Iceland Attractions - The Top 10 Most Popular Attractions

Gigantic volcanoes, spectacular fjords, endless green moss landscapes, and of course the Northern Lights. Iceland captivates with its uniquely beautiful scenery.

It's no wonder that more than half of the population believes in trolls and elves. Whether following in the footsteps of the Vikings or exploring fascinating landscapes, a trip to the largest volcanic island in the world will be an unforgettable experience for every visitor.

We have put together a little guide to Iceland for you: Here are the 10 best attractions in Iceland!

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The Golden Circle - that already sounds promising. It certainly is, because this little Iceland round trip is a must for most travelers. Great for those who don't have much time: the Golden Circle can be admired in just one day. This tour takes you to three of the most famous attractions in Iceland:

This giant hot spring regularly shoots a 25-35 meter high fountain of bubbling hot thermal water into the air. Geysir is actually the name of just this one spring in Iceland, but due to its impressive size, it has given its name to the German word 'Geysir'.

Unfortunately, the great geyser only erupts 2-3 times a year. Almost just as impressive is its little brother Strokkur, which you can admire right next to it and which honors you with a fountain performance every 5-10 minutes.

At this impressive waterfall, the glacial river Hvítá plunges 30 meters over two steps. The Gullfoss carries an incredible amount of about 110 cubic meters per second. On sunny days, spectacular rainbows can also be observed here.

The last stop of the Golden Circle is Þingvellir National Park. Here you can marvel at the rift between the American and European tectonic plates that drift apart at a speed of about 2 cm per year - a true Icelandic attraction!

A truly unique experience is diving in the Silfra fissure! Here you will also find one of the oldest parliaments in the world, the Lögberg, where the Vikings held legislative assemblies.

Tip: Iceland is not called 'Iceland' for nothing - it really is quite cold here. And even colder than in other northern countries like Norway or Sweden. Even if you travel in the summer, you should pack plenty of warm clothing: The average high temperature of the year is only about 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

To the west of the capital of Iceland, you will find these hot springs with the enticing name 'Blue Lagoon'. The brightly blue thermal water of the approximately 5000 m² lake invites you to relax without limits.

This highlight of the Iceland travel tips arose from the nearby geothermal power plant which pumps 240-degree hot water from over 2 kilometers deep to the surface, generating electricity. After the electricity generation, the water flows into the surrounding lava field, forming a lake - the Blue Lagoon.

The saltwater of the lake is about 98-100 degrees Fahrenheit and has a healing effect on skin diseases. Here you can float for hours with a mud mask on your face and a cocktail in hand while enjoying the incredible view of the surroundings.

Tip: The Blue Lagoon is located directly between Iceland's Keflavik Airport and Reykjavík. So why not start your trip with a relaxing stop before discovering interesting places in Iceland?

Most tourists come to the island in the North Atlantic for Iceland's spectacular nature. But the capital Reykjavík also has a lot to offer and is worth a visit on its own. More than half of the approximately 340,000 inhabitants live in the greater Reykjavík area. The charming city with its colorful fishing houses has a thriving art and music scene that has produced internationally acclaimed artists like Björk and Sigur Rós.

The most popular attractions in Reykjavík include the architecturally impressive new opera house Harpa and the Hallgrimskirkja church, whose extraordinary design is said to resemble the basalt cliffs of Iceland. The church tower is accessible - you can take an elevator to a spectacular panoramic view of the northernmost capital in the world.

You will experience Reykjavík as an incredibly open and vibrant city, whose culture is reminiscent of metropolises like New York. This special vibe of the Icelanders is also expressed in politics - for example, a comedian was mayor of the capital for four years, who actually wanted to make a satire of the election campaigns and surprisingly won the election.

Tip: Iceland Highlights in a small space - The Snæfellsnes Peninsula lies just above Reykjavík and offers almost everything that the landscapes of Iceland have to offer within a small area.

Glaciers, fjords, volcanic landscapes, and impressive waterfalls: all this can be found on the peninsula, which is also known as 'little Iceland,' making it a popular destination for anyone who doesn't have much time on their travels.

Experience unspoiled Iceland in the Westfjords. If you drive along one of the lonely roads here, you will experience nothing but the rugged nature for which this beautiful island is known.

The most famous place in the region is Ísafjördur. From here, you can start your tour into the Westfjords or visit some of the attractions of the small fishing village.

In the Westfjords, you can particularly well observe birds. Due to the harsh climate, Iceland has a rather sparse flora and fauna - but quite a lot to offer in terms of birds. Puffin colonies are especially popular with visitors. These adorable birds with their red beaks can be found primarily on the bird cliffs of Látrabjarg.

Did you know? Anyone reading Icelandic for the first time feels like they are facing the greatest riddle of mankind. However, if you know a few words, you can quickly find your way around the country - as they appear repeatedly in the names of Icelandic attractions. Perhaps you have deciphered some of the words already: Jökull means glacier, Foss means waterfall.

Also, Icelandic names work quite differently from what we know - but the principle is actually quite simple. There are no real last names, but you are named with the addition of -dóttir or -son after your father's first name. Therefore, the football player Aron Gunnarson translates to: Aron, Gunnar's son.

