How to Plan the Perfect Iceland Honeymoon Itinerary

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Iceland sparkles for me. The reason? I can’t quite put my mitten on it. Maybe it’s this tiny North Atlantic island’s vast landscapes, canyons, and geysers. Is it the Northern Lights? Or the beautiful Reykjavik city folks with their cool exterior? Whatever the reason, it’s easy to see the appeal of an Iceland honeymoon.

Now I know what you are thinking – didn’t you pair marry in Austin, Texas, and then travel around the Americas and Europe?

Correct, but hey, we deserve a backpack/budget-free honeymoon! Imagine not being confined to $45 a day…

You may also find our four-day itinerary helpful.

Dreamy Honeymoon Itinerary For Iceland

Iceland’s top attractions are located along the 800-mile loop Route 1, also known as the Ring Road.

Most visitors stick to the condensed Golden Circle near Reykjavik’s capital, while more adventurous couples hire a 4×4 and head south.

Those with ample time complete the entire loop, which takes seven days, perfect for seeing the country as part of Icelandair’s Stopover offer, where customers are not charged for spending time in Iceland between destinations. 

If you or your partner are not keen on driving, there are group day tours of the Golden Circle and south, which include expert local guides and narration.

Here are some of the highlights of the Ring Road itinerary.

Iceland’s Golden Circle

The classic Golden Circle tour takes a mere 3.5 hours to tackle by car or 6 – 10 hours with stops, which is ideal if the designated driver doesn’t want to spend too much of the Iceland itinerary behind the wheel.

However, the Golden Circle is very touristy; think Disney World in July!

We visited in September, and there were still a lot of crowds; aim to reach Geysir and Gullfoss before the bus tours.

Golden Circle Highlights

• Thingvellir National Park 
• Geysir Hot Springs – The Great Geysir
• Gullfoss, aka the Golden Waterfall
• Iceland’s second biggest glacier, Langjokull

The above suggestions can also be visited as a day tour from Reykjavik.

You may also like our guide to Iceland prices.

South Iceland

• American wreck DC-3 plane on Sólheimasandur Beach (4km trek)
• Sunrise at Seljalandsfoss waterfall
• Get drenched at Skogafoss
• Reynisfjara, Iceland’s Black Beach (striking but busy)
• Rafting in the Hvítá River (missed out this time)

Google Maps timing can be deceiving as some journeys take much longer than reported, especially if it rains.

Personal tip: If you stay in the area, you can fight the weather! We were rained off in the afternoon at Seljalandsfoss, so we set our alarms for sunrise and had the waterfall to ourselves!

East Iceland

• Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon – a short walk
• A Jökulsárlón tour to see the ice melt – incredible at sunset
• Vatnajökull Glacier’s crystal ice caves – seasonal 
• A visit to the crafty and mountainous Seyðisfjörður (missed)

North Iceland

• Iceland’s second city, Akureyri – whale watching in Iceland!
• Dettifoss – the most powerful waterfall in Europe, apparently
• The gateway to Hell – Dimmuborgir
• The north’s equivalent to the Blue Lagoon, Mývatn Nature Baths

West Iceland

Research indicates that the west side of the Ring Road is more drive than stop, but it is worth taking a detour to….

• Westfjords
• Snæfellsnes aka “Little Iceland”

… and then on to

• Hike Mount Esjan
• Then, a celebratory end-of-tour drink at at the Loft at the HI Hostel in Reykjavik, which has the city views

Things to Do in Iceland For Couples

Watch Aurora Borealis

Iceland is not always dark, and although many factors come into play when chasing the Northern Lights, the darkest months of November to February are your best bet.

You can watch apps dedicated to reporting the light show, book accommodation in specific areas, drive carefully in the dark to find them or join a Northern Lights tour lasting up to 5 hours.

Since we visited in September, we had zero chance of seeing them, so we have another reason to return!

Soak in Lagoons

Now that I am over not seeing the lights let’s dip into something we did do that I love – geothermal activity.

Hello, hot water; I’m a 40 degrees at the Hungarian baths type of girl, Craig not so much!

Iceland’s most famous hot spring is the Blue Lagoon.

Close to the country’s capital, a visit to this lagoon is an easy day trip from Reykjavik, only 40 minutes by car.

