Reykjavik
The world’s most northerly capital combines colourful buildings, quirky people, eye-popping design, wild nightlife and a capricious soul to devastating effect. In many ways Reykjavík is strikingly cosmopolitan for its size. After all, it’s merely a town by international standards, and yet it’s loaded with excellent museums, captivating art, rich culinary choices, and hip cafes and bars. Add a backdrop of snow-topped mountains, churning seas and crystal-clear air, and you, like many visitors, may fall helplessly in love, returning home already saving to come back.
- The area dubbed **Old Reykjavík** is the jaunty heart of the capital. Anchored by placid Tjörnin, the city-centre lake, the neighbourhood is loaded with brightly coloured residential houses and a series of great sights and interesting historic buildings. Old Reykjavík is also tops for a wander: from the seafront to Austurvöllur park, Alþingi (Parliament) and Ráðhús (city hall) and on to the National Museum.
- Largely a service harbour until recently, the **Old Harbour**and the adjacent Grandi (Örfirisey) neigbourhood have blossomed into a hot spot for tourists, with several museums, volcano and Northern Lights films, and interesting eateries and shops. Whale-watching and puffin-viewing trips depart from the pier, and, as boat bells ding, photo ops abound with views of the Harpa concert hall and snow-capped mountains beyond. On the western edge of the harbour the Grandi area, named after the fish factory there, has burgeoned with eateries and shops.
- Reykjavík’s main street for shopping and people-watching is bustling, often-pedestrianised **Laugavegur**. The narrow, one-way lane and its side streets blossom with the capital’s most interesting shops, cafes and bars. At its western end, its name changes to Bankastræti, then Austurstræti. Running uphill off Bankastræti, artists street **Skólavörðustígur** ends at the spectacular modernist church, Hallgrímskirkja.
- Reykjavík’s naturally **hot water** is the heart of the city’s social life (as in many Icelandic towns); children play, teenagers flirt, business deals are made and everyone catches up on the latest gossip at the baths. Volcanic heat keeps the temperature at a mellow 29°C, and most baths have heitir pottar (hot-pots): jacuzzi-like pools kept at a toasty 37°C to 42°C. Bring towels and bathing suits or rent them on-site. See www.spacity.is for further information and pay attention to the rules.
As lovely as the capital’s sights are, though, Reykjavík is also the main hub for tours to amazing landscapes and activities around Iceland. Those without wheels, time or the desire to travel the countryside independently can use Reykjavík as a cosmopolitan base for all forms of tours from super-Jeeps and buses to horse riding, snowmobiling and heli-tours.
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Reykjanesfólkvangur Reserve
For a taste of Iceland’s raw countryside, visit this 300-sq-km wilderness reserve, a mere 40km from Reykjavík. Established in 1975, the reserve protects the elaborate lava formations created by the dramatic Reykjanes ridge volcanoes. Its three show pieces are Kleifarvatn, a deep mineral lake with submerged hot springs and black-sand beaches; the spitting, bubbling Krýsuvík geothermal zone at Seltún; and the Southwest’s largest bird cliffs, the epic Krýsuvíkurberg. The whole area is criss-crossed by walking trails. Get good maps at Keflavík, Grindavík or Hafnarfjörður tourist offices. You'll see parking turnouts at the head of the most popular walks, including the loop around Kleifarvatn, and the tracks along the craggy Sveifluháls and Núpshliðarháls ridges.
- The volatile geothermal field Austurengjar, about 2km south of Kleifarvatn, is often called Krýsuvík after the nearby abandoned farm. At the main sight, **Seltún**, boardwalks meander round a cluster of seething hot springs. The mud pots and steaming sulphuric solfataras (volcanic vents) shimmer with rainbow colours from the minerals in the earth.
- Just to the south of the Seltún hot springs, **Grænavatn lake** is an old explosion crater filled with gorgeous teal water, caused by a combination of minerals and warmth-loving algae.
