Tourism in Iceland has increased dramatically over the last decade, and for good reason. The gorgeous scenery, interesting food and culture and immersion in nature greatly outweigh the high cost of living and sometimes wet weather. I visited for the first time this month and after more than two weeks exploring, I wanted to share some of the common attractions and if I think you should add them or remove them from your own itinerary. Because of course you’re planning a trip here, right?
I should mention that the entire country is circumferenced by the Ring Road (Highway 1). We drove along the southern coast and then turned back because we didn’t have enough time (you need at least a full seven days and our two weeks were broken up by a horseback riding expedition). Everything below is within a five-hour drive of the Keflavik Airport and Reykjavik, the country’s capital.
Attractions in Iceland
Snorkeling Silfra at Thingvellir National Park
This was certainly a highlight of our trip. I don’t have much snorkeling experience, but I love finding activities you can only do in that specific location and snorkeling between tectonic plates fit that bill perfectly. We chose a tour through Airbnb Experiences and it was absolutely incredible. The guide was knowledgeable and helpful and just made it a perfect experience. It was just my travel partner and I with one other couple and we were the very first snorkelers in the water that day which meant we had the entire canyon to ourselves. The excitement we felt swimming in 34 degree water paired with the peace as we stared into the abyss below us were like nothing else. You’re only in the water for about 30 minutes which is plenty since it’s so cold. The dry suits keep you warm and your exposed lips eventually go numb. The hot cocoa after was a necessity. We certainly enjoyed a few miles of hiking and waterfalls throughout the rest of the park as well, including seeing where the first Icelandic parliament was located.
Jökulsárlón Iceberg Lagoon and Diamond Beach
I’m a little bit of a pessimist after seeing so many amazing Instagram photos of places like McDonald Lake in Glacier National Park and being disappointed that the rocks aren’t rainbow-colored. So I expected this one to be a little anticlimactic, especially since it was quite a drive out of the way for us. Fortunately, the chill of the glacier, the hovering fog, and the icy blues and blacks of the ice and sand made the landscape magical. I could sit and stare all day and in fact, we did spend many hours just wandering and taking photographs. Luckily, there are bathrooms in the parking lot.
Svartifoss and Skaftafell
Two lovely waterfalls, both just a couple miles hike from the parking lot (paid). They are pretty different, Svartifoss being the basalt columns. If you can find one closer to your other activities, feel free to skip these, but they are lovely to stop at if you happen to be passing through and need a place to stretch your legs along the Ring Road.
Fjaðrárgljúfur
Paired with Mögáfoss, this GORGEous canyon is a little tough to find, but worth turning around for if you miss it the first time around. It looks prehistoric, and rightly so as it’s more than two million years old.
Reynisfjara Beach
We assumed black sand beaches were uncommon because we don’t have many in the United States, but even though this one was very pretty, it was fairly crowded and there are other options to see black sand beaches. Most of them are actually. The viewpoint was nice, but a bit of a drive. Skippable if you find another option.
Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck
While wildly popular, this tourist trap asks folks to walk almost a mile from the parking lot each way to view a 1973 U.S. plane crash site. The views along the walk aren’t worth it, it’s hard to get a photo without other tourists in view, and it’s just not worth the stop.
Skógafoss Waterfall
A must-see cascade of the many you’ll encounter. We saw the brightest double rainbow and the photography opportunities were endless. You can also choose to walk up a mountain of stairs to see the waterfall from the top as well as a couple more down a short trailhead (Hestavaðsfoss). We also ended up eating at the Bistro Bar, which had the best Skyr cheesecake. Skyr is like Icelandic yogurt, but also kinda like cheese. They eat it for breakfast often.
Fence of Bras
Not a thing anymore. When I was researching my trip, I thought it would be a funny roadside attraction, but we saw less than a dozen bras scattered around and it wasn’t worth even pulling off the road for. Skip it.
Seljalandsfoss
A very popular spot and for good reason. Make sure to hit this one up on a weekday or early in the morning because the parking lot floods with tour busses. Gljufrabui and Gljúfrafoss are excellent additions while you’re here. The second of the two actually reminded me of The Narrows in Zion National Park in Utah, in that if you’re there after a good rain, you’ll be walking in the river. You will bring more than one pair of hiking boots on this trip anyway and this hike is worth it.
Secret Lagoon Iceland
We didn’t make it to this one, but I wish we would have made time for it. Less corporate and touristy than Blue Lagoon (mentioned later), but still magical and relaxing. Let me know how it is when you go.
