Game of Thrones in Iceland: 14 enchanting places where the GoT serie shoting took place. An artificial lake was even created

Unique beauty of Iceland does not attract just the travelleres. The most sparse populated state of Europe lured even the creators of the most popular serie of all time – Game of Thrones. Where are the places the shooting took place and why the production decided for these ones?

Iconinc serie with the most numerous cast and crew in the history of HBO projects, which gained quite an sharp wave of criticism used to have really rich stage set.

The filming took place in 7 states – in the US, Northern Ireland, Croatia, Morroco, Spain, Malta and Iceland as well. And not everyone knows, that the recording of music was done in Prague, Czechia.

The different taste of tourism

All the movie locations mentioned above enjoy an increased rate of tourists who want to experience and see those location where their favourite movie scenes were shoot on their own eyes. And Iceland is not an expection.

So if you are planning a trip to Iceland and you´re a GoT fan, then you have 14 more reasons to do so.

Why Game of Thrones and Iceland perfectly fits together?

Before we get to know all the super places, which had been eternalized on the screen, let´s have a closer look on why only just Iceland.

You might have hear „Winter is coming“ countless of times and it became something as a tiny red line of the story. And there is a bunch of winter scenes, especially in the latter parts of the serie.

An Island country which is really rich for glaciers and freezing weather (even though in reality it is not so harsh, it just looks like that) provided perfect scenery for what is behind the Wall. And even this Wall stands here in Iceland.

„Iceland is offering plenty of locations which are like out of this world and provoking adventure, which suits perfectly well to the story. In the same time, we do have here many places which are easy to acces but look like they are faraway.“ says Einar Sveinn þórðarson, the location scout staff member for Iceland.

And now, have a tour on places you definitely want to visit as a Game of Thrones fan who is about to visit Iceland.

Gjáin valley

Do you remember the scene from the 4^th serie when The Hound wakes up on morning and sees Arya to train with his Needle? There is a skirmish between the two. Their paths merges when The Hound decided to take Arya under his protection. And right here, tin the valley of Gjáin they make the stop.

It is a magical place where you´d feel like in a fairytale. With lucid rivulets fringed in rocks and unbelivable green all around so typical for Iceland.

Here you can find out all about the Gjáin Valley.

Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng Farm

A silent arrow comes out of nowhere and hits an unsuspecting male walking next to a child in the back. The camera shows Ygritte´s face standing nearby with a bow in her hand. In this scene from the fourth season we are witnessing the cruelty of the Wildings, who are raiding a picturesque village.

In reality, it is a reconstructed viking era farmstead built with all possible consideration for the ancient methods. According to historians, the farm was destroyed in 1104 by the eruption of the Hekla volcano. The reconstruction was done in 1974 as a celebration of 1100 years of the settlement of Iceland.

Here you can find out all about the Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng Farm.

Stakkholtsgjá canyon (Þórsmörk)

In the seventh season, Jon Snow departs courageously with few others on the Wall to stand against the White walkers. Then they set out to cross the white plains. This is the scene where Jon fights with a henchman of the Night King and Jon kills one of the Wights.

As you probably remember, right after this scene there follows a harsh stampede by hords of White Walkers on Jon and his men. They are saved by ice cracking on the frozen lake and the undead start to fall in. In reality, this is not a natural lake. It was created only for the purpose of shooting this scene.

This canyon is a sought-after location in the South and popular especially thanks to its interestingly shaped rocks.

Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon

And..here we have another canyon. Let´s fast forward in the story, directly to the eighth season. Jon collaborates with Daenerys who takes him to her Dragon children.

And I guess you remember what follows – the leader of the Night Watch still with unrevealed Targaryen blood in his veins saddles the dragon and flies it. That happens here in the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon.

Here you can find out all about the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon.

Skógafoss waterfall

Following this, the romantic scene appears on our screens, as Jon kisses Daenerys. At this time, he isn´t aware Daenerys is his aunt. And their lips meet in front of this famous Icelandic waterfall, broadly described as one of Iceland´s most beautiful.

Here you can find out all about the Skógafoss waterfall.

Dyrhólaey

We are now back in the seventh season, when Jon Snow sails from the shore of the Eastern Watch to meet his allies in Castle Black to discuss the strategy for the White Walkers.

This scene was shot in the southernmost tip of Iceland, close to the small town of Vík, where you can find a 120 meters tall cliff nicknamed the Gate of Iceland. From here you can enjoy beautiful views over bird colonies and stunning nature. To the north the Mýrdalsjökull

glacier, to the east the famous Reynisfjara black beach and Reynisdrangar sea stack which climb up to 66 meters above sea level. And finally to the west the Vestmanna islands.

Here you can find out all about Dyrhólaey.

Svínafellsjökull glacier

In episode six of the second season, Jon Snow meets the Wild Ygrette for the first time with whom he falls in love. Not only in the realm of the fantasy world of Game of Thrones, but in our real world as well. But we´ll discuss that later.

In the scene from the Svínafellsjökull glacier, Jon captures Ygrette and soon after executes her. Almost.

However, as we all know, Jón Snow “knows nothing”, and Ygrette escapes him right before his eyes.

This glacier in particular got the attention of other film productions. Besides Game of Thrones, other Hollywood blockbusters, Interstellar and Batman Begins were shot here.

Here you can find out all about the Svínafellsjökull glacier.

Þingvellir national park

Let´s move back in time now to the fourth season. Joffrey is dead and Littlefinger successfully manipulates Sansa, who becomes a victim of his cruelty. Together they arrive to Eagles Nest, to the home of Lysa Arryn – Sansa´s aunt – where Sansa finds refuge for a while.

The Þingvellir national park which is situated quite close to Reykjavík has been on the UNESCO list since 1983. The so-called oldest parliament in the world started here a new era of history in 930.

Þingvellir national park featured twice in Game of Thrones. For the second time, The Hound with Arya, are trespassing here trying to reach the Eagles Nest as well.

Here you can find out all about the Þingvellir national park.

Hengill lava field

Hengill is a volcano in the South West of Iceland. Active in theory, but the last eruption happened a good 2000 years ago.