- **Kleifarvatn** is a deep, brooding lake sits in a volcanic fissure, surrounded by wind-warped lava cliffs and black-sand shores. A walking trail runs around the edge, offering dramatic views and the crunch of volcanic cinders underfoot. Legend has it that a wormlike monster the size of a whale lurks below the surface – but the poor creature is running out of room, as the lake has been shrinking ever since two major earthquakes shook the area in 2000.
- About 3km south of Seltún across the Krýsuvíkurhraun lava fields, a dirt track leads down to the coast at **Krýsuvíkurberg** (marked on the main road as Krýsuvíkurbjarg). These sweeping black cliffs stretch for 4km and are packed with some 57,000 seabird breeding pairs in summer, from guillemots to occasional puffins. A walking path runs the length of the cliffs.
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Vatnajökull National Park
Vast, varied and spectacular, Vatnajökull National Park was founded in 2008, when authorities created a giant megapark by joining the Vatnajökull ice cap with two previously established national parks: Skaftafell in southeast Iceland and Jökulsárgljúfur in the northeast. With recent additions, the park measures 13,900 sq km – nearly 14% of entire Iceland (it's one of the largest national parks in Europe).
The park boundaries encircle a staggering richness of landscapes and some of Iceland's greatest natural treasures, created by the combined forces of rivers, glacial ice, and volcanic and geothermal activity. The entirety of the Vatnajökull ice cap is protected, including countless glistening outlet glaciers and glacial rivers. There are incredible rock formations around Ásbyrgi canyon, brilliant waterfalls such as Dettifoss and Svartifoss, the storied Lakagígar crater row, Askja and other volcanoes of the highlands. The park is home to an unending variety of areas where geology, ecology and history lessons spring to life.
**Skaftafell** (http://www.vjp.is/), the jewel in the crown of Vatnajökull National Park, encompasses a breathtaking collection of peaks and glaciers. It’s the country’s favourite wilderness: 500,000 visitors per year come to marvel at thundering waterfalls, twisted birch woods, the tangled web of rivers threading across the sandar, and brilliant blue-white Vatnajökull with its lurching tongues of ice, dripping down mountainsides like icing on a cake.
A host of spectacular, luminous-blue icebergs drift through **Jökulsárlón** glacier lagoon, right beside the Ring Road between Höfn and Skaftafell. It’s worth spending a couple of hours here, admiring the wondrous ice sculptures (some of them striped with ash layers from volcanic eruptions), scouting for seals or taking a boat trip.
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Höfn
Although it’s no bigger than many European villages, the Southeast’s main town feels like a sprawling metropolis after driving through the emptiness on either side. Its setting is stunning; on a clear day, wander down to the waterside, find a quiet bench and just gaze at Vatnajökull and its guild of glaciers.
Höfn simply means ‘harbour’, and is pronounced like an unexpected hiccup (just say ‘hup’ while inhaling). It’s an apt name – this modern town still relies heavily on fishing and fish processing, and is famous for its humar (often translated as lobster, but technically it’s langoustine).
Bus travellers use Höfn as a transit point, and most travellers stop to use the town’s services, so prebook accommodation in summer. On bus timetables and the like, you may see the town referred to as Höfn í Hornafirði (meaning Höfn in Hornafjörður) to differentiate it from all the other höfn (harbours) around the country.
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Landmannalaugar
Mind-blowing multicoloured mountains, soothing hot springs, rambling lava flows and clear blue lakes make Landmannalaugar one of Iceland’s most unique destinations, and a must for explorers of the interior. It’s a favourite with Icelanders and visitors alike…as long as the weather cooperates.
Part of the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, Landmannalaugar (600m above sea level) includes the largest geothermal field in Iceland outside the Grímsvötn caldera in Vatnajökull. Its multihued peaks are made of rhyolite – a mineral-filled lava that cooled unusually slowly, causing those amazing colours.
The area is the official starting point for the famous Laugavegurinn hike, and there’s some excellent day hiking as well.
