Otherworldly, panoramic, and oh-so-dramatic, Iceland is the ultimate icy volcanic playground. Plan a road trip around this incredible island isolated in the North Atlantic, and you’ll walk away with more than a few life-affirming, lifelong-lasting memories.
The best things to do in Iceland are, for many, a long list of firsts. The first time tentatively walking atop a glacier, the first time venturing inside an ice cave, and the first time scuba diving between two tectonic plates. Summarising all of Iceland’s best experiences only requires one word: phenomenal.
Even then, those firsts are different for all who travel to the land of fire and ice due to seasonal and seismic variations. Come in summer, and an Iceland road trip will deliver you to otherwise inaccessible ravines, while long winter nights can be rewarded with aurora sightings. No matter when you visit, these top activities in Iceland are sure to leave a lasting impression.
Go on an off-road adventure to Thórsmörk and Fjallabak Nature Reserve
The Midnight Sun isn’t the only reason to venture to Iceland in the summer. For much of the year, the country’s craggy, lunar-like interior is essentially cut off to visitors due to the closure of the 4WD-needed, river-crossing inland roads by snow and severe weather conditions. Come between June and September, though – arguably the best time to visit – and you’ll be able to rent a suitable 4×4 and drive Iceland’s F roads – the F meaning Fjallvegur or mountain road.
Where should you drive first to make the most of your mighty wheels? Thórsmörk. Named after the Norse god Thor, this highland valley is every bit as supernatural as it sounds. The drama is heightened by the fact that it requires driving skill and confidence to pass the Krossa River crossing, meaning a larger 4×4 isn’t just recommended but essential due to local restrictions on this gravel road. Once there, you’ll be staring out at one of Iceland’s most pristine, panoramic and outlandish scenes: moss-clad ravines and theatrical waterfalls that create steaking rivers in the glacier-carved landscape. Then, to make the most of your vehicle, backtrack and head to Landmannalaugar in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, where lava-shaped fields and hot springs contend for Iceland’s most unique setting.
Strokkur erupts around every 6-10 minutes
Glimpse geysers and geothermal activity in the Golden Circle
Not all Iceland road trips are seasonal, and not all require a 4×4. The so-called Golden Circle is a scenic loop which takes in a sample of all of Iceland’s best landscapes: cinematic cascades, a heart-stealing national park, and soaring active geysers. It’s not far from Reykjavik, accessible year-round, and – except for in particular bad weather conditions – can be driven with a normal rental car.
One of the most impressive stops in the Golden Circle is the geothermal valley of Haukadalur. A show-stopping scene of gurgling mud bubbles, fumaroles, and sky-spewing geysers, the most famous sight is Strokkur, Iceland’s most visited geyser, which ejects its scorching waters some 20 metres into the air several times per hour.
If you prefer your waters colder, follow my lead and go snorkelling or diving in Iceland
Snorkel or scuba between two tectonic plates
If you’re wondering what to do in Iceland for a truly unique experience, then it doesn’t get much better than diving into the inland frigid waters to swim between two tectonic plates. At the Silfra Fissure in Thingvellir National Park, it’s possible to snorkel or scuba dive between two continents – these are the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates – wearing a dry or wet suit, depending on the season. Although I’m a qualified scuba diver, I opted just to snorkel as the water is so clear visibility is pretty much perfect. Either way, the attraction here is the geological wonders – and once-in-a-lifetime Iceland experience – rather than any marine life.
Reykjavik is the capital city of Iceland
Eat, drink, and get cultured in the capital city, Reykjavik
Nearly every visit to Iceland starts and ends in Reykjavik, the country’s compact, quirky and colourful capital city. While it’s tempting to just beeline to the top natural attractions in Iceland, aim to spend at least a night in the city sampling local craft beers in cosy pubs, listening to some live rock music, and learning a little more about Iceland’s heritage at the National Museum, out-of-town Open Air Museum. Don’t miss the Hallgrimskirkja, a 20th-century cathedral that towers above the city due to its pointed tower.
The Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular things to do in Iceland
Soothe in hot springs and lagoons
One of the most popular things to do in Iceland – especially after tackling some of the island’s toughest hikes – is to rest and rejuvenate in geothermal waters. You’ll find natural pools fed by hot springs and lagoons across the country, with some of the finest being out in the wild. However, the most famous Icelandic spa experience is found near Reykjavik at the Blue Lagoon. A well-developed and expansive wellness site, the centrepiece is the steaming mineral-rich, milky-blue pool perfect for an afternoon session or to enjoy under a winter starlit sky.
Snow doesn’t rule out getting out into nature
Trek atop a glacier
One of my most memorable experiences in Iceland was the glacier trek in the UNESCO-listed Vatnajökull National Park. Even thinking about it now seems a little surreal. Crunching through the snow with crampons, knowing the glacier ice was just below – and as we hiked further, directly underfoot – was pretty surreal, especially as the sun started setting and the golden hues glinted off the ice. For this one, you’ll want to join a guided tour, and while it’s not the cheapest experience in Iceland, it’s well worth the investment.
Exploring glaciers and ice caves
Clamber inside an ice cave
What can top walking atop a glacier? Entering an ice cave. One of the best things to do in Iceland is to venture into a subterranean frozen cave system illuminated by translucent blue ice. My opportunity came at the end of my glacier trek at Vatnajökull’s Crystal Ice Cave. Still, you can enjoy similar experiences in Langjökull’s Ice Tunnels, the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier, and a few more locations across the island.
Thingvellir National Park ChurchThingvellir National Park
Cross your fingers for the northern lights
Visit between September and April, and you’ll likely be chasing another of the top things to do in Iceland: witnessing the Northern Lights. But coming in the seasonal window isn’t any guarantee. I’ve travelled twice to Iceland in winter, and both times were aurora failures – I caught a slight slither of green in my camera, but for the most part, cloud cover ensured nothing was visible.
However, if you get lucky, you’ll see quite the show, especially if you’re far from the city’s light pollution near a glacier lagoon or a remote peninsula. There are plenty of tours that will take you to try and spot the northern lights – some include an overnight rural stay – but if you’ve rented a car, it will allow you more flexibility to change directions if clouds do appear quickly.
Be in awe of active volcanoes
It doesn’t seem that a week goes by these days without news of a volcanic eruption or seismic activity striking Iceland. Set on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the island’s volcanic nature is particularly fierce, and this fiery activity can lead to some of Iceland’s most unique experiences. Of course, you’ll always want to prioritise safety and follow all local instructions. But even if your visit doesn’t time with an eruption, you’ll never be far from an active volcano like Eyjafjallajökull, and just staring at it, knowing it’s smouldering below, is enough to elicit awe.
Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland’s best waterfalls
Witness (and walk behind) majestic waterfalls
Water defines many of the best things to do in Iceland, and that’s particularly true when it comes to cascades. All across the island are majestic waterfalls that are truly show-stopping. From the theatrical curtain of water at Skogafoss to the squat, easy-access Gullfoss Falls, you’ll spend much of an Iceland road trip pulling over to get your camera out. My favourite is Seljalandsfoss, a spectacular waterfall that you can actually walk behind by entering a cavernous space that puts the power of the crashing cascade into perspective.
Iceland looks just as epic from above
Peek at seasonal puffins and go birding in the Westfjords
What to do in Iceland in the summer? Spot some adorable puffins. Between April and August, millions of puffins call Iceland a temporary home as they breed, lay eggs, and provide a pretty picture for visitors who peer on from a respectful distance. The Westman Islands and Westfjords are two of the best areas to see puffin colonies, with the latter being one of Europe’s premier bird-watching locations due to the numerous seabirds that circle the cliffs.
