After days of glaciers, waterfalls, mountain passes and endless open roads, Day 9 of our Iceland Ring Road adventure brought something completely different.
A city.
But not just any city.
Reykjavík.
And honestly, after over a week surrounded mostly by nature, isolation and tiny Icelandic towns, arriving in Iceland’s colourful capital felt strangely exciting.
This day became the perfect balance between city exploring and quiet Icelandic landscapes — mixing famous landmarks, hidden volcanic scenery, cosy food stops and one final peaceful evening before our last full day in the country.
And somehow, even after nine days in Iceland, the country still found new ways to surprise us.
Leaving Hveragerði Early
We woke up early in Hveragerði knowing we wanted to reach Reykjavík before the city properly woke up.
There’s something special about exploring places early in the morning, especially in winter.
The roads felt quieter.
The air felt colder.
And Reykjavík slowly appearing ahead of us beneath the morning light genuinely felt cinematic.
After spending so much of the trip surrounded by remote landscapes and tiny villages, seeing Iceland’s capital city appear on the horizon felt almost strange.
But despite being a capital city, Reykjavík still somehow feels calm compared to most cities around the world.
Even driving into it feels relaxed.
No chaos.
No huge skyscrapers.
Just colourful buildings, snowy streets and mountains surrounding the coastline in the distance.
Hallgrímskirkja – Reykjavík’s Iconic Landmark
Our first stop of the morning was Hallgrímskirkja.
And honestly, no matter how many times you see photos of it beforehand, the church still feels unbelievably impressive in person.
Towering over Reykjavík’s skyline, the building almost looks futuristic against the winter sky. Its design was inspired by Iceland’s volcanic basalt columns, which somehow makes it feel perfectly suited to the dramatic landscapes surrounding the country.
Standing outside in the freezing morning air while the city slowly woke up around us felt surreal.
There were barely any crowds yet, which made the whole experience feel peaceful rather than rushed.
And honestly, Reykjavík early in the morning has such a different atmosphere compared to later in the day.
Everything feels quieter.
Slower.
More local.
Walking Through Rainbow Street
From Hallgrímskirkja, we wandered down Reykjavík’s famous Rainbow Street.
This was one of those places we’d seen countless times online before visiting Iceland, but seeing it in person still felt special.
The colourful road stretched down towards the city while cafés, shops and snowy pavements surrounded us on both sides.
Despite being one of Reykjavík’s most photographed streets, it still somehow manages to feel cosy rather than overly touristy.
We spent ages simply walking around the area, filming, taking photos and soaking up the atmosphere of the city.
And honestly, after so many intense driving days throughout the trip, it felt nice to slow down and simply explore somewhere on foot for a while.
Icelandic Fish & Chips
Of course, no city exploring was ever going to happen without food becoming involved.
And after days of campervan meals, snacks and supermarket food, sitting down for proper fish & chips felt incredible.
There’s something about Icelandic weather that makes comfort food taste even better.
Warm food after wandering around freezing streets just hits differently.
And honestly, sitting there looking out at Reykjavík while reflecting on the fact we were already nine days into the trip felt slightly emotional.
The adventure suddenly felt like it was flying by far too quickly.
Exploring Reykjavík Properly
One of the things we loved most about Reykjavík was how walkable it felt.
The city has this relaxed, creative atmosphere that makes wandering around genuinely enjoyable.
Every street seemed to have colourful buildings, independent shops, cafés or little hidden corners that made us stop constantly throughout the morning.
We visited the Sun Voyager sculpture sitting dramatically beside the waterfront while snowy mountains rose across the bay in the distance.
Even in freezing temperatures, the coastline around Reykjavík feels beautiful.
There’s this constant balance between city life and nature that makes Iceland feel unique compared to almost anywhere else.
We also stopped at Harpa Concert Hall — one of Reykjavík’s most impressive modern buildings.
The glass exterior reflected the changing winter light beautifully while the harbour surroundings gave the whole area such a clean Nordic atmosphere.
It somehow feels modern and artistic without losing that unmistakably Icelandic identity.
And of course, we had to keep an eye out for one of Reykjavík’s most famous local residents…
Meeting Oefelia the Cat
Yes.
The famous cat.
Because honestly, no Reykjavík visit feels complete without trying to spot Oefelia.
There’s something very Icelandic about an entire city collectively loving a local cat enough for tourists to actively search for them.
And somehow, it perfectly fits Reykjavík’s cosy personality.
Moments like this are what make travelling feel fun.
Not just the major landmarks — but the random little things you remember afterwards.
Returning Our Rental Gear
Eventually, we made our way to Reykjavík BSI Bus Terminal to return all of our rental gear back to Iceland Camping Equipment.
And honestly, handing everything back felt bittersweet.
The crampons, winter gear and camping equipment had become such a huge part of the adventure over the last nine days that returning it almost felt like acknowledging the trip was slowly coming to an end.
Massive credit has to go to Iceland Camping Equipment though — the gear genuinely made winter campervan travel around Iceland so much easier and more comfortable throughout the trip.
Especially during some of the freezing temperatures we experienced earlier in the journey.
Leaving the City Behind
After spending the morning exploring Reykjavík, we eventually left the city behind once again.
And almost immediately, Iceland shifted back into nature mode.
That’s one of the most incredible things about this country.
Within minutes of leaving Reykjavík, you’re suddenly back surrounded by volcanic landscapes, lakes and dramatic scenery as if the city barely existed at all.
Rauðhólar – Reykjavík’s Hidden Volcanic Landscape
One of our favourite discoveries of the day was Rauðhólar.
And honestly, this place deserves so much more attention.
The red volcanic craters looked incredible against the snowy landscape surrounding them while the low winter sunlight made everything feel even more dramatic.
Walking around the area felt peaceful, almost otherworldly.
There were no huge crowds.
No tour buses.
Just Iceland doing what Iceland does best — casually producing landscapes that look like another planet.
Sunset at Lake Ellidavatn
As the day slowly came to an end, we headed towards Lake Ellidavatn hoping to catch sunset.
And somehow, Iceland delivered one more perfect moment.
The lake sat completely still beneath the fading winter sky while the last light reflected softly across the frozen landscape around us.
Everything felt calm.
Quiet.
Almost reflective.
After nine days of constant adventure, standing there watching the sunset genuinely felt emotional.
Because we knew the trip was nearly over.
And honestly?
Neither of us were ready for that yet.
Reykjafoss & One Final Cosy Evening
Before heading back to camp, we made one final stop at Reykjafoss waterfall.
The fading light, freezing temperatures and peaceful surroundings somehow made it feel like the perfect final waterfall stop of the trip.
Not dramatic.
Not chaotic.
Just calm and beautiful.
Afterwards, we returned to Hveragerði, cooked dinner in the campervan and settled in for another cosy night at the campsite.
And honestly, those simple campervan evenings became some of our favourite moments of the entire adventure.
Just us.
Warm food.
The sound of Icelandic weather outside.
And memories from another unbelievable day.
Final Thoughts on Day 9
Day 9 reminded us that Iceland isn’t just about waterfalls and famous landmarks.
It’s also about atmosphere.
The cosy streets of Reykjavík.
The hidden volcanic landscapes outside the city.
The peaceful sunsets.
The quiet moments in between.
This day felt slower, calmer and more reflective than many others during the trip — and honestly, it arrived at exactly the right time.
Because somehow… our final full day in Iceland was now just around the corner.
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