Welcome to the ZigZag Iceland Travel Guide to help your plan an unforgettable trip!
Photos, infos, maps, tips, best things to do, off the beaten track ideas.... All you need to plan your itinerary and discover the land of Fire and Ice with its glaciers, volcanoes, fjords, icebergs, black sand beaches, geothermal areas... Nature at its best!
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME IN ICELAND!
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Iceland Travel Guide written by Claire, the ultimate Travel Planning Geek 🙂
"With the Zigzag Travel Guides, Planning is half the fun of Traveling"
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BEST OF PLACES TO VISIT and things to do in Iceland
Where to go in Iceland?
Iceland offers some of the best landscapes I have seen around the world: crazy lava fields, majestic fjords, icebergs on black sand beach... It is difficult to choose some favorite places to visit but I still did it. Discover what I think are the best landscapes, the best stops on the ring road, the top things to do around Myvatn and amazing locations off the beaten track in Iceland. All of that with photos.
MAP OF ICELAND REGIONS
Before I continue with detailed info on planning your trip and how to get to all those amazing locations, below is a map of Iceland with the various touristic regions to visit.
Further in this guide, you can see some of the best places to see in those regions.
How to get around?
The Ring Road joins Reykjavik, Vik, Hofn, Egilstadir, Myvatn and Akureyri. It is Road 1 and is an easy road to drive around. More info on the articles about planning your itinerary and driving in Iceland.
Driving times
Quickly to give you an idea, here are the driving times (when not stopping every 5 minutes to admire the scenery):
- Reykjavik to Grundarfjordur (Sanefellsnes Peninsula) - 2h30 drive
- Reykjavik to Vik (South Coast) - 2h30 drive
- Vik to Höfn - 3h15
- Reykjavik to Akureyri - 5h
- Reykjavik to Lake Myvatn - 6h
- Höfn to Lake Myvatn - 5h30
PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO ICELAND
Now it is time to plan and prepare. The following articles will help you with information about transportation, accommodation, clothes to pack, driving, food, itineraries...
- How to plan your trip
- When to go
- What to pack
- Where to stay
- Driving
- Itinerary suggestions...
Best time to visit Iceland
Best time and places to see Northern Lights, puffins, whales, ice caves...
Choose your Iceland Self Drive Tour
(Iceland Travel Packages if you don't want to book everything yourself)
EBOOKS - ICELAND TRAVEL GUIDES
The online guide continues below with detailed information about all those places. I just wanted to let you know, that I also compiled my information about Iceland in 2 practicals eBooks with Detailed Maps, GPS coordinates, clear information location by location and large photos.
Road trip planning made easier!
The Road Trip Guide - Iceland
eBook - the complete guide to planning your road trip around Iceland with 98 locations and more than 100 photos
Iceland - Ring Road Guide
eBook - your complete guide with 30 stops and 10 detours to tour the Ring Road in under 10 days
Learn more
I’ve bought your Guide Plan to Iceland and glad I did, because it’s being priceless planing my trip to Iceland next June.
SNAEFELLSNES PENINSULA Iceland Points of Interest
The Snaefellsnes peninsula is considered as 'the Iceland in miniature'.
- What to see - It displays many of the Icelandic features in one small area: waterfall, fjords, glacier, lava fields, lava formations; volcanoes... so many places to visit that you could spend your vacation just there. The articles below presents you things to do and places to visit on the peninsula, each location with many photos and tips to plan your trip.
- Main towns - Sigoldugljufur and Grundarfjordur
- Reykjavik to Grundarfjordur (Sanefellsnes Peninsula) - 2h30 drive
- Driving - Easy drive around, unsealed car to off the beaten path in the center
- Plan 1 to 3 days
SOUTH WEST Iceland things to do
Reykjavik is the capital city of Iceland. Many people decide to base their holidays here.
- What to see - Many places can be reach on day trips including the famous Blue Lagoon or the golden triangle with Geysir, Thingvellir and Gullfoss. Here are things to do and places to visit to discover in the area with detailed guides to plan your visit.
