Iceland is one of the world's most geologically dynamic places, a young island sitting on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where two tectonic plates pull apart, creating a landscape of active volcanoes, geysers, lava fields, glaciers, black sand beaches and hot springs that exists nowhere else on earth at this scale and accessibility. For the natural world traveller, it offers experiences unavailable elsewhere: driving on a glacier, walking through lava tubes, watching geysers erupt on a schedule, and, between September and March, witnessing the Northern Lights dancing above a landscape of ice and snow.
The luxury hotel offering in Iceland has transformed over the past decade. Reykjavik's 101 Hotel, the Ion Adventure Hotel near Thingvellir and the remote wilderness lodges in the Highlands have created a luxury travel infrastructure that matches the ambition of the landscape. Iceland is now confidently a year-round luxury destination, winter for Northern Lights and ice adventure, summer for the midnight sun and green highland landscapes.
Reykjavik: Europe's Smallest Capital
Reykjavik punches extraordinarily above its weight for a city of 130,000 people, its restaurant scene (several with international recognition), its design culture, its geothermal swimming pools (which function as the city's social infrastructure) and its position as the gateway to Iceland's natural wonders make it one of Europe's most compelling short-break destinations. The Hallgrimskirkja church towers over the city, and the Harpa Concert Hall on the harbour front, its glass facade designed to catch Iceland's extraordinary light at every hour, is among the finest contemporary buildings in Scandinavia.
The hotel offering in Reykjavik has expanded substantially, the Canopy by Hilton, Hotel Borg (the city's historic luxury hotel since 1930) and the Edition Hotel represent the range from contemporary boutique to traditional grand hotel elegance. Reykjavik deserves two to three days of exploration as part of any Iceland itinerary.
The Golden Circle and South Coast
The Golden Circle, Thingvellir National Park (where you can walk between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates in a rift valley), Geysir (the geyser that gave all others their name, whose neighbour Strokkur erupts every five to ten minutes) and Gullfoss waterfall (a double-tiered cataract plunging into a glacial canyon), is Iceland's most visited tourist route and justifiably so. The concentration of extraordinary geological phenomena in a single day's drive is unmatched.
The South Coast adds Seljalandsfoss (a curtain waterfall you can walk behind) and Skogafoss, the black sand beaches of Reynisfjara (hexagonal basalt columns, Atlantic surf and nesting puffins), the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon (where icebergs calved from the Vatnajokull glacier float serenely to the sea) and the accessible glacier tongues of Skaftafell.
Northern Lights and Arctic Experiences
The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are visible in Iceland from approximately September to March, with the best viewing requiring clear skies, minimal light pollution and geomagnetic activity of sufficient strength. The dedicated aurora forecast apps (Vedur.is and SpaceWeatherLive) provide same-day predictions. The remote hotel properties outside Reykjavik, Ion Adventure Hotel, Hotel Ranga and Deplar Farm in the Troll Peninsula, offer the best aurora viewing conditions alongside world-class Arctic activities including snowmobile tours, ice cave exploration inside Vatnajokull and heliskiing.
Deplar Farm in particular, a converted sheep farm in a remote fjord in northern Iceland, helicoptered in from Akureyri, represents Iceland's most exclusive address. Twelve rooms, a private hot spring, heliskiing in winter and river fishing in summer, and a landscape of total wilderness: it is among the finest remote luxury lodges in the world.
The Midnight Sun
Iceland's summer (June to August) brings the midnight sun, days of 24-hour light where the sun dips toward the horizon around midnight but never fully sets. This creates a strange, beautiful quality of light in the late evening hours that turns the landscape golden for hours at a time. The Highland interior, accessible by four-wheel drive from June to September, reveals a volcanic landscape of extraordinary desolation, the Landmannalaugar geothermal area with its rainbow-coloured rhyolite mountains and hot spring bathing, and the Thorsmork valley surrounded by three glaciers, are the Highland's finest destinations.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to see the Northern Lights in Iceland?
The Northern Lights require dark skies, so the viewing season runs from September to mid-April. The darkest months (November to January) offer the most hours of darkness but are also the most likely to have overcast skies. September, October and March often offer the best combination of darkness and clear weather.
Do you need a four-wheel drive in Iceland?
A 4WD is essential for the Highland roads (F-roads) accessible only in summer. For the Golden Circle, South Coast and Reykjavik peninsula, a standard car is adequate. We include appropriate vehicle hire as part of all self-drive Iceland itineraries.
How do you get to Iceland from the UK?
Icelandair operates direct flights from London Heathrow, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham to Keflavik Airport. The flight takes approximately three hours. Keflavik is 45 minutes by road from Reykjavik.
Is Iceland worth visiting in summer if you can't see the Northern Lights?
Absolutely, summer Iceland is a completely different and equally extraordinary experience. The midnight sun, green highland landscapes, puffin colonies at their peak (July), accessible glacier walks, highland F-roads open, and comfortable temperatures (10-15 degrees C) make it one of Europe's most compelling summer destinations.
