Best places in Iceland

Þingvellir has always been popular, for obvious reasons. The history and striking landscape make the place an almost mandatory stopping point for tourists. In the middle of the 19th century, an idea was put forward in the US to conserve areas that are unique because of their beauty and grandeur. Set

Namaskard hverir This spectacular high temperature area (410 m above sea level) is situated by road no. 1 by the Namaskard pass in the vicinity of Lake Myvatn. It is a prototype of such areas, consisting of stinking steam vents, solfataras and boiling mud pits. The whole area is metamorphosed by th

Öxarárfoss is a waterfall in Þingvellir National Park, Iceland. It flows from the river Öxará over the Almannagjá. The pool at the base of the waterfall is filled with rocks and is often extremely icy during winter. The waterfall is one of the main attractions of Þingvellir National Park and there

The crater Kerið was formed about 6,500 years ago and lies at the northern end of a row of craters known as Tjarnarhólar. It is oval, about 270 m long, 170 m wide and 55 m deep: the depth of the water at the bottom varies between 7 and 14 m. According to an old tradition, a rise in the water level h

Vatnajökull National Park was established in 2008. It includes the national parks in Skaftafell (est. 1967) and Jökulsárgljúfur (est. 1973) along with the Vatnajökull ice cap itself and extensive area

Scenic landscape, favorable weather conditions and a selection of hiking trails make Skaftafell an ideal destination for those who like to enjoy outdoor activities in Icelandic nature. Short and easy

The Golden Waterfalls (Gullfoss) are situated in the upper part of River Hvita. The water cascades down two steps, one 11 m high, and the other 22 m, into the 2,5 km long canyon below. This canyon was

This most famous and former largest spouting hot spring of the world probably was created during an extended earthquake period at the end of the 13th century. According to one of the annals, two large

FJAÐRÁRGLJÚFUR Fjaðrárgljúfur is a magnificent and massive canyon, about 100 meters deep and about two kilometres long. The canyon has sheer walls, and is somewhat serpentine and narrow. The bedrock in Fjaðrárgljúfur is mostly palagonite from cold periods of the Ice Age and is thought to be about t

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is one of the most famed and visited attractions in Iceland. Floating on the lagoon are enumerable icebergs that have broken off the resident glacier, creating an ever-chang

SKOGAFOSS - WATERFALL Only a few kilometers away from the south shores of Iceland, lies the village of Skógar along the Southern Ring Road. It is a popular summer-resort centre surrounded by unusual

The Diamond Beach is a strip of black sand belonging to the greater Breiðamerkursandur glacial plain, located by Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon on the South Coast of Iceland. Here, the icebergs which fil

Svartifoss (Black Falls) is a waterfall in Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park in Iceland, and is one of the most popular sights in the park. It is surrounded by dark lava columns, which gave rise to its name. Other well-known columnar jointing formations are seen at the Giant's Causeway in

Hvítserkur, otherwise known as the Troll of Northwest Iceland, is a 15 m (49 ft) tall basalt rock stack protruding from Húnaflói Bay. The rock is a nesting ground for seagulls, shag and fulmar, making

DYRHOLAEY Dyrhólaey is a 120-metre high promontory, not far from Vík. The place got its name from the massive arch that the sea has eroded from the headland. (The name literally means "door-hole"). W

A unique waterfall in the river Seljalandsá, about 30 km west from Skógar. It is 60 meters high with a foot path behind it at the bottom of the cliff, but with a thin cascade. It is the only known waterfall of its kind, where it is possible to walk behind it. The waterfall is very picturesque and th

DETTIFOSS WATERFALL The Dettifoss waterfall is with the greatest volume of any waterfall in Europe, 500 cubic metres of water per second plunges over the edge. Dettifoss is 45 m high and 100m wide. A nice hiking trail, 34km, goes along the canyon from Dettifoss to Asbyrgi. Camping possible in Vestu

GATKLETTUR - ARCH ROCK Gatklettur - Arch Rock - is a cliff with a circular arch. Rock Arch shows how distinctive wave action has eroded the rocks into arches and beautiful swirled patterns. There is great birdlife around the cliffs and pretty flora surrounding the area.

Goðafoss Falls Nicknamed by one local as ‘The Beauty’ in comparison to ‘The Beast’ of Dettifoss, the name Goðafoss could be translated roughly as The Waterfall of The Gods. An impressive site any time of year, in late spring, if you can catch it while there´s still icicles bedecking its sides, it’s

Hjalparfoss is a beautiful, two stepped waterfall near the confluence of Rivers Thjorsa and Fossa in the Thjorsa Valley. The surrounding area is called Hjalp (Help), because the travellers across the

HAIFOSS The waterfall Háifoss is situated near the volcano Hekla in the south of Iceland. The river Fossá, a tributary of Þjórsá, drops here from a height of 122 m. This is the second highest waterfa

Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall (Pronunciation = Al-day-yar-foss) Though only twenty metres in height and a little off the beaten track, Aldeyjarfoss waterfall has symmetrical features and geologically interesting surrounds. Tumbling through a narrow passage into a wide basin, the concertinaed black basalt

Hrafnabjargafoss is a waterfall located in the Skjálfandafljót river, one of the longest rivers is Iceland. It is little-known compared to other waterfalls in north Iceland, making it somewhat of a hidden gem in the region. It can be found alongside a highland road that is only accessible in summer

KOLUGJÚFUR   As you drive along Víðidalur, you will come to Kolugil Farm which stands beside the Víðidalsá river. Just below the farm, the waters flow peacefully downwards to plunge into the deep, r