15 Top Reasons to Visit Iceland

• Find out What to Do & Where to Go in Iceland 
• Read about the Top 10 Things to Do in Reykjavik 

Why Iceland Should Be on Your Travel Bucket List

Iceland is a destination that belongs on every traveler’s bucket list, offering experiences you simply can’t find anywhere else.

Where else can you relax in geothermal hot springs near volcanoes, explore shimmering glaciers, go horse-riding along black-sand beaches walk between tectonic plates in a single trip?

Iceland’s untouched wilderness, cultural richness, and unparalleled natural beauty make it a must-visit. Start planning your unforgettable journey today by exploring flights to Iceland and browsing top vacation packages in Iceland to create the adventure of a lifetime.

Now, let's dive in and discover the top 15 reasons to visit Iceland! 

15. Experience the Magic of the Midnight Sun

One of the top reasons to visit Iceland is to witness the incredible midnight sun. Because Iceland is located just below the Arctic Circle, the summer nights are bright with 24-hour daylight from mid-May to late July.

The summer solstice occurs between June 20 and 22, marking when the midnight sun, Iceland's ethereal crown jewel, sets just after midnight and rises again just before 3 a.m.

Nothing compares to a solitary moment faced with the midnight sun in the middle of nowhere. Use the endless days to your advantage by going sightseeing late at night allows one to see Iceland's strange landscapes from an unmatched perspective.

There are several midnight sun tours in Iceland to choose from. The top midnight sun tours available are Golden Circle tours, horse riding tours, or midnight sun mountain hike tours. Seeing the sun refuse to set for the first time is by itself an experience that is sure to leave life-lasting memories.

14. Chase the Northern Lights in Iceland’s Winter Skies

Iceland's location on the top of the world also ensures that it is among the best places to see the northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis. These spectacular celestial wonders are commonly seen in Iceland from September to mid-April and are among the top reasons to visit Iceland outside of the bright summer months. 

The Black Church at Búðir under the shimmering northern lights. 

On a still winter night, you are likely to see the mystical green lights dancing in the clear sky above Reykjavík, but your chances of witnessing them increase if you head out of town, away from electric lighting and the disturbance of the city.

Many experienced guides specialize in northern lights tours. Seeking out the best nightly sightings and going northern lights hunting can be equally thrilling as seeing the spectacular celestial show itself. Going on a northern lights tour offers an unforgettable experience that you'll cherish for a lifetime!

13. Relax in Iceland’s Geothermal Baths and Spas

One of the top reasons to visit Iceland is becasue of its gerothermal spas and natural hotsprings. Iceland's rich water supply is by far its most valuable natural resource. The drinking water quality is exceptional due to many unspoiled mountain and glacier streams. Iceland also has a long history of using geothermal energy as a power source.

Remarkable advantages of Iceland's geothermal nature are the natural pools found all around the country, each situated in a unique environment. The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is Iceland's most well-known bathing destination. It often tops the bucket list for first-time travelers to Iceland. 

However, some of the most stunning natural bathing areas are in Landmannalaugar natural reserve in the highlands, renowned for its incredible beauty.  

Landmannalaugar's majestic scenery of otherworldly rhyolite mountains can only be fully appreciated while bathing in the geothermal water. On a guided Landmannalaugar Super Jeep Tour, you will explore some extraordinary locations before visiting the pools, including Haifoss (the second-highest waterfall in Iceland) and the Ljotipollur explosion crater lake.

12. Go Whale Watching in Iceland’s Arctic Waters

The ocean around Iceland provides ideal living conditions for over twenty species of whales, and in recent years, Iceland has steadily grown to become Europe's whale-watching capital.

Whale watching in Iceland is one of the top reasons to visit Iceland and has very high chances of spotting the magnificent sea giants. On a whale-watching trip from Reykjavik, you can be 99% certain of seeing minke whales, whale-beaked dolphins, or harbor porpoises. On a Husavik traditional whale-watching trip in north Iceland, you will very likely spot the gigantic humpback whale.

A face-to-face encounter with the Icelandic whales in their natural habitat is an experience beyond comparison. Many tours also include the busy seaside cliffs where the puffin, Iceland's colorful ambassador, nests in rocky crevices or burrows in the soil. 

 The puffin nests in seaside cliffs and rocks around Iceland.

11. Explore Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

One of the top reasons to visit Iceland is to get the chance to walk between the tectonic plates, the area of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet and are slowly drifting apart.

Located 29 miles (47 kilometers) from Reykjavík, the Thingvellir National Park in Southwest Iceland is a must-see destination because of its historical and geological significance. The Icelandic parliament, Althingi, was founded in Thingvellir in 930 and held its first sessions by the Almannagja gorge, the rift valley of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. 

