, to save some money here and there:
- The tap water in Iceland is drinkable, and it is one of the best and cleanest in the world! It will save you the stress of buying bottled water, and you can save some money!
- If you are a group of people, it is more convenient to rent a car and explore the area with it, rather than resorting to organized tours. If you are 1-2 people, it may be more convenient to book tours with a group.
- Take advantage of the free attractions! Most natural attractions are free, you will only have to pay for parking at some.
- Don't rent a big, 4×4 car unless you plan to go to hard-to-reach areas. Just to visit the surroundings of Reykjavik, on the Golden Circuit or on the south coast, a smaller car is enough. It's much cheaper!
- Get accommodation with a kitchen, you won't even realize how much it helps to quickly and cheaply prepare a breakfast or dinner, with products bought from the supermarket, and thus save quite a lot. We also used the kitchen of our accommodation at Frost Apartments, and it worked out very well for us!
- For a quick snack, consider gas stations, you can find hotdogs at affordable prices.
- Beer is very expensive in Iceland, whether you buy it in the supermarket, but especially in a restaurant, where it can reach 10 euros a pint. Most people do this: they buy a case of beer from duty free, immediately after landing in Reykjavik. And at pubs and restaurants, they follow Happy Hour offers, when the prices of alcoholic products are significantly lower.
What to do in 3 days in Reykjavik and Iceland
Let me show you how we divided our mini vacation in Iceland. We had three full days, and we organized ourselves so that we could reach the most important and visited tourist attractions near Reykjavik: we traveled the Golden Circle and the south coast of the island, we hunted the northern lights every evening, we visited the capital Reykjavik and we took a bath in the most famous thermal baths in Iceland.
I will tell you about all of this in the following. And at the end I will leave you a list of activities and objectives that we did not manage to reach, but being important points of attraction in this country, they deserve your attention!
Day 1 – Golden Circle
The first thing anyone does when they arrive in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is to do the entire Golden Circle tour! And of course, that’s how we started our Icelandic adventure!
Golden Circle is the most famous tourist route in Iceland, a route of approximately 250 km from Reykjavik, and is perfect for a day trip, either by rental car or through an organized tour.
Includes three main stops: Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park, Geysir Hot Springs and Gullfoss, about which I will give you more details later.
All the sights are free to visit, but you have to pay for parking (approx. 7 euros/car) at each stop, except for Gullfoss.
In addition to these three points, it is also worth stopping at the Kerid Crater or the Secret Lagoon.
If you don't have a rental car, you have many options for organized excursions, with prices starting from 70 euros / person, such as this tour: Golden Circle Full-Day Tour with Kerid Crater, or this tour that also includes access to the Secret Lagoon thermal baths, at 112 euros: Golden Circle, Kerid, & Secret Lagoon Tour.
Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park
Parcul National Thingvellir is one of the most important places to visit in Iceland, both from a natural and geographical point of view, as well as from a historical point of view.
The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the place where, in the year 930, the Althing, the oldest parliament in the world still functioning, was formed.
Þingvellir National Park is located exactly between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, and this is noticeable in the cracks and fissures in the ground.
It is free to visit the park, there is also a visitor center, and there are a lot of tourists. Parking, however, has to be paid, about 7 euros / car (fixed price).
The park is wonderful to visit and very well laid out, you can take short walks, the whole area is spectacular and it feels like from another planet!
From the main parking lot at one end to the Oxararfoss waterfall at the other end of the park is approximately 2 kilometers, but the route is very easy to walk. We recommend it!
Geysir Hot Springs
From Thingvellir National Park we headed to Geysir, located 55 km away.
This thermal area is home to the geyser of the same name, Geysir, the one that gave the name to all the geysers in the world!
Geysir is less active today, but next to it is Strokkur, an active geyser that erupts every 5–10 minutes, and it is a true joy to witness this spectacle of nature!
The whole area is dotted with small holes in the ground, from which hot steam comes out. It is a place with intense thermal activity, so you can imagine how strong the smell of sulfur is, that unmistakable smell of rotten eggs! However, you get used to it quite quickly, and the good thing is that it does not remain impregnated on clothes or hair.
Gullfoss
Near the Geysir thermal area is Gulfoss, translated as Gold Waterfall, the waterfall whose name gave the name to the entire Golden Circuit tour.
And yes, it is an impressive waterfall, which, at certain times of the day, especially at sunset, takes on a golden hue, hence the name Golden Waterfall.
