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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All place guides

Find sights worth building into your route.

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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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