Iceland Landmarks

1. Blue Lagoon 

Certainly one of the most popular landmarks in Iceland, the Blue Lagoon tops every Iceland visitor’s must-see list. This geothermal hot spring is open year-round and boasts fresh ocean and volcanic water richy in healthy minerals. The deep blue waters against the dark volcanic rock make for a sublimely beautiful setting. 

2. Hallgrimskirkja and Leif Erikson Monument

While you’re in Reykjavik, don’t miss the Hallgrimskirkja church, one of the tallest and most visible churches in Iceland. In front of the church, the Leif Erikson Monument was a gift from America to mark 1,000 years of the Iceland Parliament - Erikson was the first European to land in America. 

3. Grotta Lighthouse 

Walk out to the Grotta Lighthouse at low tide (except for during June when the islet it sits on is closed for bird nesting). The rest of the year, you can witness the abundant birdlife on the island; the area around the lighthouse has been declared a nature reserve. This is also a prime spot to watch for the Northern Lights.

4. Kerið Crater 

On the popular Golden Circle route, the Kerið Crater was created by volcanic activity about 3,000 years ago. Today, you admire its otherworldly beauty - red soil on the outside, blue-green lake in the middle - by walking around the edges or hiking down to the lake. 

5. Thingvellir National Park 

Another Golden Circle must-see, Thingvellir National Park contains a valley where the Eurasian and American tectonic plates once met and are now shirting apart. The fascinating landscape that has resulted is home to Law Rock, enchanting waterfalls, birch forests and Thingvallavatn Lake. There’s historic significance here, too - the Parliament Alphigi was founded here in the year 930 CE.

6. Geysir Geothermal Area 

One of the three attractions that comprise the Golden Circle Route (along with Thingvellir National Park and Gullfoss Waterfall), the Geysir Geothermal Area is home to the most famous Icelandic geyser, the Great Geysir. This geyser itself has gone quiet (unfortunately due to human interaction), but you can catch its powerful brother Strokkur shooting into the sky about every 4 to 10 minutes. 

7. Gullfoss Waterfall

Highlight of the Golden Circle Route, the Gullfoss waterfalls is Iceland’s most famous cascade. The protected natural landmark is most powerful during the summertime, when it sends 459 cubic feet of water down the falls every second. 

8. Black Sand Beach 

Head just outside Vik to visit the dramatic Black Sand Beach of Reynisfjara. Explore the rugged coastline and admire the hexagonal rock formations. The best time to visit is spring or summer.

9. Diamond Beach 

The official name of Diamond Beach is Breiðamerkursandur, but its informal moniker is fitting given the giant ice chunks that look like shiny jewels. The beach is black sand, so the sight of the rugged iceberg chunks - from the nearby Jökulsárlón glacier - are all the more startling. Some of the icebergs float down the river and into the ocean, then wash back up on the beach, having been polished by the waves. 

10. Jökulsárlón

In South Iceland, visit the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, formed from the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. Icebergs in varying hues of white, blue and black float, melt and shrink as they float about the lagoon and eventually into the Atlantic. From there, they’re pushed back onshore at Diamond Beach (see above). From here, you can hike on the glacier and take boat rides on the lagoon. 

11. Goðafos Waterfall 

You’ll hear Goðafos Waterfall before you see it. This huge horseshoe-shaped “waterfall of the Gods” stems from the Skjálfandafljót River. The best viewing platforms are at the top and the bottom of the falls.

12. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall 

Yet another magnificent waterfall, Seljalandsfoss, is on the Ring Road in southwest Iceland. Its single-drop fall is approximately 196 feet above the Seljalandsá River. You can walk behind the waterfall, if you wish, but be sure to wear sturdy footwear in preparation for the slippery path. 

13. Hverir Geothermal Area/Namafjall Hverir Geothermal Area 

Look for the sign “Namafjall” to find the Hverir Geothermal Area, famous for steaming fumaroles and boiling mud pots. Within the sparse landscape, you can walk the trail up to Námaskarð pass and Námafjall mountain. If you’d like to extend your stay here, consider staying overnight in the town of Reykjahlid on Lake Myvatn.

