Discover the Best of Iceland: Places, Design, Food & Experiences

Iceland beyond the obvious

What are the best places to visit, experiences to try, places to stay, foods to taste and Icelandic designers and brands to discover in Iceland?

Iceland is famous for the obvious reasons: glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls, black-sand beaches and skies that can glow with the Northern Lights. But these landscapes are only the framework of a much richer country. A good Iceland trip might also involve bathing in geothermal seawater overlooking a fjord, riding an Icelandic horse across open countryside, finding a small gallery in Reykjavík, eating in a fishing community, discovering why Icelandic wool is different or staying somewhere where the view matters as much as the room.

The country is also larger and slower to travel around than it can appear on a map. Trying to fit Reykjavík, the entire south coast, North Iceland and the Westfjords into one short holiday usually means spending too much of it in the car. A better trip combines a few major landscapes with time for smaller places, local businesses and the unexpected stops that inevitably appear along the way.

For a first visit, Reykjavík and South Iceland make an excellent introduction. With more time, North Iceland offers a noticeably different pace, while the Westfjords and East Iceland reward travellers willing to give remoter regions several days rather than treating them as detours.

Where should you go and how should you plan the journey?

Reykjavík is the natural starting point, but it deserves to be treated as more than a place to collect a hire car. Iceland’s capital is compact enough to explore on foot, with restaurants, museums, galleries, swimming pools and independent shops close together. Spending a couple of days here also gives useful context to the country before the dramatic landscapes begin to dominate the journey.

From Reykjavík, South Iceland is the easiest region to build into a first road trip. Waterfalls such as Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss lead towards Vík, Reynisfjara and the black-sand coastline before the landscape becomes increasingly glacial further east. Our south coast guide follows this route through some of Iceland’s most recognisable scenery and makes clear why the south works better as a journey than a collection of individual photo stops.

Do not assume that Reykjavík has to remain the base. Vík is a practical place to spend a couple of nights, particularly if you want time around the south coast rather than arriving with the day-tour crowds and leaving again. Hótel Kría provides one base in the area, while further east Hotel Klaustur makes Kirkjubæjarklaustur a useful stopping point for travellers continuing towards Vatnajökull and the glacial landscapes beyond.

There are also more imaginative ways of structuring the journey. The Volcanic Way uses eight volcanoes to connect Reykjanes with South Iceland, encouraging travellers to think about geology as the thread running through the journey rather than simply racing between the biggest attractions. The Reykjanes Peninsula itself is worth slowing down for: its lava fields, geothermal areas, coastal landscapes and geothermally heated pools make it considerably more than the strip of land between Keflavík Airport and the capital. Our Reykjanes feature even explores how geothermal energy finds its way into everyday life, from public swimming pools to bread baked using heat from the ground.

Travellers who prefer independence can take that idea further. KúKú Campers represents the campervan approach to Iceland: travelling with fewer fixed bookings and allowing the route to change with weather and interest. It is not for everyone, particularly in difficult winter conditions, but in the lighter months it can suit a country where some of the best moments happen between destinations.

North Iceland deserves to be treated as a region of its own rather than something squeezed into the end of a southern itinerary. Fjords, farming communities, horses, whale-watching and geothermal landscapes create a different rhythm. Húsavík and the north-east can comfortably occupy several days, while Skagafjörður provides another base for outdoor experiences. In the far east, properties such as Blábjörg Resort also demonstrate why heading away from the busiest circuit can be rewarding: the journey becomes less about headline attractions and more about the region itself.

The Westfjords demand even more patience. Long coastal roads, mountains and small settlements make this a poor choice for travellers trying to maximise the number of sights they see in a day, but an excellent one for those looking for a quieter Iceland. Our Westfjords journey captures the appeal of places such as Ísafjörður and Þingeyri, where remoteness is part of the experience rather than an inconvenience.

How should you experience Iceland’s wild landscapes?

Iceland can fill days without a single organised excursion. Roadside waterfalls, coastal walks, volcanic landscapes and viewpoints are everywhere, and over-scheduling can make a holiday feel oddly rushed. Guided activities make most sense when expertise opens up a landscape that would otherwise be unsafe, inaccessible or difficult to understand.

Glaciers are the clearest example. Around Vatnajökull, Ice Guardians takes small groups onto the ice for glacier hiking and climbing, while its canyoning experiences reveal another side of the same dramatic region. Conditions on ice change constantly, which is precisely why this is not somewhere to improvise without local knowledge. Sleipnir Glacier Tours provides another way to access glacial Iceland, taking visitors into terrain that feels far removed from the nearby Ring Road.

“We wanted to offer tours that we would actually enjoy going on ourselves, away from the crowds,” says the team at Ice Guardians.

Rivers offer another route into landscapes that cannot be appreciated from a car. Viking Rafting and Arctic Rafting both turn Iceland’s river systems into experiences ranging from relatively accessible trips to more energetic white-water adventures. On the south coast, True Adventure goes in the opposite direction, using paragliding and ziplining to reveal Iceland from above.

