Must-see attractions in Iceland

  • Hótel Skaftafell overlooking a prime section of the mountainous Vatnajökull National Park.

    Vatnajökull National Park

    Iceland

    Vast, varied and spectacular, Vatnajökull National Park was founded in 2008, when authorities created a megapark by joining the 8300-sq-km Vatnajökull ice…

  • Snæfellsjökull national park lies in the westernmost part of Snæfellsnes peninsula ; 
Snæfellsjökull National Park 
Shutterstock ID 1701342907; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Snæfellsjökull National Park

    Snæfellsnes Peninsula

    Snæfellsjökull National Park encompasses much of the western tip of Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and wraps around the rugged slopes of the glacier…

  • A woman hikes in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve.

    Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

    The Westfjords

    Craggy mountains, precarious sea cliffs and plunging waterfalls make up Hornstrandir, one of Europe’s last true wilderness areas, covering some of the…

  • Dynjandi

    The Westfjords

    Tumbling in a broad sweep over a 100m-rocky scarp at the head of Dynjandivogur bay, Dynjandi is the most dramatic waterfall in the Westfjords. The bumpy…

  • Geysir

    The Golden Circle

    One of Iceland’s most famous tourist attractions, Geysir (gay-zeer; literally ‘gusher’) is the original hot-water spout after which all other geysers are…

  • Iceland - Thingvellir National Park, October, 10, 2014 - Beautiful view of people walking in the seam between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.

    Þingvellir National Park

    The Golden Circle

    The world’s oldest parliament, Althingi (pronounced ál-thingk-ee; also called Alþing) was uniquely situated at this monumental site where two tectonic…

  • Alþingi Site

    The Golden Circle

    Near the dramatic Almannagjá fault and fronted by a boardwalk is the Lögberg (Law Rock), where the Alþingi (Parliament) convened annually. This was where…

  • Tectonic Plates

    The Golden Circle

    The Þingvellir plain is situated on a tectonic-plate boundary where North America and Europe are tearing away from each other at a rate of 1mm to 18mm per…

  • Taken on a trip through Iceland.

    Skógafoss

    The South

    This 62m-high waterfall topples over a rocky cliff at the western edge of Skógar in dramatic style. Climb the steep staircase alongside for giddy views,…

  • Reynisfjara

    The South

    On the western side of Reynisfjall, the high ridge above Vík, Rte 215 leads 5km down to the black-sand beach Reynisfjara. It's backed by an incredible…

  • Rauðasandur

    The Westfjords

    Stunning Rauðasandur beach stretches out in shades of pink and red sands on the southern edge of the peninsula. Pounded by surf and backed by a huge azure…

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    Hallgrímskirkja

    Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur

    Reykjavík’s immense white-concrete church (1945–86), star of a thousand postcards, dominates the skyline and is visible from up to 20km away. An elevator…

  • Black sand beach, Dyrholaey, Iceland

    Dyrhólaey

    The South

    One of the South Coast’s most recognisable natural formations is the rocky plateau and huge stone sea arch at Dyrhólaey (deer-lay), which rises…

  • National Museum interior.

    National Museum

    Reykjavík

    Artefacts from settlement to the modern age fill the creative display spaces of Iceland's superb National Museum. Exhibits give an excellent overview of…

  • Carving depicting Thorolf Skallagrímsson, a character.from Egil’s Saga at the Settlement Centre.

    Settlement Centre

    Borgarbyggð

    Housed in an imaginatively restored warehouse by the harbour, the must-see Settlement Centre offers fascinating insights into the history of Icelandic…

  • Settlement Exhibition

    Reykjavík

    This fascinating archaeological ruin-museum is based around a 10th-century Viking longhouse unearthed here from 2001 to 2002 and other Settlement-Era…

  • Harpa, Reykjavik, Iceland...Photo © Christian Gehrig  /  //  /  <a href="http://www.mainone.ch">Website</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MainonePhotography">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://www.flickr.com/Mainone">Flickr</a>

    Harpa

    Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur

    With its ever-changing facets glistening on the water's edge, Reykjavík’s sparkling Harpa concert hall and cultural centre is a beauty to behold. In…

  • drangey island during midnight sun, northern iceland; drangey is the place of the classic Grettis saga

    Drangey

    North Iceland

    The tiny rocky islet of Drangey (drown-gay), in the middle of Skagafjörður, is a dramatic flat-topped mass of volcanic tuff with 180m-high sheer…

  • TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY Nina LARSON  .People visit Iceland's Phallological Museum on June 28, 2011 in Husavik. From gigantic whale penises to speck-sized field mouse testicles and lampshades made from bull scrotums, Iceland's small Phallological Museum has it all, and recently put its first human member on display. AFP PHOTO / HALLDOR KOLBEINS (Photo credit should read HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP/Getty Images)

