The Ring Road in 7 to 10 days, and the Westfjords for the quiet

The Ring Road (Route 1) circles the island in about 1,300 kilometers, and a week to ten days lets you stop at the south's waterfalls and glacier lagoon, the east fjords, Lake Mývatn in the north, and the Snæfellsnes peninsula; fewer days means skipping the north. The Westfjords are the empty, dramatic alternative with a fraction of the traffic. Summer brings 24-hour light; late September to March brings northern lights and short days. Book guesthouses early for summer.