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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.

Useful for

landmarksroute anchorsscenic stopsphoto planning

Where to start

Start with a few route-shaping sights.

Use these as quick entry points. The full attraction list is in the searchable results below.

Gullfoss Waterfall dropping through a snowy canyon on the Golden Circle.
WaterfallGolden CircleSouth Iceland

Gullfoss Waterfall

Gullfoss is the Golden Circle waterfall that feels powerful even on a short stop, but it is best planned with viewpoint time, weather, and nearby stops in mind.

Black sand beach at Reynisfjara with Atlantic surf and sea stacks in South Iceland
South Coast black sand beachBasalt columns and Reynisdrangar sea stacksSafety-sensitive surf viewpointNear Vík, Dyrhólaey, and Skógafoss

Reynisfjara

Reynisfjara is a dramatic South Coast black sand beach near Vík, currently best treated as a viewpoint-first stop because surf, erosion, and warning lights control access.

Dynjandi waterfall spreading across stepped rock above smaller cascades in the Westfjords.
Westfjords waterfall45-90 minute scenic stopmarked uphill pathRoute 60 / Westfjords Way

Dynjandi

Dynjandi is the signature Westfjords waterfall, reached by a short uphill walk past smaller cascades to a broad, thunderous main fall.

Glacier ice scattered across black sand at Diamond Beach under low golden light.
black sand beachglacier iceJökulsárlón pairingsoutheast Ring Road

Diamond Beach

Diamond Beach is the black-sand shoreline beside Jökulsárlón where glacier ice can wash ashore, creating one of the South Coast’s most changeable photo stops.

Travelers walking along Reykjavík rainbow street below Hallgrímskirkja
Reykjavík landmarkchurch tower viewcentral city walkarchitecture and culture

Hallgrímskirkja

Hallgrímskirkja is Reykjavík’s landmark church, with a sculptural exterior, spare interior, large organ, and tower view over the city.

Lóndrangar sea stacks rising from the Snæfellsnes coast with Malarrif Lighthouse visible behind them.
Snæfellsnes coast30-60 minutesMarked cliff viewpoints

Lóndrangar

Lóndrangar is a pair of basalt sea stacks on the Snæfellsnes coast, best experienced from the marked cliff viewpoints and nearby coastal paths.

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WaterfallsGeothermalGlaciersBeachesVolcanoes and craters
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South IcelandEast IcelandReykjanes PeninsulaNorth IcelandWest IcelandWestfjordsReykjavikSnæfellsnesHighlands

Route level

Golden CircleSouth CoastRing RoadDiamond Circle
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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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Lava fountains rising from the Holuhraun fissure during the Bárðarbunga volcanic episode.

Bárðarbunga

Bárðarbunga is a powerful subglacial volcano beneath northwestern Vatnajökull, useful for travelers deciding whether its remote Highlands context belongs in a specialist plan or should stay a geology-aware reference point.

Vatnajökull · Subglacial volcano · Highlands
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
Tindfjallajökull and Tindfjöll rising above rocky highland terrain in South Iceland.

Tindfjallajökull

Tindfjallajökull is a remote glacier-capped volcano above South Iceland’s highland edge, worth considering when you want wild mountain views but need to decide whether a distant view is enough.

South Iceland · Glacier volcano · Highland access
Cable lift descending through the opening of Þríhnúkagígur into a broad mineral-colored magma chamber.

Þríhnúkagígur

Þríhnúkagígur is a dormant volcano near Reykjavík where guided visitors descend into an empty magma chamber, worth choosing when a booked half-day adventure fits your weather, budget, and energy.

Volcano · Near Reykjavík · Guided descent · Half-day experience
Þórisjökull glacier above rough Kaldidalur road and dark highland ground.

Þórisjökull

Þórisjökull is a small glacier-capped volcano near Kaldidalur in the western Highlands, worth adding only when the rough approach, weather, vehicle rules, and route purpose all support the detour.

Glacier-volcano · Highlands · Kaldidalur
Weathered trail signs and lava fields below the Stóri-Bolli and Grindarskörð volcanic hills.

Stóri-Bolli

Stóri-Bolli is a rugged volcanic crater in the Bláfjöll area near Reykjavík, worth adding only when rough walking, mountain weather, and road conditions fit your southwest Iceland plan.

Near Reykjavík · Volcanic crater · Weather-dependent
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
Skjaldbreiður spread across the horizon beyond rough lava flats and pale highland ground.

Skjaldbreiður

Skjaldbreiður is a broad shield volcano north of Þingvellir, best for prepared self-drive travelers deciding whether highland-edge scenery and geology justify extra time beyond the classic Golden Circle stops.

Shield volcano · Near Þingvellir · Golden Circle extension · Road-sensitive detour
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
Öræfajökull ice cap and Hvannadalshnúkur above dark ridges in southeast Iceland.

Öræfajökull Glacier

Öræfajökull is the glacier-covered volcano above Skaftafell in southeast Iceland, where travelers need to choose between scenic views, nearby outlet-glacier stops, or a serious guided mountain objective with official checks.