    Icelandic Phallological Museum

    Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur

    Oh, the jokes are endless here... This unique museum houses a huge collection of penises, and it's actually very well done. From pickled pickles to…

  • Iceland, Puffin in flight

    Hafnarhólmi

    East Iceland

    Five kilometres past the wee church is the photogenic small-boat harbour and islet of Hafnarhólmi, home to a large puffin colony. A staircase and viewing…

  • Westfjords Heritage Museum

    Ísafjörður

    Part of a cluster of historic wooden buildings by the harbour, this museum is in the Turnhús (1784), which was originally a warehouse. It's crammed with…

  • Helgafell volcano and red lava slope of Eldfell volcano on Vestmannaeyjar Island Heimaey.

    Eldfell

    Heimaey

    The 221m-high volcanic cone Eldfell appeared from nowhere in the early hours of 23 January 1973. Once the fireworks finished, heat from the volcano…

  • Gullfoss

    The Golden Circle

    Iceland’s most famous waterfall, Gullfoss is a spectacular double cascade dropping a dramatic 32m. As it descends, it kicks up magnificent walls of spray…

  • Kirkjufell mountain, Western Iceland, as the aurora really starts to pump out, illuminating the frozen landscape. ....From a superb trip with David Clapp and Antony Spencer

    Breiðafjörður

    West Iceland

    Stykkishólmur’s jagged peninsula pushes north into stunning Breiðafjörður, a broad waterway separating the Snæfellsnes from the looming cliffs of the…

  • REYKJAVIK ART MUSEUM  THE HARBOUR BUILDING EXTERIOR SOUTH ELEVATION

    Reykjavík Art Museum

    Reykjavík

    The excellent Reykjavík Art Museum is split over three superbly curated sites: the large, modern, downtown Hafnarhús, focusing on contemporary art;…

  • Town houses, Reykjavik

    Old Harbour

    Reykjavík

    Largely a service harbour until recently, the Old Harbour and the neighbouring Grandi area have blossomed into tourist hot spots, with key art galleries,…

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    Tjörnin

    Reykjavík

    The placid lake at the centre of the city is sometimes locally called the Pond. It echoes with the honks and squawks of more than 40 species of visiting…

  • Ósvör Maritime Museum

    The Westfjords

    The old turf-and-stone fishing shacks of the Ósvör Maritime Museum powerfully evoke a past age. A guide in a typical lambskin fisher’s outfit shows you…

  • Wilderness Center

    Inland

    This brilliant attraction opened in 2016 and defies easy classification. It's a remote farm that offers museum exhibits, unique accommodation, local food,…

  • Djúpalón Beach

    Snæfellsjökull National Park

    On the southwest coast, Rte 572 leads off Rte 574 to wild black-sand beach Djúpalónssandur. It’s a dramatic place to walk, with rock formations (an elf…

  • Iceland: Tjörnin in Reykjavik

    Old Reykjavík

    Reykjavík

    With a series of sights and interesting historic buildings, the area dubbed Old Reykjavík is the heart of the capital, and the focal point of many…

  • Nauthusagil

    The South

    Not far from Seljalandsfoss, on the road to Þórsmörk (4WD required), hides one of the most thrilling and adventurous scrambles to a waterfall along a…

  • Snæfellsjökull

    Snæfellsjökull National Park

    It’s easy to see why Jules Verne selected Snæfell for his adventure Journey to the Centre of the Earth: the peak was torn apart when the volcano beneath…

  • Glaumbær

    North Iceland

    The 18th-century turf-farm museum at Glaumbær is the best museum of its type in northern Iceland and worth the easy 8km detour off the Ring Road,…

  • Stöng

    The South

    Buried by white volcanic ash in 1104 during one of Hekla’s eruptions, this ancient farm once belonged to Gaukur Trandilsson, a 10th-century Viking who…

  • Herring Era Museum

    Tröllaskagi

    Lovingly created over 16 years, this award-winning museum does a stunning job of recreating Siglufjörður’s boom days between 1903 and 1968, when it was…

  • Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft

    The Westfjords

    The multilingual displays at this award-winning museum brilliantly convey dark, dramatic tales. Unlike the witches of New England's Salem trials, most of…

  • Dimmuborgir

    Mývatn Region

    The giant jagged lava field at Dimmuborgir (literally ‘Dark Castles’) is one of the most fascinating flows in the country. A series of nontaxing, colour…

  • Erpsstaðir

    West Iceland

    When the peanut gallery starts moaning, ‘Are we there yet?’, you know it’s time to head to Erpsstaðir, the perfect place to stretch your legs. Like a…

  • Eldheimar

    Heimaey

    More than 400 buildings lie buried under lava from the 1973 eruption, and on the edge of the flow ‘Pompeii of the North’ is a museum revolving around one…

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