Places to see
Iceland Attractions
Use this page to find the landmarks, landscapes, and scenic areas worth building your route around.
Useful for
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
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.
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
Dynjandi is the signature Westfjords waterfall, reached by a short uphill walk past smaller cascades to a broad, thunderous main fall.
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.
Hallgrímskirkja
Hallgrímskirkja is Reykjavík’s landmark church, with a sculptural exterior, spare interior, large organ, and tower view over the city.
Lóndrangar
Lóndrangar is a pair of basalt sea stacks on the Snæfellsnes coast, best experienced from the marked cliff viewpoints and nearby coastal paths.
All place guides
Find sights worth building into your route.
Search and filter attraction pages and visual collections without mixing in route or region hubs.
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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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
Móði
Móði is a young volcanic crater on Fimmvörðuháls in South Iceland, worth seeking out only when the high-pass hike, weather, transport, and group fitness already make sense safely.
South Coast · Volcanic crater · High-pass hike
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
Eldgjá
Remote Highlands canyon.
Highlands canyon · F-road access · Ófærufoss walk
Build a trip around the places you want to see.
Once the sights are clear, use planning pages to turn them into a route with realistic timing.