Dreaming of an Iceland adventure? In just four days, we explored Reykjavík’s colourful streets, bathed in geothermal lagoons, cruised past glaciers on the South Coast, and marvelled at the Golden Circle’s iconic waterfalls and geysers. Here’s how we made the most of a winter trip to Iceland — even when time was short.
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🏠 Where We Stayed: Reykjavík Treasure B&B
Our base in the capital was Reykjavík Treasure B&B — and it truly lived up to its name.
Located in a historic building just a 10-minute walk from all of Reykjavík’s main sights, it offered the perfect mix of charm and convenience.
The included breakfast was exceptional: freshly baked bread and cakes, local meats and pâté, cheeses, berries, and Icelandic skyr. It kept us fuelled for a full day of exploring. If you want a boutique stay with great service and location, this is the one to book.
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Day 1: Arrival in Reykjavík — Soup & Surprises
After a last-minute flight change due to industrial action, we arrived in Iceland 24 hours earlier than expected. Stepping into -5°C air (with a wind chill of -11°C!) was bracing, but Reykjavík quickly warmed us up with a bowl of unlimited soup refills at @icelandicstreetfood. The lamb soup served in a bread bowl was the clear winner, and the perfect welcome to Iceland.
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Day 2: Discovering Reykjavík — Churches, Happy Hour & Hot Pools
We explored Reykjavík on foot using the GPS My City app — a great way to learn about the city’s history and discover local gems at your own pace.
Highlights included the Hallgrímskirkja Church, Reykjavík’s iconic rocket-shaped landmark, the concert hall, with its glittering architecture and a long afternoon of happy hour bar-hopping.
In the late afternoon, we visited one of the city’s geothermal public pools, joining locals for a soak under the winter sky. No photos allowed, but it was pure bliss after a day of walking in the cold. The locals pools are really good if you’re on a small budget as they cost only £7 pp and you can stay in as long as you like.
Dinner was classic fish and chips by the harbour at Kaffivagnir, Iceland’s oldest restaurant — fresh, generous, and delicious. The price tag was steep- £80 for two fish and chips and a drink each but the portion size was good and it was delicious.
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Day 3: A Birthday to Remember — Street Food & Sky Lagoon
Celebrating my 40th birthday in Reykjavík was brilliant. We began with a leisurely breakfast at our B&B, followed by a DIY street food tour through the city. From lamb hot dogs to langoustine soup, we sampled a bit of everything Iceland had to offer (details of where we ate below!).
In the afternoon, we treated ourselves to the Sky Lagoon experience — a stunning oceanside geothermal spa. Watching the sunset from the warm, mineral-rich water was magical. We completed the full 7-step ritual, including a salt scrub and scenic sauna overlooking the Atlantic, before enjoying a complimentary birthday drink. I think the sauna views have ruined sauna views for life!
That evening, we changed into our thermals with glad rags on top and headed back out to celebrate — drinks, laughter, and Icelandic lamb burgers at Fjallkonan to finish off a perfect day.
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Day 4: South Coast Wonders — Waterfalls, Glaciers & Diamond Beach
An early morning start took us on an epic journey along Iceland’s South Coast, a landscape of frozen waterfalls, lava fields, and glacier plains.
Stops included:
• Skógafoss Waterfall – 60m of pure power, even more dramatic in winter.
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon – sailing among floating icebergs was surreal.
• Diamond Beach – glittering chunks of ice scattered across black volcanic sand.
It was a long 15-hour day, fuelled by roadside snacks and a quick lamb burger at a service stop, but it was worth it for the views. We booked this tour on Get Your Guide.
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Day 5: The Golden Circle — Geysers, Gullfoss & Tectonic Plates
Our final day was spent exploring the Golden Circle, Iceland’s most famous sightseeing route.
We began at Kerid Crater, followed by a soak in the Secret Lagoon, where natural hot water springs feed Iceland’s oldest pool.
Next came the Geysir Hot Springs Area, with Strokkur erupting every few minutes, and the thundering Gullfoss Waterfall, sparkling in the winter freeze.
Lunch was a fantastic fish soup at the Geysir service stop, proving that even roadside meals in Iceland can surprise you!
We were pleased it was nice because it cost £55 for two bowls of soup and a beer each!
At Þingvellir National Park, we walked between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates — a geological and historical wonder.
Back in Reykjavík, we grabbed Icelandic lamb pizzas from Padre, paired with the last of our duty free wine and settled in a for a chill at our room for a cosy final evening. Whilst the pizzas were cooking we nipped upstairs to the Whiskey bar, for a dram of Icelandic whiskey. £45 later for a dram and 1 pint, our eyes were watering but we were pleased to try the Icelandic whiskey named after the man who discovered this amazing and magical island.