I am told repeatedly by that regardless of fee and popularity, the Blue Lagoon is worth every penny.

Do not wear your contact lenses like my good friend Helen!

We opted for the Secret Lagoon as it was on our route, and I love that you can take a glass of wine or beer into the pool to help soak your troubles away.

Note: You are expected to shower naked before you enter.

Budget lovers, there are free hot springs in Iceland, making it one of the hottest free things to do in Iceland (get it?)

Check out Hveragerdi, only 30 minutes from Reykjavik or Seljavallalaug near Vik.

The latter is a little murky, and the changing area can be messy, down to visitors’ bad behaviour, but the walk from the car park is short.

There are a variety of geothermal pools of all sizes in Iceland, so this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Which do you prefer and why?

Hiking in Iceland

Hiking might not be everyone’s ideal honeymoon activity but we are a big fan of the outdoors and Iceland certainly is a hotbed for nature.

A short yet rewarding hike is the 4km trail to the American wreck DC-3 plane wreck on Sólheimasandur Beach.

The most popular trek is the 3-4 day Laugavegur trek.

If that’s not enough, you can continue with the Fimmvörðuháls hiking trail, which takes you between the two volcanoes, Eyjafjallajökull and Katla.

Part of Fimmvörðuháls has risen from the ashes after the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull.

There are more accessible Iceland hikes such as Mount Esjan which is close to Reykjavik.

Find out more about Iceland hikes here.

Travel Information

Iceland Weather and Best Time to Go to Iceland

October to April is the low season.

Winter activities such as the ice caves are open, you can go snorkelling at Silfra, and the Northern Lights are at their optimum.

Driving in Iceland during the low season is not advised unless you are used to Canadian winter conditions, and I don’t mean B.C!

Daylight is very limited to six hours, so consider that if driving.

October to February sees the most rainfall; it’s time to get cosy on your Iceland honeymoon – consider a hotel with a hot tub. 

Spring starts in April and ends in May, although the first day of summer is April 18th.

In summer, budding photographers can capture the crazy lights of the golden hours without time pressure; driving is safer, and hiking doesn’t involve an axe.

It also means lots of daylight, the longest day is June 21st where the sun sets around midnight in Reykjavik and rises before 3am!

This may take a bit of getting used to but offers an excellent chance to enjoy the midnight sun, and pack more into your Iceland honeymoon itinerary.

Skiing is out; mass tourism, pre-booking, and selfie sticks are in.

There are so many photographers in Iceland, they don’t like you ‘ruining’ their shots.

Romantic Hotels

Accommodation in Iceland tends to lean towards the more clean and practical side, so there is not a huge variety of lavish hotels in the country.

You probably don’t expect this anyway as your itinerary with be packed with stuff to do on the road and outdoors!

Iceland Parliament Hotel, Curio Collection By Hilton offers contemporary rooms, some with rolltop baths. 

Midgard Base Camp in Hvolsvöllur has a hot tub, terrace, and on-site restaurant. 

Jakob’s Old Farmhouse in Hvolsvöllur has rustic vibes for couples looking to chill out. 

Iceland is known for being expensive but cheap hotels in Reykjavik exist.

Getting Around Iceland

Keflavík International Airport is located southwest of Reykjavík. 

Couples who don’t want to drive during their stay can use the direct bus transfer to Reykjavik and group tours that leave from the capital.

Car rental companies charge a supplementary fee for airport collection and drop-off.

Set aside an hour for the check-in/transfer process.

Some car parks/parking lots charge, most accept cards but it is best to have some loose change for those that don’t.

Most of your time will be spent hopping in and out of the car/bus to see attractions, then back on the Ring Road to the next destination.

Many road trippers head straight to the first Bonus supermarket to do a big shop that will cover them for most of the week.

Most accommodation offers kitchens, giving couples on a budget the option to avoid eating out.

Hot dogs are available at most gas stations.

Alcohol is sold at Vinbudin, the state-owned company that sells wine and beer.

We cover everything you need to know about visiting Iceland in this guide.

Final Words

Well, folks, that’s it from me and my dream Iceland honeymoon; when I first started planning it I thought I could explode with excitement just like the country’s volcanoes threaten to, and even reviewing the article later I still feel the same.

Tell us about your plans to visit the land of fire and ice in the comments.