An Iceland honeymoon of hot lagoons, glaciers and the northern lights

A honeymoon in Iceland is a road trip more than a resort stay. The best parts are spread along the south coast and out to the west, and a hire car gives you the freedom to stop wherever the light is good. Below we show how to choose the season, the four bases we recommend, a week-long route and the hotels we pick for couples. Two of them, The Retreat and Hotel Rangá, also have their own full guides on Picolo.

In short: a honeymoon in Iceland

• Flight time: around three hours from several UK airports, with direct flights all year.

• Northern lights: September to March, when the nights are dark enough.

• Light nights and open roads: June to August, when the sun barely sets.

• How long: five to seven nights for the south coast, longer for the whole Ring Road.

• Our hotel pick: The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, rated 9.8 out of 10 from 177 reviews on Hotels.com.

Our first choice for an Iceland honeymoon: two nights at The Retreat at Blue Lagoon at the start or end of the trip, and three at Hotel Rangá for the northern lights. Check availability and prices at The Retreat at Blue Lagoon

This guide is part of our best honeymoon destinations series and our guide to honeymoon destinations in Europe.

Northern lights or midnight sun

Choose the season first. From September to March the nights are long and dark, and on a clear night the northern lights can appear anywhere away from towns. In December daylight lasts only about four hours, so September, October, February and March give the best balance of dark nights and time to drive. From June to August the sun barely sets, the mountain roads open, and the puffins nest on the cliffs.

Cloud, not the aurora, decides whether you see the northern lights. Stay at least three nights in one place in winter, and check the cloud forecast from the Icelandic Met Office each afternoon. Read our guide to the northern lights in Iceland.

Four bases for a honeymoon in Iceland

Reykjanes and the Blue Lagoon: spa in the lava

The Reykjanes peninsula, where Keflavík airport lies, is the natural place for the first or last nights. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal lagoon of milky blue water in a field of black lava and moss. At The Retreat, the luxury hotel beside it, guests have their own part of the lagoon, a spa built into the lava and Moss, one of Iceland's best restaurants. The peninsula has had several volcanic eruptions in recent years, and the lagoon has at times been closed, so check the status before you travel.

Read our guide to The Retreat at Blue Lagoon and the Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon.

The south coast: waterfalls and northern lights

About 90 minutes east of Reykjavík, the south coast has waterfalls such as Seljalandsfoss, black sand beaches and dark plains for the northern lights. Hotel Rangá, on the river between the small towns of Hella and Hvolsvöllur, calls your room when the aurora appears, and has an observatory with telescopes and hot tubs by the river. Guests rate it 9.6 out of 10 from 272 reviews. Read our guide to Hotel Rangá.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Rangá

The glaciers: Vatnajökull and the iceberg lagoon

Further east, Vatnajökull is Iceland's largest glacier, and at Jökulsárlón icebergs float in a lagoon before drifting out to sea. It is far from any town, so the nights are very dark in winter. Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon lies within a ten-minute drive of the glacier and is rated 9.6 out of 10 from 1,077 reviews. It makes the most sense on a longer road trip of a week or more.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon

Snæfellsnes and Reykjavík: the quiet west and the capital

Snæfellsnes, a peninsula a few hours north-west of Reykjavík, has lava fields, a glacier on a volcano and a small black wooden church at Búðir on the coast. Hótel Búðir stands right beside it, alone by the sea, rated 9.4 out of 10 from 409 reviews. In Reykjavík, The Reykjavik EDITION is a five-minute walk from the concert hall Harpa and the main shopping street Laugavegur, rated 9.4 out of 10 from 708 reviews.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hótel Búðir

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at The Reykjavik EDITION

A week-long honeymoon route in Iceland

Start with two nights at the Blue Lagoon to rest after the wedding. Drive the Golden Circle, a loop of about 300 kilometres with the national park Þingvellir, the geysers and the waterfall Gullfoss, and spend three nights on the south coast. Finish with two nights in Reykjavík or back at the lagoon before the flight home. With ten days or more, add Jökulsárlón in the east or Snæfellsnes in the west. A hire car is the easiest way to travel. See our guide to car hire in Iceland.

Iceland is expensive, especially for meals out, and the weather can close roads at short notice in winter. Leave a spare day before the flight home, and do not plan long drives in the dark.

Our verdict

What Picolo recommends: five to seven nights in winter, split between The Retreat at Blue Lagoon and Hotel Rangá, with a hire car for the south coast.

Why: the lagoon gives you rest after the wedding, and the south coast gives you the waterfalls by day and the best chance of the northern lights at night.

The trade-off: Iceland is expensive and the weather is never certain. If you want warmth and a beach, this is not the honeymoon for you.

Frequently asked questions

Is Iceland good for a honeymoon?

Yes, Iceland is good for a honeymoon if you want nature, adventure and quiet more than a beach. Geothermal lagoons, glaciers, waterfalls and the northern lights give you something new every day, and direct flights from the UK take about three hours. The main drawbacks are the cost of meals out and the unpredictable weather, especially in winter.

When is the best time for a honeymoon in Iceland?

The best time for a honeymoon in Iceland is September, October, February or March for the northern lights, and June to August for light nights and open mountain roads. Midwinter has only about four hours of daylight, which makes driving harder. May and September are quieter and often cheaper than high summer.

How many days do you need for a honeymoon in Iceland?

You need five to seven days for a honeymoon in Iceland that covers the Blue Lagoon, the Golden Circle and the south coast. With ten days or more you can add the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón in the east or the Snæfellsnes peninsula in the west. In winter, stay at least three nights in one place to allow for cloud.

Where is the best place to stay in Iceland for the northern lights?

The best place to stay in Iceland for the northern lights is the south coast, about 90 minutes from Reykjavík, far from city lights. Hotel Rangá calls your room when the aurora appears and has hot tubs by the river. The glacier area in the east is even darker, but further to drive.

Sources

The facts about the hotels, the seasons and the northern lights come from Picolo's own guides to Iceland, The Retreat at Blue Lagoon and Hotel Rangá. The cloud forecast is published by the Icelandic Met Office. The guest scores come from each hotel's page on Hotels.com. Last checked: 6 November 2026.

Read more

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• Honeymoon destinations in Europe

• Northern lights in Iceland

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