Looking for some adventure in Iceland? We visited this island, world-famous for its dramatic and powerful forces of nature, in February 2026.
You can read below all about my top 5 Icelandic winter favorites.
More into summer adventures? Then have a look at our summer suggestions.
Take a swim in a geothermal lagoon
A geothermal lagoon should definitely be on your Iceland bucket list. The ideal place to fully unwind, even on a freezing winter day under a crisp blue sky.
Choosing one isn’t easy. South Iceland is known for its outdoor lagoons and there are many options.
There is, of course the Blue Lagoon. Famous. Special. An experience for sure. And within reach of the International Airport, so ideal to have a soak before you head home. But also very crowed, very commercial and very expensive.
This time, we were looking for something more intimate. Cozier. And if possible, with beautiful views.
A recommendation of a friendly lady at the tourist office in Reykjavík led us to the newly opened Laugarás Lagoon (opened October 2025).
Which turned to be an excellent choice.
Laugaras Lagoon is a breathtaking geothermal lagoon. It’s is beautifully nestled among the mountains, overlooking the Hvítá River and surrounding farmlands, perfectly balanced with the landscape.
The lagoon has a unique two-story design, something I hadn’t seen anywhere else in Iceland. There’s even a unique cascading waterfall.
The infinity edge lagoon stretches toward the horizon and blends seamlessly with the landscape. It’s superb. You can even watch the ice floating on the Hvítá River.
From the saunas, you have a beautiful view on your surroundings too.
In for a more secluded soak? Then head to the grotto, my personal favorite. Or the small forest pool near the treeline, surrounded by the scent of pine.
Although the entrance and changing rooms are very modern, the whole complex breathes tranquility, warmth and a pleasant atmosphere.
We arrived in the afternoon and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.
I truly loved this place. I personally even prefer Laugarás Lagoon over Blue Lagoon. It feels more intimate, more balanced with nature, more serene.
You can perfectly combine a visit to the lagoon with some sightseeing. We visited Gulfoss waterfalls and Geysir Geothermal Area in the morning, an ideal combination.
If you are just in for a swim, you can also check out the local swimming pools. These are all well heated, have hot tubs and often slides too. It’s a great (and cheap) experience. We tried one when we visited Iceland in summer, in Borgarnes, which was pretty good. Didn’t get there this winter though.
Visit at least one waterfall
If you’ve ever seen winter commercials of Iceland, you’ll know the image: powerful waterfalls framed by snow and long icicles hanging like crystal chandeliers along the edges.
That postcard image? It’s real. And seeing it with my own eyes in the southern part of Iceland was nothing short of magical.
The air was ice cold. The kind that makes your cheeks sting and your breath visible , but that only made the experience more intense.
And a tip before you start reading. Take crampons for extra grip on ice. In winter, many walking paths around waterfalls, viewpoints, and parking areas can become extremely icy. So buy some lightweight crampons tho attach to your boots. Just to make sure you keep your balance.
My absolute favorite: beautiful Skógafoss
Without hesitation, Skógafoss was my favorite waterfall of the trip.
Located in the small village of Skógar along the Southern Ring Road, Skógafoss drops an impressive 60 meters down into a wide, powerful curtain of water. In winter parts of the sides freeze into dramatic ice formations.
What I love most about Skógafoss? You can climb up.
A staircase leads to a viewing platform at the top. Yes, it’s a bit of a workout – especially in icy temperatures – but the view is absolutely worth it.
From above, you see the river Skógá winding its way through the white winter landscape. And see how the waterfall keeps roaring down with full force. The combination of thundering water, snow-covered ground, and glittering icicles made it feel almost unreal.
But don’t stop there.
The real magic begins when you continue hiking upstream. The trail follows the river and reveals one waterfall after another, smaller, hidden cascades framed by snow and ice.
Parts of the stream were frozen, with sheets of ice forming delicate patterns along the edges, while darker water continued to flow steadily in between. Here and there, chunks of ice drifted slowly downstream.
