Things not to miss

written by Rough Guides Editors

updated 11/29/2019

Related tailor-made travel itineraries for Iceland

#01 The Blue Lagoon

A dip in the sublime waters of the Blue Lagoon is a quintessentially Icelandic experience.

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#01
#02
#03
#04 Askja
#05 Join the rúntur
#06 Flatey
#07 The Sagas
#08
#09 Lake Mývatn
#10
#11
#12 Breiðavík
#13 The Settlement Exhibition
#14 Geysir
#15 Þingvellir National Park
#16
#17 The Phallological Museum,
#18 Whale watching
#19
#20
#21 Dettifoss

© Arsenie Krasnevsky/Shutterstock

#02 Landmannalaugar

Landmannalaugar’s bubbling hot springs, wildly-coloured hills and rugged hiking trails are the Interior’s best-known feature.

© Ovchinnikova Irina/Shutterstock

#03 Hiking in Hornstrandir

The total remoteness and majestic landscape make isolated Hornstrandir a fantastic destination for dedicated hikers.

© Kristyna Henkeova/Shutterstock

#04 Askja

Scramble down the stark sides of this volcanic crater in the Interior and take a quick dip in the lukewarm geothermal lake, Víti.

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#05 Join the rúntur

Sample Iceland’s legendary nightlife, starting with a pub crawl round of Reykjavík’s bars.

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#06 Flatey

Admire the drama of the West Fjord mountains from the green, flat meadows of this tiny, peaceful island haven.

© Barbara Barbour/Shutterstock

#07 The Sagas

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Reykjavík’s Culture House boasts some of Europe’s oldest and finest medieval manuscripts.

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#08 Akureyri

Iceland's second town offers an engaging mix of urban sophistication, with great bars and restaurants and some decent museums.

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#09 Lake Mývatn

Mývatn’s placid spread of water is a haven for wildfowl, while the lake’s surrounds abound in volcanic formations, both extinct and highly active.

#10 The Interior

A trip into the desolate, uninhabited Interior is an unmissable opportunity to see the raw side of Iceland.

Aldeyjarfoss waterfall, Iceland

© Sergio Paciencia/Shutterstock

#11 Þórsmörk National Park

Hike 25km over the mountains between Þórsmörk and Skógar, right past the steaming site of the 2010 volcanic eruption at Eyjafjallajökull.

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#12 Breiðavík

This sweeping stretch of golden sand and turquoise water is Iceland’s most beautiful beach.

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#13 The Settlement Exhibition

Travel back in time to the year 871 and see the remarkable remains of one of Reykjavík’s earliest houses.

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#14 Geysir

See Strokkur erupting at Geysir, after which all geysers are named.

© ZinaidaSopina/Shutterstock

#15 Þingvellir National Park

The dramatic site of Iceland’s first parliament, set in a mighty rift valley where the Eurasian and American continental plates are slowly tearing apart.

© RnDmS/Shutterstock

#16 West Fjords

Remote, forbidding yet totally compelling, the West Fjords are Iceland at its most scenically amazing.

#17 The Phallological Museum, Reykjavík

#18 Whale watching

Get up close to minke and humpback whales on a whale-watching tour from Reykjavík or Húsavík.

#19 Skaftafell National Park

Skaftafell’s blend of highland plateau, summer meadows and ice-blue glaciers are best explored by hiking, biking or climbing.

#20 Hallgrímskirkja

Reykjavík’s best-known landmark, the striking Hallgrímskirkja offers unsurpassed views of the capital from its tower.

#21 Dettifoss

Deep inside Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, encounter nature in the raw at Europe’s most powerful waterfall.

Travel advice for Iceland