![Route 1 or the Ring Road is a national road in Iceland that circles the entire country](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/travel/2024/07/11/TELEMMGLPICT000384866216_17207075602110_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqbC-54yfuAMxVU8zQwHCBThxL6YhWtJre-xGtKv2fEO8.jpeg?imwidth=680)
13 must-see stops on Iceland’s greatest road trip
With a staggering 820 miles to explore, here are the unmissable natural sights, thermal baths and fishing villages along the scenic highway
![Route 1 or the Ring Road is a national road in Iceland that circles the entire country](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/travel/2024/07/11/TELEMMGLPICT000384866216_17207075602110_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqbC-54yfuAMxVU8zQwHCBThxL6YhWtJre-xGtKv2fEO8.jpeg?imwidth=680)
Iceland’s ring road, officially known as Route 1, is a 820-mile scenic paradise for road-trippers looking to explore the country beyond Reykjavik.
Circling the perimeter of the Nordic country, the drive features a non-stop parade of jaw-dropping natural attractions – waterfalls, glaciers, lagoons, black-sand beaches, basalt cliffs, volcanoes.
The route also passes through charming towns and fishing villages and a slew of cultural and gastronomic highlights too. Beginning and ending in Reykjavik and travelling clockwise along the ring road, here are 13 stops along the way you shouldn’t miss.
Reykjavik
If you haven’t been to the Icelandic capital before, you might want to spend a day or two adapting to its uniquely laid-back ‘urban fishing village’ vibe and exploring its many museums, galleries, food and nightlife offerings.
The Making of a Nation: Heritage and History in Iceland at the National Museum of Iceland is a great place for a historic overview, while foodies can find plenty of local and international cuisine at Hlemmur Food Hall, set inside a former bus station. Oh, and don’t leave before trying the heavenly baked goods at Sandholt.
Borgarnes (and Reykholt)
The small, pleasant town of Borgarnes serves as a gateway to north and west Iceland and has a special place in Iceland’s mediaeval sagas.
![Borgarnes, Iceland](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/travel/2024/07/11/TELEMMGLPICT000384861914_17207082531050_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqq1mwqE3hXBmCeviIrwQqYC5yXJnLVD99Eq7SSNhKhZo.jpeg?imwidth=350)
At the Settlement Centre, you can find info on the Viking settlement of the region as well as on Egil’s Saga, which is set in and around Borgarnes; there’s a decent restaurant too.
A 30-minute drive will bring you to Reykholt, former home of Snorri Sturluson, one of Iceland’s most famous writers and poets. It’s also home to the geothermal Krauma spa, Europe’s most powerful hot spring, Deildartunghver, and not far from the Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls. Borgarnes also makes a great base for exploring the surrounding Snaefellsnes peninsula.
Hofsós Thermal Pool
You can break up the three-hour drive from Borgarnes to Akureyri by detouring off the ring road to enjoy a dip at this stunning thermal swimming pool.
Designed by the same architect behind the Blue Lagoon, it’s built into a hillside over the sea and has infinity pool-style views out to the fjörd and Drangey island.
![Hofsós thermal pool](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/travel/2024/07/11/TELEMMGLPICT000384862956_17207079926360_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqtGQB12KHxxQCrwnTZkX0nwgWqwm85JEWpGVhFb46TTg.jpeg?imwidth=350)
Just below the pool are the basalt formations of Staðarbjargavík, once the capital of the local elf population according to local lore.
Akureyri
Iceland’s second-largest town, Akureyri can be found scenically tucked into the bottom of the Eyjafjörður fjörd. It’s a cute spread of churches, bars, art galleries and museums, as well as botanical gardens, and there are a variety of hikes in and around the town. A selection of good hotels make it a good option for an overnight stay.
For dinner, Rub23 has excellent Icelandic fish, lamb, and beef dishes, and some of the best sushi in the country, served with the restaurant’s locally grown wasabi.
Godafoss
Yes, there are quite a few waterfalls along the ring road but it would be criminal to miss the raw spectacle that is Godafoss.
![Godafoss waterfall](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/travel/2024/07/11/TELEMMGLPICT000384865636_17207078565040_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf0Rf_Wk3V23H2268P_XkPxc.jpeg?imwidth=350)
The name, which translates somewhat dramatically as “Waterfall of the Gods,” is said to date back to around 1000 AD – when Icelanders transitioned to Christianity and law speaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði threw his pagan idols into the falls.
Twelve metres high and 30 metres wide, the roar of the curving falls drowns out everything else around; a walking path provides access and several perspectives.