The trail is part of the famous Fimmvörðuháls hiking route between Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. We only explored a very small part of it, since there was no snow and ice on the path. But even a short walk gives you a sense of Iceland’s raw beauty.
So, if you visit in winter, don’t skip the climb. If weather conditions permit it of course. We had a clear blue sky and no slippery roads, so ideal.
Take your time, watch your step if it’s icy, and enjoy the silence and beauty of the frozen landscape from above.
Cosy Kvernufoss waterfall
Some time left after or before your visit to Skógafoss? Then drive towards the back of the Sogar museum and hike to Kvernufoss Waterfall.
It’s a smaller, quieter waterfall. It felt like a hidden gem, peaceful, almost secret, especially compared to the main falls.
But you also get the same magical winter feeling: a thundering waterfall framed by snow and thick icicles hanging like crystal chandeliers along the edges. And no busloads of tourists.
The Power of Gullfoss
Another winter highlight was Gulfoss , one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls along the Golden Circle.
Gullfoss is different from Skógafoss. Instead of one single drop, the water plunges 32 meters down in two dramatic tiers into a narrow canyon. In winter, snow softens the surrounding cliffs, while ice forms along the edges of the gorge.
Standing on the viewing platforms, I could feel the icy mist and sharp wind on my face. It was freezing cold when we visited. Iceland’s raw and untamed natural forces in real life.
The power of the water against the frozen landscape is deeply impressive.
Paths are open, but always stay within the safety fences, especially in winter when surfaces can be slippery.
Once you are here, drive about 30 minutes and stop at Geysir Geothermal Area to admire the famous Strokkur Geysir. Every 7 minutes or so, this Geysir shoots vast jets of boiling water from 20 metres up to 40 metres high. Just wait and enjoy this spectacle.
Iconic Seljalandsfoss
We ended our waterfall explorations at Seljalandsfoss, another iconic cascade along the South Coast.
In summer, you can walk behind the waterfall. In winter, that path can be icy and sometimes closed, but even from the front it’s stunning. Long icicles framed the falling water and snow covered the surrounding cliffs. You can
In a few hundred meters walking distance from Seljalandsfoss, you’ll find Gljúfrabúi.
Another unique waterfall definitely worth checking out. To reach it, you walk through a gap in the rocks and enter a waterfall ‘chamber’ or a cave without a roof. We once did this in summer. In winter, the path was too slippery to go in, so we skipped this.
Visit Jökulsárlón Glacier lagoon and black Diamond beach
A must-do during your visit in Southern Iceland: Visit Jökulsárlón Glacier lagoon and the black Diamond beach.
For me, visiting Jökulsárlón near sunset became one of the most unforgettable experiences of our journey through South Iceland.
We visited in summer too, but the atmosphere and the light are completely different in winter.
We arrived in the late afternoon, under a clear blue sky, just as the light began to soften. The air was crisp and cold, and the lagoon lay calm and still in front of us. Icebergs, freshly broken off from Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet glacier of the massive Vatnajökull, floated silently across the blue water.
As the sun started to sink lower, the sky slowly turned pink. Those delicate shades reflected on the surface of the lagoon, transforming the ice into an ever-changing palette of pink and warm golden tones.
And as the light shifted minute by minute, so did the colors.
There are no boat tours in winter, you just walk along the shoreline, up to the viewpoint. Which is more then enough to silently watch the ice drift by in silence.
No visit to the lagoon with a stop at the famous black Diamond Beach.
Here, the lagoon flows through a narrow channel into the Atlantic Ocean, and chunks of ice are washed ashore onto the black volcanic sand.
As the sun dipped lower, golden rays stretched across the beach. The ice blocks, scattered like diamonds, lit up from within.
We started at sunset and stayed until darkness. The colors kept changing and every few minutes the entire landscape looked different. And if you visit late, there are fewer people around.
Watch the sky for the Northern Lights
The absolute cherry on the winter cake? Watching the Aurora Borealis, the magical Northern Lights.
Iceland is perfectly located under the auroral oval. This makes it one of the best places in the world to see them.
Still, as we experienced already in Lapland, it’s always a game of wait and see.