Lake Mývatn is the most famous lake on the island and one of the most popular attractions in Iceland - its name translates to 'midge water.'

It is located near the absolutely worthwhile city of Akureyri, which you should also visit on this occasion. The area around the lake is one of the scenic treasures of the country.

Here you will find many of Iceland's most beautiful places - including active volcanoes, black lava fields, and beautiful waterfalls or crater lakes. In many areas of this nature reserve, you suddenly find yourself all alone in an abstract lunar landscape.

The Mývatn Nature Baths are particularly popular. These thermal baths are at least as beautiful as the much better-known Blue Lagoon but are not quite as crowded.

The region around Lake Mývatn is particularly suitable for observing the spectacular Northern Lights. The best time to travel for the Northern Lights is from late September to well into March.

Tip: When you are in the Mývatn Nature Reserve, take a detour to the fishing village of Húsavík. Here, the discoverer of Iceland, a Viking, is said to have wintered after his landing. In the summer, don't miss out on a whale-watching tour from here!

The region near the Hekla volcano in southern Iceland is known for its spectacular and unique mountain range.

Why unique? The hills in the landscape shine in all imaginable shades. Lush green moss meets gray-blue to red rocks and shiny white snow. The highlight in this highland is the pitch-black lava field Laugahraun.

Tip: Do you have a bit more time? Then definitely hike the Laugavegur trek, which leads to the coast in several days.

The Laugavegur trekking path takes you directly to the impressive Skógafoss waterfall. The 'Forest waterfall,' as it is called in Icelandic, is nearly 82 feet wide and plunges an incredible 197 feet down.

An old legend says that a Viking hid a treasure behind the Skógafoss. You can see the alleged handle of the treasure chest in the nearby museum.

The beautiful Seljalandsfoss is even 20 feet higher than the Skógafoss and one of the most famous attractions in Iceland. The special feature: You can walk behind the waterfall and admire the spectacle from a semi-open cave. Especially beautiful are the colors of nature glowing in the late evening hours.

Both waterfalls are fed by the glacier with the almost unpronounceable name Eyjafjallajökull.

Tip: If you plan excursions to hard-to-reach attractions in Iceland like the glacial lake Jökulsárlón, a guided tour is worthwhile.

Otherwise, you should definitely rent a car for at least one day and explore the spectacular nature on your own. You will see: The relatively high prices of rental cars are worth it when you drive for hours all alone through the fjords.

Get yourself an Iceland map and drive the famous Ring Road that circles the entire island!

Bright blue icebergs float here like precious diamonds in the vast glacial lake. You feel like you are in the Arctic at this impressive place.

The glacial lake on the Breidamerkursandur measures a full 18 km². With a depth of 248 meters, it is also the deepest lake in the country. The interplay between water, ice, and sky is particularly fascinating, providing an incredible sight for travelers in Iceland at any time of day.

Due to its unique beauty, Jökulsárlón has already been the scene of several movie shoots, including James Bond and Batman Begins.

Tip: If you travel in winter, you should definitely visit the ice caves in Vatnajökull, which are particularly popular among adventurous tourists. But beware: You should not enter them alone.

At the southernmost point of the Icelandic mainland, you will find the famous black beach.

Black? Yes, because the beach is made of cooled lava. The sea at this part of the south coast is particularly rough and wild, giving the black beach an even more extreme aura.

The beach was already chosen as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world by 'Islands Magazine' in 1991.

Did you know? The majority of Icelanders believe in elves and trolls. Great care is taken with respect to these mythical creatures. In the vicinity of their supposed dwellings, even grass is not mowed. Icelanders even reroute entire roads and construction sites for the little beings.

Also on one of the black sand beaches, not far from Vík, lies a US NAVY plane wreck. And it's been there since 1973.

Rough sea, black beach, plane wreck: sounds gloomy. It is! But it is definitely one of the most impressive attractions in Iceland, as such a unique atmosphere like this place is rarely found in a lifetime.

The wreck has been part of many documentaries and films and even made an appearance in a music video by pop star Justin Bieber.

The plane that was on its way to a US Marine air station in Iceland crashed on a stormy November day over 40 years ago. And contrary to the gloomy appearance that the plane wreck provides on the beach, the crash had a happy ending.

And almost cinematic in itself: When the plane crashed, a young flight trainee took the controls and chose an emergency landing on the beach, thereby saving the lives of all on board.

Tip: Icelandic Katla Vodka is considered one of the best vodkas in the world by connoisseurs and is unavailable outside of Iceland. But at the duty-free shop at the airport, you can take home half a liter as a souvenir for about 10 €.

Iceland is the land of rugged, sometimes surreal but all the more impressive nature. You won't find black sand beaches, hot springs, and colorful mountains in any other country. However, even though our Top 10 list of Iceland attractions focuses on the natural wonders of this small fascinating country, Iceland has so much more to offer and is definitely worth a trip.

Are you a true fan of impressive nature? Then discover the 30 most spectacular natural wonders of our world!

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