The land of fire and ice, Iceland is one place you must visit in your lifetime. From majestic waterfalls and black-sand beaches to glacier lagoons and volcanoes, Iceland has it all. This Arctic island exudes different charms from season to season but the landscapes remain picturesque.

Although photos simply don’t do justice to the beauty of the raw wilderness and natural wonders in Iceland, here are 7 things to do in Iceland that will hopefully inspire you to make a trip there.

Photo Credit: Iceland Travel

CATCH THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

Definitely on everyone’s bucket list is to see the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis at least once in their lives. Being located near the Arctic Circle, Iceland is one of the best places to catch this phenomenon. The best time to see the lights in their full glory is from September to April when the nights are long.

And trust us when we say that this is possibly the most beautiful thing that Mother Nature has created because nothing can compare to the feeling when you witness the lights dance above you, not even the cold!

CHASE WATERFALLS

Icelandic waterfalls are of a different league, and it’s honestly tough to beat the grandeur and beauty of these natural wonders. There are thousands of waterfalls in Iceland and we can’t get enough of them. Despite the sheer number of waterfalls, each and every one is unique!

There’s Glymur which was considered the highest waterfall until recently which requires a hike to or Dettifoss which is the most powerful waterfall in Europe. There is also Seljalandsfoss where you can go behind the cascading water or Svartifoss which means ‘black waterfall’ because of the black basalt columns.

If you’re lucky, you might even catch a rainbow at one of the waterfalls!

EXPLORE REYKJAVÍK

There’s just so much to see in Iceland and many may overlook its capital Reykjavík, which is the northernmost capital in the world. The vibrant city has a flourishing art scene and is dotted with museums and coffee shops.

Towering over the whole city is the majestic Hallgrímskirkja, the largest church in Iceland which offers a panoramic view of Iceland if you go to the top. Don’t miss out on the Sun Voyager sculpture and Harpa concert hall when you’re in Reykjavík too!

Photo Credit: Arctic Adventures

SOAK IN GEOTHERMAL SPAS

When you’re in Iceland, you must not miss out on their hot spring culture. A popular choice amongst tourists is the totally Instagrammable Blue Lagoon Spa. But if you’re not for exorbitant prices and jostling with the crowd, give this one a miss. Having a geothermal underbelly means that Iceland has many other alternatives for you.

You can find one almost anywhere; you can even find a hot tub in the middle of nowhere with a great view of snow-capped mountains. So just sit back and relish the soak in the warm waters amidst the clouds of steam and perhaps, an ice-cold beer if you fancy.

SINK YOUR FEET IN THE BLACK SAND BEACHES

Iceland is home to mesmerizing black sand beaches that are found along the southern coast. The jet black sand gets its unique colour from volcanic ash as there are over 100 volcanoes in Iceland. Each black sand beach has its own distinct features.

The most visited and well-known Reynisfjara has basalt columns that are incredibly beautiful against the vast Atlantic Ocean while Solheimasandur has a plane wreck and stunning glaciers lie along the black sand on Diamond Beach.

Photo Credit: Guide to Iceland

TRY GLACIER HIKING

What do you do when hiking mountains becomes too mainstream? Go glacier hiking of course. Glaciers make up about 11% of Iceland and two of the largest glaciers in Europe are found here! Glacier hiking is an increasingly popular activity to do and we can totally see why.

Traversing across the ice-cool surface against a beautiful backdrop of more blue and white or even exploring inside ice caves – definitely a game-changer. If that’s too adventurous then you opt for Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon where you can see chunks of ice floating in the water.

VISIT GAME OF THRONES FILMING SITES

With the immensely popular series finally finishing its run after 10 years, there’s no better time than now to hop on the plane to visit the filming locations! Fans of Game of Thrones will know that filming took place in many countries such as Croatia, Spain, Morocco, Ireland and of course, Iceland.

See the world of Game of Thrones appear right in front of your eyes—from Skogafoss and Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon where the dragons fly over to Kirkjufell which appeared in The Hound’s vision—filming locations are aplenty in Iceland! Even if you’re not a fan of the series, most of these places are still worth going too because every inch of Iceland is just too magical.

Photo Credit: Demilked

One of the most magical places on Earth has to be Iceland. Its charm is like no other, with natural wonders in the form of both ice and fire elements from the volcanoes and ice glaciers.

Known for boasting the most beautiful landscapes, Iceland is mystical, alluring and wild. There is no knowing what you will find at every turn, for the place is a vast volcanic site home to endless geysers, ice caves, waterfalls, volcanoes and much more.

Its beauty has intrigued many travellers and explorers over the past decade, which means that the number of visitors has increased significantly. Despite so, Iceland still retains all of its magic till today.

And if you have been thinking of where you should go on your next holiday, here are 7 Reasons Why Iceland Should Be On The Top Of Your Bucket List.

Photo Credit: World For Travel

#1 VIEW MAJESTIC WATERFALLS

Waterfalls are one of Mother Nature’s greatest creations and you will be impressed with the ones in Iceland. There are simply too many majestic waterfalls in Iceland to count.

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The Goðafoss, for example, is a wide waterfall located in the Northern region of Iceland and its name translates to “Waterfall of the Gods”.

Dettifoss is another dominant waterfall that has been crowned as Europe’s most powerful waterfall.

Skogafoss is loved for having a rainbow which is visible on sunny days.

Photo Credit: National Geographic

#2 PAT ICELANDIC HORSES

These pony-sized creatures are the darlings of Icelanders and it is not difficult to see why. They are sturdy animals that are used for farming, racing and recreation.

Photo Credit: Gray Line Iceland

#3 DIP INTO THE BLUE LAGOON

Enough of scrolling through your Instagram feed, feeling all envious of people who have been posting their photos in Blue Lagoon. Time to make a trip there yourself to see the real deal!

And if you have been wondering why many of the people appear to have white faces in their pictures, that’s because you get to put on the Silica Mud Mask at the Silica bar!

Photo Credit: Stewart Smith Photography

#4 CAPTURE IMAGES OF THE ERUPTING GEYSER

The word geyser means “spouting hot springs”. Strokkur is one of the most active spouting spring in Iceland and visitors get to see gurgling pools and geysers erupting—up to 40 meters from the ground.

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Photo Credit: Stuck In Iceland

#5 WALK ALONG BLACK SAND BEACHES

Due to a large number of volcanoes in Iceland, the volcanic ash that settled afterwards form the most amazing black sand beaches.

Reynisfjara shore is a well-known black sand beach in Iceland with a backdrop setting featuring a cliff of regular basalt columns and birds of different breeds such as puffins and fulmars flying in the air.

Photo Credit: arctic adventures

#6 SOAK YOUR FEET IN A GEOTHERMAL POOL

Going for an outdoor soak is a true Icelandic experience, so this is something you have to put on your list!

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Besides the Blue Lagoon, there are plenty of other options to take a dip in. Reykjadalur or “Steam Valley” can be found in the South of Iceland and the hot streams are what you should be looking out for!

The Secret Lagoon built in 1891 is the oldest pool in Iceland—the pool has recently been renovated and reopened to the public once again.

#7 WITNESS THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

This is probably already on every nature lover’s bucket list but we are still listing this down anyway because it is such a phenomenon. Being one of the most unpolluted places on Earth, there is really nowhere better to catch the Northern lights.

The best time to view the Northern Lights in Iceland is from September to mid-April. That is when the sky is at its darkest and you can witness the Aurora Borealis in its full glory!