3 days in Iceland in winter
A weekend for adventurers & nature lovers who don’t mind the cold.
4 days
long we
Adventure
Nature
Couple &
friends trip
< 700€
p.p per we
Iceland in winter and just in 3 days? HOW?
Iceland in winter isn’t for everyone, and that’s exactly why we loved it. Fewer people, dramatic light, frozen waterfalls and that feeling of being very small in front of nature. Also, winter is low season which means less people & cheaper prices. This country is a mystical destination that almost every traveler dreams of visiting, but think they need a lot of time and money. Well, we are here to tell you that it is possible to visit this Iceland in a few days and on a budget.
Before going, everyone told us the same thing: “Iceland is insanely expensive.” The truth? Yes, it’s pricey… but it’s not outrageous if you travel smart. We balanced eating out with quick meals, avoided overpriced convenience stores and accepted that petrol would be our biggest expense. Some things are expensive, but the landscapes are free and that’s what you’re really there for. See the ‘good to know’ section at the end of the article for our best tips to reduce expenses.
We chose to stay in Reykjavík for the whole trip and explore by car. It keeps things simple and avoids packing and unpacking every night. Our base was CityHub Reykjavík, a modern and well-located hotel that makes a lot of sense for Iceland prices. If you don’t mind the cold and enjoy a busy schedule, this is a perfect long weekend escape for you and your adventure partner.
The itinerary
- Day 1 – Discover Reykjavik
- Day 2 – Golden circle
- Day 3 – South coast
Itinerary Day by Day
Day 1 – Land in Iceland & Discover Reykjavik
Day 2 – Drive the Golden Circle
Day 3 – Discover the South Coast
Good to know 💡
- Parking 🅿️
- To make parking easier download the Parka app, and you will be able to figure everything out from your phone.
- At most sightseeings, viewpoints or attractions you need to pay parking. It’s always around 7 euros, but some of them are free. So check as soon as you arrive, and always pay upfront. Fines can get expensive.
- Reykjavík has 4 different tariff zones and the pricing and tariff period varies. You can pay using parking meters or register a vehicle in a payment app.
- P1 = 630kr/h. The most expensive one, you pay from 9am until 9pm ❗️maximum 3 hours
- P2 = 230kr/h. In the parallels of the main street, a bit lower price, from 9am to 9pm.
- P3 = 230kr/h and 70kr after 2h. From 9am to 6pm weekdays only. If you want to save some money go for this option! That’s what we always did as we were parked only 5 minutes away from our hotel, also after certain hour you don’t pay anymore.
- P4 = 230kr/h. Frome 8am to 4pm weekdays only.
- Click here to see the map of the paid parking zones in the city 📍
- Groceries 🛍️
- A great way of saving some money on your trip to Iceland is avoiding expensive markets like those open 24/7, supermarkets like Bonus or Kronan offer the best prices.
- A great way of saving some money on your trip to Iceland is avoiding expensive markets like those open 24/7, supermarkets like Bonus or Kronan offer the best prices.
- Petrol ⛽️
- This will most likely be your biggest expense in Iceland… taking into account that petrol is around 2.2 euros per liter, much expensive than in Europe. Even though there is not much to do about this, stations like Ob and Orkan are usually cheaper than N1 or Orbis – as they have other services and stores.
The cost breakdown
For 3 days and 3 nights for 2 people, this trips costs around 1.400 euros. See below the detail (December 2025)
| Details | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | Brussels – Keflavik | € 600 |
| Car rental | 3 days | € 150 |
| Parking | ± 7€ per spot | € 50 |
| Diesel | We drove ±1000 km | € 160 |
| Groceries | Food for the whole weekend | € 82.00 |
| TOTAL | € 1074.00 |
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