We’ll be in Iceland from December 26, 2026, through January 1, 2027, staying in Reykjavik. We can rent a car, but the question is how much driving actually makes sense for this particular week.
My interests point toward hiking, running, photography, and spending time outside. In summer, that might mean long trails and ambitious driving days. At the end of December, I’d build the trip around a few substantial outdoor experiences, geothermal pools, and New Year’s Eve in the city.
The priorities: a guided glacier hike, Silfra drysuit snorkeling, and an optional Golden Circle day. Keep one day free, and let the weather determine the order.
This is a plan for an upcoming trip, not a report of places we’ve already visited. The weather guidance is seasonal, not a forecast for our dates. Holiday hours, tour availability, and the 2026 New Year’s program need checking before booking and again closer to departure.
What That Week Is Actually Like
Daylight is the main constraint. Reykjavik gets roughly four hours between sunrise and sunset in late December. Think approximately late morning to mid-afternoon, not a conventional full sightseeing day. Twilight adds useful light for photography, but it doesn’t make an icy trail or road safe.
I’d protect the middle of the day for the main outdoor activity. Breakfast, transfers, dinner, and some pool visits can happen in darkness. A long excursion will almost certainly involve traveling before sunrise or after sunset; a guided tour removes the driving burden, not the darkness.
Expect conditions around freezing, with possible rain, snow, ice, and strong wind. A snowy landscape is possible, but so are wet streets and thawing snow that later refreezes. Wind, visibility, and road conditions matter more than the temperature alone.
Fitness helps with a glacier walk. It doesn’t make a closed road accessible or an exposed mountain route sensible. For this trip, short walks and guided glacier terrain are a better fit than independent mountain hikes.
The Activities I’d Prioritize
1. A Guided Glacier Hike on the South Coast
This is my first-choice active outing: time moving through a landscape, with a guide, rather than only photographing it from a parking area.
I’d look for a winter glacier-hiking excursion with Reykjavik pickup and actual walking time on the ice. A listing that includes a glacier viewpoint isn’t the same experience. Check the glacier location, time on the ice, equipment provided, footwear requirements, and weather cancellation policy. A meet-on-location tour also leaves us responsible for a potentially long winter drive.
The South Coast offers waterfalls such as Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss, but I’d choose a glacier-focused itinerary with a few stops instead of trying to fit every waterfall, beach, and ice cave into one day. Walking on a glacier and entering an ice cave are different activities; neither should be assumed to be included with the other.
This ranks above snowmobiling for my interests. I’d rather spend the available time walking and taking photographs than mainly riding across the landscape.
The safety boundaries are straightforward: no independent glacier access, no stepping past closed waterfall paths for a photograph, and no treating ordinary walking traction as glacier equipment. If a tour includes Reynisfjara beach, follow the current warnings and stay well back from the surf. Dangerous waves are a reason to skip a stop, not get closer for a better shot.
2. Silfra Drysuit Snorkeling
Silfra is the unusual experience I’d have trouble replicating on a normal hiking trip. It’s a water-filled fissure in Thingvellir National Park, with exceptionally clear water and a very different view of Iceland’s geology.
DIVE.IS describes the water as staying around 2-4 degrees Celsius year-round. A guided drysuit snorkeling tour makes that environment accessible, but it isn’t a warm-water activity: exposed skin, time getting changed, and cold air afterward are part of the experience.
Snorkeling doesn’t require scuba certification. It does require meeting the operator’s swimming, medical, age, and equipment-fit requirements. Scuba diving has separate certification and drysuit-experience requirements, so the two shouldn’t be confused when booking.
I’d make Silfra the main activity that day, with a short Thingvellir walk afterward if footing and daylight allow. I wouldn’t assume we could also give Geysir and Gullfoss meaningful time before dark.
This is a choice for both of us to enjoy, not an obligation. If cold-water snorkeling doesn’t appeal, I’d replace it with a guided lava-tunnel visit or another city day.
3. The Golden Circle, With Time to Walk
For a favorable-weather self-drive day, the route I’d consider is:
Reykjavik, Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, and back to Reykjavik.
The appeal is the variety: rift landscapes, geothermal activity, and a major waterfall. The limitation is that driving and three worthwhile visits take longer than the short daylight window. This is a full-day outing, not a four-hour loop.
At Thingvellir, I’d favor time walking through the rift landscape toward Oxararfoss, where paths are open and suitable, over collecting extra roadside stops. At Geysir, stay on marked paths around the hot springs. At Gullfoss, use whichever viewing areas are open rather than assuming every summer path is accessible.