The area below is a lava field and it was right here in the last episode of the fourth season the fight between Brienne of Tarth and the Hound took place. I´m sure you know how it ended.

Þórufoss

This 15-meter tall waterfall just appears in the series for a very short time.

We are in the fourth season when a lost Dragon suddenly flies over the head of a young goat herder and takes one of the goats.

Here you can find out all about the Þórufoss waterfall.

Kirkjufell mountain

The most famous mountain in Iceland for sure also appeared in Game of Thrones.

We see it for the first time in the sixth season, when Bran sees with his own eyes how the Wildling children transform an innocent man into a White Walker.

Then again, we can see Kirkjufell in the seventh season when the Hound recognises it from a vision he had and tells Jon and the others.

Here you can find out all about mt. Kirkjufell.

Kálfaströnd farm and the Höfði foreland by Lake Mývatn

Here is the place where Jon Snow settles to camp with the Wildlings, in the North East part of Iceland just few kilometers from Lake Mývatn and tries to win their favor.
For native Icelanders, these standing stones are stoned trolls.

Here you can find out all about Höfði.

The Grjótagjá cave

And.. you know for sure what follows. Who doesn´t remember the scene from the third season when Jon Snow together with Ygritte find shelter right here, in the mysterious Grjótagjá cave full of geothermal water.

And you may not know, the chemistry between the two of them transfered from the series to real life. They are a married couple now.

Here you can find out all about the Grjótagjá cave.

Dimmuborgir

So staying in the third season, there is a vast wasteland of lava fields east of Lake Mývatn which ressembles a collapsed ancient fortress. These lava fields, tunnels and caves were created approximately 2300 years ago.

And here, the leader of Wildlings, the Mance Rayder, had his encampment. This is also the place where Jon Snow was brought to Mance to decide his fate.

Dimmuborgir is one of the most popular attractions in the North of Iceland.

Here you can find out all about the Dimmuborgir lava field.

Let´s be honest and say that driving in Iceland is a discipline per se. Even if you have been driving all around Europe (US) twice, Iceland (and especially central highlands) is gonna be a new level of experience for you. And cause of lot of fun!

First things first, before you step into your car in the morning, just check the web road.is. For the actual info for your todays trip and of course if anything bad is not about to happen in the near future.

In general, there are two types of roads in Iceland. The first type are roads and ways you basically know from back home, sometimes seasoned by gravel roads. And wandering sheeps! Because there is always greener grass on the other side of the road (once you drive there).

Be cautious when a strong wind to open the car doors. Hold them firmly, otherwise the wind can break them out of hinges.

 

The other types are so called F-roads (mountain roads). Harsh uneven terrain with different kind of obstacles, unbridged streams and rivers.

River changes. Every day. Not just a hight of the water level but the bottom of the river as well. What you did one way in the morning may not be passable in the evening on your way back.

Better safe then sorry!

Arey you heading to Iceland? And want the best possible experience? I´d like to present to you some possible itineraries for your stay in Iceland, so you can better organize your trip. There is so much optimism in people´s minds while planning their trip of a lifetime from their sofa at home. Everybody wants to see everything, there are so many beautiful places and Iceland seems to be so small. It is NOT. Iceland is huge and there is not much similarity between Iceland and your home country. How many times have you got stuck on an island because the ferry was cancelled. How many times have you experienced a river destroying a bridge and there by adding an extra 800 km to your trip back to the airport? How many times have you driven 200 km on a dirty road?

Iceland is definitely different from what you know. Nothing you can´t cope with but you shouldn´t be too optimistic either. For your own safety.

So many times I have seen someones itinerary for two weeks looking like this..

To be honest, the only way you can catch all this is to drive 24/7 and eat and sleep behind the steering wheel. And you´d have to run to the places you want to see too. And not to experience anything unexpected. A cancelled ferry because of the strong sea currents, a closed road for a variety of reasons, swollen rivers prohibiting safe passage for a couple of days. There is no highway in Iceland, the maximum speed for an asphalt road is of 90 km/h and 80 km/h for gravel roads. And you won´t be driving at this speed for a very long time.

To have such an itinerary can be really dangerous. Under normal circumstances you can barely manage half of it. However if you are in Iceland with such an unrealistic itinerary in mind, you might want to try to catch it all, be rash and reckless. Maybe you promised to your beloved ones to see it all and now you want to accomplish it. That´s exactly the time when accidents happen.

If you have already been to Iceland, you know what you want to see and do and you just want to add several places you missed the last time, then go for it! You can check the clever map of Iceland and make your itinerary.

If you are about to go to Iceland for the first time, here are some amazing itineraries you can reasonably accomplish. And for sure, you can combine them. For shorter, undemanding, stays in Iceland, you have two options. First, just stay based in Reykjavík without even renting a car and just do some daytrips from there. The second option is to rent a care and find an accommodation somewhere around Selfoss (town!). There is so much to see from there and you can easily adjust your plans to your stamina. It is not far away from the Keflavík international airport and you have two options on how to get there (via Reykjavík and via coastline). Maybe you find it unnecessary, but trust me, there is so many things that can go wrong in Iceland, that having two options is always good.

And now, let´s se some..

Amazing and realistic itineraries for Iceland for a week:

Golden circle and surroundings:

This is a perfect itinerary for those of you who is not in a rush and want to combine beautiful nature with a give some relax time to their souls. Great advantage of this itinerary is that you can have one base (greater Selfoss area) and just make daytrips. Þingvellir, Gullfoss, Haukadalur – Geysir, Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng, Háifoss + Gjáin (4×4), Landmannalaugar (4×4), Reykjadalur, Hraunfossar lava falls, Brúarfoss and Glymur for these who want to stretch their muscles are waiting for you. If you have time and mood, you can sail to the Heimaey island (with the greatest colony of puffins containing about 1 000 000 birds around Stórhöfði). And do not miss Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls. You can have a bath in Reykjadalur geothermal river or Seljavallalaug among others. Your itinerary migh look like this:

 

South coast:

