Hidden gems in Iceland that most tourists miss

Most people who visit Iceland tick off the Golden Circle, snap the Northern Lights from a hotel hot tub, and leave thinking they've seen it all. They haven't. Iceland has over 130 active and dormant volcanoes, more than 10,000 waterfalls, and a coastline so ragged it would take years to properly explore — yet the vast majority of the island's visitors spend 90% of their time within a two-hour radius of Reykjavík. That's not a criticism; the classic sights are classic for a reason. But if you want to experience an Iceland that feels genuinely wild, uncrowded, and yours — the kind that makes you feel like a proper explorer rather than a tourist following a YouTube itinerary — you need to go further, and dig deeper.

Here's where to start.

The Westfjords: Iceland's Best-Kept Secret

The Westfjords region is, without question, the most dramatic and least-visited corner of Iceland. It's a jagged peninsula in the northwest that looks, on a map, like someone chewed the edge of the country. The roads twist along impossibly steep fjords, the towns are tiny, and the feeling of remoteness is real — which is exactly why most package tourists never make it here.

Ísafjörður is the region's main hub, a small town of around 2,500 people squeezed between the fjord and the mountains. It has a surprisingly good restaurant scene (try Tjöruhúsið for fresh fish — it's served buffet-style, as much as you can eat, for around £35–40), a couple of good guesthouses, and enough hiking to keep you busy for a week.

But the real draw is Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, accessible only by ferry from Ísafjörður. There are no roads, no permanent residents, and no tourist infrastructure. Just Arctic foxes, sheer sea cliffs, and silence. Day trips run around £60–80 per person; multi-day camping expeditions are possible but need serious planning. You can browse small-group guided tours to the Westfjords on our site — for somewhere this remote, having a guide makes a real difference.

Getting here requires effort: either a flight from Reykjavík (around 45 minutes, from £80–120 return on domestic carriers) or an eight-to-nine hour drive. That effort is the point. The Westfjords reward the committed.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula: The Ring Road's Overlooked Cousin

Most travellers do the Ring Road (Route 1) and feel like they've covered Iceland. They skip the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, which juts westward from the main island like a finger pointing into the Atlantic, and that's a genuine shame.

The peninsula is anchored by Snæfellsjökull glacier — the one Jules Verne used as the entrance to the centre of the Earth in Journey to the Centre of the Earth — and it offers an extraordinary concentration of landscapes in a small area. Lava fields, black sand beaches, fishing villages, sea stacks, and a glacier-capped volcano all within a 90km drive.

Arnarstapi and Hellnar are two tiny villages on the southern coast connected by a walking path that follows the cliffs. The scenery is extraordinary — basalt columns, sea caves, nesting seabirds — and at the height of summer it's still nowhere near as crowded as Vík or Jökulsárlón. Walk the 2.5km path between them and you'll likely have stretches entirely to yourself.

Accommodation in Snæfellsnes is mostly guesthouses and farm stays, typically £80–150 per night. Compare options on our site to find something that suits your budget. The peninsula is doable as a long day trip from Reykjavík (it's about two hours each way), but staying overnight lets you catch the evening light, which in summer lasts until midnight and turns the glacier pink.

East Iceland: Where the Tourists Run Out

Drive the Ring Road east past Jökulsárlón and something remarkable happens: the tour buses thin out, the car parks empty, and the landscape gets genuinely austere. East Iceland — the Eastfjords in particular — feels like a different country.

Seyðisfjörður is the standout town. It sits at the end of a long fjord, surrounded by waterfalls tumbling off the mountains on every side, and its painted wooden houses give it a fairytale quality that photographs can't quite capture. The famous rainbow street leading up to the church is, yes, slightly Instagram-saturated now, but the rest of the town is genuine and lovely. There's a small arts scene, a decent café culture, and a real community feel.

