Day 1 - Arrival in Iceland
We took a flight from Milan, Italy to Keflavík International Airport with Wizz Air. The flight took about three hours. Since we only travelled with backpacks and no checked luggage, the journey was quite simple. I mostly slept during the flight.
When we arrived, the first thing I noticed was that everything was completely white. Iceland was covered in snow, and the temperature was around -7°C. It felt extremely cold but also very exciting.
A rental agent picked us up from the airport and drove us to the camper van station, which was about 30 minutes away. It was already around 7 PM, so it was dark outside.
After listening to the instructions and checking the equipment in the van, we started our journey. Our first stop was the city area for some quick sightseeing.
We visited Reykjavík, especially the Pingholt area. I didn’t take many proper photos because I was already very tired from travelling. We walked around the city, took pictures at the famous rainbow street, visited souvenir shops, and bought a few items.
We also stopped at a bakery and bought a croissant as a snack.
Later that night, we felt very cold and hungry, so we decided to cook instant noodles that we had brought with us.
Since it was already dark and my sister was still getting used to driving on the icy roads, we decided to stay at the first campsite we found. The campsite was comfortable and had a hangout area, cooking space, and clean toilets.
After washing up and eating our noodles, we went to sleep in the camper van.
Day 2 - Reykjavík, Sky Lagoon & Þingvellir
We started early and stopped at the Reykjavík Mosque for Subuh prayer before heading to Sky Lagoon.
We spent about three hours there enjoying the geothermal water, ocean views, and the famous 7-step ritual,
which included a cold plunge, sauna, cold mist, body scrub, steam room, and shower.
After relaxing there, we bought cinnamon rolls because we were very hungry.
Then we drove to Þingvellir National Park. My parents decided to stay near the entrance because it was cold and they were tired. Meanwhile, my siblings and I walked around the park.
We visited places like Lögberg, Drekkingarhylur, and Kastalar while taking photos.
Later, we stopped at Bónus supermarket to buy snacks and groceries.
That night we stayed at an Airbnb in Hella, where the owner welcomed us with a sweet note and some chocolates.
Day 3 - Waterfalls, Skógafoss & Plane Wreck
Our first stop was a waterfall in Rangárþing eystra. It was very cold, so we bought hot chocolate to warm ourselves. We also tried drinking glacier water, which tasted very fresh.
Next, we visited the famous Skógafoss waterfall.
This waterfall is also known because a scene from the Bollywood movie Dilwale starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol was filmed there. My parents even recreated the famous pose from the movie.
The wind was extremely strong, and even with gloves and a scarf I still felt very cold. But the waterfall was incredibly beautiful, and we took many photos.
Later we visited the Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck, where a US Navy plane crashed many years ago. Luckily, all the crew survived.
Normally visitors must walk several kilometers to reach the site, but since we arrived late and my parents could not walk that far, we took the shuttle transport.
The plane looked dramatic sitting alone in the middle of the snowy black sand landscape.
Day 4 - Vík, Beaches & Northern Lights
In the morning, we bought groceries near our Airbnb and enjoyed a comforting homemade breakfast cooked by my mom.
Our Airbnb owner also had three dogs named Vangur, Sky, and Tikka. They were very fluffy and friendly. My brother and I tried to build a snowman, but the dogs kept interrupting us and asking us to play.
We ended up throwing snowballs for them to chase instead.
Later we visited Vík Black Sand Beach and Reynisfjara Beach. The black sand, snow, and ocean looked incredibly beautiful.
In the afternoon, we tried to drive to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, but the drive was long and the weather was getting darker and windier.
So halfway through the journey we stayed at a free campsite.
That decision turned out to be the best one, because at around 7 PM we finally saw the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
Day 5 - Glacier Lagoon & Diamond Beach
Day 5 brought us to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon near Höfn. Seeing huge icebergs floating in the lagoon was breathtaking.
One of the most memorable moments was watching an iceberg flip upside down, revealing how much larger it was below the water.
After that we walked under the bridge to reach Diamond Beach, where pieces of ice from the lagoon wash onto the black sand beach.
The ice looked like sparkling diamonds scattered across the dark sand.
During the drive back, we also saw some Icelandic horse. They looked smaller and fluffier than the horses I usually see.
When we returned to our Airbnb, we finally played in the snow and tried again to build a snowman. For fun, we also placed strawberry milk outside the house to see if it would freeze in the cold weather.
Day 6 - Snowstorm & Farewell
On the final day, we originally planned to explore the Golden Circle route.
However, a snowstorm started while we were driving. The wind and snow were so strong that we could barely see the road. Ice even formed on the van’s mirrors.
My sister drove very slowly because it was quite scary and dangerous.
Instead of continuing our sightseeing, we drove toward the area near Keflavík International Airport since our flight was early the next morning.
Because of the storm, we cancelled our sightseeing plans and stayed in a small cabin near Keflavík Airport.
The next morning, we returned the camper vans and headed to the airport. It was the end of an unforgettable Iceland trip,
filled with beautiful landscapes, family moments, and unforgettable winter memories.