Meet the Icelandic Horse
Meet Icelandic Horses and spot whales breaching in the wild
Puffins aren’t the only wild thing to see in Iceland. You’ll also want to meet one of the beautiful Iceland Horses. Chances are you’ll spot this small, strong and friendly breed of horses as you drive the island – and if you see their unique “flying” gait, even better. Afterwards, continue driving to Husavik, considered Iceland’s whale-watching capital, to join a sailing to see humpback whales breaching in the deep blue.
Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon is one of the best places in Iceland to kayak in summer
Kayak frigid glacier lagoons to peek at icebergs up close
Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon was one of the highlights of my second visit to Iceland. I was so excited to kayak across the mirror-like waters dotted with icebergs and take a closer look at these floating blocks myself. However, I hadn’t really thought through the fact this is a land of Ice, and while paddling the lagoon is one of the best things to do in Iceland between May and September, winter freezes parts of the lagoon. Still, Jökulsárlón is a spectacular sight, even if I could only admire the panorama from the edge – the kayak will have to wait until next time.
The black sand beach of Reynisfjara
Stroll along spectacular black sand beaches
Iceland’s beaches are nothing short of spectacular. On this wild island, the dark volcanic sands are just as striking as the inland landscapes. Head to wave-ravaged Reynisfjara on a campervan adventure to marvel at the basalt columns, swoon over the sparkling small icebergs that dot Diamond Beach, and see the serrated peaks reflecting in sultry Stokksnes Beach, and you’ll soon be a black sand convert
Fireworks in ReykjavíkNYE in Iceland
Ring in the New Year in Reykjavik
On my first visit to Iceland, I spent New Year’s Eve in Reykjavik. It wasn’t a coincidence – I’d specifically planned the trip around the end-of-year celebration, drawn by the promise of essentially unregulated fireworks and bonfire madness. For nearly the whole year, fireworks are illegal in Iceland. However, over the holidays, all rules are lifted, and people go wild for them, setting off fireworks at all hours and not necessarily with safety being top priority. Between the fireworks, bonfires dotted around the city, and the incredible atmosphere and sparkler-sharing locals, that Icelandic New Year’s Eve has become one of my most treasured.
Travel influencers Sarah Woodard. Photo: Instagram/@sarahwoodard
Solo traveller Sarah Woodard, who has visited 102 countries, often shares details about her trips on social media. In a recent post, the American listed five countries where she felt unsafe. India too is included in Sarah’s list of unsafe countries. Sarah was bothered by the constant staring on the streets of India. Besides, she was scared to see stray animals roaming around everywhere. However, she noted that she enjoyed visiting these countries and would surely visit again. Sarah has also stated that she doesn’t believe her experiences in these countries are uncommon or rare. These are the five unsafe countries in the world according to Sarah Woodard.
Namibia Sarah had one of the scariest experiences in Namibia. A tour guide had tried to cheat her out of hundreds of dollars. She also felt that the local residents had troubled her when she was travelling through Namibia.
India India ranks second in Sarah’s list of unsafe countries. Sarah had initially planned to visit India as part of a group tour. However, she later decided to visit the country independently. She also hired a private driver for safety. Sarah says she always felt she was constantly being observed while travelling in North India. The driver used to urge her to get inside the car whenever people stared at her. Sarah states that she was scared even to take out her phone and felt afraid whenever she was alone.
Turkey Sarah felt safe for the most part during her six-week trip to Turkey. However, last week, she received a travel advisory that Americans were being abducted from a particular region. Sarah says that she was bothered by such advisories while travelling solo through Turkey.
United States of America Sarah states that women might feel unsafe at some point in the United States, mainly due to unwarranted attention given by men. She had an unpleasant experience while walking alone with her luggage on the subway. A man had constantly tried to talk to her. He then started getting angry and even demanded sexual favours from her.
