Europe
Iceland
An island of fire and ice where you can hear the silence
You will walk on a glacier in crampons, step inside a tunnel carved into the blue ice of Langjökull, and watch ancient icebergs run aground on a black-sand beach.
Iceland is felt before it is understood. It is a young country, still unfinished, where the earth steams, the ice creaks and the light changes the landscape several times a day. You travel it with the feeling of standing at the edge of the world: roads that cross moss-covered lava fields, waterfalls that appear without warning, black beaches where the ocean arrives with force, glaciers that leave you speechless with their scale. There are nights in hot springs beneath an enormous sky and, depending on the season, northern lights or days that barely end. It suits those who travel to feel nature in its purest state, at their own pace.
Datos del viaje
Experiences
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The ice tunnel of Langjökull glacier
Ride an eight-wheeled truck up Europe's second-largest glacier and walk through a hand-carved tunnel into it, reaching the crystalline blue ice at the glacier's heart.
View experience: The ice tunnel of Langjökull glacier
Langjökull, Europe's second-largest glacier, is first crossed aboard a truck with special tires built to travel over the ice, with the occasional deep crevasse visible along the way. Once at the top, the visit continues on foot through a man-made tunnel that reaches several meters into the glacier — the only one of its kind in the world. Inside, light filters through walls of crystal-clear blue ice formed over centuries, in a setting unlike any other landscape on the island.
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Crampon walk on Sólheimajökull glacier
Strap on crampons and walk, guided by an expert, among crevasses and ice formations on an active glacier tongue that descends straight toward the sea.
View experience: Crampon walk on Sólheimajökull glacier
Sólheimajökull is an outlet tongue of the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap, beneath which the Katla volcano sleeps. The walk, adapted to each traveler's level, ventures into a world of crevasses, moulins, and ice ridges in constant change — the glacier retreats year after year, so the exact landscape walked today will never be repeated. The contrast between the blue ice, the black volcanic ash trapped in its layers, and the surrounding mountains makes this walk one of the most photographed — and most physical — experiences in southern Iceland.
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Caving in a lava tube
Descend a spiral staircase into a lava tube formed thousands of years ago, when a river of molten fire drained out as it cooled.
View experience: Caving in a lava tube
Iceland's lava caves are the empty veins of its volcanoes: they form when molten lava flows beneath an already-hardened crust and, once the eruption stops, drains away, leaving behind a hollow tunnel. The visit descends a metal staircase into the interior of one of these tubes, with the volcanic rock walls lit up and total silence once the lights go out. It's a way to understand, quite literally from the inside, how the island was built.
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Icebergs at Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach
Sail among thousand-year-old icebergs calved from the Vatnajökull glacier in the Jökulsárlón lagoon, then walk Diamond Beach, where sea-polished ice glitters on the black sand.
View experience: Icebergs at Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach
Large blocks of ice constantly break off the tongue of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier and drift through the Jökulsárlón lagoon, which reaches depths of up to 248 meters. A short boat ride — zodiac or amphibious, depending on the season — brings you close enough to the icebergs to appreciate their blue tones and shapes, sculpted by water and wind. The current sweeps the smaller blocks out to sea, and the tide returns them, polished, to the neighboring black volcanic-sand beach: Diamond Beach, where the clear ice scatters like diamonds across the sand.
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A soak in the secret hot springs
Soak in Iceland's oldest natural geothermal pool, tucked away in the countryside, with far fewer visitors than the Blue Lagoon.
View experience: A soak in the secret hot springs
Known locally as Gamla Laugin ('the old pool'), this lagoon was built in 1891 next to an active geothermal area near Flúðir, fed by hot springs and a small geyser that still erupts every few minutes in front of bathers. The sulfur-rich water fully renews itself every 24 hours through the natural flow of the hot springs, and stays between 38 and 40 degrees year-round. Unlike the Blue Lagoon, the setting here remains simple and rural — an open field, steam rising off the water, and very few voices around.
Itinerary ideas
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9 days
Iceland in 9 Days: The Full Ring
Circling the island on the Ring Road
View itinerary idea: Iceland in 9 Days: The Full Ring
Nine days driving the full Ring Road in a rental car, with the fjord of Hvalfjörður and the Snæfellsnes peninsula as the first leg heading west; the north with Akureyri, the volcanic lake of Mývatn, and whale watching from Húsavík, the 'European capital' of the activity; the eastern fjords, with a walk among icebergs at Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach; the south coast with its waterfalls and black-sand beaches; and a close through the Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon before returning to Reykjavík.
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11 days
Intimate Iceland: Fire and Ice, Privately
A private route through the west and south, without leaving comfort behind
View itinerary idea: Intimate Iceland: Fire and Ice, Privately
Eleven days with a private driver and characterful hotels, without covering the north of the country: Reykjavík and its surroundings, with the descent into the Þríhnúkagígur volcano and an afternoon at a local family's home; the Snæfellsnes peninsula; the Langjökull glacier and its ice tunnel; the Þórsmörk valley by Super Jeep, crossing glacial rivers; the south coast to Jökulsárlón; and a closing night at The Retreat hotel-spa, next to the Blue Lagoon.
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13 days
Iceland with Family: Safe Adventure for All Ages
Thirteen days around the whole island, at a family's pace
View itinerary idea: Iceland with Family: Safe Adventure for All Ages
Thirteen days designed for traveling with children, with shorter stops and adapted activities: Reykjavík with its zoo and family park, the fjord of Hvalfjörður, the Snæfellsnes peninsula by Viking boat, the north with Akureyri and Mývatn, whale watching in Húsavík, the eastern fjords, the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, a real lava tube near Reykjanes, and a final soak in the Secret Lagoon hot springs before the Blue Lagoon.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to travel to Iceland?
From June to August if you want long days and the interior roads open; from September to March if you are after the northern lights. Official Icelandic tourism notes that summer is the only season when the highlands open up. I decide with you which matters more: the light or the night.
How long should a trip to Iceland last and how long does it take to get there?
Around 12 days lets you cover the island at an easy pace, including the Ring Road, without racing. Depending on the season there is a direct flight from Barcelona and Madrid, 4.5 to 5 hours. With fewer days I recommend staying in the south and west rather than trying to see everything.
Do I need a visa or passport to travel to Iceland from Spain?
You don't need a visa. Iceland is in the Schengen area and you can enter with a national ID card or a passport valid for at least three months, although Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends travelling with a passport, which is required if you connect through the United Kingdom. As of November 2026; verify at the official source.
Can I rent a car and drive in the interior of Iceland?
Yes, but with limits. The Ring Road is paved and open all year, although bad weather can cut it in winter. The interior F-roads open only for a short time in summer and require a four-wheel drive with good ground clearance. So, if you want the highlands, travel between June and August.