1. The Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is a must stop place when you arrive in Iceland. As this thermal experience is only 26 km from the airport, I recommend stopping off here first to really get your holiday off to the best start!!
Make sure to book in advance on the Blue Lagoon Website.
Check out my Ultimate Iceland Guide Part 1 blog post here to read more about what tickets to buy and some tips about your visit :)
2. Geysir Hot Spring Area
You can't go to Iceland without making a stop at this natural phenomenon. This Geysir, called Strokkue is the most famous one in Iceland and it shoots boiling water from 20-40 metres up into the air. Strokkur erupts every 5-10 minutes so you'll have plenty of chances to catch this amazing spectacle on camera!
Located in the area you'll also find a visitor centre with toilet facilities, a cafe and gift shop. This is great if you're on a self-drive tour, as you'll be doing a lot of driving.
3. Thingvellir National Park
This national park is famous for a number of reasons! 1. Its a Game of Thrones filming site, remember the walk up to the Bloody Gates, where Lysa Arren lived in the vale? Well here you can take that walk for yourself!! 2. This park sits on the plane of two tectonic plates: North America and Europe, which are supposedly moving away from each other at a speed of 1-18 mm per year. 3. Home to the beautiful Öxarárfoss Waterfall.
So pack yourself a picnic and head out on an easy but exciting hike through this national park. Just take note of sunset hours as once the sun goes down it's very dark here!!
4. Gullfoss Waterfall
If you go to Iceland you are going to see a lot of waterfalls, but trust me each one is more beautiful and unique than the last.
This waterfall is only 1h30 minutes from Reykjavik, along the Golden Circle. It's open all year round but some of the viewpoints may be closed due to ice in the winter. Please take heed of the signs if one of the viewpoints are closed, they are there for a reason.
The unique thing about this waterfall is that you actually view it from above, rather than below. So it looks like the water is falling down into the Earth, it's quite a sight to see.
5. Fridheimer Greenhouse
This is a gorgeous stop for a bite to each on your drive around the golden circle. Located only a 20 minute drive from Gulfoss waterfall, this is a great place to stop.
Located in a huge tomato greenhouse, everything they serve is tomato based. We went for the tomato soup buffet, which included as much tomato soup as you wanted, salad, and gorgeous crusty bread. I also tried the tomato beer, which was surprisingly nice!
6. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
It's really hard to decide, but I think this waterfall was my favourite.
Not only can you walk right up to this waterfall, but you can actually go behind it too and get some amazing pics! It really is something out of a fairy tale.
Located along the Golden Circle I would recommend checking out this location on the same day as the black sand beach.
7. DC 3 Plane Wreck
This site isn't as well known as some of the others on here but it is well worth the visit.
You can choose between walking to the plane wreck, which is about a 1h30 min walk (in very strong wind) or you can book a shuttle bus there and back.
We loved having a climb around the plane wreck and looking out across the black sand. It was very eerie but felt a bit like a movie set! Be warned though, if going in winter, as it's by the sea the wind is next level!!
8. Kerid Crater
Another awesome site that's not quite as knows as some of the others is Kerid Crater. This site was actually right beside out accommodation, which you can check out in my 'Ultimate Iceland Guide' blogpost here.
This is a Volcanic Crater lake located in Iceland's Volcanic zone. It was formed approx. 3000 years ago when a magma chamber of a volcano collapsed after eruption, resulting in this funnel shaped crater you can see below. You can view the lake form the top but also walk around the path to get down to the bottom. Just be careful if the lake is frozen and don't risk standing on the ice.
9. Black Sand Beach
This site is just off the Golden Circle in a town called Vik but is an absolute must see. The town itself is beautiful and has a gorgeous church up on the hill and a number of nice restaurants to eat in. Check out the brewery we ate in here.
The black sand beach is iconic because...you guessed it, the sand is black! That's not a filter in the picture below, the place literally looks straight out of a black and white movie!!
It's also another Game of Thrones filming site.
10. ReykjavÃk City
Lastly, you can't go to Iceland without visiting the city itself!! I recommending giving yourself a day here to explore the sites, or if you're going without kids, stay for a night to experience the nightlife but bring your money as it is expensive!
There are a number of gorgeous things to see in ReykjavÃk such as; the Sun Voyager, Hallgrimskirkja church, Harpa Concert Hall, and Rainbow Street to name just a few.
Keep an eye out for my next blog post which will cover ReykjavÃk city in more detail :)
This is just a selection of the amazing things to do in Iceland. Feel free to commend if you have any questions at all.
And remember, all of these places, bar the Blue Lagoon and Kerid Crater (only a few euro) are free to park at and enter. There is absolutely no need to book expensive bus tours, you are so much better off hiring your own car and viewing this place at your own pace!
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Thanks for reading
Jess x