Waterfalls. Glaciers. Black sand beaches. Volcanoes. Mountains…need I go on? Iceland’s South Coast is a stunning stretch of natural paradise with diverse views like nothing I’ve ever seen! No wonder so many people flock to this part of Iceland to take it all in!
Out of our week in Iceland, this was undoubtedly my favorite day, and I wish we could have added several more in this area to explore it more fully! If you have the time to spare, I highly recommend you carve out 2-3 days at minimum to really experience this part of the country, taking hikes, visiting as many sights as possible, and slowing down to enjoy it all!
But if you’re like me and trying to pack as much in as possible on a time crunch, this one-day guide to the South Coast is for you! (Even if you plan to spend a few days, this is a good starting point to help plan your adventures, with these stops as the anchors for your trip).
In this post, I’ll share an itinerary for a full day along this gorgeous coast, along with time recommendations and optional add-ons!
Ready? Let’s go!
1-Day Itinerary for Iceland’s South Coast
Once again, there is far more to do on the South Coast than this itinerary covers, but if you need the short and sweet version, this one will give you a little bit of everything! I recommend that you start your day from Selfoss, Iceland (we spent a couple of nights at Hotel South Coast there) or a smaller village close to the South Coast, but you can also go from Reykjavik if you don’t mind doubling the initial drive.
The total drive time for this route is 2 hours and 45 minutes, assuming you leave from Hotel South Coast as we did. So you’ll need to carve out some good road time, but you’ll still have lots of daylight left to explore!
Morning on the South Coast
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall (1 hour)
Start your day bright and early with a visit to the iconic Seljalandsfoss Waterfall! Located exactly 1 hour from Selfoss off Route 1, this towering fall is one of Iceland’s most popular natural attractions!
Seljalandsfoss features a 197-foot drop off a cliff into a small pool. There’s a main fall, along with several smaller cascades along the sides of the same cliff. The force of the falls causes a heavy mist pretty much all the time, so be prepared to get soaked if you get too close. But on the plus side, this mist also sets the perfect conditions for rainbows on sunny days!
But the real pull of Seljalandsfoss is the path behind the falls! During warm weather months, this path opens up, allowing you to walk behind the falls to get one of the most iconic views in Iceland! However, due to that heavy spray, the path gets very icy during winter, so it’s closed for most cold weather months.
I’d recommend about 1 hour to take in the falls from all angles and enjoy the walking path beside the cliffs. And since this is such a popular destination, try to get here as early in the morning as possible to avoid the crowds!
Eyjafjallajokull Visitor’s Center (15 minutes-Optional)
If you’re interested in learning about Eyjafjallajokull, the volcano that erupted in 2010, causing massive damage to this area along the South Coast, swing by the little Visitor’s Center on Route 1 to read about its impact and how the community has readjusted. It’s en route to your next destination, and the information here is relevant to one of your stops later today.
Skogafoss Waterfall (1 hour)
Just 30 minutes down the road from Seljalandsfoss, you’ll find Skogafoss, another of Iceland’s most popular waterfalls! This powerhouse fall is one of the biggest in Iceland, and you can hear it roaring from quite a ways away! But what makes this one so cool is that you can walk right up to the foot of the falls to feel its spray and the force of the water pouring over the edge.
Like Seljandsfoss, the sheer amount of mist from the falls makes it a prime location to see a rainbow (or two) arcing along the falls, creating an absolutely magical sight! It’s an even cooler contrast with the black pebble beach at the fall’s base.
If you’re up for a moderate challenge, be sure to take the path on the right of the falls that takes you all the way to the top of the cliff for an alternate view of Skogafoss! It’s a trek, but fun if you have the time.
But if you don’t want a challenge, no worries. You can literally see Skogafoss from the parking lot as you pull in, and you can be standing in front of it, feeling the spray with an easy 3-minute walk.
Skogar Museum (1-2 hours)
If you’re interested in history and Icelandic artifacts, head right next door (literally one driveway over) to the Skogar Museum. This sprawling museum has over 18,000 regional artifacts, ranging from fishing gear to textiles and cars. There’s even an open-air museum with a traditional turf farm, schoolhouse, church, and more, all exemplifying different types of Icelandic architecture. I particularly loved the addition of the little elf house, which is a huge part of Icelandic tradition!
The museum is divided into several themed buildings, each packed with artifacts and information. If you like to read, you’ll be here for quite a while, but you can also skim through and still have an enjoyable time. I recommend spending at least an hour if you plan to do a speed run, but closer to two if you really want to dive in!
If you do stop here, I highly recommend grabbing lunch at the on-site cafe before continuing your day.
Afternoon on the South Coast
Sólheimajökull Glacier (30 minutes to 3 hours)
One of the highlights of any day on the South Coast is the mesmerizing Sólheimajökull Glacier! The short walking path to the glacier and lagoon is free, and you can even fly your drone here if you have one!
This five-mile-long glacier features an intricate pattern of black streaks caused by volcanic eruptions from the nearby Katla and Eyjafjallajokull volcanoes. Unfortunately, these eruptions also caused the glacier to melt at an accelerated rate, which you can see from the glacial lagoon at its base.
