Top 13 Attractions in Iceland according to Lonely Planet
13. Kerlingarfjöll
Kerlingarfjöll is a mountain range in Iceland situated in the Highlands of Iceland near the Kjölur highland road. The volcanic origin of these mountains is evidenced by the numerous hot springs and rivulets in the area. And indeed, they are part of a large volcano system of 100 km2. The volcanoes of the range are tuyas.
12. Heimaey & Vestmannaeyjar
Vestmannaeyjar is a town on the island Heimaey. Heimaey is the largest of 15-18 islands in the Westman Islands archipelago, located just off the south-west coast of Iceland’s mainland. The Westman Islands were formed by submarine volcanic eruptions along a 30 km long fissure lying south-west to north-east. Most of the islands have steep sea cliffs, and are well vegetated.
11. Snæfellsnes Peninsula
The Snæfellsnes is a peninsula situated to the west of Borgarfjörður, in western Iceland. It has been named Iceland in Miniature, because many national sights can be found in the area, including the Snæfellsjökull volcano, regarded as one of the symbols of Iceland.
10. Reykjavík’s Cafe Culture & Beer Bars
Iceland’s capital is rather wee by international standards, but the city’s ratio of coffee houses to citizens is nothing short of staggering. In fact, the local social culture is built around these low-key hang-outs that crank up the intensity after hours, when tea is swapped for tipples and dance moves break out on the sticky floors.
9. Tröllaskagi Peninsula
Tröllaskagi is a peninsula in northern Iceland between the fjords of Eyjafjörður and Skagafjörður. The peninsula is mountainous with several peaks reaching over 1000 meters above sea level, the tallest is Kerling (1538 m). It is the part of Iceland with the highest elevation outside the central highlands.
8. Fimmvörðuháls
Fimmvörðuháls is the area between the glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull in southern Iceland. The route between Skógar and Thórsmörk goes through this pass and is one of the most popular walking routes in Iceland, despite being 22 km long and involving 1,000 m of climbing.
7. Borgarfjörður Eystri & Seyðisfjörður
Borgarfjörður Eystri is a fjord in east Iceland. The town derives its name from the Álfaborg (Elf Rock). Some of the locals believe that the queen of the elves lives in the Álfaborg. The main attraction for visitors is hiking. Borgarfjörður Eystri is also home to a large puffin colony.
6. Vatnajökull National Park
Vatnajökull National Park is one of three national parks in Iceland. It encompasses all of Vatnajökull glacier and extensive surrounding areas. These include the national parks previously existing at Skaftafell in the southwest and Jökulsárgljúfur in the north.
5. Driving the Ring Road
There’s no better way to explore Iceland than to hire your own set of wheels and loop around Rte 1 — affectionately known as the Ring Road. The ovular strip of cement loops around the island in a clock-like fashion, passing through verdant dales decked with tumbling chutes, haunting glacial lagoons with popcorn-like icebergs, desolate strands of sea coast and arid plains of parched lava fields.
4. Northern Lights
The Northern Lights or aurora borealis are a natural phenomenon that can paint the night sky with unearthly, surreal color. The Aurorae are caused by charged particles ejected from the sun. When these particles reach the earth, they collide with gas atoms and molecules in the earth’s upper atmosphere, energising them and creating a spectacular multi-coloured light show.
3. Jökulsárlón
Jökulsárlón is a large glacial lake in southeast Iceland, on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park. Situated at the head of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, it developed into a lake after the glacier started receding from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
2. Westfjords
The Westfjords are very mountainous; the coastline is heavily indented by dozens of fjords surrounded by steep hills. These indentations make roads very circuitous and communications by land difficult. The cliffs at Látrabjarg comprise the longest bird cliff in the northern Atlantic Ocean and are at the westernmost point in Iceland.
1. Getting into Hot Water
Iceland’s unofficial pastime is splashing around its surplus of geothermal water. There are ‘hot-pots’ everywhere — from downtown Reykjavík to the isolated peninsular tips of the Westfjords — and not only are they incredibly relaxing, they’re a great way to meet the locals.
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