There is SO much to see and experience along the south coast of Iceland. And to miss Geyser would be a pity. Just to be completely clear, we speak about the area between Reykjavík and the Glacier Lagoon. What is here waiting for you to explore? Let´s  find out. Seljalandsfoss (and the hidden Gljúfrabúi), Þórsmörk (4WD), Sticafoss, Skógafoss and hike along the Skóga river, Skógar, Dyrhólaey with puffins, Reynisfjara black beach, Sólheimasandur plane wreck, Hofskirkja, Skaftafell national park, Vatnajokull, Fjallsárlón and, of course, Jökulsárlón – Glacial lagoon and the Diamond beach (+ enthusiastic hikers should not miss the Múlagljúfur canyon nearby). AND of course definitely most overlooked part of Iceland – the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago. There, where is so much beauty and so few tourists. As long as you just follow the Ring Road, you can be OK with a 2WD. If you want to drive back via Landmannalaugar, you definitely want to go for a 4×4 car. This is your itinerary:

 

Road nr. 1 – the Ring Road (Hringvegur or Þjóðvegur 1):

This is for sure the most popular Icelandic itinerary of all. The road connects Reykjavík with Reykjavík in 1335 kilometers and would lead you all around Iceland like the thin red line. Most of the travellers are driving anti clockwise, just because most of the interesting stops are in the South, when you have still enough energy to absorb all the beauty. Forget the relax and welcome to the racing mood. There is so much to see all around that even in case you skip the half, there is still so much to see! But let´s divide it to bite size pieces. Geysir? Let´s start with it! and add the Gullfoss waterfall via the Þingvellir national park (all together also known as the Golden circle). That´s a must see. Then just turn to the South and follow the Ring Road. We have here Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Dyrhólaey where we can see puffins (and yes, we intentionally skipped the abandoned DC-3 plane wreck, cause we are in hurry) and the Reynisfjara black beach. Then the Eldhraun lava field + Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon. Then we encounter the Skaftafell national part, where you can go to Svartifoss or/and Morsársfoss and to Skaftafellsjökull glacier tongue. Then there is popular Svínafellsjökull (and driving to it you will realise, that the speed limit is really a matter of theory and you won´t be driving quicker than 15 km/h). Have some rest by the Hofskirkja church and there is already the Glacier lagoon and the Diamond beach in sight. Then you can make it to the beautiful town called Höfn.

I hope you hold your chapeau well, cause still we are not in the half. Now, the Stokksnes with its famous views over Vestrahorn is waiting for you. Nor far away in our direction are the Eystrahorn rocky mountains where majority of people just drive by. You can dip in the hot Djúpavogskörin geothermal tube and to have the complete and authentic Icelandic experience, we take the Öxi pass ´shortcut´. Right on our left, there is a nice and raw Folaldafoss waterfall well visible from the parking lot, so you do not have to loose time going out of the car, because there are about 200 not so interesting kilometers ahead of us. You can stay then for example in the Fjalladýrd ´elf´campsite, where you can see goats and polar foxes. In case you do not want to miss the most powerfull european waterfall – Dettifoss, then to spare some time, take the west route (road nr. 862).

And then we have here the Krafla caldera, but to spare the time we´ll be OK with Hverir geothermal area and many beautiful places just over the hill. Here there is a Dimmuborgir lava field, Grjótagjá cave, Skútustaðagígar pseudo craters and if you like, many other sights around the Lake Mývatn.

We leave the area and are greeted by the waterfall of Gods and later we reach Akureyri (you do not have to take the tunnel if you do not like, it is just too expensive for its money). Then let´s have some relax time by the Fosslaug geothermal pool and the Reykjafoss waterfall. Kolugljúfur canyon, Grábrók craters and nice Glanni waterfall follows.

And, believe it or not, we are almost at the end of our journey. You can drive through the undersea tunnel or make a small detour to the Glymur waterfall.

And we are where we started almost a week ago, back in Reykjavík. It was a ride, wasn´t it? And we drove just digitally!

This itinerary has just a one big disadvantage – you miss more than you´ll see and you´ll spend quite a lot of time behind the steering wheel. But in general, for the road trip, this is a very good deal.

This is how your journey looks like in map:

 

Ring Road – off the beaten track:

As I already mentioned above, you´ll miss so much by just following the traditional places along the Ring Road. If you´ve already been to Iceland and did the Ring Road tour, you liked it and you´d like something ‘the same but different’, let´s see what´s here for you.

Ring Road will still lead you, so you´d not miss it´s famous attractions, but you´ll not spend there much time neither and you´ll definitely skip the Sólheimasandur plane wreck. What is still here for you?

Let start with this premise, that from the Keflavík international Airport you just go south around the Reykjanes peninsula heading to Gunnuhver, Valahnúkur, Brimketil rock pool or Seltún-Krýsuvík geothermal area.

Now we meet the ring road and we can go along the fuming land of Reykjadalur. Sure, there are Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss just on your way, but do not miss Kvernufoss! Then, why not to take a bath in the oldest icelandic pool of Seljavallalaug?! One of the interesting spots in the south is Reynisfjall with nice views and nesting puffins.

To be off the beaten track, do not waste your time in Vík, rather go deeper to the Icelandic mainland where is Þakgil. More to the east most of the people miss the Múlagljúfur canyon. You have never heard of it? That´s why you read this.

In the far east, I have these 3 places: the Hengifoss waterfall, harbour town of Seyðisfjörður and Hafnarhólmi island rock, one of the best places for to see puffins.

Further anti-clockwise we do have 3 ´sibling´ waterfalls Selfoss, Dettifoss and Hafragilsfoss and then along down the strem the beautiful Ásbyrgi canyon. From here, you can follow the coast of the Tjörnes peninsula to Húsavík.

From here, you can go bit back to the lake Mývatn area or continue to the Goðafoss waterfall and visit the lesser known waterfall – Aldeyjarfoss.

Do you want an adventurous detour? Then why not to take a ferry to the Grímsey island?

Then we have a Vatsnes peninsula with Hvítserkur as its main attraction and some places where seals tend to be hanging out.

Then we do have here Hraunfossar lava falls and you can drive via road nr. 550 to Þingvellir national park and finally to Geysir and the mighty and gold Gullfoss.