Geysir
Perhaps I’m spoiled, but this one was a bit of a disappointment and I happened to visit it twice on accident. Geysir itself is all but dormant and there are a handful of other smaller geothermal pools and geysers but not a fraction if the excitement of Yellowstone National Park in the United States. If you’re in the area, go ahead and stop, otherwise skip it.
Kerid Crater
We had this on our itinerary, but ran out of time so had to skip it. It looked pretty, but it’s another one I’d recommend visiting early in the day.
Fagradalsfjall Volcano
We weren’t sure if we could fit in this challenging six-mile hike, and weren’t sure it would still be erupting so we left this tentative. At the very end of my trip, my travel partner headed home the afternoon before my own flight so I ended up dropping her off and trekking it on my own. I am very comfortable traveling by myself, but a strenuous hike after my 200-mile horseback ride made me nervous. I’m so glad I made the slow-and-steady effort though because how often do you get the chance to see a volcano erupting in person? I ended up seeing friendly faces from my ride when I got to the top and we admired the lava flow and smoking mountain together. Not sure I can recommend this specific volcano for your trip because who knows what it’s status will be but if you are within 20 miles of a volcano, it’s worth the detour.
Blue Lagoon Iceland
Okay, yes. This is what most people come to Iceland to do. It’s touristy as hell, but it’s also quintessential. We decided we would visit because even if it was touristy we were still enjoying a spa and if it was that bad we could always leave. We booked ourselves a premium package with an in-water massage, all five facial masks, and a steak lunch with champagne and dessert (in our robes might I add). We purposefully went at opening on a weekday and enjoyed a deserted lagoon. We had plenty of space to ourselves, in lagoon cocktails, and lots of wandering around to find the hottest pockets of silica water. We ended up staying for almost six hours, much longer than we intended and we could have stayed another six had my partner not had a flight to catch. Go. Ignore what people say. Relax and enjoy the experience. I’ll never go to Iceland again without stopping here. It’s perfection.
Asmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum
Just not that exciting. I expected more signage about the pieces or just more in general. Skip it.
Perlan
We quite enjoyed this museum situation. After wandering around the exhibits for a bit we had lunch in the top part that spins like the Space Needle in Seattle. It’s pretty views of Reykjavik make it a nice stop, but I don’t recommend walking. It was a weird path. Better to take a ride share.
Hallgrimskirkja
The very elaborate lutheran church was built to show up the dainty catholic cathedral in the center of town. And what a flex. This church is stunning from the outside and the inside, be sure to catch it while it’s open to peek inside the main sanctuary.
Icelandic Phallological Museum
On the other end of the spectrum, I really wanted to visit this place as well. Where else would this exist? But it wasn’t a top pick for my travel partner so we skipped it. How freaking silly and fun!
Puffin and Whale Watching
We had a little mix up with our tours but the ones we ended up on were way better than we anticipated so it all worked out. We saw thousands of puffins and some even just feet away, and a small pod of whales who were very active out of the water. Iceland is definitely a hot spot for animal viewing.
Restaurants
The Soup Company: SOUPer yummy and fun space. Expect to wait for your food, but it’s totally worth it. My travel partner had an amazing lava soup served in a black bread bowl and I had curry nachos. I have never thought to put curry chicken on tortilla chips but oh my goodness was it delicious!
Friðheimar: The entire restaurant is focused on tomatoes. It’s actually a greenhouse system that grows a significant volume of the country’s vegetables in a sustainable manner (fertile soil from lava rock, thermal energy to power the grow lights and recycled water. The dining room is the greenhouse itself where you can see the growing crops and see exactly where the food on your plate is coming from. The menu is fascinating and includes expected items like bloody marys and pasta dishes, as well as surprising delights like tomato beer and tomato ice cream. The soup, salad and bread bar alone would have been a hearty meal, but we ordered half the menu. Nothing was less than delightful!
Hlemmur Mathöll: If you’ve read and previous blog posts, you know I can’t resist a good market! This one happened to be a couple blocks from our hotel and we visited more than once. There are plenty of options to sit and enjoy a cocktail, grab a small bite or indulge in a full meal. Grandi Mathöll is another market on the far north side of the city. Also yummy options.
Gandhi Indian Restaurant and Bar: I’m also a sucker for good Indian food and this one hit the spot. Quiet, local, great service and delicious food.
Lodging
Black Beach Suites: We loved this place. It’s part hostel, part apartments, but both are exceptionally clean and modern, yet cozy. Every apartment has unmatched views of the ocean and I can attest that both sunrises and sunsets are incredible. Despite jet lag, this was some of the best sleep of my trip. I’d definitely stay here again.
I have lots of other Google stars from places we didn’t make it to. Happy to help you plan your excursion to Iceland. If you’ve been and traveled the Ring Road, what did you love? What would you recommend?