Travel Blog - Iceland Trip 2025
Summer 2025
8 Day Trip to discover the Southern part of Iceland from Reykjavik to Höfn.
We visited the main waterfalls, glaciers, beaches , towns, a Day tour to Fjallabak Highland with Midgard Tours and finished in Reykjavik.
The Most Beautiful Sites of Southern Iceland
Iceland is a country full of geological contrasts and they are best visible in the South, where geothermal heat meets glacial cold. In the Southwest and the Golden Circle Area, the heat is on, providing the energy for Iceland’s many greenhouses and swimming pools.
Waterfalls
Iceland is renowned globally for its spectacular and diverse waterfalls, which are central to the island's natural beauty and geology. The country's unique landscape—shaped by volcanoes, glaciers, and a coastal climate—creates ideal conditions for thousands of cascades, from gentle bridal-veil flows emerging from lava fields to some of Europe's most powerful, thunderous giants.
Glaciers
Glaciers in Iceland cover approximately 11% of the country’s landmass and are primarily classified as ice caps—vast domes of ice that blanket entire mountain ranges and volcanoes. As of 2026, these "rivers of ice" continue to be a defining feature of the landscape, though they are rapidly retreating due to climate change.
Beaches
Iceland is home to several famous and dramatic beaches, most notably the black sand shores created by volcanic activity. The most renowned are Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach on the South Coast and Diamond Beach in the southeast.
South Coast: Black Sand & Basalt Columns
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach: Located near the village of Vík, this is arguably Iceland's most famous and visited beach.
Features: It is renowned for its striking natural geology, including a cliff of massive, hexagonal basalt columns called Hálsanefshellir Cave, and the dramatic Reynisdrangar sea stacks rising from the ocean just offshore. According to folklore, these stacks are petrified trolls who were caught by the rising sun.
Safety Warning: The beach is famous for dangerous and unpredictable "sneaker waves" which can surge far up the shore without warning. Visitors must stay a safe distance from the water and never turn their back on the ocean. Swimming is strictly prohibited.
Sólheimasandur Beach: A vast stretch of black sand known for the haunting, photogenic wreckage of a US Navy DC-3 airplane that crashed in 1973. The plane wreck creates a surreal, otherworldly contrast against the barren black landscape.
Southeast Iceland: Ice and Ash
Diamond Beach (Breiðamerkursandur): This extraordinary beach is located across from the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
Features: Chunks of ice, some over 1,000 years old, break off the nearby Breiðamerkurjökull glacier and wash ashore, glistening like diamonds against the jet-black volcanic sand. The appearance of the beach changes daily with the tides and weather, making every visit unique.
Highlights: It is a prime location for photography, especially at sunrise or sunset, and a great place to spot seals lounging on the ice or swimming in the lagoon.
Fjallabak Nature Reserve
Fjallabak Nature Reserve ("Friðland að Fjallabaki") is an area in the Icelandic Highlands surrounding the popular hiking destination of Landmannalaugar, protected since 1979.
The entire area is more than 500 metres above sea level and characterised by colourful mountains, geothermal valleys and volcanic activity. The colour is due to the rhyolite and obsidian making the ground appear green, blue, pink, red and yellow. Lava fields, rivers and lakes also make their mark on this Nature Reserve.
A popular natural hot spring is located at Landmannalaugar camping ground, where visitors will frequently bathe. A mountain hut is also found in the area, perfect for guests to book overnight stays, use the kitchen and the bathroom facilities.
All amenities are basic and very rustic and there are no food or grocery shops available in the area.
The area is most popular with hikers; to reach it a 4WD car is needed as some rivers need to be crossed. Fjallabak Nature Reserve is also only accessible during summertime, as it is covered with thick ice and snow in wintertime.
Iceland's most popular hiking route, the Laugavegur Route, leads from Landmannalaugar within Fjallabak Nature Reserve to Þórsmörk.
Hikers normally take 3-4 days to hike it.
Reykjavik Capital of Iceland
Reykjavik is Iceland’s small but vibrant capital with a culture unlike any on the planet. Keep reading to learn what makes the capital of Iceland unforgettable and discover the top Reykjavik attractions you can’t miss.
With a population of just over 143,000, Reykjavik may be small compared to other capitals, but it has a charm that keeps visitors coming back year after year. The city combines a lively food scene with easy access to Iceland’s natural wonders, along with a wide variety of Reykjavik tours and experiences to fill your days.
As the cultural and political heart of the country, Reykjavik is the perfect base for your adventure. You’ll find the biggest selection of Reykjavik hotels and accommodations, from boutique stays in the city center to budget-friendly options and cozy escapes.
Getting here is simple too, with convenient flights to Reykjavik from major cities around the world. Whether you’re planning your Iceland holidays or thinking of renting a car and using the capital as your base, Reykjavik is ready to welcome you.