- Main towns - Reykjavik, Keflavik, Selfoss
- Reykjavik to Geysir (Golden Circle) - 1h30 drive
- Driving - Easy access to Golden Circle and Blue Lagoon, some unsealed roads towards the South Coast
- Plan 2 to 3 days
SOUTH COAST Iceland must-see
South Iceland is one of the most visited regions of Iceland and If you are limited in time, this is the region I would recommend exploring.
Simply driving along road 1 is wonderful, but here are some places you can stop at and visit along the way:
- What to see - it includes some of the most famous natural wonders of Iceland such as Jokulsarlon lagoon and the waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, as wall as National Parks around glaciers
- Main towns - Vik and Höfn
- Reykjavik to Vik (South Coast) - 2h30 drive
- Vik to Höfn - 3h15
- Driving - Road 1 all along the coast with easy access to all attractions
- Plan 3 to 5 days
NORTH ICELAND things to do
Although it is missing the icebergs of South Iceland, I think North Iceland is my favorite region.
- What to see - The fjords next to Akureyri are hypnotic and the post-apocalypitic landscapes of Lake Myvatn transport you on another planet. A very unique region with many places to visit!
- Main towns - Akyreyri, Reykjahlid (at lake Myvatn), Husavik (North Coast)
- Reykjavik to Akureyri - 5h
- Reykjavik to Lake Myvatn - 6h
- Höfn to Lake Myvatn - 5h30
- Driving - Road 1 takes you to Lake Myvatn and Akureyri, some good roads to the North Coast but others are not sealed
- Plan 5 to 7 days
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS destinations
Central Highlands is the one of the least visited areas as it can be only access through hiking or 4WD.
- What to see - The untouched area has some of the most magical and colorful landscapes in Iceland.
- Main towns - /
- Driving - 4WD access only from June to September (opening dates depend on conditions) - some river crossing required
- Plan 1 to 5 days
East Fjords and West Fjords
I have not written articles on these regions at this time. Sorry
East fjords
- What to see - Highlights include stunning fjords, magnificent waterfalls, charming seafront villages
- Main towns - Egilstadir
- Höfn to Egilstadir - 3h30 drive
- Driving - Road 1 to drive along the East fjords - you can drive down some of them (mix of paved and unsealed roads)
- Plan 1 to 3 days
West fjords
- What to see - Highlights include stunning fjords, magnificent waterfalls, charming seafront villages
- Main towns - xx
- Reykjavik to Isafjordur - 5h30 drive
- Driving - Narrow winding roads, sometimes unsealed
- Plan 2 to 5 days
THINGS TO SEE IN ICELAND - Everywhere
Iceland is also famous for some of its animals The article below gives you many photos of Icelandic horses, a polar fox and many sheep.
GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS
Practical websites to Book your trip
BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION
- I personally use Booking.com for their large choice of both hotels and apartments, their real reviews and reductions for repeat customers - Book your accommodations via Booking.com
- I know that some of my Readers from the US and Canada favor Hotels.com for their repeat customer deals - Book with Hotels.com
- And for those you like to compare prices, you can have a look and book through Hotelscombined.com
PLAN YOUR ACTIVITIES
- ROAD TRIP - If you are planning on renting your car, you can find & Compare and book with Icelandic rental brands here. I personally used the reputed Route1 car rental and was very satisfied
- DAY TRIPS - The other travel option I like to just seat and relax while admiring the scenery it to Book day trips and organized tours. I also like to have my tickets beforehand to save time. I personally use GetYourGuide.com and Viator.com
GET EQUIPMENT YOU NEED
- CLOTHES, SAFETY ITEMS, PACKING PRACTICAL ITEMS, LUGGAGE, ELECTRONICS... Get it on Amazon (US, UK and Canada only)
GET TRAVEL INSURANCE
- I wish you a very smooth trip, but my policy is: better be prepared. I personally use World Nomads. Get a quote online here.
