The Golden Circle
Behind the Þingvallabær farmhouse, Þingvallakirkja is one of Iceland’s first churches. The original was consecrated in the 11th century, but the current…
Must-see attractions in Iceland
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
Einar Jónsson (1874–1954) is one of Iceland’s foremost sculptors, famous for intense symbolist works. Chiselled representations of Hope, Earth and Death…
The Golden Circle
Straddling both sides of the Öxará river are the ruins of various temporary camps called búðir (literally 'booths'). These stone foundations were covered…
The South
Inside a huge maroon-and-black warehouse in the centre of town, Draugasetrið is a veritable haunted house run by a gaggle of bloodthirsty youngsters. A 50…
Jón Sigurðsson Memorial Museum
The Westfjords
Farmstead Hrafnseyri is the birthplace (on 17 June 1811) of Jón Sigurðsson, the architect of Iceland’s independence. The interesting, modern Jón…
Mývatn Region
One of the area’s gentlest landscapes is on the forested lava headland at Höfði. Wildflowers, birch and spruce trees cover the bluffs, while the tiny…
The Westfjords
The three-room turf-roofed Sorcerer’s Cottage is part of the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft in Hólmavík and shows what living conditions were…
Heimaey
The top of the craggy precipice Stóraklif is a treacherous 30-minute climb from behind the N1 petrol station at the harbour. The trail starts on the…
Southeast Iceland
At the western end of the village, the lovely double waterfall, Systrafoss, tumbles down the cliffs and a sign outlines three short walks in the pretty…
Southeast Iceland
Fláajökull is 8km off the Ring Road on a gravel road (signposted just east of Hólmur guesthouse) that leads to a small car park with pit toilet. A…
The Westfjords
Legend has it that this stumpy rock stack is the remains of a petrified troll and Uxi, her bull, is the formation out at sea near the island of Grímsey…
Greater Reykjavík
Menningarmiðstoð Kópavogs contains Kópavogur’s Natural History Museum, where displays include an orca skeleton, stuffed animals and some of Mývatn lake’s…
Reykjavík
The small, red former home of writer, illustrator and naturalist Benedikt Gröndal beautifully evokes turn-of-the-century Reykjavic life. Gröndal lived…
The South
Boardwalks from Landmannalaugar's info hut lead to a geothermal hot pool flanked by volcanic hills. It's not officially a 'bathing area', but visitors are…
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Just north of Arnarstapi and Stapafell, on Rte 574, a small track branches off to the stunning Rauðfeldsgjá (pronounced roith-felds-gyow), a steep, narrow…
Heimaey
Shockingly, three out of four of Heimaey’s babies once died of tetanus, due to water deficiency and contaminated soil. In the 1840s an island woman,…
The Westfjords
On the northern edge of Dýrafjörður, Rte 624 forks off west from Rte 60. It turns into a dirt road and passes an abandoned farmhouse before swerving…
The South
Roughly translated as 'bottleneck', the Stútur crater sits on the Norðurnámshraun lava field and is signposted off the F224 road. Two fairly steep trails…
Reykjanes Peninsula
These strangely shaped cliffs and hardened volcanic ash layers were formed in an eruption in the early 1900s. The formations are named tuffs, and consist…
Mývatn Region
Game of Thrones fans may recognise this as the place where Jon Snow is, ahem, deflowered by Ygritte. Grjótagjá is a gaping fissure with a 45°C water…
Southeast Iceland
Lómagnúpur towers over the impossibly photogenic old turf-roofed farm at Núpsstaður. The farm buildings date back to the early 19th century, and the…
North Iceland
North of Akureyri, on the road to Grenivík you'll find the beautifully photogenic turf houses at Laufás, a preserved manor farm dating from the 1860s…
Reykjavík
Grassy Austurvöllur was once part of first-settler Ingólfur Arnarson’s hay fields. Today it’s a favourite spot for cafe lounging or lunchtime picnics and…
Reykjavík
Ever strolled beneath a blue whale? This museum houses full-sized models of the 23 species of whale found off Iceland's coast. The largest museum of this…
The South
The Hekla Center is part of the Leirubakki compound (camping, hotel and restaurant). It details the explosive history of Hekla in a deliberately dark…
Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant
The South
The sleek shell of Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant is one of the few plants that provides 30% of Iceland's electricity. A multimedia exhibition and…
Southeast Iceland
From the Hoffell guesthouse, a signed, 4km gravel road leads to Hoffellsjökull glacier tongue, calving into a small lake. There are some good short walks…
East Iceland
Rockhounds will love the display of zeolites at this farm, now a natural monument and nature reserve 5km northwest of Djúpivogur. It's renowned for its…
Borgarbyggð
This small municipal museum has an engaging exhibit on the story of children in Iceland over the last 100 years. It's told through myriad photographs and…
Borgarbyggð
Just a bit to the southeast of Fljótstunga on Rte 518, a bright yellow sign marks the turn-off to Arnarvatnsheiði along Rte F578 (rental cars not allowed)…
Iceland
Often overshadowed in the media by its neighbour, the famous falls Aldeyjarfoss, the multiple churning chutes of Hrafnabjargafoss, 3.5km south on F26 and…
Greater Reykjavík
The second-oldest wooden church in Iceland, Viðey Church dates from the 18th century. Look out for the original decor and the tomb of the former owner of…
Reykjavík
Around 20 quaint old buildings have been transported from their original sites to open-air Árbæjarsafn. Alongside 19th-century homes are a turf-roofed…
Skrímslasetur Icelandic Sea Monster Museum
The Westfjords
Moody, fun, elaborate and dramatic exhibits about Icelandic and foreign monster legends fill the rooms here. The interactive multimedia table tells 180…
Sudurnes Science & Learning Center
Reykjanes Peninsula
This scientific learning centre has a fascinating exhibit about Polar explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot, whose ship Pourquois Pas? wrecked near here in 1936 …
Southeast Iceland
Although the peak called Laki (818m) did not erupt, it has loaned its name to the 25km-long Lakagígar crater row, which stretches northeastwards and…
East Iceland
Walk or drive down to the waterfront behind Langabúð and follow the road west to reach this intriguing public artwork: 34 oversized eggs along the jetty,…
The Golden Circle
The little farmhouse in the bottom of the rift, Þingvallabær was built for the 1000th anniversary of the Alþing in 1930 by state architect Guðjón…
Southeast Iceland
The basalt columns of Kirkjugólf (Church Floor), smoothed down and cemented with moss, were once mistaken for an old church floor rather than a work of…
West Iceland
This neat museum's curator is a wonderful character who knows a great deal about Dalir’s brilliant history, and if you make your way through the…
