The Westfjords
The White-Tailed Eagle Centre highlights the attempts to increase the population of the struggling species, which peaked in 2011 at 66 nests. It also has…
Must-see attractions in Iceland
North Iceland
Take the detour off Rte 711 (or accessed via Rte 716 off the Ring Road) to reach mysterious Borgarvirki, believed to be a defensive fortification from the…
North Iceland
Karl og Kerling (‘Old Man’ and ‘Old Woman’), two rock pillars, believed to be petrified trolls, stand on a gravel bank west of the river, a 2km return…
Southeast Iceland
The 1864 warehouse that once served as the regional folk museum has been moved from the outskirts of town to a prime position on the Höfn harbourfront. It…
Mývatn Region
The clear and turbulent Laxá (Salmon River), one of the many Icelandic rivers so named, cuts the western division of Mývatn, rolling straight across the…
Southeast Iceland
Just east of Foss á Siðu waterfall (about 11km from Kirkjubæjarklaustur on the Ring Road) is the outcrop Dverghamrar (‘Dwarf Rocks’) – two rock formations…
Borgarbyggð
Among the more modern buildings found on the ancient farm of renowned historian Snorri Sturluson is a quaint church dating from 1896, which is open to the…
Ystafell Transportation Museum
North Iceland
Some 37km south of Húsavík on Rte 85 (or about 9km off the Ring Road), this impressive, remote museum is well worth a stop for any petrolheads passing…
East Iceland
Álfaborg (Elf Rock), the small mound and nature reserve near the campsite, is the ‘borg’ that gave Borgarfjörður Eystri its name. Some locals believe that…
East Iceland
You can’t miss the village’s hairiest and most photogenic house: bright-red Lindarbakki (1899) is completely cocooned by whiskery green grass, with only a…
Reykjanes Peninsula
The first lighthouse in the area was built in 1878, but sadly it wasn't to last. A severe earthquake in Valahnúkur at the beginning of the 20th century…
Reykjanes Peninsula
There are two gigantic sculptures in front of the terminal building at Keflavík International Airport – Magnús Tómasson’s Þotuhreiður (Jet Nest) resembles…
The South
In town, the tin-clad house Brydebúð was built in Vestmannaeyjar in 1831 and moved to Vík in 1895. Today it houses the tourist office, the Halldórskaffi…
Tröllaskagi
Dalvík’s quality folk museum is high on oddball factor. Skip the usual taxidermic characters (yes, another polar bear) and find the rooms dedicated to the…
Skaftfell – Center for Visual Art
Seyðisfjörður
It's well worth a look in this gallery space above the Skaftfell Bistro. Skaftfell is a visual art centre with a focus on contemporary art, and it stages…
Ísafjörður
More than 740 clay birds, arranged in flight soar above the altarpiece of this modernist church.They were made by locals during a group art project. Look…
East Iceland
Inside the 1816 black timber warehouse ‘Gamlabuð’, the East Iceland Maritime Museum illustrates two centuries of the east coast’s historic herring, shark…
North Iceland
The Rauðhólar (Red Hills) crater row, just north of Hljóðaklettar, displays a vivid array of colours in the cinder-like gravel on the remaining cones. The…
Seyðisfjörður
For insight into the town’s fishing and telecommunications history, stop by this worthwhile technical museum. It’s housed in two buildings on Hafnargata:…
Reykjanes Peninsula
Positioned on the tip of the peninsular, this attractive red-and-white lighthouse is a lovely spot from which to watch the sunset. You may spot unusual…
North Iceland
Take Rte 715 south off the Ring Road to reach the scenic waterfalls at Kolugljúfur, an enchanting canyon that legend has it was once home to a beautiful…
Southeast Iceland
Religious connections are particularly strong around Klaustur. The prominent, stumpy rock pillar Systrastapi, near the line of cliffs about 1.5km west of…
The Westfjords
Features a comprehensive collection of minerals (lignite from when Iceland was covered in forests) and taxidermied animals – including a giant blue…
Tröllaskagi
Traditional-music enthusiasts may be interested in this sweet little museum that displays 19th-century instruments and offers recordings of Icelandic…
Reykjanes Peninsula
On the point near Víkingaheimar, the tiny folk museum Stekkjarkot is housed in a restored turf house, abandoned in 1924, with parts dating to the 19th…
The South
This little museum houses the memorabilia of chess champion Bobby Fischer, who is buried 2km northeast in Laugardælirkirkja's cemetery. It is also a hang…
The Westfjords
The small Sheep Farming Museum, 12km south of Hólmavík, details the region’s farming history through photos and artefacts.
North Iceland
At the tip of the Tjörnes Peninsula is the Mánárbakki Museum, home to the eclectic personal collection of friendly farmer Aðalgeir, who will give you a…
North Iceland
Set in a head-turning modern building on the north bank of the Blanda River, this small, attractive museum displays local handicrafts, painstakingly…
Seyðisfjörður
The monument near the church dates from the 1996 avalanche, and is made from twisted girders from the factory demolished by the event. The girders were…
East Iceland
Right by the Fosshotel, this exhibition is staged in a restored building from 1882 and displays stunning images of the Northern Lights above…
Icelandic Horse History Centre
Tröllaskagi
The admission price gets you a personalised tour around this comprehensive exhibit on Iceland’s unique horse breed and its role in Iceland’s history. It’s…
Southeast Iceland
The triangular, distinctly atypical wood-and-stone chapel at the heart of the village was consecrated in 1974. It commemorates Jón Steingrímsson’s …
The South
About 6km east of Stokkseyri, this old 1905 creamery dairy still has its original machinery. Interestingly, most of its products were sold to England…
Reykjanes Peninsula
This small museum is filled with a pleasing mishmash of boating memorabilia, farming equipment and vintage Icelandic goods. The entry fee includes access…
North Iceland
On 13 January 1976 Kópasker suffered a severe earthquake that destroyed several buildings and cracked the harbour wall. Today, there’s a small earthquake…
Borgarbyggð
The Settlement Museum has marked sites featured in Egil’s Saga with cairns, including Skallagrímsgarður, the burial mound of the father and son of saga…
Reykjanes Peninsula
Grindavík’s only tourist attraction is Kvíkan, a museum with two exhibits: a well-curated one on the fish-salting industry, and another about the earth's…
Greater Reykjavík
Iceland’s first specially designed concert hall is built entirely from local materials (driftwood, spruce and crushed stone) and has fantastic acoustics…
North Iceland
There’s a quirky ensemble of exhibits at the excellent 'heritage house', including a series of restored craftsmen's workshops, a pristine A-model Ford…