Nearby, Mjóifjörður is one of the most isolated fjords in Iceland — a dead-end road leads 30km into the mountains to a handful of farms and one of the most dramatic landscapes on the island. No petrol. No facilities. Just scenery that will make your jaw drop.

The Eastfjords are also where you'll encounter reindeer — they were introduced from Norway in the 18th century and now roam wild. Spotting a herd on the hillside is one of those Iceland experiences that's entirely free and utterly memorable.

Budget: guesthouses in Seyðisfjörður run £70–130 per night; Egilsstaðir, the regional hub, has more options at slightly lower prices.

The Interior Highlands: Iceland's Moonscape

The Highland Interior — the vast, uninhabited central plateau — is the Iceland most visitors never see. It's only accessible in summer (roughly late June to September) when the F-roads are open, and it requires a 4WD vehicle. But if you can make the logistics work, this is the most extraordinary landscape in the country.

Landmannalaugar is the most accessible entry point: a geothermal wonderland of hot springs, obsidian lava fields, and rhyolite mountains that look like they've been airbrushed in shades of pink, green, and rust. The hiking here is superb — the famous Laugavegur Trail starts here, running 55km to Þórsmörk over four days, and is consistently ranked among the world's best long-distance hikes.

Askja, further north, requires a longer journey — typically a guided day trip from Akureyri or Mývatn, around £90–130 per person — but the reward is a caldera lake so remote and surreal it's been used to train NASA astronauts. The water is freezing, but you can swim in the smaller geothermal lake beside it, Víti, which sits at a very manageable 30°C.

A word of honest caution: the Highland Interior is not forgiving. River crossings, rapidly changing weather, and genuinely difficult terrain mean this is not somewhere to wing it. Go with a guide or do very thorough research before attempting F-roads solo. You can book Highland day trips through our tours section.

North Iceland: Akureyri and Beyond

Akureyri is Iceland's second city — which tells you something about Iceland's sense of scale, because it has a population of around 20,000. But it punches well above its weight. A botanical garden, a respected restaurant scene, Christmas decorations on the traffic lights year-round (a long-standing local tradition), and a position at the base of a dramatic fjord make it genuinely worth the trip north.

Most visitors to the north come for Mývatn, a geothermal lake area that offers a quieter alternative to the Golden Circle's sites: pseudo-craters, lava formations, a natural geothermal bath (the Mývatn Nature Baths, around £30–35 per adult) and birdlife that attracts serious twitchers from across Europe.

But push further east to Húsavík and you'll find what is widely regarded as the best whale watching in Europe. The cold, nutrient-rich waters off the north coast attract humpback whales reliably from May to August. Tours run around £70–90 per person and genuinely deliver — sightings are not guaranteed but the success rate is extremely high.

Getting There and Practical Info

Flights from UK airports to Reykjavík (Keflavík) typically run £180–380 return depending on the season and how far ahead you book. Use our flight search to compare prices from your nearest airport — Manchester, Edinburgh, and London all have regular routes. Peak season (June–August) is pricier but gives you long daylight hours and open Highland roads; late autumn and winter are cheaper and offer better Northern Lights odds.

For data, skip expensive roaming charges and grab an Airalo eSIM before you travel — coverage is good across most of Iceland, though expect dead spots in the Highland Interior. Set it up before you leave the UK.

And please — sort your travel insurance before you fly. Iceland is breathtakingly safe, but it's an active volcanic landscape with unpredictable weather, river crossings, and outdoor activities that can go wrong. Standard European policies sometimes exclude adventure activities; read the small print and get cover that actually covers what you plan to do.

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Iceland rewards the curious and the adventurous. The Golden Circle is wonderful — but it's just the beginning. Whether you're drawn to the eerie silence of Hornstrandir, the painted houses of Seyðisfjörður, or the alien landscape of the Highland Interior, there's an Iceland out there that most people never get to see.

Explore our site to compare flights, find accommodation, and book tours that'll take you beyond the tourist trail. The real Iceland is waiting — and it's even better than the version on everyone's Instagram.

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