Aurora Borealis Hunting Tour, with a guide
One activity I recommend in Iceland in winter, if you want to see the Northern Lights and you're not sure how and where would be the best place to go to catch them, is to take part in an organized aurora "hunting" tour.
What does this tour entail?
The driver and tour guide will search for the best locations where there is a possibility of seeing the aurora, are in constant contact with other guides who are looking for the same thing, and take you exactly to the places with the highest chances of seeing the northern lights.
Such a tour lasts 4 hours, starts at 10 pm and will have several stops, depending on the intensity or probability of the aurora.
We joined this tour, Northern Lights Bus Tour, for which we paid 65 euros / person. If there are small or no chances of seeing the aurora on an evening, the tour does not take place and your money is returned. And if you still start the tour, but the aurora does not appear, you still have the opportunity to participate in the same tour once again, on a later date, for free.
Therefore, my advice is, if you want to participate in such a tour, to book your trip from your very first evening in Iceland! The more nights you have available to hunt the aurora, the higher the chances that you will actually catch it!
Also a tip for those who are looking for the aurora on their own! Don't leave this experience to the last evenings, it is possible that the most intense aurora will appear on your first night, and then you will only have cloudy skies!
Day 2 - South Coast of Iceland
Another day trip that many tourists do from Reykjavik is the one on the south coast of Iceland. And naturally we did it too!
The route is longer than the Golden Circle, but spectacular, and is on the Ring Road, or Route 1, the circular road that goes around the island.
What did we manage to see?
- Seljalandsfoss Waterfall and Gljúfrabúi Waterfall, located next to each other
- Skógafoss Waterfall
- Sólheimajökull Glacier
- Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
We would have liked to reach Vik or Diamond Beach, but since it was winter, we had few hours of daylight, so we limited ourselves to the time we had. However, we covered almost 400 km round trip in a single day, the roads were excellent, and in Iceland the traffic is good and constant, at 90 km/h.
Entrance was free everywhere, only parking cost 7 euros/car in each place.
If you are not traveling with your own rented car, it is good to know that you have organized tours available that you can book, such as this one-day trip on GetYourGuide, for 100 euros: South of Iceland Full-Day Trip.
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall is located about 120 km from Reykjavik and will probably be your first stop on the south coast of Iceland.
The waterfall is impressive, it is about 60 meters high, and what is more interesting is that you can go behind it, to make a complete tour around the waterfall.
Next to this waterfall, if you take the path for 5 minutes, you will reach another waterfall, Gljúfrabúi, hidden in a small canyon.
Skógafoss Waterfall
Skógafoss Waterfall Skógafoss Waterfall was our favorite waterfall in Iceland. At least, of all the ones we managed to visit. In fact, it is also the image you are greeted with when landing in the country at the Reykjavik airport, a sign that it is a tourist attraction of national pride for Icelanders!
It is 60 meters long and 25 meters wide, making it one of the most powerful waterfalls in Iceland!
Sólheimajökull Glacier
In Iceland you can find many glaciers that you can reach as a tourist, practicing various activities specific to this type of relief.
But the Sólheimajökull glacier is the most accessible from Reykjavik, very close to the Skogafoss waterfall, perfect for visiting on a day trip to the south coast.
Sólheimajökull is an arm of the large Mýrdalsjökull glacier, and is, unfortunately, one of the fastest retreating glaciers in Iceland. Every year, the glacier retreats, melting into the glacial lake in front, a visible sign of the effects of global warming.
There are also glacier hike activities that you can do here, but the good part is that you can get directly to the glacier, absolutely free.
From the parking lot, walk 10-15 minutes to the glacial lake, where you will see the ice formations that have broken off the glacier, and then you can head to the base of the glacier. Tourists are allowed to get close to the glacier and even climb it, for a distance of a few meters. The feeling of being there, on top of the glacier, is absolutely incredible! It was our favorite moment of the day!
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Reynisfjara is the most famous black sand beach in Iceland, with some of Iceland's most iconic landmarks: Reynisdrangar, the three giant rocks jutting out of the ocean, and the hexagonal basalt columns.
We have to admit, we weren't very lucky here! We caught the strongest wind we've ever felt, extremely strong gusts of wind that made it impossible for us to get close to the beach. Basically, the entire beach is known for its strong winds and dangerous waves, and in case of a strong wind code, access to the beach is prohibited.
Here, for the first time, I felt that the stories we heard about the wind in Iceland were absolutely real!
Day 3
Reykjavik
Reykjavik is worth a few hours for a short visit. It is not a large city, but it is very welcoming and colorful, with a warm atmosphere.