If you look to the map, your itinerary look something like this:

 

 

Snæfellsnes peninsula and Westfjords:

These area are so spacious and ‘Icelandic’, still not overcrowded by hords of tourists. Snæfellsnes has a nick name as Small Iceland and therefore you can enjoy all that Iceland has to offer – volcanos, glacier, craters, geothermal pools.

From the Keflavík international airport, you can drive along the south coast of Reykjanes peninsula (meet Gunnuhver, Seltún-Krýsuvík and maybe abandoned village of Selatangar) and through Selfoss to Geyser and Gullfoss. From there you will drive bit back to Þingvellir national park and to the North via road nr. 550 to Hraunfossar lava falls along the Deildartunguhver geothermal area to Guðrúnarlaug hot pool with an adjacent campsite and hotel. Now, you have to decide if you want to explore the eastern side of Westfjords called Strandir, where are cool geothermal hot tubes in Drangsnes (with an possible boat trip to Grímsey island) and really long ride to Djúpavík and many abandoned places (ship wreck, heriing factory) with a strange waterfall called Húsárfoss at the very end of all this.

A ´classic´ Westfjords coast will take you around the almost never ending coastal roads over the Litlibaer seal lookout, shy Valagil ravine to Ísafjörður. If you like never ending views, then Bolafjall is the best bet for you. Then for the South, Dynjandi waterfall is waiting for you. And swimm in Reykjafjarðarlaug where there is a pool and hot pots as well.

Later, you´ll pass by Garðar BA 64 ship wreck on your way to Látrabjarg cliff, one of the largest cliffs of Europe with filled with nesting puffins. If you are a beach enjoyer, do not miss a huge yellow sand beach Rauðisandur.

Transfer to the Snæfellsnes peninsula may seem to be bit not interesting, but you can take the ferry ftom Brjánslækur terminal to Stykkishólmur via the Flatey island (where you can stay for some time).

Then the Snæfellsnes is waiting for you with all its enticements. Kirkjufell – the most photographed of Icelandic mountains, a place where the Journey to the Centre of the Earth took place – the Snæfellsjökull glacier. There are yellow Skarðsvík beach, black Djúpalónssandur beach and ´the seal beach´ Ytri Tunga. When you are already here do not miss Lóndrangar cliffs, Rauðfeldsgjá riss, Búðakirkja black church.

Then you can hop in Landbrotalaug or a bit hidden Sturlungalaug and if you are still eager for craters, then there is Eldborg crater about an hour-long walk away.

If you are in hurry, you can go straight for the Keflavík international airport, when abundant with time, Glymur waterfall and nice hike to it is waiting for you.

Placed in a map, you can see something like this:

 

Eastfjords:

Beautiful wild nature so similar to the Norwegian on is far in the East Iceland. Far-reaching plateaus, deep fjords,  and a lot of trekking routes. You can go to explore the fjords, hike to the Hengifoss and Strútsfoss waterfalls, go along the waterfall triangle ( Faxi, Stuðlafoss, Kirkjufoss), climb the tallest mountain outside the glacier reagions in Iceland – Snæfell. See puffins at Hafnarhólmi and if you´re lucky, observe reindeers hanging around. And as a bonus, you can do the south coast quick tour on your way here or back to the airport. If you want to spend a week in Iceland hiking in a beautiful raw nature with almost no tourist, the East part of Iceland is your best bet.

Area about the Lake Mývatn and the North East:

Many, or better say, most of the tourist just ride through this area, but you can spend full adventurous week here around the lake Mývatn. In the close vicinity of the lake Mývatn you can spend 3 full days without being bored (Dimmuborgir, Grjótagjá cave with its famous geothermal pool known and Námaskarð geothermal area and Námafjall are right here. Then is here for you a daytrip to the Krafla area (with a geothermal shower just on the road there), the trio Selfoss, Dettifoss and Hafragilsfoss waterfalls with Ásbyrgy canyon at the top of it. Húsavík is another option or a daytrip or the Grímsey island + Akureyri is an another idea. Why not to go to explore the Arctic henge or Northern gannets nesting at Rauðinúpur cape or Stóri Carl. Here you have an additional whole peninsula which ends with an abandoned fishing village Skálar.

Icelandic Central Highlands:

Completely accessible (usually) since half July and drivable only with a bigger 4×4 machine (Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender and similar). Sure, you can reach most of the places with their smaller friends (Dacia Duster, Subaru Forester, Suzuki Jimny and similar, just be carful!). The itinerary is on your behalf based on actual situation with snow, rivers and of cours your driving skills and courage.

Here is a list of places you should consider while in the Central Highlands. Let start with the Gullfoss waterfall ´from the other side´ and driving to Háifoss and Gjáin valley. Not far away, but completely away from all the attention is Dynkur. Rauðufossar waterfall and not to forget the majesty well of the Rauðufossakvísl river – Rauðauga and climb Löðmundur for its stunning views. Mælifell and its surrounding with remote geothermal pool Strútslaug. Kerlingarfjöll mountain range with Hveradalir geothermal area and Borholan hot pool. Sure, you cannot miss Landmannalaugar and all what it offers, hot pools, Hnausapollur and Ljótipollur craters and Brennisteinsalda or Bláhnúkur colorful mountains. Deep to the center to lake Langisjór. Then there are endless vastland along the F26 and you can swimm in hell in Víti crater (Víti means hell) in the Askja caldera and have a look on Aldeyjarfoss waterfall and climb the queen of all icelandic mountains – Herðubreið.

In the South there are 140 craters in line called Lakagígar waiting for you, as well as stunning Fagrifoss waterfall and Þórsmörk area and Sticafoss along the way.

Lets have a look to the map:

Laugavegur + Fimmvörðuháls:

This two possibly adjacent trek routes takes you from Landmannalaugar in central Iceland to Skógafoss on the southern shore. You definitely do not need a car for this fun, actually it would be a burden to you. You can take the bus to the starting point and from the exit point. And from Skógar, hitch hiking is as an option.

You´ll see a magical Island on this trip, but you´ll have to do much of the work (to walk) by yourself. Be ready for 75 tough kilometers and many rivers to be wade. There are camping sites on your way, where you can pitch up your tent for to spend a night. If you´d rather like to sleep in the huts, it is necessary to plan your trip rather in advance and make your reservations about 6 monthe in advance. Really! There is a very limited number of beds available and much more tourists eager for these places on the other hand.

