Iceland feels like Earth's rough draft, a planet still deciding what it wants to be. Volcanoes sit next to glaciers. Hot springs steam beside frozen waterfalls. The sun barely sets in summer and barely rises in winter. Nothing here is moderate, and that's exactly why people fall for it.
What should you know before planning Iceland? Go from October to March for the Northern Lights and ice caves, or June to August for the midnight sun and the Ring Road. Base yourself near Reykjavik, then spend your days on the Golden Circle and the South Coast. Budget generously: meals, hotels and tours cost more here.
Key facts
- Best months: October to March for the aurora and ice caves; June to August for 24-hour daylight, puffins and the highlands.
- Must-sees: the Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss) and the South Coast waterfalls, black sand beach and glacier lagoon.
- Where to stay: near Reykjavik, or out in the countryside for darker aurora skies.
- Cost: higher than most of Europe for food, hotels and tours.
- Our trip: the Iceland Experience, seven days based at The Reykjavik EDITION, in early March.
The Numbers
Iceland welcomes more than two million foreign visitors a year, in a country of about 400,000 people.
When to Go
Photo: Mike Swigunski / Unsplash
Winter (October to March): Northern Lights, ice caves, snowy scenery and hot springs in the cold air. Daylight is short (4 to 6 hours in December), but the mood is magic. If the aurora is the reason you're going, read why people cry under the Northern Lights first.
Summer (June to August): midnight sun, access to the highlands, puffins, wildflowers, and the whole Ring Road open without weather trouble. Daylight runs close to 24 hours.
The Essential Experiences
The Golden Circle
Photo: Michael Schreiber / Unsplash
Iceland's most famous route is a 300km loop from Reykjavik:
- Þingvellir National Park: where the North American and Eurasian plates are pulling apart. You can walk between continents.
- Geysir: the original geyser (the English word comes from it). Strokkur erupts every 5 to 10 minutes.
- Gullfoss: a huge two-tiered waterfall dropping into a canyon with so much force that the mist throws rainbows.
The South Coast
Photo: John Salvino / Unsplash
- Seljalandsfoss: you can walk behind the waterfall.
- Skógafoss: a 60-meter curtain of falling water.
- Reynisfjara black sand beach: basalt columns, big waves, and puffins in summer.
- Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon: icebergs break off Vatnajökull, drift across the lagoon, then wash up on Diamond Beach.
The Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is the icon: milky blue geothermal water in a black lava field. The newer Sky Lagoon, closer to Reykjavik, has an infinity-edge pool looking out over the North Atlantic. For the hidden hot springs locals love, see my guide to Iceland's geothermal bathing culture.
Where to Stay in Reykjavik
The Reykjavik EDITION: our group's base. A design-forward hotel on the harbor next to Harpa concert hall, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a spa and a rooftop bar. Hallgrímskirkja, the Old Harbour and the shops on Laugavegur are all a walk away.
Hotel Borg: an Art Deco landmark from 1930 on Austurvöllur square, across from the parliament building, in the middle of the old town.
Stay in the city for restaurants and a walkable base, and let a tour drive you out to the dark skies at night. Packing for it? Here's what to wear in Iceland in March.
Where to Stay Outside Reykjavik
Near Reykjavik: The Retreat at Blue Lagoon (a spa hotel built into the lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula; check its status before you book, since nearby eruptions have closed it several times since 2023) and ION Adventure Hotel at Nesjavellir (sustainable design, about an hour from the city).
For the Northern Lights: stay outside Reykjavik, where it's dark. Hotel Rangá, Deplar Farm on the Troll Peninsula, or the Bubble Hotels, with see-through domes so you can watch the sky from bed.
Practical Information
Cost: Iceland is expensive. Restaurant meals, hotels and guided tours all cost more than in most of Europe, so plan your budget with that in mind.
If you'd rather not plan any of it, our Iceland Experience takes care of the Golden Circle, the South Coast, a glacier hike, the Blue Lagoon and a Northern Lights night, so the cold feels like a gift. You deserve a trip where someone else watches the forecast.
Cover photo: the private lagoon at The Retreat at Blue Lagoon. Karsten Winegeart / Unsplash
Destination Guide
Destination Guide
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