14. Myvatn Nature Baths 

While perhaps not as famous as the Blue Lagoon, Myvatn Nature Baths is another of Iceland’s many geothermal pools and hot springs and a definite must-see. If you’re in the Hverir Geothermal Area, you can visit the nature baths on the same day. Way up here, you’re quite close to the Arctic Circle, giving even more cache to your northerly soak. 

15. Reykjadalur Hot Springs

Sensing a trend? There are several amazing geothermal pools and hot springs throughout Iceland, so you’re never very far from one. Among the best are the Reykjadalur Hot Springs, but you’ll have to put in some effort to get there. The “steam valley” is a 1.2-mile, one-way hike through rolling green hills, past plunging waterfalls, beside milky blue pools and smoking mud pots and even a few Icelandic sheep. The farther upstream you go, the hotter the water is. 

16. Dettifoss Waterfall 

One of the more incredible waterfalls in Iceland, the Dettifoss is in the northeastern section of the country near Akureyri. Choose a side - or both - from which to view the falls: From the west side, you can see its entire span; from the east side, you’ll witness the power of the Dettifoss Falls. 

17. Sólheimajökull Glacier

The breathtaking Sólheimajökull Glacier is a two-hour drive from Reykjavik and a popular day trip that includes a glacier hike and ice climbing. The 6- to 8-mile-long glacier starts from the rim of the Katla volcano. All told, it covers approximately 17 square miles and is about 656 feet deep at its thickest point. 

18. Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

In South Iceland, the Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon may be recognizable to you from the Justin Beiber video that was shot there. It’s an absolutely remarkable canyon covered in dense green moss, giving it a Middle Earth feel. It was carved by the Fjaðrá River through two-million-year-old palagonite rock.Walk the upper trail hiking path to an observation deck that offers a great view of the waterfall and the 1.25-mile-long canyon. 

19. Latrabjarg Cliffs 

If you’re a birder, or in search of the Northern Lights, seek out the Latrabjarg Cliffs in the Westfjords, the oldest and most remote region of Iceland. The cliffs are actually the westernmost point in Iceland and Europe, as high as 1,312 in places and stretching for 8.6 miles along the coast. If you visit during the summer, you’ll see the hundreds of thousands of razorbills, fulmars and guillemots that shelter here - but, we’ll admit, it’s the cute puffins we really come for! While you’re out at the cliffs, take advantage of the lake of ambient light to view the Northern Lights. 

20. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss Waterfalls 

More waterfalls? Yes, absolutely. These two cascades are very accessible, just a short walk from the parking lot. The Hraunfossar Waterfall features water running between lava layers and is jaw-droppingly wide, at 3,280 feet wide. The water color changes depending on the time of year and weather - on sunny days, it’s quite remarkable. On rainy days, it doesn’t appear as clear. Just a two-minute walk from Hraunfossar, you can visit the Barnafoss Waterfall. 

21. Seljavallalaug Pool 

About a half-hour north of Vik and two hours south of Reykjavik, the Seljavallalaug Pool requires a 30-minute hike in, but it’s well worth it. This is the country’s oldest swimming pool, heated by an underground spring. It’s free and a quieter alternative to the Blue Lagoon. 

22. Arctic Henge

This historical Iceland landmark is about as far from Reykjavik as you can get. It is a giant sundial that was created to capture the sun through huge arches, casting shadows that are particularly noticeable on sunny days. If you visit during the summer, the midnight sun creates a surreal sunset behind the gates and pillars. 

23. Dynjandi Waterfall

It’s only fitting that we complete the list of Iceland’s landmarks with another impressive waterfall. In the remote Westfjords region, the Dynjandi is one of the country’s largest falls at 330 feet tall. It wides from top to bottom, with a final width of 200 feet. Be sure to take the short walk to the falls from the parking lot to fully admire the view.