What are the must sees and dos when visiting Iceland?
Photo by Robert Bye
With many airlines offering cheap flights and travel deals, Iceland is becoming a popular destination. Iceland is a natural paradise for any nature lover with a host of lakes, waterfalls, and nature reserves. Aside from the beautiful landscape, historic castles, villages, and architecture sprinkle the country from country to city. If you want a trip rooted in Nordic traditions, Iceland is the perfect magical and other-worldly destination.
Snæfellsjökulll Natural Park
Snæfellsjökull Natural Park is the best place to come to see a treasure of nature. Snæfellsjökull Natural Park has the glacier that gives the park its name. The glacier is the main attraction of the park. The park has plenty of hiking trails that can take a visitor around the glacier and the park itself.
Aside from the glacier, the park offers the visitor the sight of lava tubes and fields, some of which are still active. There is plenty of flora and fauna to enjoy as you wander the park. You can also book tours for whale watching or go bird watching with different groups around the park.
Photo by Patrick Hendry
Dynjandi Waterfall
The Dynjandi Waterfalls are some of the most beautiful in the world. Surrounding the waterfalls are small waterways that are equally beautiful as you descend the heights to see the waterfall from all angles. The land around the waterfall is also a nature preserve, and you can camp around the falls.
Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
The Hornstrandir Nature Reserve is a must-see place in Iceland. You can wander the terrain and see towering sea cliffs, mountain bluffs, and waterfalls. The Hornstradir Nature reserve is a perfect place for hiking and observing wildlife, including seals, whales, and foxes.
Check out these stunning northern lights.
The Aurora Borealis
The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) are some of the most beautiful things to see in the world. The Aurora Borealis is visible around the world, but Iceland has some of the best views for it. Reykjavik is the best place to see the lights once you leave the city.
The best time to see the Aurora Borealis in Iceland is during the winter. There are swirls of greens and blues visible throughout the darkened sky. Iceland has some of the best and most visible lights displayed over the night sky.
Some hotels offer excursions solely for viewing the Northern Lights. Check ahead to see if it can be added to your vacation package.
The Golden Circle
If you love to take long drives, a visit to the Golden Circle will give you one amazing one. It is 190-miles long and runs along Thingvellir National Park. The natural treasures are visible throughout the entire route, including the Golden Falls (Gullfoss) and a geothermal geyser (Strokkur) that erupts every five minutes up to 100 feet into the air!
Sun Voyager Photo by Michael Held
Sun Voyager
Reykjavik is home to the Sólfar (Sun Voyager). The Sun Voyager is a giant steel sculpture of a Viking Ship. The backdrop of the Sun Voyager is Mount Esja and a huge mountain covered in hiking trails.
The sculpture is an hour outside Reykjavik and offers a lovely walk for anyone wishing to see the sculpture. If you want to make a day of it, Harpa, another notable attraction, is just up the road.
Harpa
Harpa is the concert and conference center in Reykjavik. The concert hall is a very modern building that architectural lovers love. The building has won many awards for its design and even the 2013 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture.
The concert hall hosts many performing arts events, including symphonies, the Reykjavik Jazz Festival, and comedic acts. If you plan your trip ahead of time, you can see some of the best musicians in the world performing.
National Museum of Iceland
The National Museum of Iceland is a must-see place for any history buff. The museum is interactive with histories of Pagan rituals and medieval religious life. The National Museum of Iceland is open most days for visitors to enjoy.
The Settlement Exhibition
The Settlement Exhibition is the place to learn about how the early area colonization occurred by the first settlers of Reykjavik. There are historic remains from A.D. 930 and 1000.
Visitors to the exhibition can learn about how the early settlers built their homes and buildings. There are a host of Viking artifacts to view and multiple exhibits to see. The best time to visit the museum during their free guided tour times during the summer months from June through August.
The Árbaer Open Air Museum
The Árbaer Open Air Museum has original buildings from central Reykjavik and shows their construction. The museum has exhibits with period toys, and paintings once displayed around the city. There are more than 20 relocated buildings in the Open Air Museum.
The Museum is a must-do for any families traveling through the area. There is something for everyone. There are discount admissions for children under the age of 17, disabled visitors, and seniors.
Photo by Michael Behrens
Whale Watching
If you want to spend some time on the water, Iceland is one of the best places to come for whale watching. The whale, Keiko, from the movie Free Willy, was captured at one of the Iceland fjords where the whaling tours cross around. You can see other types of water life on these tours, such as seals.
The best time to see whales is during the summer months when krill and fish are abundant in the waters. Whales are around all year long if you can't make it then.
Vestrahorn Mountain
Vestrahorn Mountain offers some of the best views of the peaks of Iceland. There are several spots to see the best the mountain has to offer. There are lagoons and clear mountain lakes you can stand or sit by as you choose.
A visit to Iceland should be on everyone's must-do list. The country offers some of the most beautiful countryside sites. The cities have plenty to enjoy as well, from concerts to some of the best foods in the country.
Our advice: if you see a flight deal for a roundtrip to Iceland, jump on it immediately! You will not regret it!
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