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Dramatic Iceland mountain landscape with red-roofed huts under cloudy skies

Places to see

Iceland Attractions

Use this page to find the landmarks, landscapes, and scenic areas worth building your route around.

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landmarksroute anchorsscenic stopsphoto planning

Where to start

Start with one route-shaping line.

Gullfoss works best when the nearby Golden Circle stops are easy to compare, not mixed with unrelated highlights.

Gullfoss Waterfall dropping through a snowy canyon on the Golden Circle.
Waterfall anchorGolden Circle

Gullfoss Waterfall

Use Gullfoss as the waterfall anchor, then decide how much Golden Circle time belongs around it.

Strokkur erupting across the Geysir geothermal area on the Golden Circle.
Geothermal stopNear Gullfoss

Geysir

Pair with Gullfoss when the day needs a geothermal stop that is close, legible, and easy to sequence.

Walking path through Almannagjá at Þingvellir National Park with visitors below the rift cliffs.
National parkRoute start

Þingvellir National Park

Use Þingvellir when the route needs history, rift-valley walking, and a stronger first stop from Reykjavík.

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Find sights worth building into your route.

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Where?

South IcelandEast IcelandReykjanes PeninsulaNorth IcelandWest IcelandWestfjordsReykjavikSnæfellsnesHighlands

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Golden CircleSouth CoastRing RoadDiamond CircleSnæfellsnes PeninsulaSilver CircleArctic Coast WayWestfjords WayHighlands F-roads

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First-time visitorsSelf-driveShort stopsNear Reykjavik
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Two pale rhyolite peaks of Súlur above Akureyri with rocky foreground and blue sky.

Súlur

Súlur is Akureyri’s town mountain, a demanding North Iceland hike best for fit visitors with a weather buffer, clear views, and enough time to make the climb more than a rushed skyline detour.

Akureyri mountain · North Iceland · Substantial half day
Mossy lava walls and a narrow footpath through Stóragjá rift near Lake Mývatn.

Stóragjá

Stóragjá is a narrow lava rift and geothermal cave beside Reykjahlíð in the Lake Mývatn area, worth a short look when you want quiet volcanic texture, not a bathing stop or headline detour.

Lake Mývatn · Lava rift · Short stop
Mountain biker riding a timber trail through the trees in Kjarnaskógur near Akureyri.

Kjarnaskógur

Kjarnaskógur is Akureyri’s large city-edge forest, best when you want an easy outdoor pause, family space, biking, or winter trail texture without leaving North Iceland’s main route area.

North Iceland · Akureyri forest · 30 minutes to 2 hours
Steam plumes rising from Bjarnarflag Geothermal Station pipes and yellow buildings below Námafjall.

Bjarnarflag

Bjarnarflag is a small geothermal power station and steam field near Lake Mývatn, worth a short stop when you want energy-landscape context rather than another classic scenic viewpoint.

North Iceland · Lake Mývatn · Geothermal station
Wide view of Námaskarð geothermal ground, steam vents, visitors, and the brown slope of Námafjall.

Námaskarð Pass

Námaskarð is the geothermal pass by Námafjall near Lake Mývatn, worth a short stop for steam, sulfur colors, and route context when you treat Hverir and safety boundaries as the main decision.

Mývatn geothermal pass · Route 1 stop · North Iceland
Aerial view of Earth Lagoon Mývatn pools set among dark lava fields and low mountains.

Earth Lagoon Mývatn

Earth Lagoon Mývatn is a managed geothermal bathing stop near Lake Mývatn, best when a North Iceland route has space for a soak, volcanic scenery, and operator visitor-detail checks.

Mývatn bathing stop · Diamond Circle · geothermal lagoon · North Iceland
Akureyrarkirkja on its hill above Akureyri with mountains behind

Akureyrarkirkja

Akureyrarkirkja is Akureyri's hilltop Lutheran church and city landmark, useful as a short North Iceland cultural stop when you want architecture, town views, and a calm pause rather than a major detour.

