Having a stopover between flights is something I guess most of us hate. It implies spending hours in an airport, bored, tired and wishing to make it home. Probably most people try to avoid this when booking their flights. But what if we turn all of this around? Can a stopover actually be great and fun? If you happen to have a Stopover in Iceland, then stick around. We will try to make the most out of it.
Instead of looking to the dark side of Stopovers, we will try to highlight the benefits of it. Some airlines, such a Icelandair or wow air, offer a Stopover in Iceland for many international flights. Sometimes you can even choose how long it can be. Allowing a maximum of 7 days layover. We are going to focus on a short stopover for those with a tight schedule. Such short time usually ranges from 5 hours to 16 hours approximately.
Instead of being bored in a waiting area, we will propose some great ideas for you. This way you can at least have a tiny taste of what Iceland has to offer. At the same time, you will be able to relax and have fun. We will choose those places and areas close to the Airport and Reykjavik. This way you can adapt them to your own schedule depending on the time you have available. Do not worry about your luggage as the checked baggage are kept safe by the airline itself. For your hand pieces, there are many luggage storage places in Iceland.
The first thing you need to take into account is that time is limited. So the more prepared you are, the better. It is important not to leave loose ends and this might result in a waste of time. This means having taxis booked as in Iceland there are no taxis driving around. Tickets bought in advance, checking places to eat beforehand. Surely this will save you tons of money as well.
The Blue Lagoon
It is just 21km away from the airport. You can get there in about 15-20 minutes. We highly advise you to book in advance, as they have different type of packages. You can then calmly check them out and decide which one you prefer. Even if you go for the basic one, bear in mind you will spend from 2-4 hours here. So for those travelers with the tightest schedule, this is your option to forget about airport hassle.
The Blue Lagoon is a quite unique experience and a very Icelandic one. So even though you cannot visit Iceland around and across, at least you will have this amazing experience.
Shopping
To complement your relaxing experience, you can squeeze the remaining time coming back to the airport and visiting the Duty Free shop. Here you can find Icelandic wool goods, music, magazines, booked and crafts. I bet your family and friends will absolutely love some great Icelandic souvenirs. And you will love them even more as they will be at a cheaper price!
Have more than 4-5 hours? 16h+ maybe? Then why not heading off to Reykjavik? Keep in mind that the capital city is about 50 km away from the airport so:
- Taxis are quite expensive in Iceland. The cheapest option would be the Flybus. You can purchase your tickets and departing time in advance.
- There is luggage storage available in the BSI bus station.
Main sightseeing places for a short stopover in Iceland and visit to Reykjavik:
A Stopover in Iceland – A Guide For a Tight Schedule
Reykjavik
- I would make the Hallgrímskirkja church your first stop for this Stopover in Iceland. It is right in the downtown area of Reykjavik. Everything will then be at hand. It has a great top floor observatory and you will be able to check the whole city form the height.
- Laugavegur Street: Close by the main church of Reykjavik, there is the main commercial street of the city.
- Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur: at about 1,5 km from Laugavegur you will find the famous Icelandic hot dogs stand. Get one with everything and head off to the next stop.
- Harpa Concert hall: Here you can kill two birds with one stone. You can check the famous and modern Harpa and at the same time, enjoy the views of the bay.
Remaining time can be used to eat with no rush, enjoy an Icelandic café shop and just wander around the city.