Southwest Iceland & Faroe Islands Adventure

Arrive at Keflavík International Airport and pick up your rental car. Take the opportunity to stop at the Blue Lagoon for a relaxing soak in the geothermal waters after your overnight flight. Or, continue directly to Reykjavík, where you’ll spend your first night. To get acquainted with the city, you can join a hop-on/hop-off sightseeing bus, a great way to visit designated points of interest.

Overnight in Reykjavik
Highlights (optional): Reykjavík hop-on/hop-off bus tour, Blue Lagoon, whale watching from Reykjavík

Start your journey around the country by visiting three of Iceland’s best-known sites along the famous Golden Circle. Þingvellir National Park, the site of Iceland’s first parliament, was founded in 930. Þingvellir was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural value. The Þingvellir Lake, with its surroundings, is also a place of great geological interest. Passing Laugarvatn Lake, you will visit the Geysir geothermal area and its abundant hot springs. Anxiously await one of the most active geysers, Strokkur, which spouts a column of water into the air every 5 to 10 minutes. Then head to the Gullfoss waterfall, the Golden Falls that drop in two cascades deep into the gorge of the Hvítá glacial river. Continue toward the southern coast and end the day in Hella.

Highlights (optional): Fontana spa, snorkeling at Silfra.

Overnight in Hella
(Breakfast included)

Today, you will enter a world that not every tourist gets to see in Iceland – the majestic Borgarfjörður area. This area is known for its pristine nature and is the setting of many Icelandic Sagas. The waterfalls of Hraunfossar and Barnafoss, the historical site of Reykholt, home of Iceland’s famous chieftain and historian Snorri Sturluson, and the powerful Deildartunguhver hot spring are a few of the highlights of the day.

Highlights (optional): Krauma geothermal spa, visit the historic site of Reykholt. 

Overnight in Reykholt
(Breakfast included)

The Snæfellsnes peninsula is sometimes called “Iceland in miniature” since nearly all natural phenomena in Iceland can be found here: lava fields, volcanic craters, glaciers, waterfalls, black beaches, charming fishing towns, bird cliffs and more. You’ll also see Snæfellsjökull glacier – the inspiration for Jules Verne’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth”, and Mt. Kirkujufell, Iceland’s most photographed mountain.

Overnight in Snæfellsnes
(Breakfast included)

Decide how to spend today. If you didn’t have a chance to explore enough Snæfellsnes yesterday, you can spend more time on the peninsula. Or, you can head towards Reykjavik to enjoy the capital with optional, stunning stops along the way.

Highlights (optional): Whale watching, Vatnshellir cave tour

Overnight in Reykjavik
(Breakfast included)

Make your way to the Keflavík airport and drop your car. Depart on Atlantic Airways and upon arrival at Vágar airport, pick up your rental car. The drive to Tórshavn goes through colorful villages and offers views of tiny waterfalls on top of the hills.

The history of Tórshavn dates back to the 9th century, during the Viking Age when it was an important trading center. The historic Tinganes area of town was the commerce area, as well as the site of the local Viking chiefs’ annual gathering. You’ll see the red wooden turf-roofed houses that date back to that time, which is now the location of the Prime Minister’s office and other parts of the government. You’ll also see the Tórshavn cathedral and the historic Skansinn fortress, strategically situated on a hill beside the port. Stroll past the fish market where the fishermen feature their catch of the day. You’ll also find numerous outdoor sculptures adorning the town. 

Highlights (optional): National Gallery of Art, guided Tórshavn walking tour.

Overnight in Tórshavn
(Breakfast included)

The Faroe Islands have much to offer in nature, history, culture and scenery! The tradition of building houses with turf roofs dates back to the Vikings. This unique architectural style is still very much alive all across the archipelago, where you will find both old and modern turf-roofed buildings.

The tiny, remote village of Saksun is surrounded by mountains and waterfalls. It is known for its picturesque lagoon which was formerly an inlet of the sea until it was blocked with sand during a terrible storm in 1600. The Dúvugarður (which means the Doves Garden) Farm Museum, with its 300-year-old farmhouse, was inhabited until the 1940s, and the white, turf-roofed Saksun church from 1858 still stands.

Picturesque Gjógv is the northernmost village on the island of Eysturøy. At the edge of the village, with its church, colorful houses and wooden turf-roofed cottages, there is the “gjógv“ – a 200-meter long, sea-filled gorge, for which the village is named. During the summer months, you may spot puffins along the gorge, as well as thousands of seabirds. There are several opportunities for walks in the area to experience its nature and landscapes! The village of Tjørnuvík, at the tip of Streymøy island, is one of the oldest Faroese villages that can be traced back to the Viking era. Surrounded by high mountains with a beautiful sand beach, it offers breathtaking scenery. From the beach, you can see “Risin & Kellingin”, the legendary sea stacks off the coast rising up on the horizon, known as the Giant and the Witch. You may even see some surfers catching waves! 

Highlights (optional): Dúvugarður Farm museum

Overnight in Tórshavn
(Breakfast included)

Another day of exploration!

Visit the village of Vestmanna, where you can take a boat tour to the famous bird cliffs. Sail through the narrow sounds, deep grottoes and along the high cliffs while observing thousands of nesting birds. It’s also possible to join a fishing tour with a seasoned captain, in fishing grounds that offer a catch guarantee! Or, visit Faer Isles Distillery for a tour and tasting. Learn about their process of producing handcrafted whiskey, gin, and akvavit, and meet the passionate people behind the magic.

The historical site of Kirkjubøur is the location of the Faroe Islands’ oldest house, a traditional Viking farmhouse with a roof covered in grass. In fact, Kirkjubøur has the highest density of turf-roofed houses. You will also see ruins of the Magnus Cathedral from around 1300, as well as Saint Olav’s Church from the 12th century, which is still in use. Along the way, you can enjoy the views of the islands of Hestur and Koltur. This is also a wonderful place to take a walk! 

Highlights (optional): Bird-watching boat tour, fishing tour, distillery tour and tasting. 

Overnight in Tórshavn
(Breakfast included)

You have some time today to spend in town or take another sightseeing drive on the way to the airport, located on Vágar Island. One of its gems is the cozy village of Gásadalur (The Goose Valley), with charming wooden houses, and the magnificent Múlafossurl waterfall. This community was isolated until 2004 when it was connected by a tunnel through the mountain. Prior to that, the only way to reach it was on foot, by boat or by helicopter.

Drop off the rental car and depart for Reykjavik where you connect to your flight to the US.

Breakfast included