There is no doubt that the southern part of Iceland, including the Golden Circle, is the most popular area among tourists.
In the southern part you will find the picturesque Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir, Thingvellir, Reynisfjara black beach and fascinating waterfalls and glaciers. Usually these places are also crowded all year round with people ticking off on their bucket list.
If you spend just a few days in Iceland these are places you will probably visit. But Iceland is a lot more than the Golden Circle and if you spend more than a few days you have the opportunity to experience the true uniqueness of Iceland in less crowded places.
One idea is to experience the Arctic Coast Way in the north of Iceland. It is a route where you can enjoy 21 fishing towns and villages, 6 islands, 27 best midnight sun watching spots, whale watching spots, hiking trails, 9 reachable lighthouses and 21 geothermal pools just to name a few.
The Arctic Coast Way is split into three parts; Coast of Sagas and Mythology, Coast of Fishing Towns and Heritage and Coast of Elemental Nature. It is 800 km by car starting in the village of Hvammstangi and ends in the village of Bakkafjörður.
As a bonus you could also drive the Diamond Circle where you will see Goðafoss waterfall, Mývatn, Dettifoss waterfall and Ásbyrgi canyon. These are some of Iceland’s most amazing natural wonders.
We will travel along the Arctic Coast Way this summer. We have seen many of the places and villages before, but there is always something new to see and experience.
We are not the only ones excited about the Arctic Coast Way as it is ranked in third place in Lonely Planet’s Best Of Europe.
We have posted about a few destinations along the Arctic Coast Way that you can find in the North category.
Below is a small library with photos of some of the places you will see along the Arctic Coast Way. Click on photos to start the slideshow.
