Iceland was one of our top travel trends of 2022. It’s even more popular in 2023.
The combination of luxury, nature, culture and outdoor adventure is unrivalled.
Travel north to Iceland and you will find a completely new experience. Yet you don’t lose any convenience or comfort you’d expect when travelling south to Southern Europe.
Dreaming an Iceland holiday is difficult. How do you even pronounce all those unusual names on the map? Where is best to go?
This article summarises four different options. It reflects some of the different Iceland summer holidays we have designed for our clients.
How To Travel to Iceland
Direct summer flights between Prague and Reykjavik operate on Thursdays and Sundays, with budget carrier PLAY. It’s a late flight out, departing at 21:50.
Most major European cities now have direct connections to Reykjavik.
Usually we recommend a minimum of a week. Ten days is even better. And with two weeks you can explore most of the island.
Four Different Iceland Summer Holidays
We love Iceland for the diversity of experiences and places to explore.
These itinerary ideas are a starting point. They will help you understand how your Iceland holiday can feel. From here we can create a personal itinerary tailored to your every requirement.
Relaxed Exploration From Reykjavik & The Retreat
Fascinating little Reykjavik is at the heart of Icelandic gastronomy and culture. It’s a beautiful base for a relaxed holiday, more like a village than a capital city. We love the new Reykjavik EDITION hotel.
One hour from Reykjavik, The Retreat at Blue Lagoon is our favourite Iceland spa and hotel.
Our first option is to spend a week in Reykjavik and The Retreat, with day excursions to natural attractions across South Iceland.
You can make this as adventurous or tranquil as you want. The advantage is minimal travel time and only moving to a different hotel once. But of course, you can’t see all the country this way.
We can tailor your holiday with the excursions you’re most interested in, from a scenic helicopter ride to a famous waterfall, horseback riding to a black sand beach.
A Land Adventure in South Iceland
This option is for people who want to really immerse themselves in Icelandic nature, without vast amounts of travel.
It’s great for a one-week holiday, usually with a private driver or also as a luxury self-drive option. You’ll stay in three or four different hotels and explore a rich diversity of nature.
This option is great for families and combines many of Iceland’s most iconic sights.
Rather than going back and forth to Reykjavik, you’ll see more natural highlights. However, while the accommodation is intimate and good, it’s not as luxurious as in the capital or at The Retreat.
Go a glacier hike in Vatnajokull National Park. Witness enormous icebergs in Jikulsarlon Glacier. Take a boat to Westman Islands to see puffins. Spend a day on the popular Golden Circle, with Pingvellier National Park, exploring geysers and massive waterfalls.
Watch a real lava show, from an exploring volcano. Hike in a lava tunnel. Visit remote beaches and feel the beautiful serenity of Icelandic nature. Wow, there’s so much to explore just in South Iceland.
The Grand Circle Itinerary of Iceland
A spectacular road goes all around Iceland, from the more visited south to the very remote north, east and west. Ideally, you need ten days or more to do this grand circle of the country.
This is a really adventurous option. If you plan to visit Iceland once in your life and do it all, this is it.
The accommodation can vary in quality, but in general it’s good and you’ll move to a new place every day or two. Some hotels like Deplar Farm are really spectacular.
Expect quite a lot of driving, because the unbroken ring road is around 1300 kilometres, plus you’ll make side excursions along the way.
We love this itinerary because the customisation is almost endless. And you will be completely alone in many incredible settings, which is very different to visiting the often crowded Golden Circle.
Expect everything from the South Iceland option above, plus the towering mountains of Eastfjords, mystical geothermal activities of Lake Myvatn, Mars-like landscape of Namaskaro, the Arctic Coast Way and our favourite, the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
We wouldn’t recommend this with young children. May to August are the best months, because the long hours of daylight help you to travel further.
Luxury Iceland by Helicopter, With Private Lodges
A Grand Circle itinerary can be done with a private driver, although some clients prefer to self drive. This does depend on the actual itinerary, as not everywhere off the ring road is well signposted and some destinations need good four-wheel driving skills.
The most luxurious Iceland holiday is to travel by helicopter and stay in the country’s magnificent private farms and lodges.
Whether you have three days or three weeks, this type of itinerary will always offer the most choice and flexibility.
Add experiences like glamping on a volcano or camping out on a black-sand beach. Thanks to our partners in Iceland, almost anywhere in the country can be curated to your personal playground.
Your Iceland Summer Holiday
How do you want to explore Iceland?
Tell us what your children like to do, the level of adventure you prefer to have, and the sights that most attract you to Iceland.
We have designed all four of these different holidays. And we will create the Iceland summer holiday that is best for you.
