If you are going to Iceland here is a list of nine must see attractions in Iceland.
Iceland is a remarkable country. It’s also bit of a paradox. For one, it is quite small – roughly the size of Kentucky with a population just a little over 300,000. But they do have their own language (Icelandic) which is quite old. In fact, Icelanders can still read the ancient Viking sagas written over a thousand years ago. The country itself is beautiful, exotic and unspoiled. The capital city, Reykjavik is small but lively and interesting. My list of 9, which is no any particular order, includes attractions, within the city and outside the city. Which you choose will depend on your travel plans.
#1 – Hallgrimskirkja – literally, the church of Hallgrímur, is the largest church in Iceland and is centrally located in downtown Reykjavik. Though not the oldest church in Iceland, it is the tallest at 244 feet. In fact it’s tall spire can be seen from almost anywhere within the city. For a nominal fee, you can take an elevator up to the observation tower for some spectacular views. The interior is beautiful and distinctly Scandinavian in style and decor. Lastly, if you get a chance, the church has a great pipe organ. Outside the church is a large statue of Leif Ericsson, the statue itself was a gift from the United States in honor of the 1930 Althing Millennial Festival, commemorating the 1000th anniversary of Iceland’s parliament at Thingvellir in 930 AD.
#2 – Downtown Reykjavik and the central square – Downtown Reykjavik is lovely and offers an interesting mix of old world and cutting edge modern buildings and architecture. Reykjavik’s downtown is fairly small so it is easy to enjoy on foot. Just find the main artery, Laugavegur and start walking. there are numerous restaurants, cafe’s, bars, clothing, art galleries and just about everything in between. If you want to enjoy Reykjavik’s nightlife, this is pretty much where you want to be. If you keep heading down the street you will come to the central square. Just make a left on Pósthússtræti and you will see it immediately. The central square is lined by the old Parliament building, the Althing, a beautiful old church, the Hotel Borg and many other old buildings. In the center of the square is a statue of Jon Sigurðsson, a national hero in Iceland.
#3 – Skaftafell National Park – Skaftafell National Park is located in SE-Iceland about a 6 hour drive from the capital. And, it is worth the drive. This beautiful park sits at the foot of Iceland’s largest glacier, Vatnajokull. You can camp here or stay in a guesthouse outside the park. What this place offers is some of the most pristine and beautiful nature I have ever seen. You can hike to waterfalls, go mountain climbing to Iceland’s highest summit, hike on glaciers, ice climbing and more. Or, you can just relax and enjoy clean air and green grass. For some reason, the weather at this location can be good even when its bad everywhere else. I think that the glacier provides a high-pressure dome.
#4 – Snaefellsness Peninsula – The Snaefellsness Peninsula is about a 3 hour drive north of Reykjavik. In fact on most days, you can see the dome of Snaefellsjokull (Snaefells Glacier) from the capital even though it is like 150 km away – pretty impressive. The peninsula is gorgeous with sweeping views of the ocean, beautiful beaches, lighthouses and quaint villages. There is much to see but one thing you should see up close is Snaefellsjokull. It is a relatively small glacier and you can drive right up to the edge and experience it up close. Snaefellsjokull was made famous by Jules Verne in the book, “Journey to the Center of the Earth” as the point of entry to the Earth’s core.
#5 – Akureyri – Akureyri is the called the capital of the north and it is the farther away of all the Iceland sightseeing recommendations in this article. By car, Akureyri is a full day’s drive. The drive is long but will offer lots of sightseeing opportunities. If you want to avoid the long drive, you can book a flight to Akureyri on Iceland’s domestic airline and be there in one hour. The airport for domestic flights is near downtown Reykjavik. Akureyri, which is located near the end of a long fjord, is small and charming and boasts quaint shops, restaurants and hotels. During the summer, when the sun hardly sets, the locals spend a lot of time in the city center just hanging out, partying and just enjoying themselves. All of which makes for a fun, festive atmosphere that is quite memorable.
#6 – Reykjavik public pools – Swimming is simply one of the things you do while in Iceland. There are several nice pools in Reykjavik that are run by the city that offer just about everything for only 300 kronur (about $3.50): lap swimming, hot tubs, steam rooms, slides for the kids and more. It’s a great deal and a great to meet Icelanders. In fact, Reykjavik is unofficially called the ‘spa city.’ This is also because of the next top nine attraction, the blue lagoon.
#7 – Blue Lagoon – The Blue Lagoon is one of the top tourist destinations in Iceland. It is located about halfway between Keflavik (where you will fly in) and Reykjavik. In fact you will drive past in on your way from the airport to the capital. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa unlike any other on earth. The best and most efficient way I can explain this place is with a picture (see above).
#8 – Waterfalls, Geysers & Hot Springs - Iceland has water in spades. It is also one of the more geologically active places on earth. That means it has lots of waterfalls, hot springs and one well-known geyser called, “strokkur,” which translates as “boy.” There are waterfalls everywhere. Some of the most famous are Skogafoss, Dettifoss and Gullfoss. Hot Springs are all over the place too. My recommendation is to book a tour. Let the locals take you to the best spots. Many of these Iceland tour operators have tours built around these famous attractions, the most well known is called the Golden Circle Tour, which include Gullfoss, Geysir (strokkur) and Thingvellir.
#9 – Thingvellir & Thingvellirvatn – Thingvellir is area of land located about 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik. Now a national park, it was the site of Iceland’s original parliament, called the Althing which was formed in 930 AD. Leaders and everyday folk would come to this location from all over Iceland to make laws, settle disputes, buy and sell and generally stay connected. The park has many rifts, some you can walk through, others are filed with the clearest water you’ve ever seen. In fact these water filled rifts are a popular scuba diving spot. The park also boats a beautiful waterfall, streams, amazing vistas and a large lake called Thingvellirvatn.
Granted there are more than nine top attractions in Iceland. Listing every possible worthwhile place is outside the scope of this article and frankly, my time. That said, the attractions listed above are all things I have experience first-hand; I can say with confidence that they are worth seeing. And, now’s still a good time to visit Iceland. Your dollars, or Euros, or whatever currency you use will go a long ways because of Iceland’s economic misfortune which led to a massive deflation of their currency. Without sounding mean-spirited I say, take advantage of this while it lasts. You’ll be helping the local economy and getting a world-class travel experience in return.
