Iceland's South Coast.

EUROPE/ICELAND/63.7500° N, 18.5000° W

Gravel rattles under the chassis as Route 1 cuts straight across the black outwash plains of Skeiðarársandur. To your left, the ice cap of Vatnajökull looms above basalt cliffs; to your right, the North Atlantic crashes against dark volcanic shingle. It is a cinematic four-hundred-kilometre corridor of thundering glacial meltwater, sheep farms, and fierce maritime winds where dinner is often arctic char landed hours earlier.

Last updated 31 Aug 2026

Field notes

Photographs · Wikimedia Commons
Europe / Iceland63.75°N 18.50°W
Iceland's South Coast — landscape
landscape
Iceland's South Coast — Coast of Ósar Bay, Iceland, 20230430 1150
Coast of Ósar Bay, Iceland, 20230430 1150
Iceland's South Coast — mountains
mountains

What Iceland's South Coast is about

Twelve ways to read the region. Pick a town below and you can turn any of these into a timed 1, 2 or 3 day plan.

GLACIAL LANDSCAPES

Vatnajökull ice caps feed the lagoons at Jökulsárlón and Fjallsárlón, where blue bergs drift out to sea across volcanic sands.

WATERFALLS

Water plunges sixty metres at Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss, while Kvernufoss hides quietly inside a gorge behind local museum grounds.

BLACK SAND BEACHES

Atlantic swells crash onto the basalt columns at Reynisfjara, framed by the Reynisdrangar sea stacks near the headland of Dyrhólaey.

LOCAL SEAFOOD

Harbour diners in Höfn serve langoustine tails roasted in garlic butter, alongside salt cod and pan-fried arctic char.

VOLCANIC GEOLOGY

Eyjafjallajökull and Katla shape the terrain, sending ancient basalt lava flows across Eldhraun towards the sea.

CANYON TRAILS

Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon winds through sheer moss-lined palagonite walls carved out by retreating ice melt over millennia.

HOT SPRINGS

Geothermal run-off warms the swimming pool at Seljavallalaug, built in 1923 deep within an amphitheatre of turf and rock.

ISLAND LIFE

A short ferry runs to Heimaey in the Westman Islands, where puffins nest along the steep cliffs of the volcanic harbour.

HIGHLAND PASSES

F-roads lead into the rhyolite peaks of Landmannalaugar, offering day treks through obsidian fields and steaming vents.

TURF ARCHITECTURE

Turf-roofed farmsteads at Keldur and Skógar preserve timber post construction designed to endure brutal subarctic winters.

BIRDWATCHING

Dyrhólaey peninsula shelters thousands of Atlantic puffins, fulmars, and guillemots along its jagged coastal promontory.

FARMSTEAD COOKING

Roadside kitchens prepare slow-cooked mountain lamb soup, rye bread baked in volcanic ground, and thick dairy skyr.

Where to go in Iceland's South Coast

The bases worth booking. Each one has its own field guide with 1, 2 and 3 day itineraries.

  1. 01
    Vík í Mýrdal

    SUÐURLAND / ICELAND

    Black sand beaches and basalt sea stacks sit right below its hilltop wooden church.

  2. 02
    Höfn

    AUSTURLAND / ICELAND

    This working fishing port serves the country's finest langoustine beside Vatnajökull.

  3. 03
    Kirkjubæjarklaustur

    SUÐURLAND / ICELAND

    A quiet hamlet set among historic lava fields, ideal for exploring Fjaðrárgljúfur.

  4. 04
    Hvolsvöllur

    SUÐURLAND / ICELAND

    A convenient southern hub near major saga sites and the path to Eyjafjallajökull.

  5. 05
    Hella

    SUÐURLAND / ICELAND

    Riverfront angling and wide skies make this tidy village a calm base for day trips.

  6. 06
    Heimaey

    SUÐURLAND / ICELAND

    The largest Westman Island offers volcanic craters, puffin colonies, and rich maritime lore.

  7. 07
    Selfoss

    SUÐURLAND / ICELAND

    The region's main commercial town provides reliable groceries, bakeries, and river walks.

  8. 08
    Stokkseyri

    SUÐURLAND / ICELAND

    A low-slung coastal village known for seafood soup, kayak tours, and black pebble shorelines.

  9. 09
    Eyrarbakki

    SUÐURLAND / ICELAND

    Preserved nineteenth-century timber houses and a quiet seawall give this village a gentle charm.

  10. 10
    Skógar

    SUÐURLAND / ICELAND

    Home to a roaring sixty-metre waterfall and an exceptional folk museum of turf dwellings.

  11. 11
    Flúðir

    SUÐURLAND / ICELAND

    Geothermal greenhouses and the natural warm pools of the Secret Lagoon anchor this rural base.

What to do in Iceland's South Coast

Stretching along Route 1 from Selfoss to Höfn, the South Coast runs between glaciated volcanoes and the North Atlantic. Days here revolve around weather windows, road trips across black sands, and hikes along river canyons like Fjaðrárgljúfur. It suits independent drivers who appreciate wide open terrain, hearty lamb stew, and seeing geological forces active before their eyes.

When to go to Iceland's South Coast

June through August brings long daylight, accessible highland tracks, and nesting puffins, though Route 1 gets busy. May and September offer quieter roads, lower lodge rates, and crisp skies. Winter brings short days and icy roads, but rewards careful drivers with clear northern lights over glacial lagoons.

Getting around Iceland's South Coast

A rental car is essential, as public transport is minimal. The drive from Selfoss to Höfn covers roughly four hundred kilometres on paved highway, taking about five hours without stops. In winter, book a four-wheel drive and check road.is daily for sudden coastal gales.