top 10 things to do in

Iceland

top 10 things to do in

Iceland
Iceland

Ah, Iceland! It’s like a dream on Earth. When Josh and I started traveling, people would ask us how each new destination compared to Iceland. The best way I could think to respond is that, while other places we’ve seen are incredibly breathtaking and gorgeous, they feel earthly. Iceland, on the other hand feels like it’s another planet. 

With it’s black sand and red dirt, bright green moss-covered lava fields, fiery volcanoes and icy glaciers, Iceland is a place you can’t get out of your head once you’ve been.

1. explore reykjavik

Reykjavik is the major city in Iceland. Nearly 65% of Iceland’s total population lives in Reykjavik with the remaining population living throughout the rest of Iceland. Think about that! That tells you just how remote and isolated the areas outside of Reykjavik can feel. But it should also hint at just how much Reykjavik has to offer – everything!
Hallgrímskirkja Church, pictured above, is just one example. The city is one of the most established banking and finance areas in the world. There’s a ton of high-end stores and shops in Reykjavik so if you come for the shopping, bring your extra credit card. And of course for the best food in Iceland there’s nowhere better than Reykjavik.

2. drive the golden circle

The Golden Circle is a smaller loop road just outside of Reykjavik which has a number of attractions along the way. Able to be done in one day, the Golden Circle is the epitome of bang for your buck.
Iceland Waterfall
You can stop by the Golden Circle visitors center for a map of the attractions including, rushing waterfalls, a drifting continental divide, bubbling and bursting geysers, etc. You’ll also get to see the spot where the very first parliamentary in history met for the first time.
During this drive, Josh and I were driving up a mountain road and decided to pull off for a quick photo.
Standing outside the car, we strained to hear any noise, sound or indication that we weren’t the only two people in the world and none could be heard. It was quite eerie and yet magical.

3. drive to vik

Vik Iceland
One day we drove South to Vik and explored the black sand beaches in the area. The beaches are composed of volcanic lava which give the sand that dark black color. The topography in this area is also incredibly stunning with dramatic cliffs and giant rock formations jutting up from the sea. 
Vik Iceland
One of the most memorable things we did on the entire trip was visiting the Dyrhólaey Lighthouse and Sea Arch. It was so, so windy at this spot when we were there that we were both literally being picked off the ground. Initially, we planned to walk across the sea arch but it was so windy and we couldn’t hold our stance so we opted not to. It was both beautiful and thrilling at this spot.

4. Fjaðrárgljúfur

Fjaðrárgljúfur
Fjaðrárgljúfur – say that three times fast. Or just once, if you can! However you say or don’t say it, do yourself a favor and go.

This gorgeous canyon was far and away one of the standout highlights of our trip to Iceland. The colors are inspiring and the views are breathtaking.

This photo we took of the canyon remains our all time favorite photo from any of our travels.

5. Snæfellsjökull National Park

Iceland
Freaking GORGEOUS! This peninsula located north of Reykjavik holds so much majesty in its natural beauty.
Possessing everything from glaciers-clad volcanoes and lava caves to seaside cliffs and incredible beach formations, this national park offers up so many amazing views.
Iceland Top Photo
Bonus, making the drive from Reykjavik to Snæfellsjökull was plenty beautiful as well. We saw the most charming little villages and captured one of Josh’s favorite photos.

6. visit blue lagoon

Blue Lagoon Iceland
Ready for the most relaxing and luxurious experience of your life? The Blue Lagoon is a hot spring spa with 100% silica. There are multiple ways to experience the lagoon. You can choose to enjoy the public pools only. This is a great way to spend a couple hours lazing in the hot water and letting the silica work it’s magic on your skin. Alternatively, you can enjoy the pools and take advantage of any number of luxury spa services that are offered on site. Either option promises a really great time.
Blue Lagoon Iceland
Note: there are optional hair caps offered onsite. I did not take advantage and I regretted it so badly. While the natural basilica is great for your skin, it’s havoc on your hair. My hair was dried out and brittle for weeks afterwards. Do yourself a favor and wear the hair cap. Also, the Blue Lagoons are close to the airport. If you can arrange to visit the lagoon either on the day you arrive or the day you depart, I’d recommend doing so. We had a later flight out on the day we left for home so we spent the first part of the day at the lagoons which had us so relaxed and in a dream-like state that the flight home was easy peasy.

7. Chase the Northern Lights

Northern Lights Iceland
Due to the fact that there is no darkness in Iceland from mid-May through July, the best time to see an aurora borealis, or the Northern Lights, is from late September to March. You’ll have the best luck spotting these gorgeous lights in the sky when there’s less light pollution, meaning as far from the major city of Reykjavik as possible. There are a couple ways to achieve the distance you need; you can either drive your own car out away from the city or you can hire a guided tour that will take you to the best known places for catching glimpses of the lights.
Northern Lights Iceland
Lastly, you can take an ocean cruise which will also get you out to see and away from light pollution – just be sure to dress very warmly. We tried spotting the northern lights every night while we were driving in remote parts of Iceland except one. We had a very early start that day and were exhausted so we decided to hit the hay relatively early. Of course, the next day, we awoke to hear everyone excitedly chatting about how beautiful the sky had been the previous night – go figure! Ironically, the best view we caught of an aurora was from our airplane window while flying into Keflavik.

8. whale watching

Iceland Whale Watching
Another activity we, sadly, didn’t get to experience in Iceland is whale watching. Icelandic waters are a very rich feeding ground for many species of whales including humpback whales, blue whales and minke whales just to name a few. The high season for whale watching in Iceland starts in April and lasts through mid-October. The success rate for spotting a whale on your outing is quite high, making Reykjavik a great place to schedule your whale watching tour.

9. Be Amazed by the waterfalls

There are so many incredible waterfalls scattered around Iceland that it’s impossible to take a drive somewhere without spotting several along your route.
Waterfalls Iceland
We definitely can’t name all the waterfalls we saw during our time in Iceland. However, there are several that waterfalls which were quite remarkable including Gullfoss, Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss which you can walk behind.

10. walk the glaciers

Glacier Iceland
While this is something we were unable to do during our time in Iceland, it’s certainly at the top of our to do list when we go back. There are multiple glaciers around Iceland so you can schedule a tour regardless of which part of this beautiful country you’re visiting. Solheimajokull glacier is a very popular destination due to its near proximity to Reykjavik and that it is accessible all year long. Also available year-round is the glacier tongue known as Svinafellsjokull Glacier. If you’re looking to explore some ice caves, opt for jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon which is open only during the winter.

bonus: Drive the ring road

Iceland Road
Unfortunately, we didn’t have an opportunity to travel to the north eastern part of Iceland but it looks absolutely incredible with glaciers, thermal baths and volcanoes. The Ring Road forms a loop around most of the country connecting all the major towns and cities with all of the top highlights along the way.
While we loved our week in Iceland staying in Reykjavik, we highly recommend people spend 7-10 days driving the Ring Road instead. We definitely plan to get back to Iceland soon and take our time exploring quite possibly the most beautiful country in the world by driving the Ring Road.
So there’s our list of the 10 Best Things to Do in Iceland. We hope you visit Iceland yourself and see why we love it so much! Let us know in the comment section below if we can help.
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