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Iceland
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When to visit
Attractions in Iceland
1. Þingvellir National Park (Thingvellir)
Quick facts: Walk a dramatic rift valley where two tectonic plates separate at about two centimeters per year, creating cliff-lined fissures and rugged lava fields you can inspect up close. Ancient assembly grounds linger in the sparse air, and crystal-clear springs let snorkelers drift between continents with visibility so sharp you can make out submerged rock formations.
Highlights: Stand with one foot on the North American plate and one foot on the Eurasian plate where a visible rift opens roughly 2 centimeters each year, sunlight pooling in moss-filled fissures and the air smelling of wet stone. Hear the echo of a millennium of law-making, where medieval law-speakers read laws aloud for up to two weeks at a stretch beginning in 930 AD, the wind carrying voices across lava fields like a living archive.
2. Geysir Geothermal Area / Strokkur
Quick facts: Steamy bursts of boiling water shoot skyward every few minutes, throwing thunderous splashes and rainbow-lit mist that keep photographers glued to their tripods. Eruptions commonly exceed 20 meters, and experienced guides point out tiny surface bubbles and subtle hissing as the best signs that the next blast is moments away.
Highlights: Every 6 to 10 minutes a boiling column of water and steam rockets about 15 to 20 meters into the air, and when it goes off you will hear a low, throat-vibrating rumble followed by a sharp, wet clap that soaks the first rows of spectators. Local guides love telling an old sailors' tale that an 18th century earthquake once altered the vents so eruptions reached 60 to 70 meters, and many visitors still drop coins into the warm pools while they watch, the copper glints steaming in the sulfur-scented air.
3. Gullfoss Waterfall
Quick facts: Approaching the falls you first hear a deep, thunderous roar as massive glacial waters plunge in two dramatic steps totaling about 32 meters, and the spray often creates vivid rainbows that span the gorge. Curved walkways bring you within arm's reach of the mist, and on high-flow days the river churns so violently that early plans to harness its power were halted by determined conservation efforts.
Highlights: The river drops in two dramatic stages, first about 11 meters and then about 21 meters, sending a thunderous spray that often throws up bright double rainbows visible from the viewing path. Legend says Sigríður Tómasdóttir walked all the way to Reykjavík in 1907 to fight a hydroelectric plan, threatening to throw herself into the gorge until the land was protected, and locals still point out her plaque while the air tastes faintly of glacial silt and ozone.
4. Blue Lagoon (Grindavík)
Quick facts: Steam drifts above milky-blue water, where silky silica mud and warm geothermal currents leave skin feeling unexpectedly soft and soothed. Night swims beneath aurora-lit skies heighten the contrast with black lava rock, and many visitors rave that the mineral-rich water helps sensitive skin.
Highlights: A 1976 spill from a nearby geothermal power plant pooled in black lava fields and left behind milky-blue bathing pools held at about 38–40°C, the air smelling faintly of sulphur while your skin feels slick with nourishing silica. Locals and visitors have a quirky ritual of smearing the soft white silica mud on their faces for 10–15 minutes until it hardens like chalk, rinsing in the warm steam and then stepping into a crisp 5–10°C sea breeze as if to seal the glow.
5. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Quick facts: Low, pearly light turns sculpted ice into luminous lanterns that drift across glassy water, while smaller blue fragments sparkle like crushed gemstones. Quiet calving events can add millions of tons of ice to the lagoon annually, and curious seals often bob among the floes as photographers and filmmakers hunt shifting reflections.
Highlights: At dawn, cobalt-blue icebergs up to 30 meters tall calve off a slow-moving glacier and clatter into a glassy lagoon, seals pop their heads between floes, and the air smells faintly of salt and ancient, mineral-rich ice. Local boat drivers have a quirky habit of christening the largest bergs with nicknames like 'The Cathedral' or 'Blue Whale' so regulars can follow their slow drift, and on calm nights the bergs groan while the northern lights paint green ribbons across the black water.
6. Skaftafell (Vatnajökull National Park - Skaftafell)
Quick facts: Meltwater streams and glacier tongues carve jagged canyons and create pockets of birch woodland, so you can hike trails that shift from ice-sculpted cliffs to flower-speckled valleys within an hour. A surprising number of waterfalls tumble from the glaciers, and guided walks let you feel the crunch of ancient ice underfoot while the light turns the ice an electric blue.
Highlights: About a 20-minute uphill walk through stunted birch and old lava leads to a waterfall ringed by towering hexagonal basalt columns, a formation that reportedly inspired architect Guðjón Samúelsson when he sketched Hallgrímskirkja. On cold winter days the nearby glacier tongues sing and crack with a deep, room-shaking groan, the air tasting faintly of metal while the ice flashes bright sapphire blue in the sunlight.
View more attractions in Vatnajökull National Park - Skaftafell →
7. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Quick facts: A narrow path lets you walk behind the curtain of falling water, where constant mist and sudden sunbeams paint vivid rainbows that photographers love. The waterfall plunges roughly 60 meters, its thunderous roar and cold spray often drowning out conversation while framing a wildly memorable view from behind the cascade.