Akureyri landmark · North Iceland · 20-45 minutes
Hrossaborg crater wall and mossy interior on a grey North Iceland highland day.

Hrossaborg

Hrossaborg is a black tephra and scoria crater near the F88 turnoff in North Iceland. It is worth a short detour for prepared self-drivers, but only when road, weather, and route timing leave enough margin.

F88 crater stop · North Iceland volcanic landscape · Mývatn and Askja context
Blue-green water inside Víti crater in the Krafla volcanic area near Lake Mývatn.

Víti in Krafla

Víti in Krafla is a blue-green maar crater above Lake Mývatn, useful as a short Diamond Circle volcanic stop when road, wind, and rim conditions support more than a quick viewpoint.

North Iceland · Krafla area · Crater lake
Laufás turf farm with white gables, turf roofs, church, green hillside, and mountain in Eyjafjörður.

Laufás

Laufás is a preserved turf farm and church site in Eyjafjörður, best added when a North Iceland day needs cultural depth near Akureyri rather than another waterfall or geothermal stop.

Turf farm near Akureyri · 45-90 minutes · North Iceland culture
Hljóðaklettar basalt formations beside the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river in Vesturdalur Valley.

Vesturdalur Valley

Vesturdalur Valley is a Jökulsárgljúfur walking area in North Iceland, useful when you want basalt formations, river canyon texture, and enough time to choose a marked trail carefully.

Jökulsárgljúfur · Diamond Circle · Marked walks
Water pouring through dark rock at Ullarfoss in North Iceland.

Ullarfoss

Ullarfoss is a quiet waterfall on the Svartá side of North Iceland, best considered as an optional add-on near Goðafoss and Aldeyjarfoss when walking effort, weather, and route time all make sense.

North Iceland · Waterfall · Quiet add-on
Large grassy Skútustaðagígar pseudocrater beside Lake Mývatn with people on the rim path.

Skútustaðagígar

Skútustaðagígar is a protected group of grassy pseudocraters on the south side of Lake Mývatn, worth adding when you want an easy volcanic walk, birdlife, and a calmer North Iceland stop.

North Iceland · Lake Mývatn · Pseudocraters
Goðafoss spreading across the Skjálfandafljót river in North Iceland.

Skjálfandafljót

Skjálfandafljót is the North Iceland river behind Goðafoss, Aldeyjarfoss, and upper highland-edge waterfalls, worth planning around when you want to choose the right river stop instead of chasing every cascade.

North Iceland · River waterfalls · Goðafoss and Aldeyjarfoss
Selfoss Waterfall spreading through Jökulsárgljúfur canyon in North Iceland.

Selfoss Waterfall

Selfoss Waterfall is the broad, lower waterfall upstream from Dettifoss in North Iceland, worth adding when the canyon walk, road conditions, and your Diamond Circle timing leave enough margin.

North Iceland · Diamond Circle · Waterfall add-on
View from Hringsbjarg over Öxarfjörður, black-sand coast, and pale blue water.

Öxarfjörður

Öxarfjörður is a wide North Iceland fjord between Tjörnes and Melrakkaslétta, best for travelers deciding whether the quiet coast deserves time between Húsavík, Ásbyrgi, Dettifoss, and the Arctic Coast Way.

North Iceland fjord area · Kópasker and Hringsbjarg views · Near Ásbyrgi and Dettifoss · Best for slower self-drive days
Öskjuvatn lake reflecting snowy Dyngjufjöll caldera walls inside Askja in the Icelandic Highlands.

Öskjuvatn

Öskjuvatn is the deep caldera lake inside Askja in North Iceland’s Highlands, worth slowing down for only when the full Askja access, weather, vehicle, and safety picture makes sense.

North Iceland · Askja · Highland lake
Lúdent tuff ring with the Lúdentarborgir crater row in the foreground in North Iceland.

Lúdentarborgir

Lúdentarborgir is a quiet crater row southeast of Lake Mývatn, useful for geology-minded self-drivers deciding whether a rougher volcanic side stop adds enough context beside easier Mývatn sights.

