All destinations
From the lively capital to glacial lagoons, volcanic craters, towering waterfalls and remote highland plateaus, discover every corner of Iceland
Must-visit destinations
Blue Lagoon — Iceland's geothermal spa
Layover or arrival/departure stop, Couples and romantic travel
East Iceland
Ring Road drivers spending extra time on the less-visited eastern section, Ferry passengers arriving at Seyðisfjörður (Smyril Line from Denmark/Faroe Islands)
Golden Circle — Þingvellir, Geysir, and Gullfoss in one day
First-time Iceland visitors wanting the three flagship sites in one day, Geology and volcanology — active geothermal vents and tectonic rift
Iceland highlands
Experienced self-drivers with a proper 4x4 who want F-road wilderness, Trekkers on the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls routes
Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon — Iceland's crown jewel
Glacier lagoon boat tours, Ice caves (winter)
North Iceland travel guide
Whale watching, Northern lights
Reykjanes Peninsula — volcanic gateway to Iceland
Volcano hiking, Geothermal landscapes
Reykjavík — Iceland's capital city
City culture and museums, Whale and puffin watching
South Iceland — waterfalls, glaciers, and black sand beaches
Waterfall touring (Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, and many more), Glacier hiking and ice cave visits
West Iceland
Travellers who want Iceland's scenic variety without the south coast crowds, Photography — Kirkjufell, black sand beaches, glacier-capped peninsula
Westfjords
Experienced Iceland visitors who have done the Ring Road and want the remote west, Puffin and whale-watching (Látrabjarg and Ísafjörður are among Iceland's best)
More to explore
Akureyri travel guide
Day trip base for Diamond Circle, Whale watching on Eyjafjörður
Ásbyrgi travel guide
Hiking, Birch forest scenery
Borgarfjörður valley
Visitors stopping between Reykjavík and Snæfellsnes or the Westfjords, History readers interested in the Icelandic sagas (Egil's Saga, Snorri Sturluson)
Dettifoss travel guide
Raw power waterfall photography, Vatnajökull National Park
Diamond Beach — ice on black sand
Photography, Seeing glacial ice close up
Diamond Circle travel guide
Road trips, Waterfalls and geology
Dynjandi waterfall
Waterfall photographers wanting an un-crowded alternative to the south coast falls, Westfjords visitors using Ísafjörður as a base
Dyrhólaey — sea arch, puffins, and the edge of Iceland
Sea arch photography, Puffin watching (summer)
Egilsstaðir and Seyðisfjörður
Ferry passengers arriving at Seyðisfjörður beginning an Iceland trip, Stuðlagil canyon photographers — this is the main reason for the area's reputation
Fagradalsfjall volcano — Reykjanes eruption site
Active volcano hiking, Fresh lava field photography
Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon — the serpentine gorge of South Iceland
Walking the canyon rim above 100-metre sheer walls, Geological photography — layered tuff walls, a turquoise river, and serpentine curves
Geysir and Haukadalur — Iceland's original geothermal field
Watching Strokkur geyser erupt every 5–10 minutes, Geology — active geothermal field with mud pools, hot springs, and steam vents
Goðafoss travel guide
Waterfall photography, Ring Road stops
Grindavík — Iceland's volcanic fishing town
Blue Lagoon gateway, Understanding Iceland's active volcanism
Gullfoss — Iceland's most famous waterfall
Seeing Iceland's most-visited waterfall and its canyon setting, Photography — rainbows in the mist, ice formations in winter
Höfn
Ring Road drivers who want the best overnight between the south coast and east Iceland, Langoustine enthusiasts — Höfn is the undisputed capital in Iceland
Húsavík travel guide
Whale watching, Puffin spotting
Hveragerði — geothermal town, greenhouse gardens, and hot river hiking
Reykjadalur hot river hike — bathing in a natural geothermal stream, Geothermal greenhouse visits (tomatoes, bananas, and flowers grown in volcanic heat)
Ísafjörður
Travellers based in the Westfjords wanting day tours to Dynjandi and Hornstrandir, Cruise ship passengers calling at Ísafjörður (several per week in summer)
Keflavík — Iceland's airport town
Airport layover accommodation, First night in Iceland
Kerið crater — volcanic crater lake on the Golden Circle
Seeing the vivid red, orange, and ochre scoria of an explosion crater, The walking path around the crater rim and down to the lake shore
Kirkjufell
Landscape photographers wanting Iceland's iconic mountain composition, Day-trippers from Reykjavík combining with Snæfellsnes
Lake Mývatn travel guide
Geothermal bathing, Volcanic landscape photography
Látrabjarg bird cliffs
Wildlife photographers targeting close-up puffin photographs (the birds are approachable), Birdwatchers — razorbills, guillemots, gannets, and fulmars in addition to puffins
Reykjadalur — hike to Iceland's hot spring river
Free natural hot spring bathing, Easy hike from Reykjavík area
Reynisfjara — Iceland's iconic black-sand beach
Photography, Basalt columns and sea stacks
Secret Lagoon at Flúðir — Iceland's oldest geothermal pool
Geothermal soaking in a natural outdoor pool without Blue Lagoon prices or crowds, Combining with the Golden Circle day trip
Seljalandsfoss — the waterfall you can walk behind
Walk-behind waterfall experience, Photography
Siglufjörður travel guide
Off-the-beaten-path, Herring era history
Skaftafell — glacier hikes and waterfalls in Vatnajökull NP
Glacier hiking on Falljökull, Svartifoss waterfall walk
Skógafoss — the thundering South Coast waterfall
Waterfall photography, Staircase climb with panoramic views
Sky Lagoon — Reykjavík's oceanfront geothermal spa
Geothermal bathing near Reykjavík, Sunset and ocean views
Snæfellsjökull National Park
Visitors who want a glacier experience closer to Reykjavík than the south coast, Jules Verne enthusiasts (the novel's entry point to the centre of earth)
Snæfellsnes peninsula
First-time visitors who want representative Iceland scenery in a single route, Photographers targeting Kirkjufell and the glacier coast
Þingvellir National Park — tectonic rift, Silfra, and Iceland's first parliament
Walking the Almannagjá tectonic rift between two continental plates, Silfra snorkelling and diving in crystal-clear glacial water
Vatnajökull National Park — Europe's largest national park
Ice caves (winter), Glacier hiking
Viðey Island — Reykjavík's quiet island retreat
Short nature walks near Reykjavík, Bird watching in summer
Vík í Mýrdal — Iceland's most dramatic village
Black sand beaches, Katla ice cave day trips
Westman Islands
Puffin enthusiasts — the world's largest Atlantic puffin colony, most accessible June–August, Volcano history visitors — the 1973 Eldfell eruption destroyed a third of Heimaey town
Most-booked experiences across Iceland
Whichever destination you choose, these are the activities travellers love most.
Reykjavik: From Reykjavik Golden Circle full day guided trip
Reykjavik: From Reykjavik Blue Lagoon entry roundtrip transfers
Reykjavik: Aurora borealis Northern Lights tour
Reykjavik: From Reykjavik whale watching tour
Reykjavik: Diving Silfra day tour