Most of the tourists go from the North southwards (from Landmannalaugar to Skógar), but sure, you can do the other direction.

This is how your itinerary looks in the map:

In the footsteps of movie locations in Iceland:

Iceland is very popular among the film producers and the landscape here featured in many movie and serial hits. If you are an avid fan of blockbusters like Star Wars, James Bond, Tomb Rider, Prometheus, Journey to the Center of the Earth or TV series Game of Thrones (read here about Game of Thrones filming locations in Iceland), Black Mirror, Trapped to name really just the most popular ones. Forget about the Ring Road itinerary and let the filming locations lead your steps.

The famous film locations are þórufoss waterfall, þingvellir national park, Kirkjufell, Grjótagjá cave, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Siglufjörður, Seydisfjörður, Goðafoss and Dettifoss waterfalls, Dimmuborgir lava fields, þórsmörk, Svínafellsjökull glacier tongue, Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng farm, Stokksnes and Hverir (Námaskarð) to name just the most famous ones. There is an abandoned viking village for a TV serie which never took place as well.

And still you can present you trip to your friends not just as a vacation but rather as a discovery journey.

The final itinerary is on you, the good thing is, that most of the places are quite easily accessible.

 

Away from everyone!

In case, you want to go to Iceland and still be completely alone, even it might sounds strange and contradictory, still, there is and option for you. And it is called Hornstrandir natural reserve. The just and only permanent inhabitants here are the polar foxes and practically reachable just by boat from Ísafjörður.

You can reach Ísafjörður from the Keflavík international airport by car in about 6 hours, or there is a flight connection to Ísafjörður from Reykjavík domestic airport.

Just take one thing into account. If you go to Hornstrandir, you have to take everything you´ll need with you. So if you plan to spend 10 days there, you need to take the food for 10 days.

 

Reykjavík and daytrips:

Not everybody is willing to go to Iceland and end up in Reykjavík. But on the other hand even Reykjavík has something to offer and with combination with daytrips, it can be a fulfilling week spent here. This option is exceptionally good for you if you do not want to drive a car on your own. And for example in the winter, you should consider this option more than you think.

There are some obvious options here, so let´s start with ´Golden Circle´ – Þingvellir national park, Gullfoss waterfall and Geysir.

Or the bite mor distant circle with Háifoss, Gjáin, Hjálparfoss, Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng farm + Stöng í Þjórsárdal and Þjófafoss.

Then we have the Snæfellsnes peninsula option with Kirkjufell, Lóndrangar, Búðakirkja and Landbrotalaug geothermal pool as main attractions.

And last but not least, the south shore. You can start early in the morning heading the East and you´ll see, if you end up by Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and the Diamond beach, or you´ll stop just by the Dyrhólaey and going back via Reynisfjara black beach and Skógafoss (+ Kvernufoss) and Seljalandsfoss (+ Gljúfrabúi).

For to have an idea what is waiting for you, here is a map:

All the time you are on your way, you should adjust your itinerary to the actual weather and your actual physical conditions no matter how well prepared your itinerary is. Not just one were a stress a contributing factor to tragical events.

Enjoy your trip to Iceland and do not skip the be safe in Iceland and by car in Iceland chapters.

There is a lot of different species in Iceland, but just few which attracts the attention of tourists, travelers and photographers. Puffins, whales, seals, polar foxes and reindeers are definitely the ones.

Puffins – cute arctic birds lives on the open sea and come to the land just to make the new generation. Characterized by orange beaks and clowny designed feathers they obtained a nick name as parrots of the sea. During their breeding time (end of April till the end of August) you can watch them almost all around the Iceland.

Whales – you can see whales from the shore, but to have the best possible experience of the close proximity, you should board a boat. There are several places around Iceland to watch the whales. Reykjavík, Grundarfjörður, Ólavsvík, Hólmavík, Dalvík, Akureyri and Húsavík.

Seals – there are several popular spots in Iceland where seals hangs around. Ytri-tunga beach on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, Hvammstangi, Hvítserkur, Illugastaðir and Svalbarð on the Vatsnes peninsula, Litlibær in the Westfjords and of course, seals love to go fishing in the freezing waters of the Glacial lagoon.

Polar foxes – being lucky, you can see them literally all around Iceland. To be perfectly sure, you have to sail to the Hornstrandir or visit the Polar fox center in Súðavíku.

Reindeers – The imagined center of reindeers in Iceland is the Snaefell mountain in the East. The further away are you from there, the lesser is the chance of seeing them.

Krías – in the summer, they will find you sooner than you think.

Iceland – a piece of land so beautiful you can´t describe with mere words. And therefore this post was born, where I won´t disturb the beauty of the places with text.

Voilá..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you into waterfalls? then you might like this video too:

In this article you can find in a nutshell everything you want to know about traveling to Iceland. If you are already in the process of planning your trip to Iceland, the information here will help you to better organize your Icelandic adventure e.g. what to take with you and what not to forget. In case you don´t know much about Iceland yet and you are looking for some inspiration, this article will introduce the country to you and maybe, who knows, will persuade you to choose Iceland as your next destination. Maybe you are supposed to be there for work and just killing time, this may offer you a productive procrastination.

Iceland – Essential Information

Iceland is a volcanic island in the Nort Atlantic just about midway between Europe and North America. The official language is Icelandic, but English is widely spoken and can be used without problems. The capital, Reykjavík  is the northernmost capital in the world. ‘White nights’ during the summer and really short days in the winter are characteristic of this island. It is also known for its diverse and beautiful nature. Icelandic króna is the official currency, but you can use your card anywhere (even for a street vendor of rainbow flags at the Reykjavík parade). Simply put, you don´t have to bother with the local currency if you don´t want to.

Why Iceland?

A tricky question. The greatest enticements are the breathtaking natural wonders of this volcanic island such as the northern lights, puffins, glaciers, geysers, geothermal pools, fumaroles, volcanos, rainbow mountains, picturesque villages and in the northern seas, creatures like seals and whales. All this and many many more attract millions of tourists a year to Iceland. Although a lot of places mostly in the south-east area of Iceland are crowded (the Golden Circle is just a part of this), there is still an amazing number of places you can be all alone. The perfect inspiration for you can be our post about the most beautiful places in Iceland in photos, or you can simply find what suits you best in our clever map of Iceland.

