2025 Iceland Holiday trip

EJExander Johns · Dec 23, 2025 — Jan 1, 2026
10 days 24 steps 573 miles

Festive trip between Christmas and New Years Eve, based out of Reykjavik

  1. Dec 23, 2025Step 1 of 24

    Keflavík International Airport

    Iceland
    The northern lights from the plane window The northern lights over Iceland

    Flew from O'hare to Keflavik. Fortunate to catch sight of the aurora on my way to Iceland.

  2. Traveled for 15 minutes
    Dec 23, 2025Step 2 of 24

    Hafnarfjörður

    Hafnarfjörður · Iceland
    The rainbow street in Hafnarfjörður Hellisgerði park, Hafnarfjörður The Christmas tree at Hellisgerði park, Hafnarfjörður Hellisgerði park at night, Hafnarfjörður The Christmas market in Hafnarfjörður Lights at the Hafnarfjörður Christmas market

    Rode the bus to Hafnarfjörður, had my first Icelandic beer, visited the local Christmas market and stopped by Hellisgerði, a small park said to be inhabited by elves. It was a windy, rainy, perfect December 23rd.

  3. Dec 23, 2025Step 3 of 24

    Dinner at Cafe Loki

    Hallgrímskirkja at night, Reykjavik Hallgrímskirkja lit up at night, Reykjavik Hallgrímskirkja at night, Reykjavik

    First night in Reykjavik, enjoying kjötsúpa and the night views of Hallgrímskirkja.

  4. Dec 24, 2025Step 4 of 24

    Laugavegur street tour

    Alþingishúsið, the Icelandic Parliament House, Reykjavik Statue of Ingólfur Arnarson, Reykjavik The Yule Cat (Jólakötturinn) light sculpture, Reykjavik Statue of Jón Sigurðsson, Austurvöllur, Reykjavik Laugavegur, Reykjavik's main street, at night The Oslo Christmas tree on Austurvöllur, Reykjavik Laugavegur at night, Reykjavik Downtown Reykjavik at night Vatnsberinn (The Water Carrier) statue, Reykjavik

    The buildings, murals, and Christmas decorations of the main road in Reykjavik.

  5. Dec 24, 2025Step 5 of 24

    Fosshotel Reykjavik

    The view over Reykjavik toward Mount Esja Reykjavik and its harbour at dusk Reykjavik at night, Hallgrímskirkja lit in the distance Reykjavik at night from Fosshotel The Reykjavik shoreline at dusk Reykjavik at night, Hallgrímskirkja lit up Hallgrímskirkja on the Reykjavik skyline at dawn Sunset over Reykjavik

    My hotel and its views during my trip.

  6. Dec 24, 2025Step 6 of 24

    Fröken Christmas Eve dinner

  7. Dec 25, 2025Step 7 of 24

    Þingvellir

    Þingvellir National Park, Iceland The church at Þingvellir, Iceland The Öxará river, Þingvellir National Park Öxarárfoss waterfall, Þingvellir National Park

    Christmas day Golden Circle tour, included a stop to see Icelandic horses.

  8. Dec 26, 2025Step 8 of 24

    geysir

    The Geysir geothermal area, Iceland The Geysir geothermal field at dusk The Strokkur geyser erupting, Geysir
  9. Dec 25, 2025Step 9 of 24

    Gullfoss

    Gullfoss waterfall, Iceland Gullfoss waterfall, Iceland The Hvítá river gorge below Gullfoss The gorge at Gullfoss, Iceland Gullfoss in full flow, Iceland

    Legendary waterfall.

  10. Dec 25, 2025Step 10 of 24

    Kerið

    Kerið crater lake, Iceland Kerið crater lake, Iceland Kerið crater, Iceland
  11. Dec 25, 2025Step 11 of 24

    Matur og Drykkur

    Christmas Dinner

  12. Dec 26, 2025Step 12 of 24

    Night walk along Sæbraut.

    The Imagine Peace Tower (Friðarsúlan) across the bay, Reykjavik The Imagine Peace Tower lighting the night sky, Reykjavik Höfði house, Reykjavik The little orange lighthouse by Höfði, Reykjavik The Sun Voyager (Sólfarið) sculpture, Reykjavik
  13. Dec 26, 2025Step 13 of 24

    Organ Concert at Hallgrímskirkja

    Inside Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik The pipe organ of Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik Inside Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik A stained-glass window, Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik The nave of Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik The organ console at Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik
  14. Dec 27, 2025Step 14 of 24

