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Due to a big tourism development in Iceland over the past decades, it\u2019s quite easy to see Iceland without a car these days. Back in 2006, when I visited Iceland for the first time, options were quite limited. Having been to Iceland eleven times by now, I have spent many of those trips in Iceland without a car. And you know what? It\u2019s easier than you think! <\/p>\n
In this article I will give you my very best tips on how to travel around Iceland the relaxing way and seeing loads. Enjoy reading! <\/p>\n
Table of Contents | Inhoudsopgave<\/p>\n
Toggle<\/span> Depending on how much time you have, my best tip for you is to base yourself in Reykjav\u00edk and explore Iceland from there on several day tours. There are plenty of options which I will discuss further below in my top three day tours from Reykjav\u00edk. In addition, there are plenty of options for shorter tours from Reykjav\u00edk such as a puffin boat tour and a city tour. Also some of the famous hot springs can easily be reached from Reykjav\u00edk. <\/p>\n Basing yourself in Reykjav\u00edk means you won\u2019t have to bother packing and unpacking every single day. I personally find settling into a new hotel room each day quite exhausting and this way, you can easily just leave all your things behind when you\u2019re out and just bring what you need for the day. <\/p>\n Curious where I stayed in Reykjav\u00edk? Here are my suggestions for any budget:<\/p>\n All these three options are located at walking distance from the city center so you don\u2019t have to spend a lot of time walking to\/from your pick up points. You also have easy access to supermarkets, shops and restaurants. You can find all my accommodation suggestions for Reykjav\u00edk in this post<\/a>. <\/p>\n You can easily get around Iceland without a car and visit a lot of the most famous sights. To avoid backtracking all the time, I would recommend to include these three day tours from Reykjav\u00edk in your itinerary. I have listed my complete itinerary that I did in 2025 below by the way, so keep on reading for more suggestions! <\/p>\n There are plenty of other cool tours that you can do from Reykjav\u00edk and which to choose all truly depend on your own wishes. If I may make a few suggestions, you could include some of the following options:<\/p>\n Iceland has no trains but does have an extended bus system, which is run by Straeto<\/a>. They have busses connecting many parts of the the country and it\u2019s an affordable way to get around. I\u2019ve used them in the past and the downside is that you have fixed itineraries and so you sometimes have to wait somewhere extremely long just to see one sight. It is however your most affordable option if you want to go to Iceland without a car and not spend a lot of money on guided tours. <\/p>\n If you decide you want to travel all around Iceland and not base yourself in Reykjav\u00edk, there are plenty of fully organized small group tours to join. They vary from just a few days to a few weeks and anything in between. By choosing a longer group tour, you will travel around Iceland and stay along the way rather than backtrack to Reykjav\u00edk every day, which means you will spend less time in a bus and more time along the way. <\/p>\n My favorite option for these tours is Guide to Iceland. They are Iceland\u2019s leading travel agency for 8 years in a row and has a best price guarantee on all services. Check out their small group tours in Iceland here<\/a>. <\/p>\n You can easily spend a week in Iceland without a car and see a lot. Last year (in 2025) I guided a group of Dutch women on a tour that more or less looked like this. This itinerary is ideal if you want to see some of Iceland\u2019s highlights without constantly changing hotels.<\/p>\n Day 1: arrival in Reykjav\u00edk<\/strong> Day 2: Golden Circle Tour<\/strong> Day 3: Reykjadalur Hike<\/strong> Day 4: South Coast Tour<\/strong> Day 5: Reykjav\u00edk and Secret Lagoon<\/strong> Day 6: Snaefellsnes day tour<\/strong> Day 7:<\/strong> Departure back to the airport<\/strong> Keflav\u00edk Airport is Iceland\u2019s international airport and is located about a one hour journey from downtown Reykjav\u00edk. The easiest and fastest option to get to the city is with Flybus, which has regular trips between Keflav\u00edk and the city. You can book your ticket here<\/a>. <\/p>\n Do you want to travel to Iceland? Find the best options to book your trip below:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I hope that with this article I have given you some ideas on how to spend your time in Iceland without a car. As I mentioned at the start of this arcticle, there really is no need to rent a car if you feel uncertain about driving and\/or just don\u2019t want to have the responsibility of renting a car in severe weather conditions, which are quite common in Iceland. <\/p>\n In short are these your best options: If you want to continue reading, you may also enjoy the following posts:<\/p>\n This article contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase and\/or reservation via such a link, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for considering! <\/sub><\/sub><\/p>\n \t<\/div>\nMy first (and best) tip: <\/strong>base yourself in Reykjav\u00edk<\/h5>\n
Day tours from Reykjav\u00edk <\/h5>\n
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Other tours from Reykjav\u00edk (that I have done)<\/strong><\/h5>\n
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Iceland by public transport<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Longer group tours<\/h5>\n
My ultimate itinerary for a week in Iceland without a car<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Arrival on Keflav\u00edk Airport and transfer with Flybus to Downtown Reykjav\u00edk. You can easily book your Flybus ticket online before you go<\/a>. <\/p>\n
A full day tour in the famous Golden Circle<\/a> and return to Reykjav\u00edk at the end of the day. <\/p>\n
This day we did the Reykjadalur Hike<\/a> and were back in time in Reykjav\u00edk for some sightseeing<\/p>\n
A long day on the South Coast. We made it all the way to V\u00edk and back, however if I could do this over again, I\u2019d add the J\u00f6kuls\u00e1rl\u00f3n Glacier Lagoon<\/a> as you have quite an easy day tomorrow when you\u2019ll stay in and around Reykjav\u00edk. <\/p>\n
A free morning in Reykjav\u00edk for a city tour (you can easily walk around town by yourself) and in the afternoon we visited the Sky Lagoon. Of course you can also head to the Blue Lagoon<\/a>. <\/p>\n
Today we went on a full day tour of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula<\/a>. A great way to end a one week stay in Iceland. <\/p>\n
As our flights left in the early morning, we had a super early Flybus to the airport and left Iceland. <\/p>\nGetting to\/from the airport without a car<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Book your Iceland trip<\/h5>\n
Conclusion and further reading<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Day tours from Reykjav\u00edk: easiest
\u2013 Public transport: cheapest but with limited flexibility
\u2013 Organized multi-day tours: best if you want to see more of the country without having to do the planning yourself. <\/p>\n
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