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Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands)
Jagged and black, the Vestmannaeyjar form 15 eye-catching silhouettes off the southern shore. The islands were formed by submarine volcanoes around 11,000 years ago, except for Surtsey, the archipelago’s newest addition, which rose from the waves in 1963. Surtsey was made a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008, but its unique scientific status means that it is not possible to land there, except for scientific study.
Heimaey is the only inhabited island. Its little town and sheltered harbour lie between dramatic klettur (escarpments) and two ominous volcanoes – blood-red Eldfell and conical Helgafell.
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Vík & Surrounds
The welcoming little community of Vík (aka Vík í Mýrdal) has become a booming hub for a very beautiful portion of the south coast. Iceland’s southernmost town, it's also the rainiest, but that doesn't stop the madhouse atmosphere in summer, when every room within 100km is booked solid. With loads of services, Vík is a convenient base for the beautiful basalt beach Reynisfjara and its puffin cliffs, and the rocky plateau Dyrhólaey (both just to the west), and for the volcanoes running from Skógar to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and beyond. Along the coast, white-capped waves wash up on black sands and the cliffs glow green from all that rain.
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Thingvellir National Park
Þingvellir National Park, 40km northeast of central Reykjavík, is Iceland’s most important historical site. The Vikings established the world’s first democratic parliament, the Alþingi (pronounced ál-thingk-ee, also called Alþing), here in AD 930. The meetings were conducted outdoors, and as with many saga sites, there are only the stone foundations of ancient encampments. The site has a superb natural setting, in an immense, fissured rift valley, caused by the meeting of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, with rivers and waterfalls.
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Geysir
One of Iceland’s most famous tourist attractions, Geysir (gay-zeer; literally ‘gusher’) is the original hot-water spout after which all other geysers are named. Earthquakes can stimulate activity, though eruptions are rare. Luckily for visitors, the very reliable geyser, Strokkur, sits alongside. You rarely have to wait more than five to 10 minutes for the hot spring to shoot an impressive 15m to 30m plume.
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Gullfoss
Iceland’s most famous waterfall, Gullfoss is a spectacular double cascade dropping a dramatic 32m. As it descends, it kicks up magnificent walls of spray before thundering down a rocky ravine. On sunny days the mist creates shimmering rainbows, while in winter the falls glitter with ice. Although it's a popular sight, the remote location still makes you feel the ineffable forces of nature that have worked this landscape for millennia.
Above the falls there's a small tourist information centre, shop and cafe.
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Kerid Crater
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Eyrarbakki & Stokkseyri
South of Selfoss, these two seaside townships are strikingly different from others nearby. Feast on seafood, peruse seasonal local galleries and birdwatch in nearby marshes.
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Secret Lagoon Hot Spring
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Skálholt Cathedral
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Friðheimar Farm
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Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station
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Kerlingarfjöll
You’ll need a 4WD (or to go by bus) to travel beyond Gullfoss, but if you have one, it's worth continuing on to this highland reserve, a hiker haven, about two hours beyond the falls.
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Kaldidalur Corridor
Not all rentals are allowed to drive this bumpy dirt track (Rte 550), but if you have a sanctioned vehicle, you can explore this isolated road that curves around hulking glaciers. It starts near Þingvellir and ends near Húsafell, so if you have time, do the traditional Golden Circle in reverse, then head westward, where many more adventures await.

Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort
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Laugarvatn
Located between Þingvellir and Geysir, this small lakeside town has two must-tries: Lindin, an excellent restaurant, and Fontana, an upmarket geothermal spa.
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Reykholt & Flúðir
On your way south from Gullfoss, you can go river-rafting on the Hvítá river from Reykholt or swing through the geothermal area of Flúðir, for its beautiful natural spa and to pick up fresh veggies for your evening meal.
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Þjórsárdalur
Largely untouristed, the quiet valley along the Þjórsá river is dotted with ancient Viking ruins and mysterious natural wonders such as the Gjáin canyon. Ultimately it leads up into the highlands (a main route to Landmannalaugar, the starting point of the famous Laugavegurinn hike).