If you don´t want to plan your dream vacation in Iceland on your own, simply choose from interesting trips to Iceland.

Icelandic flora and fauna

To be honest, the Icelandic flora is not the main reason hordes of tourists are invading Iceland. You can´t find many trees in Iceland, not to mention forests and as for flowers, it is severely lacking (except for the moss of course!). However, what Iceland cannot offer you in flora is compensated by fauna. You can meet reindeer in the East, you can find arctic foxes in the West, and seals along the shore. Puffins in the summer months and whales all year round.  Eager to know more? Just have a look at the article Animals in Iceland and the best spots for observation.

Travel costs

Iceland is a really expensive country, but just with a bit of knowledge (which is available here on the web) you don´t have to spend a fortune. You can enjoy 2 weeks in Iceland in the winter for just 500 Euros/Dollars or during the summer 900 Euros/Dollars. If you want to add a trip to the Central Highlands, add another 200 Euros/Dollars. For more on this check out the article on how to save money in Iceland without missing anything.

How to get to Iceland

As you already know (or just read it above), Iceland is an island, so there are basically two ways of getting there.

The first and most popular option (preferred by 96% of travelers) is to arrive by plane. It is quick and relatively cheap.

The other option is to come by the ferry MS Norröna run by the Faroese company, Smyril Line, which connects Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Iceland. This method is suitable for those wishing to bring their own car, camper, motorcycle or maybe you are just the adventurous type who would enjoy this experience.

This topic is described in detail in the article How to get to Iceland.

When to go to Iceland

In Iceland the year is basically divided into two seasons for travelling. The main season, the summer one (June to August), offers you white nights, when the sun sets just below the horizon. You can explore the Icelandic Highlands which are basically inaccessible during the winter, admire the beautiful puffins and enjoy relatively stable weather with temperatures around 10°C (50°F). 

The off-season is from September till May. It is characterized by short days and very long nights quite often lit by the Northern Lights and when the black lava fields are coated by snow as though covered by sugar. Most of the time, the temperature is around freezing point (0°C/32°F) with frequent snow showers and this is the time when taking a bath in the natural geothermal pools can be magical. In terms of your wallet, the price of winter Iceland can be half as much as the summer one, but your experience can be of the same intensity or even better. This is discussed further in the article Seasons in Iceland and when to go.

Weather in Iceland

There is a poignant joke about the Icelandic weather which says: ‘Iceland in the summer is like an open fridge. 8° (46°) with an eternal light.’ The winter is a closed one with temperatures around 0° (32°F) and completely dark. I would just like to add that it´s a really windy fridge indeed with wind speeds of 15 m/s (34 miles per hour) not a rare occurrence.

Icelandic weather is strongly influenced by the Gulf stream and is surprisingly stable. In the summer, the temperature hardly ever exceeds 15°C/59°F and in the winter does not drop below -5°C (23°F). In spite of the limited range of temperature, Icelandic weather is actually very unpredictable and you have to be ready for anything at any time. The highest temperature I can remember in January was 8°C/46°F and blue skies, while on the other hand, I have experienced -2°C (28°F) and a snow storm in June. There is a saying about the weather in Iceland, “if you don´t like the weather, just wait 5 minutes”. Make note of the website www.vedur.is and read the article on the Weather in Iceland.

What to wear

As you now know from the previous paragraph, the Icelandic weather is anything but predictable and you really have to be ready for everything all the time. So how? Layering is the answer. First and foremost, a light breathable layer, then a warm one and finally a water and wind-resistant one. Good shoes are also a must. Read more in detail on What to pack and not to forget for Iceland.

Where to stay

There is a huge variety of accommodation options to choose from in Iceland and your choice of accommodation will affect not just your Icelandic experience, but the overall budget as well. You can sleep in a tent or just under the stars (or better to say midnight sun), in hotels, hostels or a camper van. If you know how to organize things, affordable accommodation isn´t hard to find even during the peak season. Just be sure to read the article about accommodation in Iceland.

Where to go

Iceland has very diverse nature and each and every part of it has its own charisma and style. The most popular tourist road is road no. 1 – the Ring Road. It can give you a sneak peak into everything Iceland has to offer. Reykjavík and the surrounding lava fields, the South shore with all its beautiful waterfalls and popular spots, the Snæfellsnes peninsula which is aptly nicknamed “Little Iceland”, the majestic and sparsely inhabited Westfjords, where arctic foxes say good night, the Eastern fjords with nature very similar to Norwegian, the Northern part where seemingly nothing happens and finally the Central Highlands covered by snow in the winter and shining with all possible colors during the short summer. You can read all about it in the article Parts of Iceland or let yourself be inspired by Interesting Icelandic itineraries.

Stay safe in Iceland

Iceland is a bare and in many places still completely wild place and as you probably know, it can be merciless. Every year about 25 tourists loose their lives there. You won´t be surprised when I tell you that drowning, falling from cliffs, freezing to death or complete exhaustion are the most frequent causes of death. Be sure to check the website safetravel.is and for your own safety and well-being closely read the article How to stay safe in Iceland.

Public transport in Iceland

In case you don´t have a car at your disposal while in Iceland, you can use public transport for the whole time or even combine it with your own or rented car. It is important to mention, that to move relatively independently around Iceland without having a car is definitely complicated, but not impossible. Buses can take you to all possible corners of Iceland, ferries can take you to adjacent islands and you can use a internal flight connections as well. Surprisingly, sometimes the airplane ticket can be cheaper then the bus ticket. To read more on this just visit the page Public transport in Iceland.

Driving in Iceland

Traveling by car is without doubt the best way to explore and enjoy Iceland. Just be sure that even if you are an experienced driver, you´ll be facing a lot of new challenges and interesting experiences. Single lane bridges, narrow tunnels, gravel roads, unpredictable road closures and detours and river crossings in the Central Highlands. It is there, that the roads are often so bumpy that just 15 km per hour feels like furious Fittipaldi speed. There are icy roads in the winter with almost zero visibility and to all these you can add a really strong wind all year round. Please make note of the website road.is and look at it regularly. What is true in the morning may still not be true by lunch time. For your own security, read through article Driving in Iceland several times.