North Iceland · Crater row · Mývatn side stop
Lofthellir cave chamber with clear ice formations below a rough brown lava ceiling.

Lofthellir

Lofthellir is a guided lava-tube ice cave near Lake Mývatn, worth considering when you want a demanding North Iceland cave experience and can handle crawling, darkness, uneven ice, and operator-led access.

North Iceland · Lake Mývatn · Guided ice cave
Wide view across the black lava field, crater slopes, and pale geothermal ground at Leirhnjúkur near Krafla.

Leirhnjúkur

Leirhnjúkur is a steaming volcanic crater and lava-field walk in the Krafla area near Lake Mývatn, worth adding when you have time for uneven geothermal ground beyond the easier roadside stops.

North Iceland · Krafla lava field · 45-90 minutes
Víti crater lake inside the Krafla volcanic area north of Lake Mývatn.

Krafla

Krafla is a volcanic area north of Lake Mývatn, where Víti crater, Leirhnjúkur lava fields, steam, and a geothermal power station make a strong but condition-sensitive North Iceland stop.

North Iceland · Mývatn area · Volcanic landscape
Wide view across Jökulsárgljúfur canyon near Hafragilsfoss with cliffs, river, and mist in North Iceland.

Jökulsárgljúfur

Jökulsárgljúfur is a protected canyon corridor in North Iceland between Dettifoss and Ásbyrgi, worth planning as a Diamond Circle landscape area when you have time for viewpoints, marked walks, and road-condition checks.

North Iceland · Diamond Circle · Canyon corridor
Jökulsá á Fjöllum winding through the rocky Hafragilsfoss canyon area in North Iceland.

Jökulsá á Fjöllum

Jökulsá á Fjöllum is the glacial river behind Dettifoss and Jökulsárgljúfur in North Iceland, worth planning around when you want waterfall power, canyon scale, and a realistic Diamond Circle day.

North Iceland · Diamond Circle · Glacial river
Aerial view of Hverfell crater with a circular rim path and volcanic landscape near Lake Mývatn.

Hverfell

Hverfell is a dark volcanic crater beside Lake Mývatn, best for travelers who want a short climb, wide crater-rim views, and enough flexibility to skip it when wind, ice, or tight timing weakens the stop.

North Iceland · Volcanic crater · Diamond Circle · 45-90 minutes
Lindaá flowing through green vegetation at Herðubreiðarlindir with Herðubreið rising behind the oasis.

Herðubreiðarlindir

Herðubreiðarlindir is a spring-fed oasis below Herðubreið, reached by F88 in the North Iceland Highlands. It rewards prepared drivers with water, vegetation, lava textures, and quiet walks, but only when road, weather, and day planning leave a real margin.

F88 highland oasis · Herðubreið views · Askja route pause
Herðubreið rising above the dark Ódáðahraun lava desert in the north Icelandic Highlands.

Herðubreið

Herðubreið is a flat-topped Highland mountain north of Vatnajökull, best for prepared summer self-drivers deciding whether the remote F-road effort truly strengthens an Askja or North Iceland route.

Mountain · North Iceland · Highlands F-roads
Hafragilsfoss waterfall dropping through the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon in North Iceland.

Hafragilsfoss

Hafragilsfoss is a powerful Jökulsá á Fjöllum waterfall below Dettifoss in North Iceland, worth adding when you want a quieter canyon view and have room for access and safety checks.

North Iceland · Dettifoss add-on · Canyon waterfall
Blue geothermal water and rough lava walls inside Grjótagjá cave near Lake Mývatn.

Grjótagjá

Grjótagjá is a small lava cave with blue geothermal water near Lake Mývatn, best as a short, safety-aware stop when you want cave texture without treating it as a bathing place.

Lake Mývatn · Lava cave · Short Diamond Circle stop · No bathing
Dark young lava and fault walls at Gjástykki in the Krafla volcanic area of North Iceland.

