Some tips for visiting Iceland by car

Excursions around Reykjavik

Iceland lacks a railway network, but it has a well-maintained and lightly trafficked road network. Therefore, car rental in Iceland is ideal for exploring the country.

Keflavik Airport is located 50 kilometers from downtown Reykjavik via Route 41. Once in the city, Laugavegur Street, with its artist workshops, the Harpa concert hall, and the waterfront are all great places to explore.

The magnificent whale fjord is only about thirty kilometers north of Reykjavik, perfect for a half-day excursion dedicated to whale watching in a stunning landscape.

48 kilometers from the capital, heading northwest along the coast, the Vatnsnes Peninsula is home to the Hvitserkur rock, which has been shaped into a distinctive form by sea erosion.

Some routes in Iceland

The Ring Road, also known as Route 1, circles the island. With car rental in Iceland, you can also explore mountain towns by taking small gravel roads where it’s not uncommon to encounter a flock of sheep or goats.

The astonishing site of Geysir, home to Iceland’s two most famous geysers (including Strokkur, which erupts up to twenty meters high), is about a hundred kilometers from Reykjavik via Routes 35, 37, and 365. Just 9 kilometers from Geysir, the Gullfoss waterfalls are worth a visit, thanks to the rainbow colors reflected in the waters.

150 kilometers south along Route 1, the Skogafoss waterfalls drop over sixty meters, making them one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the country.

The Landmannalaugar region is only 150 kilometers from the Skogafoss waterfalls, but the mountain roads leading there are only open in summer. Once there, you can bathe in the natural hot spring pool and be enchanted by the landscapes sculpted by lava and sulfur.