Renting a car in Iceland

As just mentioned above, having a car here in Iceland will give you real freedom to explore the country according to your preferences. Similarly to the driving conditions there, Iceland has its own eccentricities as regards rental cars. Which of the cars you want to rent mostly depends on where you want to go. There are 3 basic types of cars to choose from. The standard 2WD, the standard 4WD and a modified 4WD. Additionally, you should think about what kind of insurance you need. Apart from the standard car rentals, you can use peer2peer car rental services directly from Icelanders. Read all about this topic in Renting a car in Iceland.

Camper vans

Camper vans combine the advantage of space for cooking and sleeping with the flexibility of a car. You can choose from all possible combinations of capacity and terrain transit. From small campers for just 2 people (such as Dacia Dokker) through big campers for up to 6 people (such as Renault Master) to all terrain campers (such as Land Rover Defender). Please note that it is NOT legal to camp outside the designated areas anywhere in Iceland while traveling with camper vans. Read more here about the Campervanning in Iceland.

Arranging your Icelandic itinerary

From experience in consulting with others and even from my own past experience, people tend to have overoptimistic travel plans for their dream trip to Iceland. The start of the problem is that Iceland seems to be so small on the map when you are sitting in front of the computer in your living room and all the beautiful sights seem to be so easily reachable. However, the reality is different. Iceland is really huge and a lot of places are really difficult to reach (even with a 4WD). There are no highways in Iceland and you won´t be traveling faster than 70 km/h on average . Please do not fall into trap of thinking ‘I want to see it all’. It is not possible in 3 weeks, let alone in one week. Have a look at our realistic and interesting itineraries for your perfect and safe journey.

Food

To be honest, I would hesitate to call Icelanders as connoisseurs of food, but to tell the truth, there are some types of food you should try to get an authentic Icelandic experience. First and foremost it is sheep and fish soup, both are as good as each other! And, of course, other sheep and seafood, starting with dried fish and ending with whales. There is skyr, a special Icelandic type of yogurt (just much tastier) or a bread baked in the geothermal heat of the Earth. Controversial for many is the meat from puffins. Would you like to have a puffin-burger? And let´s not forget the food porn experience par excellence: Hákarl – a fermented shark meat. In combination with a shot of Brennivín, you´ll remember Iceland for a really long time after you leave. Hungry and eager to read more? Then check out Icelandic gastronomy.

 

Movie locations in Iceland

This list would definitely not be complete without a paragraph about movies shot in Iceland. The country is famous for its fairy-tale landscape and therefore many filmmakers are lured to Iceland. A number of very popular movies and series have been shot here. Star Wars, Prometheus, two James Bond movies, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Batman Begins just to name a few and of course, Game of Thrones in recent years. Find out about all the famous movies which have been filmed here in the article famous movie locations in Iceland.

Iceland is one of the most expensive countries and so is Reykjavík one of the most expensive capitals. The cost of a-week-long trip can cost you an astronomical amount of money. And since not everyone is willing to spend life long savings on a trip, I wrote this article explaining how to save money and still enjoy in full.

Go to Iceland off season

The main tourist season in Iceland is very short and very intense. More tourists visit Iceland between 1^st of June and 31^st of August than in all the other months combined. The Icelandic prices, being very high as it is, become even more inflated during this time of the year. On top of that, all the tourists are crammed in the most popular attractions around Reykjavík, in area called the Golden Circle, in part because the International airport Keflavík lies nearby.

Besides, Iceland in winter is even more beautiful than during the summer. For example, I wasn´t very impressed with Þingvellir during my summer visit but in winter it was simply great. During winter you get to see some of the places from a whole new perspective. And surprisingly, the temperatures in January and in June are not that different. Also, my last trip to Iceland in winter cost me only about 600 Euros for two weeks (flight ticket included).

When in the high season, do your reservations well in advance

In summer months, there is a real shortage of hotel/hostel/airbnb rooms. Do your reservations for summer months as soon as possible. Yeah, even 6 months in advance. You´ll have a much better options and you´ll save a significant amount of money!

Make your own travel plans

Use an easy online travel map of Iceland and save significant amount of time and money (and gas) to see what YOU want to see.

Discover Iceland in your own car or caravan

Europeans have the advantage of being able to bring their four-wheeled darling to Iceland thanks to the services of Smyril Line ferry. Ideally, you can agree with your friends or family to pass the car around so that when one group leaves the other flies in and takes over the car. The car can stay in the country for up to one year without having to change to Icelandic license plates. During the year the car can manage to save up to its own worth in cost of car rental, since renting a car of the size of Skoda Octavia cost 11900 ISK, smaller one 7650 ISK/ day. And if you do the same with, say, Land Rover Defender, you just saved enough to buy a house! A car like that is usually rented for about 49 000 ISK/ day.

Find alternatives to car rental

There are multiple companies which allow you to rent a car from the locals, something like an AirBnB, but with cars instead of apartments. You get to choose between Carrenters or Caritas. If you do decide to rent a car from an official rental company, make sure to go through multiple offers between choosing the most suitable one. My article on cheap rental companies will help you wrap your head around the whole thing.

 

Hitchhike in Iceland

If you don´t want to or can´t travel in your own car, the alternative is hitchhiking. There is basically only one road going around the entire island so potentially every other car is going “your way”. The online alternative to traditional hitchhiking is car sharing using the website Samferda or the Icelandic version of Carpoolworld, although this way you will have to pay for it.

 

Skip the Blue Lagoon

Even though the Blue Lagoon is one of the most iconic tourist attractions of Iceland, I believe you won´t miss much if you skip it. A similar nature bath can be found in Mývatn and it is in my opinion much better than the Blue Lagoon (and only costs about a third of its price). There are plenty of places in Iceland where you can swim in thermal hot water. They are often for free and without the ever-present German pensioners you will have a much better experience. The reason why the Blue Lagoon is so popular is not so much the bright blue water but rather its proximity to the airport. Basically anyone who has a two hour layover at Keflavík decides to go there. So make sure to enjoy the beautiful Icelandic nature with its hot thermal springs. Here you can be found the list of hot springs, streams and lakes in Iceland.

