48 Hours in Reykjavik and the Silver Circle
OCT 17, 2026
2 Days | 2 Nights | October 2026
We just returned from our 2026 fall break, a trip that would ultimately take us to the Netherlands. We flew Icelandair, which gave us the opportunity to spend two nights in Reykjavik before continuing on to Amsterdam.
With a previous weeklong trip to Iceland’s south coast already under our belts, this was a chance to explore a little more of the country without adding much travel time to our overall trip.
Two nights gave us just enough time for a day exploring Reykjavik and a second day venturing out to the Silvee Circle. Here’s how we spent our 48 hours in Iceland.
Our Itinerary at a Glance
Saturday October 10
Arrival in Reykjavik 8:40 AM.
Breakfast – Laundromat Cafe
Visit Hallgrimskirkja
FlyOver Iceland
Laugavegur Shops and Rainbow Street
Coffee at Reykjavik Roasters
Hotel Reykjavik Centrum Check In
Klambratun Park – Disc Golf
Dinner – Grandi Matholl Food Hall
Sunday October 11
Breakfast – Hotel Reykjavik Centrum
Sturlureykir Horse Farm
Deildartunguhver Hot Springs
Hraunfossar Waterfall
Barnafoss Waterfall
Lunch – Pufan Pizzeria and Espresso Bar
Borgarnes Park – Disc Golf
Sky Lagoon
Dinner – Posthus Food Hall
Dessert – Gaeta Gelato
Arrival and Breakfast
Our nonstop flight from Nashville landed in Iceland at 8:40 AM after an overnight journey. Trying to sleep on a plane is nearly impossible, but we tried our best. Running on a couple hours (maybe) of sleep, we picked up our rental car and made our way into the city.
We arrived to cold temperatures and drizzly rain, so we dug our rain coats out of our luggage and braved the cold for a day of exploring.
Our first stop was Laundromat Cafe, a cozy diner with shelves packed full of books, walls covered in photos of old laundromats, and vintage globe lights hanging from the ceiling. The basement even houses an actual working laundromat and a small play area for younger kids.
Stacks of pancakes topped with fruit and syrup, avocado toast, and coffee helped us power through our jetlag for the day.
Hallgrimskirkja
Back in 2023, we spent a full week along the south coast of Iceland for our fall break. During that trip, our day in Reykjavik was cut short when cold weather, wind, and snow closed some of the roads in and out of the city. This time, we planned to revisit a few of the sights we’d missed.
Our first stop was the iconic Hallgrimskirkja. We walked through the altar and purchased tickets to ride the elevator to the belltower.
On a clear day, I imagine the views of the city and the surrounding water are beautiful. Unfortunately, clouds and rain obscured much of the view during our visit . We spent a little time in the bell tower before heading to our next stop.
FlyOver Iceland
For a rainy morning activity, we chose FlyOver Iceland. We’d enjoyed a similar experience during a trip to Amsterdam a couple of years ago, and thought we’d try the Icelandic version.
The virtual flying ride takes you on a journey over the landscapes of Iceland, with sweeping views of lava fields, glaciers, waterfalls, and wildlife. Before the ride, two short films introduce stories about the history and culture of Iceland.
It’s a beautiful way to get a sense of the countries varied landscapes, especially if the weather isn’t cooperating outside.
Laugavegur and Rainbow Street
By the time we finished our ride, the rain had stopped, allowing us to get back outside.
We walked the colorful Rainbow Street, browsed some souvenir shops around the Laugavegur area, and made a coffee stop at Reykjavik Roasters before strolling towards the water to see the Sun Voyager statue.
I’d also hoped to stop at Braud & Co bakery to try their pastries and famous cinnamon buns. Sadly, the timing just didn’t work out this time. We were still stuffed from our big breakfast and preparing for an early dinner.
City Break in the Park
Happy that the weather had turned dry, we looked for a park for a city break before dinner.
Our son loves disc golf and had brought a single disc along for the trip. He found a nearby course in the city with 10 short holes to play, called Klambratun Park.
The park would also be great for any family looking to get outside between sightseeing activities. There were basketball courts, walking paths, a volleyball net, a small soccer field, a short climbing wall, a skate park, and a jumping blob – along with the disc golf course.