If we’ve already explored Thingvellir on the Silfra day, we can shorten that stop or drop the separate Golden Circle outing altogether. If avoiding all dark-road driving is important, a shorter out-and-back or a guided excursion is a better plan than rushing the complete circuit.
4. Northern Lights, When Conditions Cooperate
These dates provide plenty of darkness, but that doesn’t guarantee aurora sightings. Cloud cover and solar activity still decide what is visible. Late December isn’t automatically the best week simply because the nights are long.
I’d take the first promising clear evening rather than designate the final night as our one chance. The Icelandic Met Office’s aurora forecast combines cloud information with an activity forecast; both matter.
A small-group tour is attractive if we haven’t rented a car. Check the cancellation and retry terms before booking, and leave time to use a retry. A guide can choose locations and handle the driving, but can’t promise a sighting.
For a nearby city option, the Grotta area on Seltjarnarnes is worth considering when conditions permit. Stay on accessible mainland paths, respect closures, and don’t cross to the lighthouse island without checking tides and access. There’s no reason to add tidal risk to an evening of sky watching.
For photography, I’d bring a tripod, spare batteries kept warm, and gloves that allow camera operation. I’d also resist sacrificing every night’s sleep: a glacier day after several hours outside chasing a cloud gap isn’t necessarily a better holiday.
5. One Spa Visit, Several Local Pools
I’d choose Sky Lagoon for the scenic spa outing, then use municipal pools for ordinary recovery days. Its ocean-facing setting is the draw, so a daylight slot is worth considering if that doesn’t displace one of our main excursions.
Sundholl, Vesturbaejarlaug, and Laugardalslaug are options for local pool visits. They make it possible to have a satisfying day without leaving the city or paying for a premium spa each time.
The city’s published holiday schedule currently lists 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on December 26, 2026, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on December 31, and 1-5 p.m. on January 1, 2027 for the listed pools. Recheck the individual pool before going; a January 1 visit only works with a sufficiently late flight. Follow the shower-before-swimming rules.
6. Short Runs and City Photography
I’d bring running shoes, but leave the training targets at home. A short outing on cleared paths is enough; this isn’t the week to insist on a mountain run.
On a calm day with good footing, the waterfront around the harbor and Sun Voyager offers an easy place to combine movement with photographs. Laugardalur is another area to consider for a shorter local loop. Neither is a promise of ice-free paths. Coastal wind can make an otherwise modest outing unpleasant very quickly.
Run in daylight when possible, use reflective clothing and a headlamp when necessary, and switch to walking or an indoor workout if the surface is icy. Traction helps with suitable footing; it doesn’t make every surface runnable.
For city photography, I’d leave room for Harpa, the harbor, and the streets around Hallgrimskirkja. These fit naturally around meals and pool visits without adding another long transfer.
Keep New Year’s Eve in Reykjavik
December 31 is the day I’d protect from ambitious travel plans.
Visit Reykjavik describes the fireworks as a celebration created by residents, rather than one official city display. The established rhythm includes dinner, neighborhood bonfires, a quieter period during the televised comedy show, and widespread fireworks around midnight.
Our plan would be simple:
- Reserve an early dinner and confirm the restaurant’s holiday arrangements.
- Choose a community bonfire once the 2026 locations and times are confirmed.
- Pick a viewing area with space and a straightforward route back to our accommodation.
- Leave a bar or music event optional rather than scheduling every hour.
An old bonfire map isn’t this year’s program. Wind can also change outdoor plans at short notice, so check the city notices on the day.
For photographs, a wide view of the city is more appealing than standing beside people launching fireworks. Keep clear of launch areas, consider hearing protection, and account for smoke and crowds. Plan the journey home rather than assuming a taxi will be immediately available after midnight.
A Flexible Day-by-Day Plan
December 27-29 are interchangeable. December 30 stays genuinely uncommitted so a canceled priority activity has somewhere to move.