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Ísafjörður
The hub of Westfjords adventure tours, and by far the region’s largest town, [Ísafjörður](www.isafjordur.is) is a pleasant and prosperous place and an excellent base for travellers. The town is set on an arcing spit that extends out into Skutulsfjörður, and is hemmed in on all sides by towering peaks and the dark waters of the fjord.
The centre of Ísafjörður is a charming grid of old timber and tin-clad buildings, many unchanged since the 18th century, when the harbour was full of tall ships and Norwegian whaling crews. Today it is a surprisingly cosmopolitan place, and after some time spent travelling in the Westfjords, it’ll feel like a bustling metropolis with its tempting cafes and fine choice of restaurants.
There’s hiking in the hills around the town, skiing in winter, and regular summer boats ferry hikers across to the remote Hornstrandir Peninsula.
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Hornstrandir
Craggy mountains, precarious sea cliffs and plunging waterfalls ring the wonderful, barely inhabited Hornstrandir Peninsula, at the northern end of the Westfjords. This is one of Europe’s last true wilderness areas, covering some of the most extreme and inhospitable parts of the country. It’s a fantastic destination for hiking, with challenging terrain and excellent opportunities for spotting Arctic foxes, seals, whales and teeming bird life. A handful of hardy farmers lived in Hornstrandir until the 1950s, but since 1975 the 580 sq km of tundra, fjord, glacier and alpine upland have been protected as [Hornstrandir Nature Reserve](www.ust.is/hornstrandir).
The area has some of the strictest preservation rules in Iceland, thanks to its incredibly rich, but fragile, vegetation. Descendants of some of the old farmers have recently returned and rebuilt their old houses; much of the land is privately owned (so be respectful towards the privacy of landowners). Always stick to marked trails, and don't disturb or take things along the way.
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Látrabjarg Peninsula
Best known for its dramatic cliffs and abundant bird life, the remote Látrabjarg Peninsula also has wonderful, deserted, multihued beaches, like exquisite Rauðasandur, and plenty of long, leisurely walks
- Stunning Rauðasandur beach stretches out in shades of pink and red sands on the southern edge of the peninsula. Pounded by surf and backed by a huge azure lagoon, it's an exceptionally beautiful, serene place. You can walk out to the lagoon edge at low tide; always keep a lookout for seals. A coastal path (about 20km one-way) runs between Rauðasandur and the Látrabjarg bird cliffs. Approach Rauðasandur by car from Rte 612 by taking bumpy Rte 614 for about 10km.
- Breiðavík is an enormous and stunning golden-sand beach is framed by rocky cliffs and the turquoise waters of the bay. Certainly one of Iceland’s best beaches, this idyllic spot is usually deserted.
- Látrabjarg Bird Cliffs, juts up from Bjargtangar Lighthouse and extend for 12km along the coast. They range from 40m to 400m and are mobbed by nesting seabirds in early summer; it’s a fascinating place even for the most reluctant of twitchers. Unbelievable numbers of puffins, razorbills, guillemots, cormorants, fulmars, gulls and kittiwakes nest here from June to mid-August.
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Stykkishólmur
The charming town of [Stykkishólmur](www.visitstykkisholmur.is), the largest on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, is built up around a natural harbour tipped by a basalt islet. It’s a picturesque place with a laid-back attitude and a sprinkling of brightly coloured buildings from the late 19th century. With a comparatively good choice of accommodation and restaurants, and handy transport links, Stykkishólmur makes an excellent base for exploring the region. There's free wi-fi throughout the whole town.
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Djupalon beach
On the southwest coast, Rte 572 leads off Rte 574 to wild black-sand beach Djúpalónssandur. It’s a dramatic place to walk, with rock formations (an elf church, and a kerling – a troll woman), two brackish pools (for which the beach was named), and the rock-arch Gatklettur. Some of the black sands are covered in pieces of rusted metal from the English trawler Eding, which was shipwrecked here in 1948. An asphalt car park and public toilets allow tour-bus access, and crowds.
