Survey Reveals the Best Experiences in Iceland According to Tourism Professionals

A 2026 survey reveals tourism professionals' opinions on what international visitors should do in Iceland, where and when they should travel, and which part of Icelandic tourism has untapped potential. The results form a recommendation on how to spend your time in Iceland from the people who guide and host visitors every day.

Guide to Iceland commissioned a survey of tourism professionals' opinions, which Gallup Iceland conducted between April 20 and June 15, 2026. A total of 321 tourism professionals participated, drawing on their experience working in the industry. Their responses provide a collective view of current visitor recommendations and possible areas for future growth.

Key Findings

• Geothermal bathing is the most recommended thing to do in Iceland. Geothermal baths and hot springs led in both the open-ended and closed-ended survey questions about best experiences, at 26.5% and 29.8%. Local swimming pools also placed in the top five on both.

• South Iceland is the industry's choice for the region that offers the best overall visitor experience. The South Coast was selected by 52.9% of those who answered, giving it more support than all other regions combined.

• No single season emerged as the best time to visit Iceland for every traveler. The most common response, given by 38.7%, was that the ideal time depends on the type of traveler. Among those who named a season, 51.0% chose summer.

• No single experience or area stood out as Iceland's biggest untapped tourism opportunity. Hiking and mountain climbing were named by 15.8%, culture, history, and museums by 14.7%, and wellness, slow travel, and tranquility by 10.9%.

Study Method

Gallup Iceland conducted the online survey between April 20 and June 15, 2026, and delivered its report on July 28. It invited 1,702 people working in Icelandic tourism, of whom 321 responded. This produced a response rate of 18.9%.

The survey consisted of five questions. Questions 1 and 5 were open-ended, allowing participants to answer in their own words, while questions 2, 3, and 4 asked them to select from predetermined options.

Participation varied by question. Between 184 and 256 respondents answered the five questions covering recommendations, regions, seasons, experience types, and areas with untapped potential.

Questions 1, 4, and 5 allowed respondents to give up to three answers. Their percentages show the share of respondents who named or selected each category, not its share of all answers, so the percentages can exceed 100% when added together.

Gallup reports the results with 95% confidence intervals. Margins of error are roughly 5 to 6 percentage points for most results, so small differences between percentages may reflect sampling variation rather than meaningful differences in respondents' views.

The findings represent the perspectives of the tourism professionals who participated. The survey does not provide a breakdown by region, profession, tourism sector, or level of experience.

The Five Survey Questions and Their Results

The five survey questions examined what visitors should do in Iceland, which region offers the best overall experience, the best season to visit, which experiences tourism professionals recommend most, and areas with untapped tourism potential. Each question was answered by between 184 and 256 of the 321 participants.

1. What are the top 3 things to do in Iceland that you would recommend to foreign visitors?

Visiting geothermal baths and hot springs was the leading recommendation for things to do in Iceland, named by 26.5% of the 238 tourism professionals who answered. The open-ended question asked respondents to name up to three things in their own words, producing a broad mix of activities, destinations, and travel advice.

A combined category covering practical tips, meeting locals, and going off the beaten path was mentioned by 20.6% of respondents, followed by food and drink at 19.7%. The Golden Circle was named by 16.8%, local swimming pools by 15.5%, and Iceland's nature and landscapes by 15.1%.

What This Means for Travelers

The wide range of answers gives travelers flexibility to shape a trip around their interests. Several leading recommendations also fit naturally together, adding up to a perfect Iceland itinerary.

A popular combination, for example, is taking a Golden Circle day tour and following up with a visit to the Sky Lagoon, one of Iceland’s top geothermal spas. These bathing complexes provide changing rooms, showers, dining, and other convenient services. Beyond the spas, natural hot springs offer more unique experiences where the traveler gets to immerse themself in nature.

For a more affordable alternative, visiting a local swimming pool is a good option. UNESCO recognized Iceland’s swimming pool culture in 2025 for its social and cultural importance. Sundhollin Pool in downtown Reykjavik has heated pools and hot tubs open late into the evening.

If you’re looking for quieter nature away from the main sightseeing routes, explore Ellidaardalur Valley. This lesser-known green space within Reykjavik has riverside paths through woodland and lava fields, along with small waterfalls.

