48 hours in Iceland? Sounds a little crazy, right? With careful planning, you can surprisingly see a lot. I stopped in Reykjavík on my way home from visiting family in Poland (because why not??), and unfortunately was limited on time. So I made the most of it!

That being said, here is how I planned my trip. First, I made a list of things I knew I wanted to see, researched the amount of time each would take, and organized my itinerary. I did make sure to book all of my excursions ahead of time. This helps with planning and sticking to a strict itinerary if you are limited on time. Reykjavík is also a very popular tourist destination, meaning places book up quickly.

Below is the itinerary I followed, and highly recommend if you are short on time! (or simply want to fit in as many activities as possible).

Day 1

I arrived at the Airport around 10:40 am. This first day, I took the time to get settled and explore my surroundings. If you plan to do excursions/trips and have the tour companies pick you up, most of them have pick-ups at several bus stops in the city. I stayed in an airbnb right near Bus Stop #1. (This was convenient for me as I had several excursions planned and would be picked up from this stop for each). Also note, there is no Uber in Icealand, so the easiest way to travel from the airport is public transportation.

My cute little hobbit room at the airbnb ^

My location was also right around the corner from downtown shops, restaurants, and the harbor. I spent the day wandering around the downtown area, stopping in little shops, and of course grabbing some food and local beer. Iceland is a very safe town (of course, you should always be aware of your surroundings regardless of how safe it seems). But as a solo female traveler, I felt very comfortable exploring this little town on my own.

My romantic dinner by myself ^ 😂

I originally had a Northern Lights tour booked for the evening of this first day, but unfortunately it ended up being cancelled due to high winds. This is one disadvantage of having limited time in Iceland. The Northern Lights tours are extremely weather dependent, and the weather can be unpredictable. Since I was there for such a short time, I was not able to reschedule my tour. Once I found out my tour was cancelled, I found (almost?) the next best thing. There is actually a Northern Lights Museum! This was a great activity to escape the cold for a while, and I was still able to learn a lot about the Northern Lights. I highly recommend checking this out during your trip. Did you know that most Aurora Borealis photos are not edited as a lot of people assume? Because of the way our eyes function at night, we do not see the colors at their true vibrancy. The camera, however, captures the lights as they truly are, creating a more vivid (and real) image.

Day 2

Day 2 was a very very long day. Honestly, if I had more time on this trip, I would have rented a car and went exploring on my own (many people choose this route). However due to my limited time and short time to plan everything, it was easier for me to book excursions with a tour company. Personally, I wanted to see as much of the beautiful, natural landscape as I had time for. I booked a South Coast tour which included Diamond Beach and Jokulsarlon. This day tour was about 16 hours long (I wasn't kidding when I said it was a long day!) but it was definitely worth it. Again, if you have time to spread out your tours/visits, I recommend doing so. Even though this day tour was amazing and I got to see a lot, some parts were definitely rushed. The sites we were able to visit are; Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, Diamond Beach, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, and Skógafoss Waterfall (we saw this at night, and this was very rushed).

These destinations are very spread out, which is why the tour is so long. However, driving through Iceland is certainly something to experience. The land is so beautiful and untouched. You will also learn a lot of history from your guide. Overall, it was a great experience.

First stop - Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

Second Stop - Diamond Beach

Third Stop - Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Day 3

This was (already) my last day in Iceland. Of course I couldn't leave Iceland without visiting the infamous Blue Lagoon! Traveler's tip: if the Blue Lagoon is part of your "must do" list while in Iceland, do it when you arrive, or right before your departure. The lagoon is actually closer to the airport than it is to Reykjavík. This will save you both time and money.

Book way ahead of time, and PLAN TO ARRIVE EARLY. I can not stress that enough. It gets very crowded, very quickly. When you purchase your ticket(s), you must indicate a time slot for your intended arrival. The locker and changing area can become cramped and uncomfortable as more people start to arrive. The Lagoon also begins to get very crowded. For a more relaxing experience, and without it feeling overly "touristy" I highly recommend going earlier in the day if possible.

Once you arrive, you can store your bags and head to the changing area. They require you to shower before going into the lagoon, so that you do not damage any natural properties of the geothermal spa. The lagoon water is known to have regenerative qualities due to its rich content of silica and sulfur. The temperature of the water is very warm. It was freezing, very windy, and hailing when I was there, however the water was very warm and welcoming (thank goodness!). The average temperature year round is 102℉. The lagoon also has a restaurant, cafe, and a swim up bar. Don't forget your complimentary silica face mask! 😊

Iceland is a beautiful place and has so much land to explore. I encourage everyone to plan a trip here!