Must see attractions in North Iceland

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Glaumbær
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,…
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Herring Era Museum
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…
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Dimmuborgir
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…
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Hljóðaklettar
The bizarre swirls, spirals, rosettes, honeycombs and basalt columns at Hljóðaklettar (Echo Rocks) are a highlight of any hike around Vesturdalur and a…
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Lofthellir
The dramatic lava cave at Lofthellir is a stunning destination, with magnificent natural ice sculptures dominating the interior. Although it's one of…
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Goðafoss
Goðafoss (Waterfall of the Gods) rips straight through the Bárðardalur lava field along Rte 1. Although smaller and less powerful than some of Iceland’s…
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Hverfjall
Dominating the lava fields on the eastern edge of Mývatn is the classic tephra ring Hverfjall (also called Hverfell). This near-symmetrical crater…
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Leirhnjúkur
Krafla’s most impressive, and potentially most dangerous, attraction is the Leirhnjúkur crater and its solfataras, which originally appeared in 1727,…
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Hvítserkur
On the Vatnsnes Peninsula's east coast, 30km north of the Ring Road, there's a car park, viewing platform and path leading to the splendidly photogenic…
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Sigurgeir’s Bird Museum
For superb birdwatching background, visit Sigurgeir’s Bird Museum, housed in a beautiful lakeside building that fuses modern design with traditional turf…
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Hverir
The magical, ochre-toned world of Hverir (also called Hverarönd) is a lunar-like landscape of mud cauldrons, steaming vents, radiant mineral deposits and…
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Skútustaðagígar
The Skútustaðagígar pseudocraters were formed when molten lava flowed into Mývatn lake, triggering a series of gas explosions. These dramatic green…
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Víti
The ochre crater of Víti reveals a secret when you reach its rim – a cerulean pool of floodwater at its heart. The 300m-wide explosion crater was created…
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Lystigarðurinn
The most northerly botanical garden in the world makes a delightful spot for a fragrant wander on sunny days. The wealth of plant life on display is truly…
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Húsavík Whale Museum
This excellent museum provides all you need to know about the impressive creatures that visit Skjálfandi bay. Housed in an old harbourside slaughterhouse,…
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Húsavíkurkirkja
Húsavík’s beloved church is quite different from anything else seen in Iceland. Constructed in 1907 from Norwegian timber, the delicately proportioned red…
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Icelandic Folk & Outsider Art Museum
This excellent, eclectic museum 12km from Akureyri on Rte 1 (look for the sculpture of a tall blue man out the front) is a beautiful space filled with…
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Námafjall
Vaporous vents cover the pinky-orange Námafjall ridge, which lies 3km east of Bjarnarflag on the south side of the Ring Road. Produced by a fissure…
Akureyrarkirkja
Dominating the town from high on a hill, Akureyri’s landmark church was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, the architect responsible for Reykjavík’s…
Arctic Henge
The striking stone arches of Arctic Henge are the darling of many a brochure, and in real life they live up to the exalted mood. The massive stone circle…