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Helgafell
About 5km south of Stykkishólmur, the holy mountain Helgafell (73m) was once venerated by worshippers of the god Þór. Although quite small, the mountain was so sacred in Saga times that elderly Icelanders would seek it out near the time of their death. Today, locals believe that wishes are granted to those who climb the mount.
It is commonly believed that those who ascend humble Helgafell will be granted three wishes, provided that the requests are made with a pure heart. However, you must follow three important steps to make your wishes come true:
**Step 1** Start at the grave of Guðrún Ósvífursdóttir, heroine of an ancient local saga.
**Step 2** Walk up to the Tótt (the chapel ruins), not uttering a single word, and (like Orpheus leaving Hades) never looking back.
**Step 3** Once at the chapel ruins, you must face east while wishing. And never tell your wishes to anyone, or they won’t come true.

Snæfellsjökull National Park
This park encompasses much of the western tip of Snæfellsnes Peninsula and wraps around the rugged slopes of the glacier Snæfellsjökull, the icy fist at the end of the long Snæfellsnes arm. Around its flanks lie lava tubes, protected lava fields, which are home to native Icelandic fauna, and prime hiking and coastal bird- and whale-watching spots.

Súgandisey
The basalt island Súgandisey features a scenic lighthouse and grand views across Breiðafjörður. Reach it via the stone causeway from Stykkishólmur harbour.

Siglufjörður
Sigló (as the locals call it) sits precariously at the foot of a steep slope overlooking a beautiful fjord. In its heyday it was home to 10,000 workers; fishing boats crammed into the small harbour to unload their catch for the waiting women to gut and salt. After the herring abruptly disappeared from Iceland’s north coast in the late 1960s, Siglufjörður declined and never fully recovered.
New tunnels now link the town with Ólafsfjörður and points further south, and these days Sigló is receiving warranted attention from travellers smitten by its hiking, marina and excellent diversions (and its role as the sordid small town in the 2015 Icelandic TV series Trapped, which was filmed here). Just reaching the town (from either direction) involves a journey that will take your breath away.
Siglufjörður is a great base for hikers, with a series of interesting hikes in the area. Some 19km of paths are marked along the avalanche-repelling fence above town, with numerous access points. There’s a worthwhile information panel on the northern outskirts of town, beside a parking area, detailing these avalanche defences.
Another popular option is over the passes of Hólsskarð and Hestsskarð into the beautiful, uninhabited Héðinsfjörður, the next fjord to the east. This is where the tunnels connecting Siglufjörður and Ólafsfjörður see the light. There's a large amount of hiking-trail info at www.fjallabyggd.is
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Akureyri
Akureyri (pronounced ah-koo-rare-ee) stands strong as Iceland’s second city, but a Melbourne or Montréal it is not. And how could it be with only 18,000 residents? It’s a wonder the city (which would be a ‘town’ anywhere else) generates this much buzz. Expect cool cafes, quality restaurants, a handful of art galleries and even some late-night bustle – a far cry from other rural Icelandic towns.
Akureyri nestles at the head of **Eyjafjörður**, Iceland’s longest (60km) fjord, at the base of snowcapped peaks. In summer flowering gardens belie the location, just a stone’s throw from the Arctic Circle. Lively winter festivals and some of Iceland’s best skiing provide plenty of off-peak (and off-piste) appeal. With its relaxed attitude and extensive food and accommodation choices, it’s the natural base for exploring Eyjafjörður and around, and it's seeing a growing number of cruise ships calling by (passenger numbers can sometimes overwhelm the town).
If you have time and wheels, it’s well worth getting off the Ring Road to explore the region around Akureyri’s fjord, Eyjafjörður.
- Eyjafjarðarsveit is the valley south of Akureyri, accessed by Rtes 821 and 829. The Eyjafjarðará river runs through fertile farmland with idyllic pastoral views and mountain backdrops.
- Eyjafjörður’s eastern shore is much quieter than its western counterpart, and offers a few good places to pause among the sweeping vistas, including the eclectic [Icelandic Folk & Outsider Art Museum](www.safnasafnid.is), 12km from Akureyri on Rte 1.
