Category: Places to see in Iceland

Iceland is small on a map but slow to cross, and that catches a lot of visitors out. The waterfall you spotted in a photo might be a five-hour drive from your hotel, and the famous spot you’d never heard of could be twenty minutes away. This section is here to help you decide where to actually go.

These guides cover the places worth your time — from the headline sights along the Golden Circle and South Coast to the quieter corners of the Westfjords, the East, and the highland interior that most travellers never reach. We tell you what makes each place special, how long you’ll really want there, and the practical things that decide whether a visit goes well: parking, opening seasons, road conditions, and the time of day when the crowds thin out.

We’re honest about the famous spots, too. Some live up to the hype, some are better skipped in peak summer, and a few are far more rewarding if you arrive early or stay late. Where there’s a lesser-known alternative that gives you the same scenery without the tour buses, we’ll point you to it.

Iceland changes with the seasons more than almost anywhere. A spot that’s an easy stroll in July can be a different proposition in February, so our guides flag what’s accessible when, and when you’ll need a proper vehicle or a guide.

Many of these places sit near operators we work with, and our newsletter subscribers get exclusive discount codes for tours, activities, and entry to several of them.
Browse the guides below, build a route that suits your time, and you’ll spend your trip seeing Iceland — not driving past it.


Places to see in Iceland, Reykjavik

Experience Iceland on Humanity TV

Words and pictures by Kerrin Sheldon and Gaston Blanchet. We are the founders of an interactive documentary travel series called Humanity, built for the iPad. We are huge travelers, especially since starting the project in 2012. Initially, the goal of the project was centered on creating...