But despite its rapid shrinking, the Sólheimajökull Glacier is still a fantastic sight and one of the best glaciers to hike in Iceland! If you’re interested in hiking Sólheimajökull, you can book a guided hike that lasts about 3 hours. Please know that this is not a standard hike by any means, so you must go with an experienced guide. Your specially trained glacial guide will make sure you safely cross the terrain and have all the necessary equipment you need for a fun and injury-free hike.
If you choose to hike at Sólheimajökull, I recommend skipping the Skogar Museum and the extra hikes at the waterfalls to free up more time. If not, just enjoy the outlook point for a few minutes before hopping back in your car!
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach (1 to 2 hours)
From Sólheimajökull, head about 40 minutes down the road to reach another of the South Coast’s most popular stops: Renisfjara Black Sand Beach.
This rugged beach features a fascinating mixture of black pebbles and sand, along with an impressive basalt column formation forming a cave on one end. The waters offshore also have several notable rock formations formed by weather and erosion. According to Icelandic folklore, these rocks, officially known as Reynisdrangar, were once trolls that were turned to stone!
This beach is often incredibly windy, so I recommend bringing a heavy jacket or coat. Also, keep in mind that it is not a swimming beach. The waves can be incredibly dangerous, and quite a few tourists have been swept away when they turned their backs to the ocean to take a picture!
Evening on the South Coast
Vik (3 hours to overnight)
Wrap up your day with some time in the town of Vik, right at the southernmost tip of Iceland! This small town has a decent bit to do and see, making it a great place to spend your evening. There are hotels if you want to spend the night, but you can also head back north up Route 1 if you’d rather start your next day in a more centralized location.
While you can pick and choose from several things to do, here are a few of my favorites:
Víkurfjara Black Sand Beach
If you’re not tired of black sand beaches, head to the Víkurfjara Black Sand Beach for a stroll–it’s also a great place to eat a picnic or watch the sunset! It’s right on the other side of the peninsula from Reynasfjara, so it has similar features, but it’s just steps away from the town of Vik, making it a convenient spot to chill in the evening.
Vík i Myrdal Church
Another of Iceland’s most iconic lookout points happens to be right in Vik! The Vík i Myrdal Church has stunning views of the town and coastline from the top of the hill, and many photos capture this little red and white church in the foreground with that beautiful scenery in the back.
You can drive or walk to the top of the hill to get that quintessential view!
Shopping and Dining
For a small town, Vik has a decent selection of shopping and dining to choose from. If you’re looking for cold weather or hiking gear, the Icewear/ Vik Wool is a great stop with a large selection. The same building also has two small restaurants and a Kronan grocery store where you can get a good meal to wrap up your day.
Lava Show
By far, the most exciting option here is to attend a lava show! Vik is one of two locations in the world where you can see this show, and the other is Reykjavik. And when in Iceland…why not?
The Lava Show is an impressive presentation featuring real lava that’s been reheated to its melting point. During the fun but educational presentation, you’ll learn a lot of cool lava facts and watch it change consistencies as it cools down. At the end of the show, you can even hold a piece of lava “string”!
The show lasts one hour, and they have multiple show times to choose from throughout the day. For this itinerary, I’d recommend the last show of the day to ensure you have plenty of time to do everything else. Don’t forget to book in advance because they tend to sell out!
See More South Coast Fun in My YouTube Video!
Closing Thoughts on Iceland’s South Coast
While we loved every day in Iceland, the South Coast is the one that stuck with me the most all these months later because it was so breathtaking at every turn! It’s easy for me to see why so many people have this particular area on their bucket lists!
I think my favorite part of the day was the waterfalls because they were so gorgeous, and the double-rainbows just put them over the top. However, I can’t deny it was pretty epic to see a glacier in person and get up close to those basalt columns on Reynisfjara, too!
Not to mention, this entire drive is beautiful! You will pass so much incredible scenery along the way to each of these stops, making it ideal road tripping material!
What do you think? Does the South Coast belong on your Iceland itinerary? If so, what are you looking forward to the most? Let me know in the comments below, and feel free to drop any questions there, too!
Love what you read? There’s more to explore! Take a peek at the rest of my Iceland series on the blog and YouTube for plenty of inspiration and guides. And don’t forget to subscribe to the blog for insights on future adventures!
Sign Up for Updates from Carried Away Travels
Thanks for stopping by, and I wish you many happy travels!
Ready for More? Check Out These Recent Posts!
- Living on the Move: A Digital Nomad’s RV Guide to Working, Wandering, and Staying Sane
- The Ultimate Carnival Cruise Insider: 8 Things You Need to Know
- Dive into the Ultimate Adventure: Snorkeling with Reef Sharks in the Bahamas
- The New & Improved Carnival Sunshine Cruise: What to Expect, Part 2
- The New & Improved Carnival Sunshine Cruise: What to Expect, Part 1
- Full Review of Swimming with Pigs in the Bahamas!
Make Vacation Planning Easier
Download my Vacation Planner or Travel Blogger’s Planner today!
