The 12 Best Stops On Iceland's Famous Ring Road

Iceland's stunning Ring Road is an 820-mile trip passing some of the country's most famous sites. Visit Iceland recommends spending at least seven days driving the route and hails the southern part as the more scenic portion. As this is a loop drive, visitors can choose whether to drive clockwise or counterclockwise — Icelanders go by the weather conditions (per Visit Iceland). We're going to take you on a tour of some of Ring Road's best sites.

North Iceland recommends Goðafoss as one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. While much smaller than Dettifoss (Goðafoss is 98 feet wide, per Guide to Iceland), the beautiful waterfall's history is what draws visitors. According to Guide to Iceland, the name means either waterfall of the gods or waterfall of the priests, and it was here that pagan idols were thrown into the waters when the country converted to Christianity in around A.D. 1000.

You can't go to Iceland without bathing in a hot spring. For an experience that is completely different from the popular and often rather busy Blue Lagoon, head to Djúpavogskörin Hot Springs in the east of Iceland. Iceland Trippers love this small and simple hot spring that you're quite likely to have all to yourself. You'll have a view of the Atlantic Ocean as you sit here, warming yourself in the tub, surrounded by nature. Though it's just off the Ring Road, it is out of view of drivers, so solitude reigns.

You won't find diamonds of the jeweled kind here, but the views are absolutely priceless. Large and small chunks of ice and small icebergs line the shore of the black-sand Diamond Beach, washed up by powerful, crashing waves (per Nordic Visitor.) The contrast of these blue and white hunks of ice glistening in the sun against the black sand of the beach makes for incredible photos, and Iceland Trippers particularly recommend a visit here at sunset when the sky turns yellow.

In the south of Iceland, you won't want to miss the spectacular waterfall of Seljalandsfoss. The waters here flow from Eyjafjallajökull glacier — the site of the volcanic eruptions that disrupted all of those flights in 2010, per Reykjavik Excursions. A major selling point of this stunning waterfall, according to Nordic Visitor, is its unique geography that allows visitors to walk behind the curtain of water that pours down from the cliff. Reykjavik Excursions warns that you'll probably get a bit damp as the powerful falls produce clouds of spray as they hit the bowl.

Heading away from Skógafoss toward Reykjavík, you'll arrive at the town of Hveragerði. It sits on a very geothermally active area and is home to hot springs that spew boiling water and colorful mud into the air, according to Visit South Iceland. For a more tourist-friendly bathing experience, you can hike to Reykjadalur valley to laze in a steamy river. Make sure to eat in one of the restaurants here to sample the unique cooking technique: food is cooked by being buried in the ground for a few hours (per Guide to Iceland).

Reykjavík is usually the start and end point of Ring Road trips. There are lots of things to see and do in the world's most northerly capital city. You can learn about the Viking history of Iceland at the Settlement Exhibition or feel the power of a volcano and wander through an ice cave at Perlan. And, while Iceland hasn't traditionally been known for the quality and diversity of its cuisine, that's all changed in recent years, at least in Reykjavík, so make the most of the dining opportunities before you head out onto the Ring Road.