130 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Iceland - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Iceland

Grindavík, Iceland

Blue Lagoon

Medicinal spa created with the discharge from a geothermal energy plant.

Svartifoss

The unique waterfall in Iceland's south features a backdrop of geometric black lava columns.

Hólmavík, Iceland

The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft

Staves, storm-calling, and of course, necropants.

Hvítserkur

Rising from the sea like a stone monster.

Gljúfrafoss

This fantastical waterfall is hidden in a cave located in a cracked cliff.

Kerid Crater Lake

This eye-popping Icelandic crater lake is surrounded by red volcanic rock.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Hallgrimskirkja

One of the tallest buildings in Iceland, and perhaps, the most visually impressive.

Jökulsárlón

Iceland's largest lagoon is home to stunning multi-colored icebergs.

See All 130 Things to Do in Iceland See All 130 Places

Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Iceland

Eskifjörður, Iceland

Randulf's Sea House

This remote eatery and museum is preserved as a time capsule of a small Icelandic fishing town.

Reykholt, Iceland

Friðheimar

Inside this Icelandic greenhouse, geothermal energy keeps tomatoes warm and growing.

Akureyri, Iceland

Giant Viking Beer Can

Akureyri is home to an oversized can of one of Iceland's favourite beers.

Bjarnarhöfn, Iceland

Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum

At this museum in Iceland, visitors can sample fermented Greenland shark.

See all 5 places to eat in Iceland See all 5 places to eat in Iceland

In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with Get Your Guide

Guided Tours Nearby

Atlas Obscura Trips

Iceland in Winter: Natural Wonders & Ancient Legends

A land of folklore and myths on a backdrop of remarkable natural wonders.

Explore Iceland

Launch Map

Iceland Leaderboard

Places Added

Places Edited

Places Visited

Recent Iceland Activity

SbrissaJ wants to go to U.S. Navy DC-3 Wreckage

gmewreck has been to Sören and Sigurborgar's Rare Stone Collection

shanimor1984 wants to go to Flateyri Bookstore

creedmichaelatlasobscura wants to go to Gljúfrafoss

Cara Giaimo wants to go to Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat

Stories About Iceland

Research suggests that cats, solitary night hunters, are one of the greatest causes of bird mortality worldwide—a bigger threat than window and building collisions.

In Iceland, Cats Face Curfews and Bans Aimed at Curtailing Their Murderous Ways

The cat-loving island nation is redefining its relationship with the 'elegant assassins.'

by Egill Bjarnason

Podcast: The Last Big Mac in Iceland

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

For a time, the burger resided at the Bus Hostel Reykjavik.

How a Big Mac Became a 'Historical Artifact' in Iceland

A 12-year-old Big Mac, to be exact.

by Alexandra Yingst

January 21, 2022

A recently-unearthed pot of rye bread sits on the shore of Lake Laugarvatn.

The Icelandic Bakery That Buries Its Bread in Hot Springs

Laugarvatn Fontana's sweet, cakey rye gets baked by geothermal energy.

by Tiffany Eastham

January 17, 2022

Podcast: Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool Relisten

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

December 21, 2021

(Detail) This 1882 engraving of Ragnarok shows Odin mounted on a horse fighting the wolf Fenrir.

The Long, Hidden History of the Viking Obsession With Werewolves

A symbol both of chaos and order, the wolf came to represent many things for the Vikings.

October 27, 2021

<em>Extragalactic</em> won the 1st Classified award in the Nature category of this year's Drone Photo Awards.

Is This an Erupting Volcano or the Eye of Sauron?

An award-winning image, taken via drone, captures the dreadful beauty of one of nature's violent shows of power.

by Gemma Tarlach

October 4, 2021

Glacial meltwater carves channels into layered sand near Höfn, Iceland.

In Iceland, Glacial Meltwater Creates a Stunning (and Small) Landscape

A photographer captured water's ability to carve out new paths in all their fractal glory.

by Gemma Tarlach

Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.

Lists Featuring Iceland