| Date | Main plan | Weather and timing adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, December 26 | Arrive, settle into Reykjavik, take a short walk, and visit a pool if hours allow. | Keep bookings light; flight timing and fatigue decide how much happens. |
| Sunday, December 27 | Guided South Coast glacier-hiking excursion. | Move to a better weather day if the operator cancels; stay local instead. |
| Monday, December 28 | Silfra snorkeling and a modest Thingvellir walk. | Choose a lava-tunnel tour or city activities if snorkeling doesn’t appeal; road access still matters. |
| Tuesday, December 29 | Optional Golden Circle day. | Drop this first if the week gets compressed. A Reykjavik day with Sky Lagoon is a good alternative. |
| Wednesday, December 30 | Weather buffer: no fixed out-of-town booking. | Use it for a rescheduled priority excursion, or enjoy a short run, photography, and a local pool. |
| Thursday, December 31 | Stay in Reykjavik: relaxed daytime, dinner, a confirmed bonfire, and midnight fireworks. | Follow current event notices; don’t depend on a late return from a distant excursion. |
| Friday, January 1 | Slow morning and departure arrangements; a pool only if time and opening hours permit. | Work backward from the flight and allow for winter airport-transfer conditions. |
Northern lights fit into a promising evening, not a guaranteed slot in the table. I’d also avoid booking an inflexible spa appointment into the only remaining rescheduling window.
If we want a slower trip, the first thing I’d remove is the separate Golden Circle day. My ranking is glacier hike first, Silfra second, classic sightseeing loop third.
Should We Rent a Car?
Not automatically for the whole week. Reykjavik works as a base for city activities and excursions with pickup, provided we check that transport is actually included.
| Approach | When it makes sense | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Mostly guided tours | We want to focus on the activities without handling unfamiliar winter roads. | Less freedom for spontaneous photography stops. |
| A short rental | A favorable forecast lines up with a day when we want flexible pacing. | Short-notice availability and price aren’t guaranteed. |
| A full-week rental | We’re comfortable with winter driving and expect to use it regularly. | Paying for idle days, parking, and the temptation to drive because the car is already booked. |
My preference is guided transport for the glacier day, then a short rental only if the conditions and itinerary justify it.
Winter Rental and Driving Rules
- Ask the rental company to confirm proper winter tires on the actual vehicle. AWD or 4WD can help with traction, but it doesn’t make braking on ice safe.
- Choose a vehicle we can handle confidently, and check insurance exclusions, roadside assistance, cancellation terms, and holiday pickup or return hours.
- Check the weather forecast and warnings, official road conditions, and Safetravel alerts before leaving and again before returning.
- Treat closures and official advice as decisive. Don’t substitute a navigation app’s suggested shortcut for an open, suitable road; this isn’t a trip for highland or F-road exploration.
- Allow more time than a normal navigation estimate, reduce speed for the conditions, and leave generous following distance. Plan for a safe return, not just reaching the next attraction.
- Keep headlights and taillights on. Stop for photographs only in a safe, legal parking area, never on the roadway.
- Carry warm layers, food, water, and a charged phone. Avoid driving exhausted after an overnight flight or late aurora outing.
- Be willing to cancel. A rental agreement isn’t a reason to travel in dangerous weather.
Safetravel’s driving guidance is a useful starting point, especially its warnings about rapidly changing conditions and navigation apps that may not reflect road closures. Iceland’s emergency number is 112.
I wouldn’t make Snaefellsnes, Jokulsarlon, or a multi-region road trip central to this week. They deserve time; from a Reykjavik base in late December, they also add substantial travel exposure. I’d spend the limited good-weather windows on activities rather than distance.
What to Do When the Weather Changes
A guided visit to the Raufarholshellir lava tunnel is a geology-focused alternative to another long sightseeing day. It still requires travel outside Reykjavik, so it isn’t a fallback for unsafe roads. Confirm transport and operating conditions with The Lava Tunnel.
For a city-based day, Perlan offers Iceland-focused exhibits and an artificial ice cave. I’d treat that as a different experience, not a substitute for walking on a real glacier. Museums, cafes, and a local pool can also make a worthwhile day without chasing a distant patch of better weather.
Even city travel needs judgment during a severe warning. Sometimes the sensible plan is to stay near the accommodation and wait for conditions to improve.
What I’d Book and Pack First
I’d start with December 31 dinner, then a guided glacier excursion with clear cancellation and rescheduling terms. Silfra comes next if we both want to do it. A preferred spa slot is worth reserving once the main days are arranged, ideally with flexibility. The sightseeing day is the easiest part to leave open.
For clothing and equipment, the essentials are waterproof outer layers, insulating layers, warm gloves, a hat, waterproof boots, a headlamp, and traction suitable for icy walking paths. Add swimwear, running gear for suitable conditions, and a compact camera setup with spare batteries. The glacier guide should provide or specify the technical equipment needed for that activity.
Before departure, recheck holiday opening hours, tour pickup details, dinner arrangements, and airport transfers. Before each outdoor day, check the weather, roads, and operator messages again.
A good week doesn’t require seeing all of Iceland. A few excellent outdoor days, time in warm water, and New Year’s Eve in Reykjavik are enough to build the trip around.