Proud of ourselves for staying awake, we were ready to drop our things at the hotel and grab an early dinner.
Hotel Check In
For our short city stay, we booked two rooms at Hotel Reykjavik Centrum. Each room had two twin beds and a bathroom. The location was ideal with many shops and restaurants within walking distance, and our booking included a complimentary breakfast each morning.
The breakfast was a great fit for us. The buffet offered eggs, sausages, breakfast potatoes, breads and pastries, skyr and yogurts with toppings, meats and cheeses, and juice and coffee.
My husband, Tyler, and our daughter even tried a shot of Lysi cod liver oil with their breakfast, which is traditional for Icelanders to supplement Vitamin D, Omega 3’s, and other vitamins – particularly during the long dark winter months when they are short on daylight.
Grandi Matholl Food Hall
A casual and easy dinner was in order after a very long day, so we paid a visit to Grandi Matholl Food Hall. It is a small food hall in the Old Harbour district. The hall is located in an old warehouse on a fishing dock.
The surrounding area has other restaurants and shops that would be fun to explore as well.
The atmosphere was relaxed and the food was great. We tried an assortment of fish, shrimp, noodles, and wraps from a few different vendors. Everything was delicious.
After dinner, we called it a night and recharged for our only full day outside the city.
Icelandic Horses
Well rested and eager to make the most of our second day, we set our alarms and got an early start for day 2. We had breakfast at the hotel and then hopped in the car for our hour and a half drive toward the Silver Circle.
One of only two activities I had booked in advance was a visit to Sturlureykir Horse Farm. A small family-run Icelandic horse breeding farm.
We booked a visit for their farm tour which included hearing the history of the farm, an introduction to the breed, having time in the barns with the horses, and learning about their natural hot springs.
The family was so kind and the tour felt relaxed and personal.
The horses were incredibly sweet and social. We spent most of our time feeding them hay and grooming before the family showed us their hot springs and explained how they bake rye bread in the ground using the steam from the springs.
Afterward, we returned to the main building for coffee, hot chocolate, and a taste of the freshly baked rye bread.
The farm tour was a relatively quick visit, lasting about 45 minutes. They also offer horseback riding tours, which I’ve now added to my list for a future trip.
Waterfalls and Hot Springs
Since we had already made our way out to the Silver Circle to visit the horses, we planned for a few waterfall stops as well.
First up was Deildartunguhver Hot Springs, just a short drive from the farm. It is known as Europe’s most powerful hot spring.
The site is relatively small. It is easy to park and walk right up to the spring which has one small safety railing surrounding it. Colorful rocks surround the area as water and steam bubble forcefully out of the earth.
We arrived earlier in the day, before the nearby food stands had opened, but there was a patio with seating and a counter for ordering food.
Also next to the spring is Krauma, a natural geothermal bath and spa. We didn’t visit this particular spa because we had planned another lagoon experience for the afternoon, but the facilities looked beautiful from the outside. It is a convenient option if you plan to spend a day in the Silver Circle and want to add a soak.
Our next stop was Hraunfossar and Barnafoss Waterfalls. Both are accessible from the same parking lot, with separate paths leading to each.
Hraunfossar stretches along a series of cliffs with the waterfalls pouring out from the edge of a lava field into a river. The walking path takes you along the opposite side of the river, offering beautiful views and overlooks along the falls.
At the end of the Hraunfossar overlook, we continued to see Barnafoss. Barnafoss is smaller, but more powerful, with crystal blue rapids surging through a narrow rock arch you can view from above. We also stopped to read the folklore surrounding the story of the arch and the falls.
Both stops were easy to access and the crowds were minimal during our visit. We enjoyed walking the trails, taking in the views, and spending time exploring the area without feeling rushed.
Pizza and Parks
After seeing the horses and some of the Silver Circle, we began our drive back to Reykjavik, with a couple of stops to break up the trip.
Pufan Pizzeria and Espresso Bar is in a town called Borgarnes, which is about 45 minutes from the falls. The restaurant is an adorable little red cottage with a turf roof and the interior has a coffee house vibe. We stopped here for a pizza lunch with coffee.
