East Iceland
Walk or drive down to the waterfront behind Langabúð and follow the road west to reach this intriguing public artwork: 34 oversized eggs along the jetty,…
East Iceland
Walk or drive down to the waterfront behind Langabúð and follow the road west to reach this intriguing public artwork: 34 oversized eggs along the jetty,…
The Golden Circle
The little farmhouse in the bottom of the rift, Þingvallabær was built for the 1000th anniversary of the Alþing in 1930 by state architect Guðjón…
Southeast Iceland
The basalt columns of Kirkjugólf (Church Floor), smoothed down and cemented with moss, were once mistaken for an old church floor rather than a work of…
West Iceland
This neat museum's curator is a wonderful character who knows a great deal about Dalir’s brilliant history, and if you make your way through the…
Reykjavík
Hljómskálagarður Park sits on Tjörnin's southeast corner and has a section dedicated to sculptures by five Icelandic women: Gunnfríður Jónsdóttir (1889…
Seyðisfjörður
A favourite walk takes explorers from a parking area south of Tækniminjasafn Austurlands about 15 or 20 minutes uphill to the 'sound sculpture' Tvísöngur,…
Reykjanes Peninsula
To the northeast of Keflavík's harbour sits the larger-than-life Giantess, a giant troll character from Herdís Egilsdóttir’s children’s books. A local art…
Reykjanes Peninsula
In a long red warehouse by the harbour, Duushús is Keflavík’s historic cultural centre. There’s a permanent exhibition of around 60 of Grímur Karlsson’s…
The Westfjords
One of Iceland's most famous poets, Steinn Steinarr (1908–58), is commemorated at this museum set in his former homestead. It details, in Icelandic and…
The South
On the other side of the building that contains Draugasetrið, the Elves Museum involves trolls, elves and Northern Lights, and is a good bet for young…
The South
Around 8km west of Fljotsdalur HI Hostel you'll find this lesser-known waterfall dropping some 45m from the cliff above, fed from the Merkja River. It…
West Iceland
Akranes' sprawling Museum Centre is full of nautical relics, crystals, fossils and tales of local sporting heroes. The folk museum wing displays antiques…
Ísafjörður
The intensely close-knit nature of Westfjords life is evoked in the 2nd-floor displays in what was once the town hospital. Look out for vintage scales for…
The Westfjords
It was the first of its kind in Iceland when it was created in 1913, and today Þingeyri's atmospheric Old Blacksmith's Workshop is still crammed with…
Reykjavík
More than 5000 varieties of subarctic plants fill the city's botanic gardens, delivering a wealth of colourful seasonal flowers and plenty of birdlife,…
Southeast Iceland
Heinabergsjökull is 8km off the Ring Road on a gravel road (signposted not far east of Guesthouse Skálafell). Brilliant summertime kayaking trips operate…
Snæfellsjökull National Park
Southeast of the Öndverðarnes area, on Rte 574, follow the marked turn-off to the roadside scoria crater Saxhöll, which was responsible for some of the…
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
For relaxing views of town and bay, head up the hill to the Library of Water. This window-lined space showcases an installation by American artist Roni…
Reykjavík
Iceland’s main cathedral, Dómkirkja is a modest affair, but it played a vital role in the country’s conversion to Lutheranism. The current building (built…
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
The Saga Centre is a tourist information centre, cafe, library, internet point and small museum rolled into one. The museum displays an old fishing boat…
Minjasafn Egils Ólafssonar Museum
The Westfjords
In Hnjótur, about 10km west of Sauðlauksdalur, it’s worth stopping at the Minjasafn Egils Ólafssonar Museum. The eclectic collection includes salvaged…
North Iceland
At 9am and 2pm weekdays (from mid-May to mid-September) you can tour Iceland’s only tannery (500kr), or stop by the visitor centre anytime to admire (and…
Icelandic Museum of Rock 'n' Roll
Reykjanes Peninsula
This museum delves into the history of the awesome Icelandic music scene, from Björk to Sigur Rós and Of Monsters and Men. Admission includes a walking…
The Golden Circle
The 1937 Ljósafoss Power Station catches the outflow of lake Úlfljótsvatn and turns it into electricity. In 2016, an elaborate state-of-the-art multimedia…
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
About 15km west of the intersection of Rte 54 and Rte 56 lies the dramatic, spiky lava field at Berserkjahraun (Berserkers’ lava field). Crowned by…
Akureyri
Stimulate your senses at the Akureyri Art Museum, which hosts eclectic, innovative exhibitions – from graphic design to portraiture – and is surrounded by…
The South
Þjóðveldisbærinn is a reconstruction of Stöng, exactly reproducing its turf-covered layout and its neighbouring church. Staff here wear period dress and…
Reykjavík
Reykjavík’s waterside Ráðhús is a beautifully positioned postmodern construction of concrete stilts, tinted windows and mossy walls rising from Tjörnin…
The South
The informative Þjórsárstofa, in a large white building, has an excellent display about the nearby attractions (crashing waterfalls and an atmospheric…
The South
Just behind Húsið á Eyrarbakka, this small maritime museum has displays on the local fishing community. Its main exhibit is the beautiful 12-oared fishing…
West Iceland
This hot pot with a view across the Dalir region is close to the original pool (now buried under a landslide) where the woman at the centre of the…
Reykjanesfólkvangur Reserve
Just to the north of the Seltún hot springs, this lake is an old explosion crater filled with gorgeous teal water, caused by a combination of minerals and…
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
This small maritime museum houses Bliki, the oldest fishing boat in Iceland, and a cool replica of a fisher's turf house, plus loads of old photos and…
Southeast Iceland
Fagrifoss (Beautiful Falls) is not a misnomer: this waterfall must be one of Iceland’s most bewitching, with rivulets of water pouring over a massive…
Hveragerði Stone & Geology Exhibition
The South
One of Iceland's largest private collections of stones is owned by the Thor family and you can view their crystals and other geological artefacts in an…
Greater Reykjavík
Yoko Ono’s Imagine Peace Tower (2007) is a ‘wishing well’ that blasts a dazzling column of light into the sky every night between 9 October (John Lennon’s…
Greater Reykjavík
This peaceful park is filled with lava grottoes and is apparently one of the favourite places of the huldufólk (hidden people) – the álfar (elves),…
West Iceland
The church at the Saurbær farmstead is worth a look for its beautiful stained-glass work by Gerður Helgadóttir. It is named for Reverend Hallgrímur…
Ísafjörður
Ísafjörður's historic quarter borders it's eastern edges. Start explorations in Tangagata to see gabled, tin-clad homes, often brightly painted in…
Greater Reykjavík
The western end of Viðey Island is dotted with 18 pairs of massive basalt columns. The work of environmental artist Richard Serra, they're designed to…