The Icelandic horse offers something slower. The breed has been part of life on the island for centuries and provides a particularly natural way to move through countryside away from roads. At Brúnir Horse in the north, the experience is rooted in a family farm, while Vik Horse Adventure makes riding easy to combine with a south-coast journey. Horses are not simply another adventure product here; they are part of Iceland’s rural culture and history.

Then there is the sea. Whale-watching has become closely associated with Iceland, but location and operator can change the experience considerably. Láki Tours provides one route into Iceland’s marine wildlife, while Special Tours offers another. A boat trip can also act as a reminder that Iceland’s history, economy and settlement patterns have always been deeply connected with the North Atlantic.

The best activity is not necessarily the most dramatic one. Choose something that lets you experience an environment you would otherwise only look at from a distance.

Where can you experience Iceland’s geothermal side?

Geothermal water is part of ordinary life in Iceland, not merely something created for tourists. Public swimming pools are woven into local communities, while natural heat affects homes, food production and the way settlements function.

For visitors, geothermal bathing is often most memorable when it remains connected to the landscape. At GeoSea in Húsavík, the pools overlook Skjálfandi Bay and the mountains beyond, making the view and weather as important as the warm water. The experience can be particularly satisfying after a day outdoors, but it is equally valuable as a way of slowing down a trip that has started to become a succession of drives and sightseeing stops.

Reykjanes provides another strong introduction. Volcanic landscapes and geothermal activity are visible throughout the peninsula, while ordinary heated outdoor pools provide a far more local experience than the most famous spa resorts. As our Reykjanes story shows, geothermal heat even reaches the table through bread traditionally cooked underground.

The lesson is not to hunt for a single “best hot spring”. Iceland’s geothermal culture works precisely because it appears repeatedly throughout the journey, from spectacular destination baths to the swimming pool used by residents of a small town.

Where should you stay and when is the hotel itself part of the trip?

Accommodation planning matters more in Iceland than in many destinations because a poorly chosen base can add hours of unnecessary driving. Rather than compiling a list of the country’s most luxurious hotels, think about what you want to explore from the front door.

In Reykjavík, location is useful. The Black Pearl provides an apartment-style option close to the centre and harbour, while Hotel Reykjavík Grand offers a larger hotel base. Once restaurants, museums and city sights are walkable, there is little need to spend your Reykjavík days driving.

South Iceland rewards a different approach. Skálakot Manor combines accommodation with countryside and Icelandic horses, so staying there becomes part of the rural experience. Hrafntinna Villa offers greater privacy in southern Iceland, while Mirror Lodge Iceland deliberately uses reflective surfaces and glazing to make weather, sky and surrounding nature part of the stay.

On Reykjanes, Ocean Break Cabins suits travellers looking for a quieter base rather than a conventional city hotel. Elsewhere around the country, smaller properties can offer much the same advantage: less time travelling back to major centres and more time actually experiencing the region.

That variety continues with Hotel Fransiskus, Landhotel and Harbour Inn, each offering a different kind of base for exploring Iceland beyond Reykjavík. A city apartment may suit the capital, while a rural hotel, guesthouse or small regional inn can make much more sense on a road trip, cutting unnecessary driving and keeping travellers closer to the landscapes and communities they came to experience.

Where possible, stay at least two nights in important bases. Constantly packing and unpacking creates the illusion of covering more Iceland while often experiencing less of it.

What should you eat and drink in Iceland?

Icelandic food becomes much more interesting once the conversation moves beyond novelty dishes. Fishing, sheep farming and dairy have shaped the country’s food culture for generations, but today’s restaurants and producers combine those traditions with contemporary Nordic cooking and influences from elsewhere.

Reykjavík is the easiest place to sample the breadth of the modern scene. Torfan works with Nordic cooking and Icelandic ingredients in a historic city setting, while Hjá Jóni provides another route into contemporary Icelandic food. There is no reason to make every meal formal, though. Reykjavík’s food identity includes cafés, bakeries, seafood and its famous hot-dog culture just as much as polished restaurant dining.

Food becomes particularly rewarding when it reflects the place around it. Ingólfsskáli connects food with Icelandic history in South Iceland, while Café Riis in Hólmavík shows the role a restaurant can play in a small Westfjords community. Eyri Restaurant similarly gives travellers a reason to think beyond Reykjavík when planning where to eat.

Small producers broaden the picture too. Lady Brewery represents Iceland’s modern craft-beer scene, while Iceland Beer explores how brewing changed after Iceland’s 74-year beer prohibition ended in 1989. Dairy is just as deeply rooted in the national food culture: Ísey Skyr builds on a tradition of making skyr that stretches back for centuries.

Then there are institutions that need no elaborate explanation. Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur has become internationally famous for the Icelandic hot dog, and its longevity is a useful reminder that not every meaningful food experience requires a tasting menu. Older Scan stories on Icelandic fish and chips similarly reflect the simplest connection of all: fresh fish in a country surrounded by sea.

