Naturally stunning with dramatic landscapes, volcanoes, glaciers, hot springs and lava fields as far as the eye can see – that’s Iceland.

Famous for its extreme contrasts in weather, light and darkness, and incredible adrenaline-pumping activities, Iceland won’t let your adventurous heart down. Mix in Reykjavik, a lively and modern capital with lots of cultural sights and a thriving nightlife, and you will find yourself wishing you had booked some extra days!

Iceland adventure

Best Time To Travel To Iceland

To explore Iceland to its fullest, you have got to go in summer, it's certainly the best time to visit Iceland!

True “summer” in the country of fire and ice is from June to August, with an average of 10 degrees up to 20 at its highest.

On my trip in July, I wore warm thermals one day and a t-shirt the next as the weather is constantly changing. Some days can be very windy, while others can be sunny. But you’ll be safe from snowstorms that sometimes limit the places you can travel to in Iceland in winter. Another big plus for visiting Iceland in the summer!

The best thing about summer in Iceland, however, is the light! The sun simply doesn’t set. From May to August, you will experience daylight at midnight in Iceland and the longest days of the year have a full 24 hours of daylight due to the country’s proximity to the Arctic Circle.

Iceland summer
Best things to see in Iceland

This makes summer the best time to go and explore all the things that Iceland is known for, especially if you decide to go on a Iceland Itinerary in 7 days with a campervan, like I did. You can drive late into the night if you feel like it or leave for places early in the morning to see them without the crowds.

Get Covered With Southern Cross Travel Insurance For Your Trip To Iceland

Remember to get travel insurance before you head off on your Iceland adventure!

Iceland is an expensive country and you totally don’t want to get stuck with a medical bill here. Most doctors and Icelanders in general speak good English, however, it’s important to keep in mind that health care centres can be far away if you are on the Ring Road around the island.

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has over 35 years’ experience as experts in travel insurance. When you book your travel insurance for Iceland with SCTI, you can add additional cover for a variety of sports and activities you are planning to do (like skiing or riding a motorbike).

Activities such as diving or horse riding are generally covered with SCTI, but make sure to read the T&C’s. For example, you’ll only be covered for diving if you hold an open water diving certificate or you’re diving with a qualified instructor.

Iceland is full of awesome adventures! Get your free travel insurance quote here!

Best places to visit in Iceland

#1 Wander Below The Famous Waterfalls Of Iceland

Home to some of the most stunning waterfalls in the world, Iceland is a true paradise for exploring a variety of well-known and not-so-known waterfalls.

And did you know, Iceland has over 10,000 waterfalls? Pretty incredible given Iceland is roughly the size of New York, but only has a population of 350,000, compared to New York with 19 million.

With the highest concentration of waterfalls worldwide, visiting waterfalls will have to be on your list when travelling to the land of fire and ice. On my trip around Iceland, I visited many of the main waterfalls, but know that there are lots of hidden ones and you will spot plenty if you decide to travel the Golden Circle or Ring Road.

My most favourite waterfalls to visit in Iceland were:

  • Seljalandsfoss
  • Skógafoss
  • Dettifoss
  • Gulfoss
  • Kirkjufellsfoss
Iceland activities in summer

#2 Discover The Blue Icebergs At Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon

Are there any icebergs in Iceland? You bet!

One of my favourite places to explore was the glacier lagoon in Southeast Iceland. As one of the main and most popular attractions, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is not only stunning but also gets pretty crowded in the daytime as it’s only five hours from the capital Reykjavik.

Many day tours make a stop at the lagoon filled with icebergs, with ice that’s over thousands of years old. Impressed yet?

Things to do in Iceland in summer

I was eager to see the icebergs without the crowds, so I made the journey to the lagoon south of Europe’s largest glacier Vatnajökull in the middle of the night at 2.30am. Since it’s summertime and the sun doesn’t set around here at this time of the year, it was twilight and didn’t feel that early at all. An easier rise than I thought it would be!

Arriving at the glacier lagoon, the sight of hundreds of luminous blue icebergs floating silently in the lagoon truly left me in awe. After a while of just standing there and watching nature, I saw something dark swimming between the icebergs. A seal!

