What to Do In a Layover in Iceland 

I have recently flew with Play Airlines from London to Canada, and I had a layover in Iceland. This experience made me think about this article, and what you can do as well if you choose to fly via Iceland and extend your stopover by a couple of days. There are several airlines that offer a longer layover in Iceland, at no extra cost, so you get to see an extra destination on your holiday to the States, Canada, or mainland Europe.

Airlines That Offer a Free Stopover in Iceland

Iceland is a major hub for airlines flying between North America and Europe, and transcontinental flights with stopovers in Iceland are a popular option. Many airlines offer this option for an extra cost which can rapidly increase the price of your flight. So is it even possible to make a stopover for free? Yes.

Icelandair and PLAY Airlines both offer stopovers to Iceland at no additional cost. But you should know, it will not mean you will save money. The flight price might be more expensive than if you would choose to fly with different airlines or buy two separate flights. So we recommend always double-checking it if your trip is low budget.

Icelandair

You can add a stopover in Iceland for up to 7 days while flying transatlantic with Icelandair. You need to do so while buying your flight and this option will not cost you anything extra. If you want to add it after you have already purchased your flight, you can do it but some fee might be included.

PLAY Airline

PLAY Airline offers even up to 10 days of stopover in Iceland and this service is called stayover. You also need to book it while purchasing the flight and it is available for transatlantic flights.

The stopovers with Play do not include accommodation. You don’t need to worry about it unless your layover is overnight. You can either book some place to stay around the airport or somewhere on the way through your stopover itinerary.

Public Transport or Private Tour?

Did you book your stopover for some days or hours and now are you thinking about what to do and how to get the most out of this stop? You have quite a lot of options depending on how long you are staying in Iceland and of course on your budget as well.

You can use public transport to travel, book a private tour, or rent a car and enjoy the freedom while exploring the land of ice and fire.

If you have only a couple of hours (or only a day), using public transport won’t be smart unless you want to visit only one place (e.g. the capital of Reykjavík). If you want to be able to visit more places in a short amount of time, the best thing is to book a private tour.

They will take care of the transportation and the guide will take you to as many places as possible. You don’t need to worry about getting lost or driving for hours somewhere you do know the place. This is just the most convenient way. Click here for some tour options.

Anyway, the best way is to rent a car and explore the country on your own. For larger groups, this is also the most economical way of travelling in Iceland. You can decide which places you want to see and how much time you want to spend there. Be sure to choose the best car for Iceland.

What to Do During a Layover in Iceland

Iceland is a country full of many natural beauties and breathtaking landscapes. Sometimes it’s hard to choose what to see as there are so many options. You should choose the places based on the time as some of them are very far away from the airport and you might get a chance to see them, but it would be the only thing you visit during the stopover. And that would be a shame, don’t you think?

You should also consider the time of year you will be in Iceland. In winter and summer, you will be able to do completely different things, because in Iceland the weather is always the master. During winter you cannot travel to the Highlands, but on the other hand, you can enjoy the magical northern lights show.

You will land at the international airport which is located in Keflavík. The city lies on Reykjanes Peninsula about 50 km from Reykjavík.

So what you can do during a stopover?

• Visit the capital, Reykjavík.
• Enjoy some time off in one of the Icelandic hot pots or thermal spas, such as Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon (both of them are not very far away from the airport).
• Explore the Reykjanes peninsula and its rich volcanic activity.
• Drive around Golden Circle and visit some of the most famous Icelandic spots.

How Long is Your Stopover in Iceland?

Even if you have only a couple of hours, don’t spend them in the bar or walking around the airport. Get out of the airport and enjoy some of the amazing things, Iceland can offer.

4–6 Hours

If you have only a few hours, the best thing to do is to take a shuttle bus or rent a car and explore the Icelandic capital, Reykjavík. Don’t get confused. Even though it is the capital, it is very small and half of the day is enough to visit everything.

Walk around the cute little streets, climb to the top of the Hallgrimskirkja Church and enjoy the view of Reykjavík and neighbouring landscapes, get a picture on the rainbow street, or get a glass of beer during happy hours at the bars.

Don’t forget to quickly dip into the famous Reykjavik coffee scene with a short visit to one of the best rated coffee shops in the Nordics! Besides a phenomenal coffee, cat lovers may meet a lot of Instagram cats in the area! Don’t forget to take a selfie 🙂

6–8 Hours

Only around 4 hours are needed to drive around the famous Golden Circle (without stops). So rent a car and go exploring the magical Geysir, breathtaking Gullfoss waterfall and historical Thingvellir National Park. On your way, you can make a quick stop in Reykjavík or hike around Kerid Crater.

If you still have some time, you can relax in one of the hot springs, e.g. Secret Lagoon or Hrunalaug. If you are more into fancy lagoons with luxurious amenities, then go for the famous Blue Lagoon or newly opened Sky Lagoon. Just brace yourself for bigger crowds.

8–12 Hours

What do you can do in half a day in Iceland? Quite a lot actually. Of course, you can combine a visit to Golden Circle and Reykjavík with enjoying a bath in the hot springs (as described above). Or you can choose from other options:

• Rent a car and drive to Vík with stops at the waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss, Gljufrabui and Skógafoss and the black sand beach Reynisfjara.
• If you want to get some active time before sitting on the plane, you can enjoy a short hike to the hot river Reykjadalur in Hveragerdi.

24 Hours

Let’s go explore the best places in Iceland during your 1-day stopover. You can start or end this trip with a quick visit to Reykjavík and then get ready for some Icelandic beauties as you continue to Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

Some people even say it is Iceland in miniature. You can see waterfalls, photogenic mountains, black beaches, sea cliffs and if you are lucky, maybe you will also spot some sea lions. If you still have some time, you can explore stunning places around Reykjanes (for example Kleifarvatn Lake or the steaming area of Krýsuvík).

48 Hours

With two days you can already explore some of the highlights and maybe even some non-touristy things in Iceland, for example, Brúarfoss or Haifoss waterfalls.

On the first day, visit Reykjavík and drive around Golden Circle with the evening bath in the Hrunalaug hot spring. If you feel adventurous, book a snorkelling experience at the Silfra fissure.

On the second day get ready for the most stunning views you’ve probably seen in your life. And explore the best spots in Icelandic Highlands. You need the 4×4 car for it and travel to Iceland during the summer season, but it is worth it. You can hike through the colourful rainbow mountains of Landmannalaugar or enjoy fewer people while exploring similar landscapes in the Hveradalir geothermal area.

If you travel to Iceland during the season, instead of the Highlands you can either explore  Snæfellsnes or south of Iceland with Vík, black sand beach etc.

Is It Worth To Do a Stopover in Iceland?

Absolutely! Iceland has many things to offer, maybe even too many. So if your stopover is not 10 days long, take this as a sneak peek at Icelandic landscapes and culture. Once you discover only a little part of this stunning country, you will want to get more. But this time you will get a chance to admire Iceland in all its glory.

For more similar articles about Iceland, check out my recommendations below:

• How to spend 2 days in Reykjavik
• Golden Circle Iceland Stops And Attractions

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