Iceland Summer: the best places to visit in 2023

21.07.2023 - 07:46 / roughguides.com

Known for its majestic glaciers, snow-covered houses, and Northern Lights- visiting Iceland in summer can feel like visiting a totally different country. While there are still plenty of icy natural wonders- you can also party with the locals at summer festivals, hike across flower-strewn moorland, or soak in hot springs under the midnight sun. Here's our pick of the best places to go during your Iceland summer trip:

The information in this article is inspired by The Rough Guide to Iceland, your essential guide for visiting Iceland.

Summer in Iceland is the perfect time to hike through stunning scenery. If you can camp, so much the better (and cheaper). Dynjandi is a particularly good spot to pitch up – the waterfall may not be as famous as Gullfoss, but it still attracts plenty of visitors. Stay the night and you may well get the thunderous falls, glittering in the early-morning sun, all to yourself.

For a more remote West Fjords experience, head to Hornstrandir, right on the edge of the Arctic Circle and barely accessible out of summer. This peninsula in Iceland’s far northwest is entirely wild. It's inhospitable, but beautiful, terrain is preserved as a nature reserve.

Hornstrandir is the perfect place to escape the crowds of the southern coast. Though, even in the summer, the weather in Iceland can be unpredictable- so hikers should take precautions to stay safe.

Want to learn more about hiking? Check out our top 12 hiking tips.

Dynjandi waterfall, Iceland — a favourite for Iceland summer travel © Supreecha Samansukumal/Shutterstock

One of Iceland’s biggest draws is its wildlife, and the Westman Islands are the prime place to go for puffin spotting. Every summer in Iceland, between April and August, the archipelago becomes the biggest puffin colony in the world. The friendly town of Vestmannaeyjar is located on the only inhabited island, Heimaey, and is the best base for seeing these cute orange-beaked birds.

Visit in early August and you might be lucky enough to witness a truly heart-warming event. This time of year local families collect lost baby puffins, or “pufflings”, who’ve found their way into the town by mistake and bring them to the shore to safely release them.

The Icelandic summer festival, Þjóðhátíð, is also held in early August. Its popularity among Icelanders is reflected in the fact it’s known, quite simply, as “The Festival” and makes for a memorable stop during your Iceland summer travel.

Visiting Iceland but not sure where to stay? Try our guide on where to stay in Iceland.

An infamous Iceland summer travel attraction — Atlantic Puffins at Westman Islands © Ventura/Shutterstock

The Interior (also known as the hálendið, or highlands) is a portion of Iceland generally only accessible in