Film and TV Location Experiences in Iceland

Start with the region you are visiting. Þingvellir combines Game of Thrones scenery with the site of Iceland’s early parliament. Around Mývatn, a day among lava formations and geothermal landscapes gives fans and non-fans plenty to enjoy.

For Christopher Nolan’s film, our Odyssey filming locations guide covers Iceland’s role in the production and what visitors can actually see. Supergirl also filmed in Iceland; the section below explains what the production team has confirmed.

Rift cliffs and water channels at Þingvellir National Park.

Visual effects extended those landscapes. Baumann names the Scottish Highlands as the basis for Holzherr, while Den of Geek’s set visit places the constructed Argo City on a Leavesden backlot in England. The film combines several countries and sets.

The production sources reviewed here do not name individual Icelandic beaches, lakes or viewpoints. If the film has inspired a visit, explore the South Coast for its black sand and glacier scenery. We have not verified Reynisfjara as a Supergirl filming location, so it should not be added to a route on that basis.

For Game of Thrones near Reykjavík, start with the Golden Circle. If you are heading west, Kirkjufell fits a Snæfellsnes Peninsula trip. There is no need to join every filming region into one itinerary.

• Choose a guided tour if the scenes and production stories are a big part of the trip. Ask which locations are included and how much walking to expect.
• Choose self-drive if you mainly want the scenery and already have the places on your route. Read the film connection before you arrive.
• Choose a constructed set if you want buildings and a physical setting to explore. Check what remains and what the ticket includes.

The Viking Village film set at Stokksnes is a constructed village within the managed Vestrahorn visitor site. It is not an ancient settlement. Its turf-roofed buildings and mountain backdrop offer a different experience from recognizing a landscape used in a film.

A traveler pauses beside a car with Kirkjufell behind her.

The constructed Viking village sits beneath Vestrahorn inside the managed Stokksnes landscape.

Visit South Iceland identifies Mýrdalssandur and Reynisfjara among the Rogue One locations. You can combine the region’s film connections with waterfalls and a stay near Vík on a South Coast road trip.

At Reynisfjara, sneaker waves and falling rocks are serious hazards. Access can be restricted to the viewing area even when the wave warning is below red. Check SafeTravel before visiting, follow closures and signs, and stay well away from the water. A photograph in a guide is not evidence that the same spot is accessible today.

Svínafellsjökull and Skaftafellsjökull are different glaciers. For a land-based glacier view, the park describes a visitor trail at Skaftafellsjökull; the photograph below shows that destination, not an Interstellar filming spot. Check park guidance before setting out, and use a guided glacier activity if you want to walk on the ice.

Arnardrangur stands on the black sand, with Reynisdrangar in the distance. Follow current beach restrictions.

Visitors approach the land-based Skaftafellsjökull viewpoint with the glacier ahead.

Dimmuborgir is a maze of lava pillars, arches and passages with marked walking routes. Nearby Grjótagjá is a small cave with a pool beneath the rock. Both appear in the regional tourism board’s Game of Thrones location material.

Do not plan to bathe at Grjótagjá. The regional visitor guidance describes how volcanic activity raised the water temperature and ended its use as a bathing place. Follow local access signs, and keep to the marked paths at Dimmuborgir.

A guide is useful if you want the production story explained at each stop. If you are driving independently, leave room for the wider lake area instead of rushing between photo stops. Summer greenery and winter snow can make the same lava formations feel very different.

A marked path winds between Dimmuborgir's lava towers and summer birch.

Inside Grjótagjá. Photo: Alexander Grebenkov, CC BY 3.0; resized and compressed. Bathing is not permitted.

The winding descent into Seyðisfjörður appears in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’s longboarding sequence. It is a working mountain road, so keep driving until you reach a proper stopping place. In town, the colorful buildings, art and fjord views are worth taking time over.

Siglufjörður was the main filming town for the first series of Trapped. Its enclosed fjord and harbor may look familiar, but a visit also gives you a chance to explore the town’s fishing history.

Húsavík is the hometown of the central characters in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga and features in the film. Walk by the harbor or build a longer stay around the town. The film connection is a good introduction; the real place has plenty of its own character.

Seyðisfjörður stretches along the inner fjord beneath snow-streaked mountains.

• Check the park or landowner for paths, parking and closures. Follow signs and barriers when you arrive.
• Check road and weather conditions before a long drive, especially in winter.
• Treat beach and glacier warnings as part of the plan, even when an older photo shows people closer.
• Respect homes, businesses and private land in towns. A filming credit does not make them public sets.