After a day of sightseeing and outdoor activities, choose among Reykjavik’s best restaurants or explore the capital’s popular food and drink tours to sample Icelandic dishes. A visit to the capital city’s bars can also create opportunities to meet locals.

2. Which region of Iceland offers the best overall visitor experience?

South Iceland was tourism professionals' leading choice for the region offering the best overall visitor experience in Iceland. It was selected by 52.9% of the 238 respondents, compared with 13.4% for North Iceland. South Iceland's share was larger than those of the other six regions combined.

Respondents’ reasons and locations were not included in the survey. The results therefore do not show why each region was chosen or how preferences varied by where respondents lived or worked.

What This Means for Travelers

South Iceland covers the Golden Circle and South Coast, two established sightseeing routes accessible from Reykjavik. For travelers, the region offers a practical way to combine many of Iceland’s best-known attractions.

The main Golden Circle roads and the South Coast section of Route 1 are both paved and easy to drive. You can choose from guided tours or travel at your own pace with self-drive tours. To cover both routes as far as Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, set aside at least three days.

For travelers who don't want to drive themselves, the 3-day guided winter tour with northern lights hunting and ice caving and the 3-day guided summer tour with glacier hiking are the Golden Circle and South Coast experiences with the highest satisfaction rates.

The Golden Circle is a 140-mile (230-kilometer) sightseeing loop. It is composed of Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area, and Gullfoss Waterfall. Other stops include Kerid Crater, the Secret Lagoon, and Fridheimar Tomato Farm.

The South Coast route spans the journey east from Reykjavik to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Its main attractions include Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skogafoss Waterfall, Reynisfjara Beach, the village of Vik, Skaftafell Nature Reserve, and Diamond Beach.

Together, these routes can fill a short Iceland trip with some of the most iconic natural wonders of Iceland, and if you want to travel further, form the start of a longer Ring Road journey. From Jokulsarlon, you can continue east through the Eastfjords, then follow the route across North and West Iceland before returning to Reykjavik.

3. In which season do you think Iceland offers the best experience for visitors?

When asked about the best time to visit Iceland, 38.7% of the 256 tourism professionals said it depends on the type of traveler. This was the most common response, followed by summer at 31.3%. Spring and autumn were each selected by 12.1% of respondents, while winter was selected by 5.9%.

Among the 157 respondents who named a season, 51.0% chose summer. Spring and autumn were each chosen by 19.7%, while winter was chosen by 9.6%.

What This Means for Travelers

The findings encourage travelers to select a season according to the experiences and conditions they value most. Daylight, road access, weather, and seasonal activities vary throughout the year, so the right time depends on the priorities of each trip.

A summer visit offers long sightseeing days, with the midnight sun keeping nights bright from late May to early August. Summer also has the widest road access, so it is the easiest season for road trips. Most Highland roads open in late June or early July, providing unique hiking access to rhyolite mountains and geothermal valleys.

Other experiences also follow narrow seasonal windows. Northern lights viewing is generally best from September through March, when nights are longer. Many natural ice cave tours operate from October through April, when colder conditions generally allow guided access.

Winter travel can be rewarding because of the snowy landscape and the dark nights ideal for the aurora to show up, but it requires careful planning and preparation. December and January have only four to five hours of daylight, while snow, ice, strong winds, and road closures can disrupt itineraries.

4. Based on your experience, which types of experiences would you most recommend to visitors in Iceland?

Geothermal spas and natural hot springs were the leading choice, selected by 29.8% of the 248 tourism professionals who answered. Unlike the open-ended recommendation question, this section asked respondents to choose up to three experiences from a predetermined list.

The northern lights were selected by 27.8%. The two-percentage-point difference between the top spot and the runner-up is too small to establish a clear lead. Local swimming pools were chosen by 21.8%, while road trips along the Ring Road were selected by 20.2%.

Trying local food, visiting swimming pools, hiking, and experiencing the culture appeared prominently in the results for this question too. Other experiences became more prominent when presented as options than when respondents answered the open-ended question.

The northern lights rose from 5.9% for the combined northern lights and midnight sun category to 27.8%. As the survey was collected during the brightest months of the year, i.e., low season for northern lights, we speculate that it's not an experience people currently are thinking about, thereof the lower mentions in the initial open-ended question.

Ring Road mentions increased from 5.5% in the open-ended responses to 20.2% when listed as an option. Hiking also rose from 10.1% to 17.7%.

