This was one of the first questions we asked ourselves during our Iceland trip planning: Which destinations we couldn’t miss? And honestly, the list was long. But after experiencing this amazing country, we came up with our list of the 10 destinations you can’t miss on your trip to Iceland. You need at least 7 days around the ring road to see all these destinations. To help you with the planning, we also share a printable version of our 8 days summer itinerary in Iceland.
Free download our printable Iceland Top 10!
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You can read about our experience renting a car in Iceland for this road trip at the following link.
We visit Iceland during summer, in August. In winter, road conditions can be challenging for this trip, primarily for beginner drivers.
- Skógafoss:
One of the biggest in the country, this waterfall has a width of 25 meters and a drop of 60 m. On sunny days, at least one rainbow is present due to the amount of spray the cascade produces. Skógafoss can also be viewed from the top. A steep staircase with approximately 520 steps will take you to the top.
- Reynisfjara
The most famous black sand beach in Iceland. You will be captivated by the number of puffins flying over the basalt columns from the moment you enter. This beach is also home to Reynisdrangar, the basalt stacks that stick out of the sea. It is one of the most pictured spots in Iceland.
- Diamond Beach
Diamond Beach is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland and for excellent reasons. The name derives from many icebergs of various sizes scattered on the beach. The black sand (of volcanic origin) helps to accentuate the contrast with the ice blocks. On the shore, the ice blocks come from the icebergs of the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. This spot is perfect for photographers and nature lovers. So, don’t forget your camera! It is frequent to see seals from the shore since the beach is their home.
- Jokulsarlon
Jökulsárlón is an enormous lagoon filled with giant ice blocks that have broken free from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. This place is a magnificent scenario to take pictures with the floating icebergs. Because of its beauty, this lagoon is one of Iceland’s most famous and visited attractions.
- Hengifoss
Hengifoss is one of the most known landmarks in East Iceland. It is a beautiful waterfall with a height of 128.5 meters. The hike to Hengifoss starts from the parking lot, where you enter directly into the trail. The walk is a gradual climb uphill, approximately 2.5 km long (each way), and about one hour (if you are well-trained). Because it is a bit difficult, some benches have been put up to rest and enjoy the view.
- Dettifoss
Dettifoss falls are 100 meters wide and drop 44 meters down to the canyon Jökulsárgljúfur. It is the second largest waterfall in Iceland in terms of volume discharge. The superlative of “most powerful” comes from its water flow times and its fall distance. Dettifoss can be seen from the East or West; we recommend choosing one side since it’s a long path, around one hour from one side to the other.
- Hverir Mývatn
Hverir is a geothermal area with mud pots near Mývatn. We were looking forward to visiting this area since all the images we saw looked like they were from another planet. The smell from the pots is not the best due to the sulfur, but walking around this area is an exciting experience, full of different colors.
- Godafoss
Goðafoss is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the country, with a width of 30 meters, falling from 12 meters. We visited it from the west side, but it is also possible to go down to the river on the east side.
- Snaefellsjokull
Snæfellsjökull is a volcano of 1446 meters, covered with snow all year and visible from Reykjavik in clear sky days. This imposing volcano inspired the novel “Journey to the Center of the Earth” by the famous French writer Jules Verne. The surrounding landscapes are beautiful, with lava fields and strange rock formations.
- Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is the most popular spa in Iceland. It owes its name to the milky-blue water due to how silica reflects the light. Silica is the most abundant element in the water.
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