South Iceland · Glacier volcano · Skaftafell area
Ódáðahraun lava desert seen from Askja with huts, a stream, and wide highland plains below.

Ódáðahraun

Ódáðahraun is a vast lava desert north of Vatnajökull, useful for travelers deciding whether a Highlands route should focus on Askja, Holuhraun, rough roads, or easier alternatives nearby.

Lava desert · Highlands · Askja context
Mýrdalsjökull glacier above dark volcanic ridges near Katla on Iceland's South Coast

Mýrdalsjökull Glacier

Mýrdalsjökull is a large South Coast glacier above Katla, best planned as a route-defining landscape where travelers must choose between distant views, guided glacier access, or a simpler nearby stop.

South Iceland · Glacier and Katla · Guided access checks
Hikers crossing snow below the red Móði and Magni crater terrain on Fimmvörðuháls.

Magni

Magni is a young volcanic cone on Fimmvörðuháls in South Iceland, worth considering only when you are already planning the mountain route and can handle the access, weather, time, and safety checks.

Volcanic crater · Fimmvörðuháls · South Coast
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
Blue Ljótipollur crater lake surrounded by red and brown volcanic slopes in the South Highlands.

Ljótipollur

Ljótipollur is a red-walled crater lake near Landmannalaugar in the South Highlands, best for travelers deciding whether a short crater-rim detour is worth the F-road access, walking, weather, and route time.

Crater lake · South Highlands · F-road access
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
Wide Highland view of Krakatindur below Hekla with lava fields, pale hills, and a braided stream.

Krakatindur

Krakatindur is a jagged volcanic mountain near Hekla in South Iceland's Highlands, best for prepared summer drivers deciding whether a rough-track detour is worth the access, weather, and vehicle commitment.

Hekla-area mountain · Highland track · Remote 4x4 detour
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
Mýrdalsjökull glacier and volcanic ridges above the Katla volcanic system on Iceland’s South Coast.

Katla

Katla is an active volcano beneath Mýrdalsjökull on Iceland’s South Coast, best planned as a safety-sensitive landscape stop where the main decision is whether to view it, book guided access, or skip close plans.

South Iceland · Volcano under glacier · Safety checks
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
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
Aerial view of the Grímsvötn eruption plume rising through Vatnajökull ice with an aircraft wing in the foreground.

Grímsvötn

Grímsvötn is a subglacial volcanic system beneath Vatnajökull, worth planning around only if you understand that access is remote, specialist-led, and controlled by glacier, weather, and volcanic-safety checks.

Vatnajökull · Subglacial volcano · Highlands
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
Gígjökull outlet glacier descending from Eyjafjallajökull between dark volcanic ridges.

Gígjökull

Gígjökull is the rough outlet glacier descending from Eyjafjallajökull toward Þórsmörk; visit for volcanic-glacier scale and 2010 eruption context, but only when access, weather, vehicle, and safety checks support the detour.

Outlet glacier · South Iceland · Þórsmörk side
A lone hiker on the steaming volcanic pass of Fimmvörðuháls between snowy glacier edges.

Fimmvörðuháls

Fimmvörðuháls is a high mountain pass between Skógafoss and Þórsmörk, worth planning when you want a serious South Coast hike and can solve weather, transport, time, and gear before committing.

Mountain pass · South Coast · Serious hike
Steam drifting over a dark Eldvörp crater row on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

Eldvörp

Eldvörp is a steaming crater row and lava-field area northwest of Grindavík on Reykjanes, worth adding only when access, volcanic alerts, weather, and a slower peninsula route all make sense.

Reykjanes crater row · Geothermal steam · Rough access check · Lava-field walk
Eldfell's red volcanic crater slopes on Heimaey with tiny hikers along the ridge.

Eldfell

Eldfell is the young red volcano above Heimaey in the Westman Islands, worth adding when you want a short hike, eruption history, and views that justify the ferry time.

Volcano hike · Westman Islands · 1973 eruption · South Coast add-on
Eiríksjökull rising above Hallmundarhraun with a broad white glacier cap in West Iceland.

Eiríksjökull

Eiríksjökull is a glacier-capped table mountain between West Iceland and the Highlands, worth adding only when rougher inland access, weather, and extra time support a scenic detour rather than a simple roadside stop.

Remote glacier · Highlands edge · Rough access
Víti crater and Öskjuvatn below snowy Dyngjufjöll caldera walls in the Askja Highlands.

Dyngjufjöll

Dyngjufjöll is the remote volcanic mountain range around Askja in North Iceland's Highlands, worth considering only when F-road access, weather, time, and nearby Askja-area stops support the detour.

North Iceland · Askja area · F-road access
Hikers on a trail below colorful rhyolite slopes near Brennisteinsalda in Landmannalaugar.

Brennisteinsalda

Brennisteinsalda is a colorful rhyolite mountain hike in Landmannalaugar, best for travelers who can handle Highland access, changing weather, and a moderate trail before committing it to a South Iceland or Highlands route.