Having visited Lapland several times before, including stays in Levi, we knew that spotting the Northern Lights is never guaranteed.
You need full darkness, clear skies, solar activity and proper cold. And a little luck.
If there is a great solar storm – KPI 4 or so – , it’s easy to see them. The sky is simply bursting with colors. Sometimes you’ll see just a faint green glow at first and then the Lights start dancing.
During our stay, the odds were in our favor.
During our 7-night stay in Iceland, we saw the Northern Lights on three different evenings.
One night in particular was simply unforgettable. I had never seen the sky so alive, waves of intense green swirling and dancing majestically for hours across an ice-cold, crystal-clear sky. Never seen the lights so beautiful.
And the best part? We were standing on the terrace of our cottage. No driving. No crowds. Just us, the silence, and the universe putting on a show.
Another evening, we caught a soft touch of green while walking through cosy Reykjavík.
And on the day before we left, we had one final farewell with more subtle lights gently moving across the horizon.
So how increase your chances?
- Install Auora alert apps. We installed two free apps, Aurora Forecast & Alerts and Northern Lights Alert. These apps update about every 30 minutes and show both aurora strength and cloud cover. Worked in Lapland and in Iceland.
- Get away from artificial light. No street lamps, no hotel glow, no city illumination. That’s one of the reasons Iceland is such an easy place for aurora hunting. Outside small towns, there is virtually no light pollution. Even Route 1, the Ring Road, isn’t illuminated. If we noticed activity and found a safe place to park, we simply stopped and looked up. Also, a lot of accommodation in Iceland is located in Northern Lights preferred spots. With large open windows. As was ours. From the terrace of our cottage, we had a perfect view.
- Be patient. Be prepared to wait, in the cold, even when it is freezing. For hours. So dress warm. Even with strong solar storms and perfect forecasts, the aurora remains unpredictable. You might wait an hour. Or more. And the show might last only minutes. On our perfect evening, the show started around 10 pm, it was still going strong around 2 pm.
Go hiking in Þingvellir National Park
In winter also, Iceland is ideal for hiking. You of course have to look where and when you are going, all depends on the weather conditions.
An ideal place to go for a walk? Þingvellir National Park where nature and history truly come together.
Often called the crown jewel of Iceland, Þingvellir National Park is a place where continents drift apart, where Iceland’s story began, and where you can hike through landscapes that quite literally have been torn open by tectonic forces.
So just take some time to explore it all!
The name Þingvellir means ‘Assembly Plains’ and this is where the Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament was founded in the year 930. It’s considered the oldest operating parliament in the world. For nearly nine centuries, people gathered here along the Öxará River to make laws and shape the nation.’
On top, the park lies in a rift valley between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. The earth is literally pulling apart here. Lava fields have cracked open, forming dramatic gorges and fissures.
Þingvellir became Iceland’s first national park in 1930 and was later listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural significance.
We started our 12 kilometer hike at the visitor center and followed the path up toward this famous gorge, walking between the towering basalt walls of Almannagjá.
The trail continues toward the ‘Law Rock’ and the beautiful Öxarárfoss waterfall.
From the gorge and waterfall, we continued toward Þingvallavatn, Iceland’s largest natural lake.
The landscape around the lake felt wide and open. Snow-covered lava fields stretched out before us.
We passed the famous Silfra fissure, one of the world’s most unique dive sites, where crystal-clear water fills a crack between two continents.
Our walk ended near the Þingvallakirkja, the Church of Þingvellir, build in 1859.
What I loved most was the variety. One moment we were walking through dramatic rock formations, the next across open plains with views over the lake. The trails are generally well marked near the main sites. Once you go further out, the path gets smaller. We were walking all by ourselves.
Winter hiking in Þingvellir National Park is a real experience. Basalt walls, gorges, lava fields, open planes, frozen lakes, panoramic views, and the perfect sense of peace
Into more winter hiking adventures? Then have a look at our Top winter hikes in Lapland, our speedy adventure or exploring Levi’s ski slopes.
And here you can find our 5 fantastic things to do in Iceland in summer.
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