Tanzania Sarah visited Tanzania in 2020 when she was financially broke. A stranger who kept staring at her followed her up to the hotel. He continued to stare at her until the hotel authorities intervened. Besides, strangers demanded money from her. Sarah says that she was made to wait alone at the border for completing paperwork that wasn’t required for others.
As Vice President of Global Public Relations at luxury travel company Virtuoso, Misty Belles has spent most of her career shaping how—and where—discerning travelers should explore. With 26 years at the company, she’s no stranger to the ever-evolving rhythms of travel and the ins and outs of the industry. Belles recently sat with our editorial director Pilar Guzmán to chat about all things travel this season: why more women are opting to go at it alone, the magic of a girl’s-only trip, and some trends to look forward to.
What are some travel highlights from this past year? What has stuck with you the most?
My first big trip this year was back in May, to Europe, then shortly thereafter, I went to Banff for the 2025 Virtuoso Impact Summit. That’s an area I hadn’t been to since I was maybe five years old, and it made such an imprint on me. I grew up in a small town in Texas; my parents used to load us into a car and we would drive from south Texas to Canada. I give them mad props for being in a car with two little kids for that long.
I went to my soul city, Paris, this last New Year’s with my own kids, and we traveled in a totally different way. It was their first time there. It’s quite extraordinary during the holidays. But I also took my twelve-year-old daughter to see Taylor Swift—twice—and it was the time of my life. Once was in Miami; we did a long weekend together, staying at Aqualina, which culminated in the show. The other time was in Vancouver for the end of The Eras Tour. We did it on a whim, actually. I planned the whole thing in 24 hours. We drove from Seattle and stayed in the middle of nowhere. And it was just magical. If I could bottle that feeling, that excitement, I would be in heaven.
Let’s talk about solo travel. What has changed in the last decade?
I’m someone who has traveled by herself quite a bit, and there was always a stigma of loneliness—but solo travelers are not lonely travelers. They just want to go out and explore the world on their own terms, not on somebody else’s. Nowadays, companies aren’t penalizing solo travelers anymore. There’s also more attention on women-specific travel, where you have a community baked into the trip (highly recommend checking out Intrepid and G Adventures). While you’re still traveling on your own terms, you’re doing it with the safety, security, and support system of knowing that someone has organized it for you. Women tend to backburner their own needs, so giving yourself permission to move at the pace that’s comfortable for you is a great gift.
Looking at our data, there was an increase in solo travel for the three main categories of cruises: Expedition, ocean, and river. That was super interesting—I always think of cruising as a couples or family experience. But on the other hand, it does make sense, because you’re as social or as not social as you want to be on a cruise. We’re also seeing trips to more “exotic” destinations, where, as a solo traveler (especially a woman!), you might be more intimidated on your own. For example, I have friends who have done a women-only trip to Saudi Arabia, and a colleague who just did the same in India—I’ve not been to either, and as a first-time destination, I might be more reluctant to do so. But going with another group of women, where the focus is on meeting and interacting with other women, opens up your world in a completely new way. It’s exciting, and it’s so transformative: You realize how similar someone else’s life is on the other side of the world. You think about the same things. You want your family to be happy. You want to be fulfilled. It’s a very eye-opening experience.
Girl trips are also having a bit of a renaissance. Why do you think they’re so important? What has evolved there?
Women are giving themselves permission to enjoy and to prioritize their female friendships. When you travel with your family, you feel personally responsible for everybody’s happiness: everybody has to have a good time, everybody has to do what’s on their list, everybody has to have a meal that they enjoy. But if you’re traveling with others where you don’t feel like you have to take care of them all the time, that’s a vacation for yourself. It can feel self-indulgent when you’re used to taking care of everyone else. But there are so many benefits. It’s not just the fact that you maintain close relationships, which gets harder to do in adulthood, but you also come back recharged. I always feel like I’m a better mom, wife, and worker when I come back from a trip that has fed my soul.