Highland hike · Landmannalaugar · Fjallabak
View from Bláhnjúkur over Landmannalaugar, Laugahraun lava, pale river braids, and surrounding Highlands mountains.

Bláhnjúkur

Bláhnjúkur is the steep blue-black summit hike above Landmannalaugar in Iceland’s Highlands. It is worth adding when weather, road access, time, and hiking confidence make the climb sensible.

Landmannalaugar summit · Highlands · Steep hike
Hekla volcano rising above green fields in South Iceland under evening cloud.

Hekla

Hekla is one of South Iceland’s most famous active volcanoes, best planned as a powerful landmark and route anchor where the main decision is how close current conditions and safety guidance make sensible.

South Iceland · Active volcano · Safety checks
Snæfellsjökull glacier above lava fields on the western Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

Snæfellsjökull

Snæfellsjökull is the glacier-capped volcano that anchors Snæfellsnes, best visited as a national park viewpoint area unless you are booking a guided glacier trip and checking roads, weather, and park advice first.

Snæfellsnes · Glacier-volcano · Road and weather checks
Steam rising from the colorful Hveradalir geothermal slopes in the Kerlingarfjöll mountains.

Kerlingarfjöll

Kerlingarfjöll is a remote Highlands mountain range and geothermal hiking area reached from the Kjölur corridor. It is worth planning only when road status, vehicle choice, weather, and daylight make the detour realistic.

Geothermal mountains · Highlands · Kjölur corridor
Surtsey's dark lava fields and low volcanic ridges under a blue sky in the protected island reserve.

Surtsey

Surtsey is a protected volcanic island south of the Westman Islands, best treated as a place to understand or view from afar because public landing is prohibited and current sea conditions shape any distant viewing plan.

Protected island · UNESCO site · Westman Islands · View from afar
Walkers following a marked Hengill trail with a signpost, lava slopes, and Þingvallavatn in the distance.

Hengill

Hengill is a geothermal mountain and volcanic system near Reykjavík and the Golden Circle, worth adding when you want steam, marked trails, and energy-landscape context rather than another quick roadside stop.

South Iceland · Golden Circle · Geothermal trails
Eyjafjallajökull glacier-capped volcano above the South Iceland landscape.

Eyjafjallajökull

Eyjafjallajökull is the glacier-capped South Coast volcano made famous by the 2010 eruption; visit for route context and views, but treat glacier or summit access as serious guided terrain.

Glacier-volcano · South Iceland · South Coast
Víti crater lake below snowy Dyngjufjöll mountains and Öskjuvatn inside Askja Caldera.

Víti by Askja

Víti by Askja is a pale geothermal crater lake inside the remote Askja caldera in the Highlands, worth adding only when summer F-road access, weather, vehicle choice, and crater safety all line up.

Highlands · Geothermal crater · Askja add-on
Askja Caldera with Víti crater in the foreground and Öskjuvatn lake below snowy Dyngjufjöll mountains.

Askja Caldera

Askja Caldera is a remote Highlands volcano landscape where Öskjuvatn, Víti crater, lava, and F-road access make the visit memorable but serious.

Highlands · F-road access · Volcanic caldera
Aerial view over Lake Mývatn with green pseudocraters, shallow blue water, and volcanic hills in North Iceland.

Lake Mývatn

Lake Mývatn is North Iceland’s volcanic lake district, where shallow wetlands, pseudocraters, lava formations, geothermal areas, and birdlife sit close together.

North Iceland lake district · Diamond Circle anchor · volcanic and wetland cluster · birdlife and geothermal stops
Snow-covered Snæfell mountain rising above the East Iceland highlands.

Snæfell

Snæfell is a remote East Iceland mountain in Vatnajökull National Park, best planned as a serious summer highland detour rather than a casual roadside stop.

East Iceland highlands · Challenging hike · Summer access
Aerial view of Lakagígar with moss-covered crater rows stretching through the South Iceland Highlands.

Lakagígar

Lakagígar is a remote row of moss-covered volcanic craters in Vatnajökull National Park, reached by rough summer highland roads from the Kirkjubæjarklaustur area.

Laki craters · F-road access · South Iceland Highlands
Wide view over Hverir Geothermal Area with steam plumes, mud pools, visitors, and the slopes of Námafjall.

Hverir Geothermal Area

Hverir Geothermal Area is a compact, highly active mud-pool and fumarole field beside Route 1 in the Mývatn area of North Iceland.

Mývatn geothermal field · Route 1 stop · North Iceland
Aerial view of Eldgjá canyon with Ófærufoss waterfall and mossy volcanic slopes in the southern Highlands.

Eldgjá

Remote Highlands canyon.

Highlands canyon · F-road access · Ófærufoss walk
Kerið Crater lake and red volcanic rim in autumn colors on the Golden Circle.

Kerið Crater

Kerið is a compact volcanic crater lake on the Golden Circle, best for a short rim walk, lake view, and easy self-drive stop between larger sights.

Golden Circle crater lake · short scenic stop · rim and lake walk · Route 35 access

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