- Further north, Rte 83 branches off the Ring Road to lead you 20km north to the tiny, tidy fishing village of Grenivík, which has a spectacular outlook and good facilities: campground and pool, a small maritime museum, and a small supermarket with attached restaurant. En route are the photogenic turf roofs at [Laufás](www.minjasafnid.is) and the acclaimed stables of [Pólar Hestar](www.polarhestar.is).
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Grímsey
Best known as Iceland’s only true piece of the Arctic Circle, the remote island of Grímsey, 40km from the mainland, is a lonely little place where birds outnumber people by about 10,000 to one. The island is small (5 sq km, with a year-round population of 60) but the welcome is big.
Grímsey’s appeal probably lies less in the destination itself, and more in what it represents. Tourists flock here to snap up their ‘I visited the Arctic Circle’ certificate, pose for a photo with the ‘You’re standing on the Arctic Circle’ monument and appreciate the windswept setting. Scenic coastal cliffs and dramatic basalt formations make a popular home for dozens of species of seabirds, including loads of puffins, plus the kamikaze Arctic tern.

Húsavík
Iceland’s whale-watching capital, has become a firm favourite on travellers’ itineraries – and with its colourful houses, unique museums and stunning snow-capped peaks across the bay, it's easily the northeast's prettiest fishing town.
Although there are other Iceland locales where you can do whale-watching tours (Reykjavík and Eyjafjörður, north of Akureyri), this area has become Iceland’s premier whale-watching destination, with up to 11 species coming here to feed in summer. The best time to see whales is between June and August when you’ll have a near-100% chance of a sighting. This is also, of course, the height of tourist season.
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Mývatn Region
Undisputed gem of the northeast, Mývatn (pronounced mee-vaht) lake (and the surrounding area) is starkly beautiful. It's an other-worldly terrain of spluttering mud pots, weird lava formations, steaming fumaroles and volcanic craters, set around a bird-filled lake.
The Mývatn basin sits squarely on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the violent geological character of the area has produced an astonishing landscape unlike anywhere else in the country; this is the Iceland you’ve always imagined.
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Egilsstaðir
However much you strain to discover some underlying charm, Egilsstaðir isn’t a ravishing beauty. It’s the main regional transport hub, and a centre for local commerce, so its services are quite good (including quality accommodation and dining options). It's growing fast, but in a hotchpotch fashion and without a proper town centre.
Egilsstaðir’s saving grace is its proximity to lovely Lagarfljót, Iceland’s third-largest lake. Since Saga times, tales have been told of a monster living in its depths. If you want to do some beastie-hunting, or explore the forest on the lake’s eastern bank, Egilsstaðir makes a good base.
NOTE:
Rooms and campsites in the area are in hot demand on Wednesday nights in summer, as the ferry to Europe sails from Seyðisfjorður (27km away) on Thursday mornings. If you are taking the ferry, book your accommodation well ahead.
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Seydisfjordur
If you visit only one town in the Eastfjords, this should be it. Made up of multicoloured wooden houses and surrounded by snow-capped mountains and cascading waterfalls, obscenely picturesque Seyðisfjörður is the most historically and architecturally interesting town in East Iceland. It’s also a friendly place with an international community of artists, musicians, craftspeople and students.
If the weather’s good, the scenic Rte 93 drive from Egilsstaðir is a delight, climbing to a high pass then descending along the waterfall-filled river Fjarðará.
Summer is the liveliest time to visit, particularly when Smyril Line’s ferry sails majestically up the 17km-long fjord to town – a perfect way to arrive in Iceland.
NOTE:
You may wish to avoid Seyðisfjorður on Wednesday nights in summer, as the ferry to Europe sails on Thursday mornings and accommodation and meals in town are in hot demand. If you are taking the ferry, book accommodation well ahead.

Golden Circle Route
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Alternate Route
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Alternate Route B
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F-35 To Kerlingarfjoll
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