For a long time, for women, the only way to decompress and to enjoy each other was through the destination spa. For those who enjoy it, awesome. But that’s not everybody’s idea of a good time, or even of decompressing. Really, it’s key to find someone with a similar travel style, to align with them well, whether you’re go-go-go or more relaxed. I also find that the older I get, the more important it is to know people who knew you when you’re young—people who have seen your evolution throughout the different iterations of your life, who are still friends and want to be friends. To me, that’s the best path to walk with somebody.
What’s the summer travel outlook? Any surprise destinations breaking through?
Europe is still very strong, with the usual suspects on top—Greece, Portugal, Italy (I’ve been here for 26 years and Italy has always been the number one outbound destination for us!). US domestic travel is also huge—it’s actually our number one this year—and we’re starting to see a couple other destinations, like Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries, crack the top 10.
Our summer bookings are up 23% year over year and our sales up 26%. When those two numbers are right on par with each other, prices aren’t going up exponentially—which means the rates are finally leveling off. That spells good news for travelers.
Any sense of where some of the wellness trends are netting out?
We’re hearing a lot about the evolution of wellness into wellbeing. To me, wellness feels like a snapshot in time; a feeling of I went here, and I feel better because of it, but now I’m back to my life. But wellbeing is a reset: you learn to care for yourself differently and can integrate that into your life when you get back.
Wellbeing used to be focused just on diet and exercise—both of which are still important, of course. But there’s a deeper question now of how to tackle those ideas along with the things that are important specifically to you, whether it’s longevity, sleep, brain health. It’s not just enough to have these traditional spa services—your facials, massages, hot stones, et cetera—there has to be a kind of medical rigor. A lot of this is because people are making big health changes to their lives back home. They’re looking to accommodate and accelerate those changes when they’re going to these spas.
Pilar Guzmán is the Editorial Director of Oprah Daily, overseeing content strategy across the brand’s platforms.
Toasted ham baguettes in hand, we cheered as the new-generation Nightjet drew into Vienna Hauptbahnhof. It was a little before 7pm, and as the carriages hummed past I felt a rush of joy, like celebrity trainspotter Francis Bourgeois, but without the GoPro on my forehead. For more than three years I’ve been documenting the renaissance of sleeper trains, and I’d wondered if I might one day tire of them. But the thrill seems only to intensify each time I embark on another nocturnal adventure, this time with my two daughters – aged eight and five – who were already arguing over the top berth. The first four carriages were designated for travellers to the Italian port city of La Spezia, the other seven carrying on to Roma Tiburtina, where we would alight at 10am. Once in Rome we had 24 hours to eat classic carbonara, dark chocolate gelato, and bike around the Villa Borghese before taking a train to Florence.
Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) has played the lead role in resuscitating Europe’s night trains. Towards the end of 2016, ÖBB launched its Nightjet network on 14 routes, using old rolling stock it bought from Deutsche Bahn. Then, to the delight of train nerds like me, it launched a brand-new fleet at the end of 2023, and now operates 20 routes across Europe. We were now on board this high-spec service, which smelled of freshly unpacked furniture, the carpets soft underfoot, the lighting adjustable to disco hues of neon blue and punk pink.
We were booked into a couchette carriage, which mostly comprisesd mini cabins designed for solo travellers preferring privacy. Placing shoes and small bags in lockers, passengers can open a metal door with a keycard and crawl into their single berth, drawing the door closed around them, and not have to look at another human until morning. Last year I had trialled the mini cabins from Vienna to Hamburg alongside a tall friend who had likened the experience to sleeping inside a bread bin, though I hadn’t found it as claustrophobic as I’d feared, just a bit hard, chilly, and with a pillow as flat as a postage stamp. So I was curious to see how the carriage’s four-person private compartments, for families and groups, would differ.