Husavik
Another worthwhile 30-40 minute detour off the main highway, the pretty harbour town of Húsavík is perched up on the coast and home to some of the best whale-watching in Iceland, where some 23 species have been spotted.
![Husavik](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/travel/2024/07/11/TELEMMGLPICT000384280058_17207084016820_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf0Rf_Wk3V23H2268P_XkPxc.jpeg?imwidth=350)
The most typical marine creatures seen in the local Skjálfandi Bay are humpback, minke, white-beaked dolphin, harbour porpoise and blue whale, and several companies offer a variety of tours to see them. The town also has thermal baths and a whale museum.
Myvatn
One of the scenic highlights of North Iceland, this otherworldly lake deserves decent exploration. Rich in vegetation as well as birdlife, it’s possible to hike around the area to take in the dramatic lava formations of Dimmuborgir, the Hverjfall crater – one of the largest explosion craters in the world with a diameter two-thirds of a mile long – and the Namaskard geothermal area.
Many walking paths are paved, but you can also take longer trails through the area too. Once done, reward yourself with a well-earned soak in the Myvatn Nature Baths and lunch or dinner at the farm restaurant Vogafjós, whose cuisine is includes locally-caught smoked trout, bread that’s been geothermally baked and dairy products from the farm’s cows.
Egilsstaðir
The largest town in East Iceland, Egilsstaðir makes an ideal base for exploring the broader Eastfjords but has plenty to offer itself, from reindeer-spotting and practising your axe-throwing skills to trekking in the largest forest in Iceland (Hallormsstaður) and swimming in the stylish Vok Baths, set into a local lake. An hour or so away at Hafnarhólmi in Borgarfjörður eystri on the coast, you can also enjoy some puffin watching.
Höfn
The harbour town of Höfn is picturesque, peaceful – and famous for langoustines. It even has its own lobster festival each summer and there are a couple of excellent restaurants at which to try the delicacy.
The best-known is the harbourside Pakkhús (book ahead) which even has langoustine pizza. Höfn is also a gateway to and base for the majestic Vatnajökull National Park, whose glacial lakes and ice caves can be explored on foot or with guided jeep tours.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
You can encounter more glacial beauty farther along the ring road at the famous Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. The lake is filled with huge chunks of ice broken off from the nearby Breiðamerkurjökull glacier; boat rides and Zodiac tours get you up close and personal to the chunks as well as the occasional seal that likes to rest or or play on them.
Some of the ice blocks wash up on the nearby black-sand beach, hence its nickname “Diamond Beach”. It’s a wonderful place for photos.
Vik
Vik, short for Vík í Mýrdal, is a quaint little seaside village a bit further on from the lagoon. It has its own entertaining lava show but the main sights here are the local black-sand beach (Reynisfjara), with its striking basalt columns, the nearby Reynisdrangar basalt sea stacks and Dyrhólaey, a nature reserve popular with puffins galore.
![Lupins in bloom and a view of the town church in Vík í Mýrdal](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/travel/2024/07/11/TELEMMGLPICT000384865871_17207069756890_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf0Rf_Wk3V23H2268P_XkPxc.jpeg?imwidth=350)
You can use Vik as a base to explore the Mýrdalsjökull glacier via snow scooters, jeeps and snowmobiles. Adding to the thrill, the glacier is home to Katla, Iceland’s most explosive volcano.
Skógafoss
Skógafoss is another must-see waterfall. Cascading some 60 metres and spanning 25 metres across, it’s located along the pretty Skoga river. Legend has it that treasure is hidden behind the waterfall, placed there by a Viking settler, but you’re more likely to find the rainbow that often appears here on sunny days.
You can walk right behind the waterfall to better experience its majesty, and a set of stairs leads to the top of the waterfall as well as to the longer Fimmvorduhals trail.
Hveragerdi & the Reykjadalur Valley
Before returning to Reykjavik, turn off into Hveragerði. It’s famous for its geothermal hot springs, greenhouses and the nearby Reykjadalur valley.
![Reykjadalur](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/travel/2024/07/11/TELEMMGLPICT000384865835_17207076860190_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqn7tMRpXaL8LZxuDeTaFS4QDfX_nBz_AbjSvXU4zRsH8.jpeg?imwidth=350)
Reykjadalur means “steam valley” and, sure enough, it’s dotted with hot springs and mud pools, as well as a geothermal river with boardwalks and rudimentary facilities for bathing. There are also several hikes around the area and activities such as horse riding are also possible.