Why hire a car in Reykjavik
Reykjavik is the smallest capital in Europe and perfectly walkable — the old harbour, Hallgrímskirkja church, the Harpa concert hall and the Reykjavik 871±2 settlement museum are all within a short walk of each other. But Iceland is fundamentally a driving destination, and a hire car is the single most important booking you'll make. No other way of travelling gives you the flexibility to chase the Northern Lights, stop at a waterfall when the light turns golden, or pull over when a geothermal pool appears beside the road.
The Golden Circle — Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall — covers 230 km and is Iceland's most popular day trip, entirely manageable from Reykjavik. The South Coast route east to Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, the black sand beach at Reynisfjara and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is a long day or a two-day circuit. And the full Ring Road (Route 1) circumnavigates the island in a week or more, passing lava fields, fjords, remote fishing villages and some of the world's most dramatic highland passes. Keflavik Airport (KEF) is where every Iceland road trip should start.