The most enjoyable approach is therefore to mix styles and price points. Eat seafood near the coast, try Icelandic lamb or dairy, book at least one restaurant that takes local ingredients seriously, and leave enough meals unplanned to follow what you find.

What should you buy in Iceland and which designers should you know?

For something that genuinely connects with the country, start with materials and makers rather than generic souvenirs. Icelandic wool is the clearest example because the product, the landscape and the country’s farming history are directly connected.

Ístex sits at the centre of Iceland’s wool industry, linking farmers with the production of the Lopi yarn recognised far beyond the island. Icelandic fleece combines a tougher outer fibre with a softer insulating layer, helping explain why wool has remained so useful in a climate defined by wind and cold.

“The main goal is to keep the circle of Icelandic wool going,” says Siggi Gunnarsson, CEO of Ístex.

The contemporary craft scene takes that tradition in many directions. Einrúm works with yarn and knitting, Garn i Gangi brings craft and yarn culture together in Akureyri, and Maro adds another modern approach to fibre. K&S Reykjavík explores Icelandic tweed, while Icelandic Eider works with one of the country’s most unusual natural materials.

Jewellery is another area where it is easy to find something made with a clear connection to an Icelandic designer. by lovísa and Mint Jewelry represent different approaches to handmade jewellery, making either a more personal alternative to conventional souvenir shopping.

The same principle extends to interiors. Liska explores lighting in a country where daylight changes dramatically through the seasons. Arctic Plank works with reclaimed timber, while AKI approaches another familiar design object from a contemporary angle.

Do not expect one unified “Icelandic style”. Some designers draw directly on natural materials; others are colourful, playful or highly minimal. What appears repeatedly is a willingness to work thoughtfully with what is available and to allow landscape, climate and craft to influence the finished object.

Where should you go for art, history and culture?

Reykjavík deserves time for its cultural institutions rather than functioning only as the beginning and end of a road trip. Reykjavík Art Museum operates across three very different venues, allowing visitors to encounter contemporary art, Icelandic modernism, sculpture and architecture in different parts of the city. The National Gallery of Iceland provides another perspective on Icelandic visual culture, while galleries such as Þula and BERG Contemporary demonstrate how active the contemporary scene has become.

Outside the centre, Hafnarborg broadens the cultural map, while individual Icelandic artists such as Hekla Björk Guðmundsdóttir add another perspective on the country’s contemporary creative scene. Independent spaces such as Gallery Hólshraun extend that picture further, while the Iceland Symphony Orchestra shows that Iceland’s cultural life reaches well beyond visual art.

Regional museums are particularly valuable because they explain the people and industries behind landscapes that can otherwise appear empty. In Siglufjörður, The Herring Era Museum tells the story of the fishing boom that transformed northern communities. Further back in time, Eiriksstadir provides a route into Iceland’s Viking history and the world associated with Erik the Red and Leif Erikson.

These places are worth including because Iceland’s landscapes make much more sense when accompanied by an understanding of how people have lived, worked and created culture within them.

When is the best time to visit?

There is no single correct season because summer and winter produce fundamentally different trips. Summer’s long daylight hours make road travel, hiking and exploration of more remote areas considerably easier. It is usually the most straightforward choice for a first major road trip, particularly if North Iceland or the Westfjords are involved.

Winter brings darkness, snow, striking low light and the possibility of the Northern Lights. Geothermal bathing feels particularly satisfying in cold weather, but road conditions require much more flexibility and there is little sense in designing a schedule that collapses if one day’s driving becomes impossible.

Spring and autumn sit between the two, and can be appealing to travellers who want some darkness without committing to the deepest winter. Reykjavík’s museums, restaurants, galleries and design scene work throughout the year, so Iceland should not be treated exclusively as an outdoor summer destination.

Whatever the season, leave breathing room in the plan. Iceland is one of those places where weather, road conditions or an unexpectedly interesting stop can rewrite the day, and that is not necessarily a problem.

How much should you try to fit into one trip?

For a first visit of around a week, Reykjavík plus South Iceland is already a substantial journey. Add a geothermal bath, one or two guided outdoor experiences, time for food and museums and enough unscheduled space to stop along the way, and there is little need to force another region into the same holiday.

With ten days or two weeks, North Iceland becomes much easier to add. A longer journey also allows the route to become less linear, perhaps using Iceland Highlights or a specialist such as Iceland Encounter as inspiration for experiences beyond the obvious circuit.

The Westfjords are better saved for a trip where they can receive several days of their own. The same applies to exploring Iceland’s east in depth. The goal should not be to return home having technically visited every region; it should be to have spent enough time somewhere to remember more than the car park.

Iceland rewards travellers who allow the journey to breathe. Its best experiences often sit between the obvious attractions: a swimming pool used by locals, a tiny museum, a horse farm, a design shop, an unexpectedly good meal or simply a stretch of road where there is suddenly nowhere else you would rather be.

Discover more of Iceland

Looking for more ideas? Explore the Scan Magazine Iceland archive for more places, people and experiences from across the country.