The pizzas were fantastic. The tomato sauce tasted homemade and they were baked in a wood fire oven. This may have been our favorite meal of the trip.
While eating lunch, we had pulled up the disc golf course map again. We found a small park with a 5 hole course in Borgarnes and stopped to play it a couple of times before finishing our drive back to Reykjavik.
Sky Lagoon and Dinner
The other activity I’d booked in advance was Sky Lagoon.
On our previous fall break trip, we had visited the Blue Lagoon, which was a crowd favorite for our group. It was tempting to return, but we decided to try something new.
Sky Lagoon welcomes ages 12 and up, which had knocked it off our list of options during our last trip. They do ask to see the kids’ passports for proof of age.
The facilities are amazing, relaxing and really quite beautiful.
We showered and changed into our suits before entering the geothermal lagoon. The hot pool against the cold air feels so nice after a busy day.
The lagoon has an infinity edge overlooking the bay and the North Atlantic Ocean. We swam, settled in along the edge, and watched the ocean.
Our passes also included a 7 step ritual, which was quite the adventure for our family. We stepped out of the lagoon and the first step was a cold plunge. 3 out of the 4 of us failed this challenge, but onward we went.
The remaining steps took us through a silent sauna overlooking the ocean, a gorgeous room with wooden rafters covering us in a cold mist, a body scrub, a geothermal steam room, and finally a crowberry drink before we completed the ritual and returned to the lagoon.
We ordered drinks at the swim up bar and enjoyed a good amount of time in the hot lagoon overlooking the ocean before calling it a day.
So far, every lagoon we’ve visited in Iceland has been a luxurious treat that our whole family has enjoyed. Sky Lagoon was a different experience from Blue Lagoon, and the seven step ritual gave us plenty to giggle about along the way.
Feeling relaxed after an evening in the spa, we decided on another food hall dinner. This time we went to Posthus Food Hall located more in central Reykjavik, followed by Gaeta Gelato for dessert.
We found what we needed at Posthus, but we all agreed that Grandi Matholl had been more relaxed and more our speed. Gaeta Gelato was a few doors down from our hotel and provided the perfect night cap before turning in.
What We Would Do Again
Our Iceland visit was short, but the 48 hour stopover worked beautifully. It broke up our journey to the Netherlands and gave us a chance to see a little bit more of the country since we had already explored the south coast a couple years ago.
Silver Circle Stops
Our day at the horse farm and seeing the waterfalls was perfect. Iceland is unlike anywhere I have visited. At times, it feels like stepping onto another planet, with landscapes that are hard to believe until they are right in front of you.
Sky Lagoon
We loved Blue Lagoon, but I am glad we tried something new. Sky Lagoon was a totally different experience, and completing the 7 step ritual with our kids made for some humorous memories.
City Breaks in the Park
The ease of finding a park was an unexpected highlight and provided an excellent mental break during a day of running around.
What We Would Do Differently
Honestly, there’s not much I’d change about this trip. It was quick and efficient and the stops worked well for us.
Plan a Summer Trip
I’d love to return in summer to experience Iceland in a completely different season. Longer days would offer more opportunities for hiking, puffin sightings, whale watching and exploring different landscapes.
After seeing the FlyOver Iceland landscapes and spotting camper vans and off road vehicles along the way, the kids were itching for an adventure.
Add Horseback Riding
Given more time, I would book the horseback riding tour. The family and horses at Sturlureykir would be a wonderful place to start
On To the Netherlands
I absolutely love Iceland. The incredible sights, the wild weather, and crazy geysers and hot springs never cease to amaze me. The people are so welcoming and the country is relatively simple to navigate. I have faith that we will be back one day, hopefully in the not too distant future.
Following our quick 48 hour stop, we packed our bags and boarded a plane to Amsterdam. Warm, sunny fall weather greeted us for 4 nights in the Netherlands. Next week, I’ll share where we stayed and all that we discovered along the way.
Until then, if you are dreaming of your own Icelandic adventure, with a little room to amble and roam, send me a message. I’d be happy to help you plan it.
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