    Day tour of Reykjavik

    The Einar Jónsson Museum, Reykjavik The Einar Jónsson sculpture garden, Reykjavik A sculpture at the Einar Jónsson Museum, Reykjavik The Einar Jónsson sculpture garden, Reykjavik The Icelandic Punk Museum, Reykjavik Inside the Icelandic Punk Museum, Reykjavik Inside the Reykjavik Maritime Museum Model boats at the Reykjavik Maritime Museum Medieval carvings at the National Museum of Iceland, Reykjavik A medieval manuscript at the National Museum of Iceland Inside the National Museum of Iceland, Reykjavik A medieval carved door at the National Museum of Iceland Tjörnin pond and City Hall at dusk, Reykjavik
  15. Dec 28, 2025Step 15 of 24

    Day 1, South coast tour: Seljalandsfoss

    Seljalandsfoss, Iceland Behind Seljalandsfoss, Iceland Behind Seljalandsfoss, Iceland Seljalandsfoss, Iceland Seljalandsfoss, Iceland Behind Seljalandsfoss, Iceland Behind Seljalandsfoss, Iceland Gljúfrabúi waterfall, Iceland Inside the Gljúfrabúi gorge, Iceland

    Gljúfrabúi and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls

  16. Dec 28, 2025Step 16 of 24

    Day 1, South coast tour: Skógafoss

    Skógafoss, Iceland Skógafoss, Iceland Skógafoss from above, Iceland A rainbow at Skógafoss, Iceland A rainbow at Skógafoss, Iceland Above Skógafoss, Iceland A rainbow over the Skógá river, Skógafoss The Skógá river and a rainbow above Skógafoss The Skógá river above Skógafoss, Iceland
  17. Dec 28, 2025Step 17 of 24

    Day 1, South coast tour: Vik and Reynisfjara

    Iceland
    Reynisfjara black sand beach, Iceland Víkurkirkja, the church at Vík, Iceland Víkurkirkja, Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland The Reynisdrangar sea stacks at sunset, Vík Waves at Reynisfjara beach, Iceland The basalt cliffs at Reynisfjara, Iceland Sunset over the coast at Vík, Iceland

    Black sand beaches, unpredictable waves, and a sleek church overlooking the troll rocks.

  18. Dec 28, 2025Step 18 of 24

    Day 1, South coast tour: Hofskirkja and Hotel Smyrlabjörg

    Hofskirkja, the turf church at Hof, Iceland The churchyard at Hofskirkja, Iceland
  19. Dec 29, 2025Step 19 of 24

    Day 2, South coast tour: Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach

    Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Iceland Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Iceland Icebergs at Jökulsárlón, Iceland The outlet bridge at Jökulsárlón, Iceland Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Iceland Diamond Beach, Iceland
  20. Dec 29, 2025Step 20 of 24

    Day 2, South coast tour: Vatnajökull National Park

    Vatnajökull glacier at sunrise, Iceland Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland Vatnajökull glacier at sunrise, Iceland The glacier in Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland Glacial ice at Vatnajökull, Iceland Inside a glacier ice cave, Vatnajökull, Iceland Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland A glacier walk in Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland Inside a glacier ice cave, Vatnajökull, Iceland Inside a glacier ice cave, Vatnajökull, Iceland Inside a blue ice cave, Vatnajökull, Iceland
  21. Dec 29, 2025Step 21 of 24

    Day 2, South coast tour: Eldhraun lava field

    The Eldhraun lava field, Iceland The Eldhraun lava field, Iceland The moss-covered Eldhraun lava field, Iceland A glacier on Iceland's south coast Sunset over Iceland's south coast Iceland's south coast A glacier on Iceland's south coast
  22. Dec 30, 2025Step 22 of 24

    Harpa

    Harpa concert hall, Reykjavik Inside Harpa concert hall, Reykjavik Inside Harpa concert hall, Reykjavik A concert hall inside Harpa, Reykjavik A concert at Harpa, Reykjavik

    Haukur Gröndal’s 50th-birthday concert.

  23. Dec 30, 2025Step 23 of 24

    NYE: Ægisíða Bonfire

    The New Year's Eve bonfire at Ægisíða, Reykjavik The New Year's Eve bonfire at Ægisíða, Reykjavik New Year's Eve at Ægisíða, Reykjavik The New Year's Eve bonfire at Ægisíða, Reykjavik

    Bonfire celebration on the beach before the closing night's fireworks.

  24. Dec 30, 2025Step 24 of 24

    NYE Fireworks

    New Year's Eve fireworks over Reykjavik New Year's Eve fireworks over Reykjavik New Year's Eve fireworks over Reykjavik New Year's Eve fireworks over Reykjavik

    My trip closed with the New Year's eve fireworks as I watched from the sea wall, with a clear view from Seltjarnarnes to downtown Reykjavik and beyond.