Gjástykki

Gjástykki is a rugged Krafla rift valley north of Mývatn, where young lava, fissures, and rough access make it a specialist North Iceland stop for travelers who can verify conditions first.

North Iceland · Krafla area · Volcanic lava field
Aldeyjarfoss dropping into a pale river pool below dark basalt columns in North Iceland.

Aldeyjarfoss

Aldeyjarfoss is a basalt-framed waterfall near the northern edge of Sprengisandur in North Iceland, worth the detour when F26 access, vehicle rules, daylight, and route time all line up.

North Iceland · Basalt waterfall · F26 access check
Bird cliffs and sea arches on the Tjörnes Peninsula in North Iceland.

Tjörnes Peninsula

Tjörnes is a coastal peninsula in North Iceland, useful when your route already connects Húsavík, Ásbyrgi, bird cliffs, and slower coastal viewpoints, with enough flexibility for conditions and nearby route choices.

North Iceland coastal peninsula · Fossil layers and bird cliffs · Between Húsavík and Ásbyrgi · Best on slower Diamond Circle days
Aerial view over Lake Mývatn with green pseudocraters, shallow blue water, and volcanic hills in North Iceland.

Lake Mývatn

Mývatn is a lake-and-volcanic landscape area in North Iceland, best planned as a multi-stop base where craters, lava fields, geothermal areas, and baths compete for time, with enough flexibility for conditions and nearby route choices.

North Iceland lake district · Diamond Circle anchor · volcanic and wetland cluster · birdlife and geothermal stops
Wide view over Hverir Geothermal Area with steam plumes, mud pools, visitors, and the slopes of Námafjall.

Hverir Geothermal Area

Hverir is a geothermal field near Mývatn, worth visiting for steaming vents, mud pots, and sulfur-colored ground when wind, footing, and safety boundaries are respected, with enough flexibility for conditions and nearby route choices.

Mývatn geothermal field · Route 1 stop · North Iceland
Hljóðaklettar basalt formations beside the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river in North Iceland.

Hljóðaklettar

Hljóðaklettar is a basalt-rock walking area in Jökulsárgljúfur, worth planning when North Iceland time allows a slower canyon stop beyond Dettifoss and Ásbyrgi, with enough flexibility for conditions and nearby route choices.

Echo Rocks · Diamond Circle · North Iceland
Dimmuborgir lava arch rising from rough volcanic rock under a bright North Iceland sky.

Dimmuborgir

Dimmuborgir is a lava-formation walking area near Mývatn, useful when you want short trails, strange rock shapes, and an easier contrast to nearby geothermal or crater stops, with enough flexibility for conditions and nearby route choices.

North Iceland · Lake Mývatn · Lava formations
Dettifoss waterfall plunging into Jökulsárgljúfur canyon from the west-side viewpoint in North Iceland.

Dettifoss

Dettifoss is North Iceland’s most forceful waterfall stop, best planned with road-side choice, spray, seasonal access, and nearby Jökulsárgljúfur canyon stops in mind, with enough flexibility for conditions and nearby route choices.

North Iceland · Diamond Circle · Powerful waterfall
Wide view over Ásbyrgi canyon from Klappir with green woodland between high rock walls.

Ásbyrgi Canyon

Ásbyrgi is a horseshoe-shaped canyon in North Iceland’s Jökulsárgljúfur area, worth planning as a calm walking stop when Dettifoss, Hljóðaklettar, or the Diamond Circle shape your day, with enough flexibility for conditions and nearby route choices.

North Iceland · Diamond Circle · Canyon walks
Goðafoss waterfall spreading across a wide rocky ledge in North Iceland.

Goðafoss Waterfall

Goðafoss is a compact North Iceland waterfall near Route 1, useful when you need a scenic stop between Akureyri, Mývatn, and the wider Diamond Circle, with enough flexibility for conditions and nearby route choices.

Waterfall · North Iceland · Ring Road / Diamond Circle

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