PROTECT YOUR ELECTRONIC DATA
- Don't use unsecured wifi without a VPN service to avoid risking electronic theft - NordVPN is one of the best rated VPN service
Thank you so much for all your help planning our trip to Iceland. I have used your website frequently the last months and since we are close to finishing the planning I wanted to state my gratitude. Thank you so very much! Great, just absolutely great work! This is our 2nd time to Iceland, but this time we are there for 10 days and travelling a lot more than the last time, so we have spent considerable time planning. Thanks again! Hilde/Norway.
Hi Hilde
I am so happy you found this guide useful. Thank you so much for your comment.
I wish you a wonderful trip.
Cheers
Claire
Claire, thank you so much for the terrific effort you have put into these guides. My wife and I are about to take our first trip to Iceland, driving the full circle over ten days. This site has been a treasure trove of helpful information. There are definitely places we will go to visit on your recommendation that we wouldn’t have known about otherwise.
Great job!
Marcus,
thank you so much for taking the time to leave a message.
I am really happy you found my guide useful to prepare your tour.
I wish you and your wife a wonderful trip. Every centimeter of Iceland is beautiful so I am sure you will 🙂
Claire
Claire, just coming back from a fantastic Iceland trip. Some amazing places I would have not discovered without your great website – thank you so much for sharing all these fantastic info! I only see now you even put them all – with more extras – in an ebook. Would I’ ve only discovered it before….. I’m sure it is much better than the 2 guide books I used. Keep it up – a big Thanks again from Germany!
Joern, thank you so much for coming back on my blog and commenting. I am really happy you had a fantastic trip and that my website was useful.
The eBook is only 2 weeks old. I just released it. Sorry I did not finish it earlier.
Thanks again for this wonderful comment!
Hey, just wanted to let you that your site is excellent and is one of the best online resources that I’ve found regarding Iceland. Very well organized with great pics and vids. Thank you.
Hello Claire!
I’ve bought your Guide Plan to Iceland and glad I did, because it’s being priceless planing my trip to Iceland next June.
I hope you can help me with this: I will arrive in Keflavik in June 4 at 15.00h and leave in June 11 at 7.40h.
I have 2 nights booked in Reykjavik, 2 in Nesjavellir, 1 in Vik and 2 in the Blue Lagoon.
My question is, should I stay in Reykjavik just for one night and book 2 in Vik? Does the city has enough to see in 2 days, or should I save more time to the fabulous Nature?
Thank you very much for your time, best regards,
Alexandra
Hi Alexandra
I am so happy you are finding my eBook useful. Thanks for letting me know.
It depends how much you you want to drive and how long you will stay out during the day.
If you want to relax and take your time I would switch to 2 nights in Vik to slowly explore around.
If you want to see as much as possible and are ready to drive a lot several days in a row, I would keep the 2 nights in Reykjavik and use the time to add a drive around the Snaefellsnes peninsula.
Reykjavik’s highlights are the mood of the cafes, the cathedral and the Sun Voyager sculpture. It can be done in half a day or 1 day. Then it depends if you like museums.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Claire
Just bought both of your books for Iceland! Amazing! So excited to find something so useful compared to the other books I’ve purchased!
When are you going to Scotland!? 😉
Hi Sarah
Thank you very much for your comment. I am very happy you are finding them useful.
It is funny because at the moment I am planning to visit Scotland in June.
Enjoy your trip to Iceland!
Claire
Hi Claire!
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and different maps, it helped me a lot during all my road trips in Iceland!
I will use your website for my next travel plan for sure !
All the best,
Fanny, from France.
Merci Fanny. Ravie d’avoir été utile.
Je te souhaite plein d’autres merveilleux voyages 🙂
wow,this web helped me so much! I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed your explanations, especially your practical information and photographs! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Patricia. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Thank you for sharing all this info.
Which month between September and March would be the best for the Nothern Lights.
We’re flexible and the month wouldn’t matter. We can travel at any time since we’re retired.
Would appreciate some info on this please.
They are both good months for auroras. Check my article about the best time to visit Iceland – https://www.zigzagonearth.com/best-time-to-visit-iceland/.
However I can’t assure you, you will get to see them. Many factors are involved including the cloud cover…
Between September and March you should rather look at what type of travel you want. September is more Summer-looking while March is Winter-looking.
Happy Travels!