Iceland's Church Stays and Historic Lodgings by Region

From turf-roofed farm manors on the Snæfellsnes peninsula to converted harbourside warehouses in Reykjavík, Iceland's older buildings offer some of its most distinctive beds — here is where each one fits a trip.

Reykjavík and the Capital Region

Central Reykjavík's historic beds cluster in two pockets. Around Ingólfsstræti and the lower part of Laugavegur you are inside the 1910s–1930s timber-and-corrugated-iron streetscape, five minutes' walk from Bus Stop 6 at Hlemmur and ten from the Harpa concert hall; rooms here sit roughly 25,000–40,000 ISK mid-week in June. Further east, the old harbour warehouses off Mýrargata and Grandagarður have been converted into larger loft-style hotels facing Mount Esja, with the Whales of Iceland exhibition and Marshall House next door.

For a short city break I would book the Laugavegur side every time: you can walk to Kolaportið flea market, the Settlement Exhibition on Aðalstræti and the Sundhöllin baths on Barónsstígur without touching a bus. The harbour conversions suit travellers with a car, but note that parking around Grandagarður fills by 10am on summer weekdays. Airport transfer via Flybus from Keflavík takes 45–50 minutes. Book city accommodation for the first and last nights of a ring-road trip rather than the middle.

West Iceland and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula

The old farm estates around Borgarnes, Stykkishólmur and Hellissandur hold most of the west's historic lodgings, several in former parsonages attached to rural churches. They are plain buildings — thick walls, small windows, shared or compact bathrooms — but the locations are extraordinary: 20–30 minutes from the Eldborg crater walk, an hour to Kirkjufell at Grundarfjörður, and close to the ferry pier at Stykkishólmur for the Baldur crossing to Flatey and the Westfjords. Expect roughly 18,000–30,000 ISK for a double in July.

Snæfellsnes deserves two nights, not one. Drive times from Reykjavík are about two hours to Borgarnes and a further 45 minutes to Stykkishólmur on Route 54, so a single overnight leaves you rushing the peninsula's south coast. My preference is to base near Grundarfjörður or Hellissandur for the second night, which puts Djúpalónssandur beach and the Vatnshellir cave within 25 minutes. Skip the turf-roofed guesthouses only if you need en-suite facilities for a group; otherwise they are the most characterful beds in the region.

North Iceland and the Eastfjords

Around Akureyri, the historic stock is mostly early-20th-century town houses on Hafnarstræti and Eyrarvegur, plus a handful of farm parsonages in Eyjafjörður's side valleys such as Svarfaðardalur and Hörgárdalur. Akureyri to Reykjavík is a 4.5-hour drive on Route 1, or a 45-minute flight to Reykjavík Domestic; the town itself is compact enough to park once and walk. Summer doubles run about 20,000–32,000 ISK, with the cheapest weeks falling outside the last week of July and the first of August.

The Eastfjords are where historic lodgings thinnest out and matter most: long distances between Seyðisfjörður, Eskifjörður and Höfn mean a well-placed old guesthouse saves an hour of driving. The old herring-era buildings in Seyðisfjörður, clustered around the blue church on the lagoon, are the pick of the region — 30 minutes from Egilsstaðir airport and a natural stop after the ferry from Denmark. Note that many farm stays here close from October to April; if you are travelling in winter, confirm before booking and stick to Route 1 rather than the Öxi pass.

South Iceland, the Golden Circle and the Highlands

South Iceland's historic accommodation is concentrated around the old bishoprics and farm estates: Skálholt, Hvolsvöllur, and the area between Selfoss and Vík. These are working farms and church-owned properties, often with just six to twelve rooms, and they book out earliest for the last two weeks of June and the whole of July. Prices land around 22,000–35,000 ISK for a double in high season. Distances are short by Icelandic standards: Hvolsvöllur to Vík is 65 kilometres, about 50 minutes, and the Golden Circle loop from Selfoss is comfortably a half-day.

For a seven-day ring road, I would book one of these farm stays for a single night between Reykjavík and Vík rather than two nights in Vík itself — the farmland locations put Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss within 20 minutes and let you reach Jökulsárlón earlier the next morning. Highland huts and mountain cabins open roughly from mid-June to mid-September only, and the F-roads to reach them legally require a 4x4; do not plan a historic church stay deep in the interior without checking road status with the Icelandic Road Administration. South coast weather turns quickly; book refundable rates outside July.

Questions, answered

Which month is best for staying in Iceland's historic lodgings?

June and early July give the longest daylight and the widest opening of farm and church-owned properties, though they are also the busiest. Late September still finds most rural guesthouses open, with lower prices and easier booking. Winter closes many farm stays, especially in the Eastfjords and highlands.

How far in advance should I book a church-owned or farm stay?

For July and the first half of August, aim for four to six months ahead — these properties often have fewer than a dozen rooms. For May, September and October, two to three months is usually enough. The last week of June fills fastest because of the national holiday on 17 June.

Do I need a car to reach Iceland's rural historic lodgings?

Yes, for almost all of them. Public buses serve the ring road but not the farm tracks leading to parsonages and estate guesthouses. A compact 2WD car handles the paved routes to Snæfellsnes, the south coast and Eyjafjörður; only F-road highland cabins require a 4x4, and rental agreements restrict river crossings.

What is a realistic nightly budget for an old guesthouse in Iceland?

Expect roughly 18,000–25,000 ISK for a simple double with shared bathroom in the countryside, and 25,000–40,000 ISK for a historic room in central Reykjavík in summer. Rates include VAT and usually breakfast; check whether linen and towels are included in shared-facility farm stays, as some charge separately.

Are church stays in Iceland suitable for families?

Generally yes, though the older buildings come with steep stairs, low doorways and shared bathrooms. Farm stays with a few rooms tend to be quieter and safer for small children than harbour-side conversions. Ask about cots and whether the property has a kitchen, which matters on the ring road when restaurant options are 40 minutes away.

How do I get from Keflavík airport to a historic hotel in Reykjavík?

The Flybus and Airport Direct coaches take 45–50 minutes to BSÍ terminal, from where the city centre is a 10–15 minute walk or a short taxi ride. If you are collecting a rental car, the desks at Keflavík are a five-minute shuttle from arrivals; drive the 49 kilometres to Reykjavík on Route 41.

Which Icelandic historic stays would you skip?

I would skip rural parsonages if you only have two nights in the country — the drive time eats the benefit. I would also avoid highland cabins outside mid-June to mid-September, and any harbour-side loft in Reykjavík if you are not driving, because the walk to the main bus stops is 20 minutes in winter weather.

Can I combine a church stay with the Ring Road in one week?

Yes, but choose three bases rather than seven: one in the west near Borgarnes or Stykkishólmur, one in the south near Hvolsvöllur, and one in the north near Akureyri, flying back from Akureyri to Reykjavík to save the return drive. A true full ring road needs at least eight nights to be enjoyable.

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