Thingvellir has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site because of the area's countless extraordinary natural features, including Thingvallavatn, Iceland's largest natural lake, and the Silfra fissure, in which one can dive or snorkel between the American and European tectonic plates. 

Thingvellir National Park offers an extraordinary opportunity to explore one of Iceland’s most iconic natural and historical sites. With the Silfra Snorkeling Tour and a visit to the Thingvellir National Park, you can dive between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates in crystal-clear glacial water, making it a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

10. Admire Iceland’s Stunning Glaciers and Ice Caves

Iceland is known as the "Land of Ice and Fire." It earned its nickname from the numerous glaciers and volcanos around the island. Glaciers cover eleven percent of Iceland's landmass. The Vatnajokull glacier, the largest, covers a large part of the southern and central highlands. One of the top reasons why people go to Iceland is to see these magnificent glaciers first-hand.

Glaciers are directly responsible for many of Iceland's most astonishing attractions, such as Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon in Southeast Iceland. The lake contains gigantic icebergs that have broken off from the tip of the tongue of Breidamerkurjokull glacier, creating a fairyland of ice and wildlife.

Jokulsarlon tours have attracted visitors for decades and remain one of Iceland's most popular activities during the summer months. Locals have ventured onto the Icelandic glaciers for centuries. Today, popular guided Icelandic glacier tours have options ranging from hiking excursions to snowmobile tours and even helicopter rides.

9. Savor the Unique Flavors of Icelandic Cuisine

A plate of traditional Icelandic fish stew, or Plokkfiskur, served with slices of dark rye bread, garnished with parsley and black pepper.

The Icelandic kitchen is a modern reflection of the gastronomic traditions of our forefathers. Fishing, farming, and gathering on a volcanic island in the North Atlantic resulted in a reasonably strange but straightforward preparation of the few ingredients people could scrape together.

For a millennium, Iceland provided some of the harshest living conditions on earth, and its people's diet reflected that fact. 

Icelandic dishes including fried fish with golden French fries, roasted potatoes, fresh salad greens, and a pan-seared meal served in cast iron.

Advanced greenhouse and farming technologies and public demand for fresh, natural ingredients have helped the Icelandic kitchen establish its own unique space within the New Nordic Cuisine.

A freshly baked cinnamon roll dusted with powdered sugar held against the backdrop of Iceland's green cliffs and the ocean.

Daring to embrace the freedom of the imagination while remaining faithful to tradition, Icelandic chefs produce exceptional lamb and seafood dishes with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Today Iceland is home to many great restaurants that serve what has become known as the New Icelandic Cuisine.

• See also The 5 Best Restaurants in Reykjavík

8. Hike Iceland’s Iconic Mountains and Trails

Hiking in stunning nature is one of the top reasons why people visit Iceland. There are many mountain ranges, waterfall destinations and more just waiting to be discovered. A remarkable variety of peaks surrounds even the capital, and a short drive can take you away from the city and onto a hiking trail.

The many mountains in Iceland, their accessibility, and general proximity to civilization make Iceland a hikers' paradise that offers endless options varying in difficulty, length, and height.

Across the country, many guided mountain tours are available for experienced and novice mountaineers alike. Whether you venture to the top for magnificent views or decide to take in the landscape from the bottom, you are bound to be amazed. 

7. Meet the Unique Icelandic Horse

The unique animal called the Icelandic horse has played a vital role in the cultural and historical development of the nation. This special breed has captivated animal enthusiasts for decades, and for a long time, it was Iceland's main tourist attraction, and serves as a top reason to visit Iceland. 

Since colonization, the first Viking settlers brought with them their best horses. The island's harsh conditions have shaped their nature throughout the centuries, and the strongest have survived.

The Icelandic horse is known for its gentle but spirited character, five gaits, and an unmatched skill for crossing extremely rugged terrain. Therefore, numerous horse riding tours take travelers far into the rough and inaccessible Icelandic wilderness. These allow for the unforgettable experience of witnessing the land from the perspective of its original Viking settlers.

6. Discover Iceland’s Volcanic Wonders

Iceland exists because of volcanic eruptions, and there are still countless active volcanoes around the island. While witnessing a volcanic eruption during a short visit to Iceland is unlikely (though never entirely impossible), there are numerous volcano tours in Iceland that showcase the immense volcanic forces that have shaped the island over millennia.