New generation Nightjet train in Austria. Photograph: Christian Blumenstein
Normally happy to share with strangers, I’d booked a whole compartment for the three of us: more to protect other hapless travellers from my children, who were now swinging off the berths like members of Cirque du Soleil, their sweaty socks strewn under the seats. With raised sides, the upper berths were safe for the girls to sleep in without rolling out, and I set about tucking in their sheets while they settled down to finish their baguettes. There is no dining car on the Nightjet, so we’d bought food from the station, which was now moving backwards as the train sailed out of the Austrian capital in silence, smoothly curving south-west.
Two days earlier we’d arrived in Vienna by train from London, via Paris, and had checked into the Superbude Wien Prater, a curious hotel that appeared part art-installation, part hostel, with gen Zs slouched around worn leather sofas on MacBooks. With four-bed family cabins overlooking the Prater amusement park, it was a great location from which to explore the city, then finish the evening with a terrifying rollercoaster and a spicy Bitzinger wurst. A friend had described Vienna to me as a grand and beautiful “retirement village”, but, on the contrary, its green spaces, playgrounds and museums made it an easy stop for 48 hours with kids.
Hopping off the Nightjet from Paris, we’d gone straight to my favourite restaurant, Edelgreisslerei Opocensky – an unassuming nook serving homely dishes such as stuffed gnocchi, and goulash with dumplings – before whiling away an afternoon at the Children’s Museum at Schönbrunn Palace.
Dressing up like young Habsburgs, the girls had swanned around in wigs and musty gowns, laying tables for banquets and begging not to leave – a far cry from our usual museum experiences. Before boarding this train we’d had one last run around the interactive Technical Museum, where the human-sized hamster wheels, peg games and slides had so worn out the children that my five-year-old was asleep as the train plunged into the Semmering mountain pass.
It was still light as we swept around the Alps, my eight-year-old kneeling at the window and asking where local people shopped, so few and far between were signs of human life. Horses grazed in paddocks, cows nuzzled, and the occasional hamlet emerged from round a bend as though the chalets were shaken like dice and tossed into the slopes. In the blue-grey twilight we watched streams gleam like strips of metal, and spotted a single stag poised at the edge of a wood, before the train made a long stop at the Styrian city of Leoben, at which point we turned in.
Monisha Rajesh and her daughters disembark the night train. Photograph: Monisha Rajesh
Like the mini cabins, the compartment was still too cold, the pillow still too flat, but the berths were wider and the huge window a blessing compared with the single berths’ portholes – this one allowed for wistful gazing.
Shoving a rolled-up jumper under my head, I fell asleep, waking at 7am to rumpled clouds and a golden flare on the horizon. Most night trains terminate soon after passengers have woken up, but this one was perfect, allowing us to enjoy a leisurely breakfast of hot chocolate and jam rolls while watching the Tuscan dawn breaking into song, and Umbrian lakes and cornfields running parallel before we finally drew into Rome – on time.
When travelling alone I relish arriving with the entire day at my disposal, but with children it’s hard work waiting until 3pm to check in to accommodation, so I default to staying at a Hoxton hotel if one is available. Its Flexy Time policy allows guests to choose what time they check in and out for free, and by 11am we had checked in, showered and set off to toss coins in the Trevi fountain, finding thick whorls of eggy carbonara at nearby trattoria Maccheroni, and gelato at Don Nino. To avoid the crowds and heat, we waited until 6pm to hire an electric pedal car from Bici Pincio at the Villa Borghese and drove around the landscaped, leafy grounds, relishing the quietness of the evening ride. Excited about the next adventure in Florence, the girls had only one complaint: that they couldn’t ride there on the night train.
Monisha Rajesh is the author of Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train (Bloomsbury, £22), published on 28 August and available on pre-order at guardianbookshop.com
Omio provided travel in a four-person private compartment in a couchette carriage from Vienna to Rome (from £357). Accommodation was provided by Superbude Wien Prater in Vienna (doubles from €89 room-only); and The Hoxton in Rome (doubles from €189 room-only)