 

Discover the “free” Iceland

There is so many beautiful natural sights that it might be a bit unnecessary to pay extra for any sights or services. The whale watching tour is as one of my traveler friends puts it “ the biggest tourist scam ever”. There are also some places that you need to pay to enter, one of them being the Vestrahorn (800 ISK), where you pay to enter a private property and watch the rocks. Photographer´s favorite place to go. Alright, it´s nice but nothing special so you can also just skip it. Another one is Kerið (400 ISK), a volcanic crater, which makes sense to go to in the summer, since for „Icelandic prices“ it costs basically nothing, but it makes no sense to pay for it in winter as the place and its colorful rock are all covered in snow. Look at this online map of Iceland.

The cheapest petrol

Petrol in Iceland costs basically the same everywhere, you can get one liter for about 228 ISK (diesel is on average cheaper by about 10 ISK). There is another cheaper option called OrkanX, where you can buy a liter of petrol for 175 ISK. There are only 8 gas stations like this, here is their location. Rumors says that at Costco, you can buy one liter just for 210 ISK (with Costco card – actually you can take your own from abroad, if you have one!). You can check actual prices of the petrol here.

Shop in Krónan and Bónus (on Nettó) supermarkets

These two supermarkets are in Iceland synonymous with bargain grocery shopping. But be aware that they are not at every corner, you can find them only in “large” cities (on an Islandic scale). To be more exact, east from Selfoss, in which you can find both of them, is the next one located in Reyðarfjörður / Egilsstaðir, which are cities about 450 km far from Selfoss. Bónus is generally smaller, a bit cheaper and with a bit more narrow selection of groceries. Krónan is not significantly more expensive plus you can buy good quality bread, which is impossible to get in Bónus. Also, they have quite good fresh meat. And if you cannot find Bónus or Krónan, look for Nettó!

I would also like to add that the permitted amount of groceries that you can bring to Iceland is 3kg per person. Also, the import tax must be paid and it amounts to 85 ISK / kg. So, it doesn´t pay off to bring cheap groceries such as rice or pasta. Besides, these cost basically the same as in continental Europe and so do juices, Coke and fish. I am not sure what the reason is but it is also not allowed to bring “uncooked” meat. Make sure to leave the prosciutto and jerky at home.

TIP: there is a newly opened Costco gigamarket, where you can buy things even cheaper. Only thing you need to buy things at Costco shop in Reykjavík is Costco card, which cost 4800 ISK/year and to be able to buy one, you need a kennitala (if you do not know what it is, you probably don´t have one). But you can use your Costco club card from abroad as well!

Buy your clothing in sale

Even though the best tip on how to save money in iceland is to go off season, the majority of you will come during the summer season. For your trip, you need a wind and waterproof wear, which you can find in sales after the winter season. Why not to save 70% off the price even before landing in Iceland?!

The supermarket where everything is for free

You can find a lot of almost empty (or almost full) camping gas cartridges in most of the camps. You can also find other stuff travelers left behind, especially ramen noodles, olive oil, pasta, rice, salt and things like this. The camp in Grindavík is the best when it comes to left behind stuff, there you can find basically everything. The fact that it is located close to the airport means that many travelers leave behind things that they don´t need anymore when leaving the country (or might even not be allowed to bring on board of the flight with them). Apart from gas cartridges it is generally copious quantities of food, but also sleeping mats, stuff for BBQ and last time when we stayed there for three days I even saw a tent and two cans of BEER! Really!

 

Alcohol is a drug

And it seems like Icelanders are pretty firmly on board with this. If you can´t make it without any drinks or want to get a bit tipsy during your stay I suggest it is best to actually bring the alcohol with you. Apart from the fact that alcohol is crazy expensive, it is also quite hard to get your hand onto. For example, in a supermarket you can´t get anything stronger than a 2,25 % beer. The permitted amount of alcohol depends of volume in the different drinks you will bring with you. In any case it 1 liter of 40% liquor, a bottle of wine and 6 small beers would be just within the permitted amount. It is even more complicated with cigarettes and tobacco (but who still smokes today anyway, right?). Here you can find the complete list of limits for duty-free import to Iceland.

 

Save money when sleeping in camps

In case you are planning to sleep in camps during your stay in Iceland it might be a good idea to have a look on so called campingcard. You can get it for 18 900 ISK (2017) and it lets you (and one more adult plus up to four children) stay in various camps for 28 day. There are 42 camps quite evenly dispersed all around Iceland. Apart from paying for the card, you need to pay a fee when you stay at a given camp, which is 111 ISK / night independently from number of people who are actually staying in the camp. If you travel with a buddy the card pays off after only 6 stays (since the average price per person per night is 1500). So, the remaining 22 nights you can basically camp in camps for free.

TIP: there is a camp in South west Iceland – Gata campsite, where you can camp completely for free (donations of course accepted).

Wild camping

The situation with wild camping or even spending a night out of designated area is bit complicated. It is not impossible, but before you pitch up a tent in Iceland, please read this article.

Reykjavík city card

If you get trapped for any reason in Reykjavík, the reykjavík city card can save you quite a lot of money and take you to places you´d never go without it. It can offer you for 24/48 or 72 hours a free entry to many of Reykjavík museums, to the ZOO, free ride to Videy island, free public bus transportation and free entry to Reykjavík thermal pools and saunas. It is really a magic card! You can read more and buy it here.

Volunteer in Iceland

There is always something to do in Iceland. But volunteering as you can know it from abroad is not legal here in Iceland. If you work for someone, you have to get paid.

If you are eager to help in Iceland as a volunteer, you can do it only in a non-profit organisation (Red Cross and similar).

For more info about volunteering in Iceland, please visit this website.

Groupon like icelandic websites

Groupon, once the mogul of the startup and internet world is not active in Iceland. Still, there are 2 Gropon-like websites where you can find bargain deals. Look at Hópkaup and 2 fyrir 1 (where you usually pay once for 2 and last but not least – Aha

With sincere greetings from the Gullfoss waterfalls,
Ruben