Things to do in  Vik

A glacial tongue extending out from the larger Mýrdalsjökull ice cap, Sólheimajökull is one of the most easily accessible glaciers in Iceland and one of the most popular spots for glacier walks and ice climbing. The frozen surface is crisscrossed by rugged ridges, deep crevasses, and streams, and dotted with sinkholes and ice formations.

A place of stark, wild beauty, this black-sand beach on Iceland's south coast is one of the country's most photogenic locations. Here, roaring Atlantic waves batter the Reynisdrangar sea stacks, the black pebble shoreline, and the pyramid-like cliff of basalt columns known as Garðar, where you can spot puffins and guillemots.

Stretching 82 feet (25 meters) across the Skógá River and plunging 197 feet (60 meters) down a lush cliff, Skógafoss clocks in as one of Iceland’s biggest, most picturesque waterfalls. Its clouds of spray regularly create vivid rainbows, much to the delight of photographers, while fishermen flock to the waterway for its char and salmon. Said to be the site of a hidden Viking treasure, the waterfall is also the subject of local folklore.

A slim cascade of water slicing through the air and pooling in the Seljalands River below, Seljalandsfoss might not be Iceland’s mightiest waterfall, but it’s certainly one of its most famous. Plunging from a height of around 197 feet (60 meters), the cascade forms a dramatic arch of water that dominates the picturesque Thórsmörk valley. And because the falls’ chute of water is so narrow, you can also step behind it.

Covering more than 270 square miles (700 square kilometers) and reaching a thickness of as much as 2,460 feet (750 meters) in places, this vast glacier is Iceland’s fourth largest. It sits atop the active Katla Volcano, which has erupted many times over the centuries, spewing meltwater, rock fragments, and ash into the air.

Just off the Ring Road, in the heart of Iceland’s countryside, you’ll find one of the country’s most popular museums. Founded in 1949, Skogar Museum is a cultural heritage collection of around 15,000 artifacts exhibited in three museums and six historical buildings. Together, they tell rich stories about Icelandic social history.

The Fimmvörðuháls area is most well-known for the Fimmvörðuháls Trail—aka the Fimm. It’s arguably Iceland’s best day hike, bringing hikers across 26 waterfalls, volcanoes, ice caps and glaciers, lava fields, and rivers, all in just roughly 15 miles (25 kilometers). Most hikers do the trek in a day; others overnight in one of two mountain huts to extend the spectacular journey.

An uninhabited and unspoiled expanse of volcanic terrain, Landmannalaugar is a great choice if you’re looking to get off the beaten track in Iceland. It’s a top hiking destination famous for its spectacular scenery, which comprises multicolored rhyolite mountains, rugged lava fields, and steamy thermal pools backed by the looming Hekla volcano.