Highlights: Slip along the narrow, slippery path that runs behind the 60-meter curtain of water, where a constant fine spray smells faintly of wet stone and glacial minerals and your camera lens fogs within minutes. Photographers and locals often time visits for golden hour between June and August, when the low sun threads perfect rainbows through the falls and the waterfall's roar matches distant gulls and sheep in the valley.
8. Skógafoss Waterfall
Quick facts: A thunderous curtain about 60 meters high crashes over a broad cliff, sending constant spray that catches sunlight and makes vivid rainbows near the base. Climb the grassy stairway beside the cascade to feel the mist on your face and glimpse the old riverbed high above, where hikers head toward glacier-fed valleys.
Highlights: A thunderous 60-meter curtain of water plummets over a sheer cliff, sending a glittering veil of spray that often births a double rainbow you can literally step into, while the basalt face shudders underfoot and the air tastes faintly of cold iron. According to local lore, a Viking chieftain named Þrasi Þórólfsson hid a chest behind the fall, a young boy once fished a ring from the rock face and that ring now lives in the nearby museum, so people still press their palms to the stones hoping for a sliver of luck.
9. Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach (Reynisfjara, Vík)
Quick facts: Coarse, ink-black sand crunches underfoot, a dramatic result of ground-down volcanic rock that makes the shoreline feel otherworldly. Towering basalt columns and jagged sea stacks loom offshore, providing nesting spots for seabirds while powerful, unpredictable sneaker waves make getting close both risky and mesmerizing.
Highlights: Towering hexagonal basalt columns rise like a black cathedral wall along the shore, some pillars climbing over 10 meters high and forming a honeycomb pattern you can trace with your fingertips. Photographers and locals whisper about sudden sneaker waves that can surge more than 20 meters inland, and an old troll tale says three offshore rocks were once fishermen turned to stone at dawn, so people keep at least 30 meters from the water when framing a sunset shot.
10. Kirkjufell (mountain and waterfall, Grundarfjörður)
Quick facts: A steep, conical peak rises like a natural arrow from the coastline, creating one of the most photogenic silhouettes that shifts color as cloud and light play across its flanks. Visitors linger at the base to watch layered waterfalls tumble over basalt steps, the steady hiss of water and the smell of wet rock making long-exposure photography feel almost cinematic.
Highlights: At the foot of the cone-shaped peak, the 463-meter height often glows copper under the aurora while the three-tiered waterfall throws a cold, peat-scented mist into the air. Photographers and fans of Game of Thrones wait for low tide to catch a perfect reflection on the black sand, and locals still tell of a 19th-century captain who steered by the mountain's unmistakable profile through foggy shoals.
View more attractions in mountain and waterfall, Grundarfjörður →
Popular Cities in Iceland
Traditional Sweet Dishes
Kleina
Kleina's twisted knot shape comes from old Norse recipes, and this crisp fried pastry was traditionally served with coffee to warm fishermen on long voyages.
Skyr cake
Skyr cake turns ancient Icelandic cultured cheese into a lush, tangy dessert, so creamy it feels indulgent despite being surprisingly low in fat.
Traditional Savory Dishes
Lamb stew
Icelandic lamb stew, or kjötsúpa, showcases meat from free-roaming sheep that graze on wild herbs and lava fields, giving the broth a subtly floral and mineral character.
Plokkfiskur
Plokkfiskur is a thrifty, comforting mash of cod and potatoes that began as a way to rescue fish leftovers, and its creamy texture has made it a beloved staple from home kitchens to restaurants.
Traditional Beverages
Brennivín
Brennivín is a caraway-flavored schnapps known as Black Death by some, and it is the traditional pairing for the famously pungent Icelandic fermented shark.
Skyr smoothie
Skyr smoothies turn centuries-old cultured dairy into a modern high-protein drink, combining velvety thickness and bright tang that keeps you full longer.
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Day trips
Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss)
Classic loop: national park, geysers, and a major waterfall.
Google MapsBlue Lagoon & Reykjanes Peninsula
Geothermal spa near dramatic volcanic coastline.
Google MapsSouth Coast (Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Vík)
Waterfalls, black sand beach, and dramatic cliffs.
Google MapsSnæfellsnes Peninsula
Compact Iceland: lava fields, coastal villages, glacier.
Google MapsWestman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar)
Volcanic island with puffins and dramatic sea cliffs.
Google MapsComments (10)
Weather is wild, one minute sunny, next sleet, but the landscapes make it worth it; plan extra clothes and patience.
Food is pricey and portions small, but the lamb and seafood are outstanding; budget accordingly or hit grocery stores.
Fill your tank whenever you see gas, especially outside Reykjavik; some stretches have no stations for 100+ km.
Rent a 4x4 in winter, avoid backroad adventures alone, and always check official road updates before driving.
Go to bakeries for cheap hot meals, or grab the lunch menu instead of dinner; avoid main square restaurants for real prices.
Getting there
Airports
Train stations
N/A — no rail lines
From KEF take Flybus/shuttle (45–60 min); from RKV use taxi or city bus (5–10 min).
Click to get eSim for Iceland
The easiest and most affordable way to get mobile internet wherever you travel.
Rent a car in Iceland
Visa & entry
EU/EEA, USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, many others
Citizens of countries not on the Schengen visa-waiver list typically need a Schengen visa
Schengen rules apply—total stay ≤90 days in any 180-day period; check official list before travel.