Iceland · best-of list
13 Top Things to Do in Iceland
All 13 things to do our route editors picked in Iceland, across 4 destinations, gathered in one list. 13 come with an insider tip, and 6 cost nothing to visit.
Our curated picks
13 things to do in Iceland, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Reykjavík 5 picks
Hallgrímskirkja
Reykjavík · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Concrete church inspired by basalt columns, with a tower lift over the rooftops.
Tip: Buy tower tickets inside; closed during services.
Photo: Steinninn · CC BY 4.0
Harpa
Reykjavík · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Concert hall with a glass facade by Olafur Eliasson on the harbor.
Tip: Free to walk in; climb to upper floors for harbor views.
Photo: olga cargnino · Google
National Museum of Iceland
Reykjavík · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Settlement-to-today history of Iceland in one clear permanent exhibit.
Tip: Allow 90 minutes for the main exhibition.
Photo: Helmut Seger · CC BY-SA 4.0
Sky Lagoon
Reykjavík · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Oceanfront geothermal lagoon with a seven-step sauna ritual.
Tip: Book time slots ahead; sunset slots go first.
Photo: Laurenmcl · CC BY-SA 4.0
Sun Voyager
Reykjavík · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Steel ship sculpture on the waterfront facing Mount Esja.
Tip: Best at sunset in winter or late evening in summer.
Photo: Pygarian Nox · Google
Jökulsárlón 3 picks
Jökulsárlón boat tour
Jökulsárlón · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Amphibious boat or zodiac trips among the icebergs.
Tip: Zodiacs get closer to the glacier; runs spring–fall.
Photo: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Boat Tours and Cafe · Google
Skaftafell
Jökulsárlón · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Vatnajökull National Park area with glacier walks and the Svartifoss trail.
Tip: Book glacier hikes from the visitor center lot.
Photo: Jordan Harmer · Google
Vatnajökull ice cave tour
Jökulsárlón · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Guided winter trip into natural blue ice caves in the glacier.
Tip: Nov–Mar only; book with a licensed guide.
Photo: Fjallsárlón Ice Cave Tours & Glacier Hike · Google
Mývatn 3 picks
Grjótagjá
Mývatn · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Small lava cave with a geothermal pool seen in 'Game of Thrones'.
Tip: Bathing not allowed; quick look only.
Photo: Chmee2 · CC BY 3.0
Hverfjall
Mývatn · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Tephra crater with a steep path to the rim and lake views.
Tip: Allow 1 hour to hike up and around the rim.
Photo: Andreas Tille · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mývatn Nature Baths
Mývatn · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Milky-blue geothermal lagoon with views over the lava fields.
Tip: Now called Earth Lagoon Mývatn (reopened July 2026, expanded). Open 10am-11pm; book ahead.
Photo: Giuseppe Bassi · Google
Vík 2 picks
Sólheimajökull glacier walk
Vík · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Guided glacier hike on an outlet of Mýrdalsjökull with crampons and axes.
Tip: Book a guided tour; never walk on without a guide.
Photo: Jonathan Munin · Google
Víkurkirkja
Vík · On our Iceland Ring Road route
Red-roofed hillside church overlooking Vík and the sea stacks.
Tip: Short walk up for the view over town.
Photo: Andrea Schaffer · CC BY 2.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Iceland?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 13 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Iceland has the most things to do on this list?
Reykjavík has the most (5 of 13), followed by Jökulsárlón (3) and Mývatn (3).
Are any of these free?
6 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Grjótagjá, Harpa, Skaftafell, Hverfjall, Víkurkirkja, and more. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Iceland
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Reykjavík 5 on this list
- Jökulsárlón 3 on this list
- Mývatn 3 on this list
- Vík 2 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.