Widely considered a fascinating natural phenomenon of its kind, the Thrihnukagigur magma chamber encapsulates Iceland's volcanic essence. A Thrihnukagigur volcano tour is an excursion into the cold heart of a dormant volcano where fiery shades of red tell terrible tales of unspeakable power and destruction. 

5. Walk Along Iceland’s Famous Black-Sand Beaches

Although Iceland may lack a steady supply of sunshine, calm winds, and year-round warm weather, Iceland's beaches continue to attract visitors from around the globe. What they lack in subtle tropical features, they make up for in sheer extremity.

Close to Vík, the southernmost village of Iceland, lies the world-renowned Reynisfjara black-pebble beach. Its black basalt cliffs, enormous caves, gigantic rock formations, and the perpetual beating of strong winds make Reynisfjara a mighty place. Here, the full force of the North Atlantic Ocean is a constant reminder of the frailty of human existence.

Similarly stunning is Djupalonssandur black sand beach on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, where visitors can also admire the wreck of a stranded ship from decades ago.

A less-known but equally stunning phenomenon is the "Diamond Beach" of Breidamerkursandur in Southeast Iceland. The beach is an otherworldly strip of black sand that derives its name from the "ice diamonds," adorned year-round. It is one of the most popular and top reasons to visit Iceland—get ready to take some incredible photos there!

Through the Jokulsa a Breidamerkursandi glacial river, countless small icebergs are carried from the nearby Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon and out to sea. The waves polish them before being washed onto the black sands by the high tide. 

At dusk and dawn, the light of the low sun illuminates the ice diamonds from a horizontal angle, transforming the black sands into a field of brilliant diamonds.  

4. Journey Through the Rugged Icelandic Highlands

Covering most of Iceland's interior, the highlands are home to many of Iceland's most astonishing natural wonders. Generally referred to as "the heart of Iceland," the highlands are unique and untouched. The highlands are a top reason why people visit Iceland, as this vase landscape offers unique and magnificent landscapes.

Here you can travel for hours without seeing any signs of human civilization other than the rugged mountain road you might be driving. There are no light posts, no shops, no crowds, no noise; just you and nature, peace, beauty, and serenity. 

3. Visit Lake Mývatn and Its Otherworldly Surroundings

Situated in northeast Iceland, the eutrophic lake Myvatn and its captivating surroundings combine in a single area many of the elements that make Iceland stand out among unique travel destinations.

A few kilometers north of the lake, the hell-fire furnace of Krafla volcano is looming. Its vascular system provides the greater Myvatn area with an unbelievable variety of natural bathing springs, otherworldly colors, and haunting rock formations like the eerie Dimmuborgir (Black Forts), a place of chaotic lava, reminiscent of the ruins of an ancient demon city.

Guided Myvatn tours include visits to the Nature Baths, an artificial thermal bath with a mighty view over the lake.

2.Embark on Epic Road Trips Through Iceland’s Scenic Routes

Going on a road trip is one of the top reasons to visit Iceland, offering an unforgettable way to explore the country. Iceland's roads not only take you to iconic bucket-list attractions but also immerse you in some of Iceland’s most breathtaking and diverse landscapes along the way.

One of the most accessible road trips is the Golden Circle route. Often completed as a day trip from Reykjavik, it covers some of the most-loved attractions in Iceland. The major ones are Thingvellir National Park, Gulfoss Falls, and Geysir geothermal area.

Do not miss a visit to the slightly lesser-known but equally spectacular Kerid Crater as an extra-special addition to this trip.

• Check out this Golden Circle Minibus Tour With a Visit to Fridheimar and Kerid Crater Lake

The Ring Road route covers the entire main road around Iceland. Take this road trip to explore all the regions of Iceland, except the Westfjords and Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Or, consider traveling the Diamond Circle, the northeastern alternative to the Golden Circle. 

• See also: The Ultimate Guide to Iceland's Diamond Circle

1. Marvel at Iceland’s Iconic Waterfalls

Iceland is famous for its breathtaking waterfalls all over the country. Gulfoss, Dettifoss, and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls are some of the most well-known. However, countless others are waiting to be discovered, including the magnificent Dynjandi waterfall in the Westfjords.

Wherever you go in the country, there are so many reasons to visit Iceland, that you'll have to come back again and again to discover them all. Make sure you allow time to experience the power and pristine beauty of Iceland's waterfalls, yet another of the top reasons to visit Iceland.

• Take a waterfall tour such as this Small Group 10 Hour South Coast Tour with Waterfalls & Reynisfjara with Transfer from Reykjavik.

Now you have 15 great reasons to visit Iceland, so what are you waiting for? Feel free to join the conversation and share your favorite reasons in the comment box below.