You will find many colorful houses in the center, which host restaurants, cafes or pubs that are quite interesting and tempting.
The star of the city is the Hallgrimskirkja cathedral, a symbol of the capital of Iceland. You can climb the church tower, a ticket costs 10 euros, and from the top you will be greeted by a wonderful panorama of Reykjavik. From the height you will notice better how colorful the city is, with so many buildings painted in bright colors.
Don't miss in Reykjavik the rainbow street Skólavörðustígur, shopping and restaurant street Laugavegur, and the oceanfront promenade Sun Voyager.
Blue Lagoon
We can't go to Iceland and not visit some thermal baths, right? Iceland is world-renowned for its outdoor hot springs, perfect for relaxing on cold winter days.
We chose to go to Blue Lagoon, the most famous (and Instagrammable, if you ask me) geothermal lagoon in Iceland and one of the most famous natural spas in the world!
It is famous for its blue-white water, heated by geothermal energy, rich in minerals and silica. The average water temperature is 38 degrees, and a bath in the hot water, in the middle of winter, is an absolutely divine activity!
The Blue Lagoon offers a premium experience, which is reflected in the rather high price of the entrance tickets. We paid 100 euros for an entrance, but the price fluctuates, depending on the occupancy or the chosen period.
However, even so expensive, you need to book online in advance at the Blue Lagoon, places are limited and fill up quickly. You can book directly from the the official site, and if you can't find any free time on the day you want, you can also try the option through intermediaries like GetYourGuide: single ticket, or ticket with transfer from Reykjavik included.
The simplest package includes a silica face mask and a drink of your choice.
What else can you do in Iceland / Reykjavik?
Below I leave you a list of other objectives and attractions that you can do in Reykjavik and Iceland, if you have more time. Iceland is very attractive, very touristy, and you will find many other interesting activities here:
- Sky Lagoon is one of the most spectacular and new geothermal lagoons in Iceland, and is famous for the 7-Step Ritual: entering the lagoon, cold water bath, panoramic sauna, glacial shower, steam bath, salt scrub, relaxing hot shower.
- FlyOver is a flight-simulation experience: you sit in a suspended chair, in front of a huge spherical screen, and you will have the feeling that you are flying over the mountains, glaciers, waterfalls or volcanoes of Iceland.
- Lava Show is a show that recreates a real volcanic eruption, using molten lava and volcanic rocks.
- Day trip to Jokursarlon glacier and Diamond Beach, a route also on the south coast, but further than the one we traveled, to Reynisfjara beach.
- , observing whales in their natural habitat. observarea balenelor in habitatul lor natural.
How much did we spend in Reykjavik and Iceland
Let's do a final calculation of our trip!
We flew from Budapest, so we will also take into account the route from Cluj (Romania) to Budapest, including the accommodation near the Budapest airport. We stayed at Airport Hotel Budapest, a four-star hotel in Vecses, very close to the airport, and we really liked it here! With breakfast included, check-out until 11 am (all other accommodations in the area had check-out at 10 am), and with the possibility of late check-out, for the amount of 10 euros / hour.
But let's see how much we spent on our 3 days and 4 nights vacation in Iceland:
Flight
- Budapest – Reykjavik with Wizzair, 600 euros / 2 people, with seats and one checked in luggage
Iceland:
- Accommodation Frost Apartments by Heimaleiga: 95 euro / night – 4 nights: 380 euro
- Rental car: 80 euro / day – 4 days: 360 euro
- Gas and parking: 100 euro
Tours and entry tickets:
- Aurora borealis hunting tour: 65 euro / person – 130 euro/2 pers
- Entry Blue Lagoon: 100 euro / person – 200 euro/2pers
In total, for two people, we paid approximately 2000 euro euros for the entire 3-day trip to Iceland. Leaving aside the road to Budapest, Iceland alone cost us 885 euros / person (1770 euros for a couple).
In this amount, we did not include food or small expenses for gifts and souvenirs. For food, I recommend that you set aside a larger budget, Iceland is not a cheap country when it comes to restaurants, and here you will feel the biggest difference in living standards between this country and the rest of the world. We paid around 60-70 euros for a lunch, for example on Fish & Chips ordered at restaurants near the tourist spots. If you want to eat at a nice restaurant in the center of the capital, the prices will be even higher.
We are curious about what you think, and if you would choose Iceland as a vacation destination or city break, knowing that Iceland is one of the most expensive countries in the world?