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🍽️ What We Ate in Iceland
Food in Iceland can be pricey, but it’s also memorable — from street food stalls to harbour-side cafés. We balanced indulgent treats with happy hour deals to keep things (relatively) affordable while still sampling the best local flavours.
Here’s everything we tried and loved during our trip:
Wednesday
1. @icelandicstreetfood – Straight off the plane for unlimited soup refills! 🥣 The lamb soup in a bread bowl was the standout; Keith sampled the seafood stew and tomato too.
Thursday
2. Reykjavík Treasure B&B Breakfast – Fresh bread, local meats, pâté, cheese, berries & skyr. Absolutely delicious.
3. Hot dogs near Hallgrímskirkja – Famous from Somebody Feed Phil, but a bit underwhelming.
4. Basement Taproom – Cosy bar, locals playing board games, us fiercely competitive at Jenga.
5. Irish Bar Happy Hour – £6 pints and Icelandic gin — say no more.
6. Old Harbour House – Beers with harbour views during happy hour.
7. Kaffivagnir – Historic harbour spot for fish & chips. Fresh, generous, though £85 for two and drinks made us wince!
Friday
8. Hotdog Stall (Round Two) – Pulled lamb version = redemption!
9. @braudogco – The most sensational cinnamon roll we’ve ever had.
10. @seabaronrvk – Langoustine (lobster) soup + redfish skewers = heaven. Also tried fermented shark & Brennivín — an experience!
11. @fjallkonan.rvk – Icelandic lamb burgers and birthday cocktails to finish the celebrations.
Saturday
• On the road: snacks brought from home and a lamb burger at a service stop — basic but satisfying.
Sunday
• Fish soup at Geysir service stop – surprisingly delicious and full of flavour.
• Padre Issa – AMAZING Icelandic lamb pizza back in Reykjavík. Perfect end to the trip.
💸 We mixed happy hours, street food & local gems to keep things as affordable as we could — and still tasted the best of Reykjavík. Would absolutely do it all again!
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Final Thoughts: Why Iceland in Winter is Worth It
From steaming lagoons and glacier lagoons to fish soup and Icelandic beer, every moment of this trip was pure magic.
Iceland’s mix of wild landscapes, warm hospitality, and unforgettable food makes it, I think, one of the most unique destinations on Earth.
🧭 If You Go: Practical Tips & Prices for Iceland in Winter
Planning a winter trip to Iceland? Here’s what to expect in terms of prices, logistics, and a few lessons we learned along the way.
✈️ Getting There
• Flights: we flew Icelandic Air London Gatwick to Reykjavik Dep 15:40 arr 17:55 £390 for two of us. We returned with Easyjet dep 12:00 arriving at 15;10 (both flights landed early) £80 for the two of us.
• Airport to city: The Flybus takes about 45 minutes to central Reykjavík and costs around £25 each way
🛏️ Accommodation
• Reykjavík Treasure B&B – from £200 per night including breakfast
→ Excellent location, cosy rooms, and a fantastic breakfast spread.
🍽️ Food & Drink
• Soup at Icelandic Street Food: £18 for a bowl of soup (unlimited refills)
• Fish & Chips at Kaffivagnir: £87 for two fish and chips and a glass of wine and a pint of lager.
• Hot dogs: £7 each
• Happy hour beers: £6–£7 (standard pints are usually £9–£11)
• Average dinner for two in Reykjavík: £70–£120
• Sky Lagoon bar drinks: £8–£12 each (free drink for the birthday girl, though!)
💡 Tip: Download the Appy Hour app — it shows all happy hours across Reykjavík and can save you a small fortune. I didn’t know this when we were there!
🚌 Tours & Experiences
• Sky Lagoon (Pure Pass): £95 including the 7-step ritual
• South Coast full-day tour: around £200 per person (includes Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach) included the boat trip around the Glacier lagoon which was AMAZING.
• Golden Circle tour: £95 per person
❄️ Weather & What to Pack
• Winter temperatures: Between -5°C and +5°C (can feel colder with wind chill)
• Essentials: Thermal base layers, waterproof jacket, we took our walking trainers with thick hiking socks, gloves, hat, and swimsuit for hot springs. Our hotel provided swimming towels to take to the hot springs. A towel was included at Sky Lagoon.
💳 Money & Tipping
• Currency: Icelandic Krona (ISK)
• Cards: Accepted everywhere (even tiny hot dog stands)
• Tipping: Not expected — service charge is included, but rounding up or saying “Takk!” (thank you) is appreciated.
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💬 We found Iceland to be as friendly as it is beautiful. Yes, it’s expensive, but if you plan smartly — mix happy hours, street food, and splurge experiences — you’ll get the best of both worlds.
🇮🇸 Verdict: Worth every penny, every puff of steam, and every icy wind chill.
A special trip for a special birthday.
Many thanks for your detailed post! Will be in Iceland end of January ’26. Main interst… taking photos. By your description I got a pretty good idea where to go, thanks a lot!