The Highlands were selected by 16.9% when presented as an option. In comparison, 7.1% independently mentioned the combined Highlands, Thorsmork Valley, and Laugavegur Trail category in the open-ended question.

What This Means for Travelers

Although these experiences were less prominent in the open-ended responses, the northern lights, hiking, and Ring Road received more support when presented as options. They give travelers choices for an evening, a full day, or a longer journey.

The northern lights only appear when solar activity, clear skies, and darkness align. September through March brings the longest nights and generally offers the best time to see the aurora. Northern lights tours can help you find suitable viewing locations by following the aurora forecast, monitoring cloud cover, and traveling beyond city lights.

Hiking is part of everyday outdoor life in Iceland, and weekends often find locals heading to the trails. Options range from the 2.2-mile (3.5-kilometer) walk to the Reykjadalur Hot Spring River near Reykjavik to the multi-day Laugavegur Trail across the Highlands in the summer.

Few journeys show Iceland’s variety as clearly as the 828-mile (1,332-kilometer) Ring Road. A complete trip usually takes seven to ten days, passing waterfalls and glaciers in the south, the Eastfjords coastline, geothermal areas in the north, and the valleys of West Iceland.

5. Which types of experiences in Iceland do you think are currently underrated or have strong growth potential?

When asked which experiences or areas in Iceland have untapped tourism potential, 15.8% of the 184 tourism professionals named hiking and mountain climbing, while 14.7% named culture, history, and museums. The 1.1-percentage-point difference is too small to establish a clear leader.

Wellness, slow travel, and tranquility were named by 10.9% of respondents. Culinary culture and dining were named by 9.2%, as were customized tours, small groups, and themed trips. No named category exceeded 15.8%, pointing to several possible areas for growth. The "other" category included answers from 19.0%.

This question received the fewest answers, with 57.3% of all survey participants responding. The findings therefore reflect where those 184 tourism professionals saw potential, rather than a settled priority across Iceland's tourism industry.

What This Means for Travelers

These results give travelers more reasons to look beyond Iceland’s main sightseeing routes. Mountain climbing, museums, and wellness-focused trips can add physical challenge, cultural context, or quieter moments of relaxation.

At the adventurous end of this range, mountain climbing is more demanding than ordinary hiking but just as rewarding. Ice climbing is another unique experience that brings travelers right onto the glaciers.

A guided ascent of Hvannadalshnukur, Iceland’s highest peak, takes about 10 to 14 hours and crosses glaciated terrain. The Highlands' otherworldly Hveradalir Geothermal Area, Thorsmork Valley, and Landmannalaugar remain local favorites that more international travelers have yet to discover.

Museums offer a less physically demanding way to explore the country more deeply. In Reykjavik, the National Museum of Iceland traces the country's history from settlement to the present, while a Whales Of Iceland museum ticket invites you to experience 23 life-size whale models.

The museums stretch way beyond the capital. Skyrland Museum in Selfoss New Town explores the story of skyr, while the Herring Era Museum shows how the fishing industry transformed the town of Siglufjordur in North Iceland.

For a restful counterpoint to climbing and sightseeing, the Blue Lagoon offers the ultimate wellness experience, combining silica-rich geothermal seawater with skin masks, in-water treatments, accommodation, and Michelin-starred dining at Moss Restaurant. An overnight stay at The Retreat or the Silica Hotel leaves more time for bathing, dining, and relaxation.

Conclusion

The clearest signal in the survey is that Iceland's tourism professionals recommend what Icelanders themselves do.

Geothermal bathing topped both recommendation questions, local swimming pools placed in the top five on both, and a combined category covering practical tips, meeting locals, and going off the beaten path (20.6%) and food and drink (19.7%), came out on top, right before the Golden Circle (16.8%).

That sits alongside a firm endorsement of the classic route, with South Iceland drawing more support than the other six regions combined. Read together, the two results point to a trip built around the Golden Circle and South Coast but paced with room in the evenings for a pool, a meal, and conversation instead of one more attraction.

On timing, the industry declined to name a winner, and that is worth treating as advice rather than as a non-answer. Decide first whether you want midnight sun and open Highland roads or long dark nights and a chance at the aurora, then choose your months around that.

Where respondents saw untapped potential, in hiking, museums, wellness, and slow travel, they were pointing to the parts of Iceland that reward staying a day longer than planned.