When to visit Iceland

In the distance, there was the sound of ice breaking off the glacier, and I could see icebergs drift out to sea on the small river leading to the ocean.

A little further down is a stretch of black sand beach where the icebergs are washed ashore, and you can spot all sorts of sculptures and forms glistering like diamonds. Maybe it’s no surprise that this beach is also nicknamed Diamond Beach.

I took my time to wander around and also had breakfast in the campervan on the parking lot. As the sun came out later, I watched the icebergs melt on the beach and was impressed by the speed in which the icebergs became half their size.

#3 Snorkel Between The Tectonic Plates In Silfra

Ever wanted to float between two continents? Iceland is full of epic adventures and I surely couldn’t miss snorkelling in the fissure between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates cutting through Iceland. A once in a lifetime experience!

Silfra is the only place on the planet where you can experience the crack between the two tectonic plates while snorkelling or diving and my experience was absolutely unforgettable.

I arrived at Thingvellir National Park in bright sunshine and met with our guide for the snorkelling experience, who gave a lot of background information on the geology and history of Silfra, and the UNSECO World Heritage site surrounding the crack.

You can read all about it in my article here

Planning a trip to Iceland

Finally, it was time to get geared up into thick thermals and a dry suit to keep warm whilst in the water. I put my snorkel mask on and started floating. The temperature was icy, but the stunning clarity of the water quickly took away from the cold as the colours danced underwater like I’ve never seen before.

If you get the chance to go snorkelling in the world’s clearest water, I highly recommend you do it!

#4 Travel The Ring Road Around Iceland

With roughly 1,333km, the Ring Road is a popular road for travellers to circle Iceland and see all the highlights along the way.

Technically, you can drive around Iceland in about 13 hours, however, that would leave out all the amazing things to see and do on the Route 1.

Instead, I recommend at least 7-10 days to drive around Iceland, as you’ll want to stop frequently to explore all the highlights. Spring, summer and autumn are the best times to drive the Ring Road. In winter it is not advised to drive around the country, as it can be difficult due to weather, road closures and short hours of daylight.

Also, with a speed limit of 90 km/h in the country and some gravel roads, you would want to have enough time to not rush from one highlight to the next.

Where to go in Iceland
Iceland top attractions

With SCTI, you can get rental vehicle excess cover, which includes reimbursements for any non-refundable excess of up to $5,000, if your rental vehicle is stolen or damaged while travelling around Iceland. However, that still means that you should definitely get rental vehicle insurance, as SCTI only covers the excess! Always check the excess of your rental vehicle company before you hire to save you from surprises in the event of an accident.

You can get your free travel insurance quote from SCTI here!

Some of my favourite spots driving the Ring Road include:

  • The Golden Circle of the South with Gullfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Glacier Lagoon & Diamond Beach, Reynisfjara black sand beach and the small town of Vik
  • Egilsstadir and nearby Studlagil Canyon
  • Myvatn Lake & Nature Baths
  • Dettifoss Waterfall
  • Akureyri, nicknamed the capital of Northern Iceland
  • Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall, a little off the Route 1

#5 Swim In The Blue Lagoon

Of course, you cannot come all the way to Iceland and not visit the Blue Lagoon. As one of the 25 wonders of the world, it’s also one of Iceland’s top tourist hotspots. I advise you to book ahead as spots fill up quickly, especially in the height of summer season.

Located near the Keflavik Airport, the Blue Lagoon is a man-made geothermal spa with water supplied by the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power station. Its milky blue water is due to the high content of silica.

Iceland what to see

I loved visiting the Blue Lagoon and didn’t find it too crowded as other people’s reviews have stated. With a water temperature of about 37-39 degrees, it’s the perfect temperature to spend some time floating in the water, with a drink from the swim-up bar in hand and a silica mud mask to deep cleanse and rejuvenate the skin.

A cool alternative to experience natural hot pools in the north of Iceland is visiting Lake Myvatn Geothermal Area. I also had the chance to visit those nature baths on my trip around the Iceland Ring Road and it was great to relax after a long day of driving.

Are you thinking of travelling to Iceland soon?

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Southern Cross Travel Insurance, providing travel insurance to Australians and New Zealanders so you can travel without any worries.

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