Planning a trip to Iceland can be overwhelming because there are SO MANY unique things that you can do there. Iceland offers a big range of different experiences from hikes, waterfalls, glaciers, volcanos, beaches to hot springs. During June of 2023, I spent two weeks in Iceland and got to do so many different activities. I have cumulated here the 10 best places that you MUST VISIT on your next trip to Iceland.

If you are looking for a more detailed and complete 2 week ring road itinerary around Iceland, click here. This was my itinerary when I visited Iceland in 2023, and it is extremely detailed with the activities we did, how to get there, my ratings for the activities, and much more.

Table of Contents

• 1. Glymur Waterfall Hike
• 2. Landmannalaugar
• 3. Vestahorn
• 4. Diamond Beach
• 5. Skógafoss
• 6. Seljalandsfoss
• 7. Blue Lagoon
• 8. Laugarvellir Hot Spring
• 9. Fjallsárlón Glacier
• 10. Stuðlagil Canyon

1. Glymur Waterfall Hike

Located only over an hour from the city of Reykjavik, Glymur is a gorgeous waterfall that overlooks a big canyon. To see the waterfall, you will have to do a 4-6 hours hike, depending on your pace. For more details about this hike, check out my blog post on the must do hikes in Iceland.

This activity isn’t always in the lists top things to do in Iceland, but I cannot recommend it enough! It is so so underrated and gorgeous. On our hike, we only saw around five people. Although it still feels like a hidden gem, it is definitely getting more and more traction.

2. Landmannalaugar

Landmannalaugar is located in the Highlands of Iceland. It is a region filled with colourful mountains, perfect for people who love hiking. Even if you are not a big hiker, there are also shorter trails. It is such a must to visit here, with a scenery that feels out of this world!

To get to Landmannalaugar, you will need to drive on F-roads, so make sure to have a 4×4. Driving on F-roads can make people feel stressed due to the nature and mystery of the roads. I am here to assure you that to get to Landmannalaugar, the road is not difficult if you take the F-206 N route to get there (the most common route taken by visitors). Although you do have to drive slowly because it can be bumpy, there are no mandatory river crossings (unless there it somehow gets very rainy and a small puddle appears). There is even sometimes a ranger on this road to check up on you if anything.

If you would rather go with a tour to Landmannalaugar, whether it be because you would like to leave the driving to someone else or because you prefer having a guide with you, here is a tour that I highly recommend.

3. Vestahorn

Vestahorn, also known as “Stokksness,” is a famous black sand beach surrounded by mountains. It is located near the ring road, on the southern coast. Although it is a quite popular attraction, when we went, it did not feel very crowded because the beach is very big. You can walk along the coast and also on the black sand dunes.

To enter Vestahorn, there is a small entry fee. The entrance also gives you access to the other attractions around such as a lighthouse and the Viking Village, although the main thing that people come here for is the black sand beach.

4. Diamond Beach

Diamond Beach is a must visit in Iceland. The ice, which gives the appearance of diamonds, comes from the Jökulsárlón Glacier. With the black sand, this beach is super unique, and I highly recommend visiting. Because it is a quite popular spot, I recommend coming here early in the morning or later in the evening. However, even if you do come in the afternoon, the beach is big enough for you to be able to enjoy some peace and quiet.

5. Skógafoss

Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s most impressive waterfalls. Located on the south coast, its attracts thousands of tourists every year. Although this waterfall will probably be the most crowded out of all the waterfalls in Iceland, I still highly recommend visiting. I personally enjoy less the overrated and over-touristic sites, but Skógafoss did not disappoint.

We went during the mid afternoon, and it was indeed crowded. If you would like to skip the crowds, I recommend coming in the early morning.

At Skógafoss, you are also able to reach the top of the waterfall. There is a staircase situated on the right side that takes you to where Skógafoss is formed.

6. Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss is very unique because you are able to walk behind it. I highly recommend wearing waterproof clothes or clothes that you do not mind getting wet, because you will almost certainly be soaked if you decide to walk behind the fall (which I highly recommend you do!).

Right next to Seljalandsfoss, if you walk towards the left there are also other smaller waterfalls. Many people unfortunately skip them because they usually come for Seljalandsfoss, but I highly recommend walking to the end, where you can find a waterfall inside a cave!

Some tours offer full day tours to the south coast of Iceland, which includes here Skógafoss AND Seljalandsfoss in the same trip. Here is one tour that I highly recommend!

7. Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is one of Iceland’s most famous hot springs. Although many people think it is located in the capital city of Reykjavik, it actually is not and is in fact a 30 minute drive south from the city.

The Blue Lagoon has an incredible blue coloured water, and it is perfect for taking the day to relax. The “comfort” package that we got (the most basic ticket) also included a face mask and a drink at their bar.

If you plan on visiting the Blue Lagoon, I highly recommend getting there at the first time slot of the day (usually 7:00 am). The time slots are divided hourly, so by the time 9:00 am comes, you will be with people that booked tickets for 7:00 am, 8:00 am AND 9:00 am, whereas if you come for 7:00 am, you will be able to enjoy some tranquility for the first hour.

If you are looking to explore a bit of Iceland and relax at the Blue Lagoon, I highly recommend this tour. They bring you to explore the Golden Circle, some of the most famous attractions in Iceland, and the tour also includes admission to the Blue Lagoon.

8. Laugarvellir Hot Spring

Laugarvellir is natural hot spring located in the Highlands. Therefore, you will need a 4×4 to get to the closest parking. However, if you do not have a 4×4, you can still park your car before the F-road starts and walk the rest of the way to the hot spring (although it can be quite long, depending on your expectation). I detailed how to get to this hot spring in my blog post on my two week itinerary around Iceland, so you can click here to check it out.

Laugarvellir is super unique because unlike the Blue Lagoon, it is completely natural. Also, this location that can be a bit difficult to get to, but this means that it doesn’t have many people, so you can get the spot all to yourself if you are lucky! The water is the perfect temperature, and the ground is very soft, made with a sand/mud texture.

9. Fjallsárlón Glacier

There are many glaciers in Iceland, but Fjallsárlón was my favourite. Around the area, there is also Jökulsárlón and Svínafellsjökull Glacier that are very popular. The glacier is absolutely massive and super impressive. From far away, it looks like it just never ends. Just along the shore, you get to be very close to the glacier, where you can see the details of its formation.

If you are looking for boat tours where they bring you super close to the glaciers, click here. Although I loved Fjallsárlón Glacier the most, most of the popular boat tours will be located at Jökulsárlón.

Fjallsárlón is also a very quick walk right from the parking lot, so you do not need to worry about going for a long hike. Also we got to see a seal here, so make sure to be on the lookout if you are interested!

If you are interested in an Ice Cave Tour, I highly recommend this one. Glaciers and Ice Caves are different because in Ice Caves, you can walk inside of it, and you end up being surrounded everywhere by ice, which is very impressive.

10. Stuðlagil Canyon

Last but certainly not the least, you must visit Stuðlagil Canyon. It is filled with basalt columns with gorgeous blue water running through it. It is located on the east side of Iceland but so worth the trip, especially if you are planning on driving the ring road.

You can view Stuðlagil Canyon from the top and from the bottom. I highly recommend making it to the bottom, where you can be at the level of the water and be up close to the impressive basalt columns. If the weather permits and if it is safe, you can even jump into the water. Just a small warning, the water is super cold!

Also, a little reminder that if you are renting a car and driving around Iceland, make sure to stop by at designated spots to take in the views! I found that the views while driving were a lot better than some of the end destination locations, so make sure to also focus on the journey!

Thank you for reading until the end. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them down below!