✦ Top pick
Seydisfjordur is the most beautiful all-rounder for its rainbow street and fjord setting; choose Stykkisholmur for the easiest scenic day trip from Reykjavik, or Siglufjordur if you want the quietest, most dramatic northern hideaway.
Iceland's wild scenery gets all the headlines, but its small towns are where the country feels human: brightly painted timber houses, a single church spire against a fjord wall, a harbor full of fishing boats and the smell of fresh langoustine on the air. Many sit a long drive from Reykjavik, which is exactly why they stay quiet and photogenic even in July.
This list ranks eight of the prettiest, spread from the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in the west to the East Fjords, with notes on how far each is from the capital and how to reach it. Some are easy day trips; others reward an overnight or a stop on a full Ring Road loop.
Use the comparison details on each entry to plan around your route and the season. Roads to the Westfjords and East Fjords are spectacular but slow, so build in extra time and check road.is for conditions, especially outside summer.
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1Seydisfjordur Google
Set at the head of a long fjord ringed by waterfall-streaked mountains, Seydisfjordur is the photograph everyone wants from eastern Iceland. The famous rainbow-painted path leads straight to the powder-blue Blaa Kirkjan (Blue Church), framed by colorful 19th-century timber houses brought over as kits from Norway. It is an arts town too, with galleries, the Skaftfell cultural center, and the LungA art festival in July. Come for a slow afternoon of coffee, photography, and a walk up to Tvisongur sound sculpture on the hillside.
- The rainbow street leading to the Blue Church
- Concerts and exhibitions at Blaa Kirkjan
- Tvisongur sound sculpture hike
- Fresh fish at Nordic Restaurant
Best for photographers and a scenic overnight
Getting there About a 9-hour drive east from Reykjavik via the Ring Road, or a short detour from Egilsstadir (27 km over a mountain pass)
2tours from $143.00Stykkisholmur Google
The unofficial capital of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Stykkisholmur is a tidy harbor town of restored wooden houses climbing above a working dock. Walk out to the Sugandisey island lighthouse for a sweeping view over Breidafjordur's countless islets, then browse the striking modernist Stykkisholmskirkja church on the hill. Seafood is the reason to linger: the town is known for its blue mussels and scallops, best eaten at Narfeyrarstofa. It also makes the most practical scenic base on the peninsula and the launch point for Breidafjordur ferry trips.
- Sugandisey island and lighthouse viewpoint
- Blue mussels at Narfeyrarstofa
- The Library of Water (Vatnasafn) installation
- Modernist Stykkisholmskirkja
Best for an easy scenic day trip or weekend
Getting there Roughly a 2.5-hour drive northwest from Reykjavik; reachable on full-day Snaefellsnes bus tours
3tours from $277.33Vik i Myrdal Google
Iceland's southernmost village sits between black-sand beaches and green cliffs, with a little white church perched on a hill above the rooftops. The big draw is right next door: Reynisfjara's basalt columns and roaring surf, and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks rising offshore. Vik works as a refueling and overnight stop on any South Coast trip, with restaurants, a wool shop, and easy access to Dyrholaey's arch and puffin cliffs. Respect the warning signs at Reynisfjara, where sneaker waves are genuinely dangerous.
- Reynisfjara black-sand beach and basalt columns
- Reynisdrangar sea stacks
- Dyrholaey arch and puffins (summer)
- Vikurkirkja church viewpoint
Best for South Coast road trips and dramatic beaches
Getting there About a 2.5-hour drive east of Reykjavik on the Ring Road; served by South Coast day tours
4Siglufjordur Google
Tucked at the end of a fjord on the Trollaskagi peninsula, Siglufjordur was once the herring capital of the Atlantic and is now one of the north's most atmospheric small towns. The excellent Herring Era Museum recreates the boom years across restored harbor buildings, and the brightly painted houses sit beneath steep, often snow-dusted peaks. The marina has been smartly redone with restaurants and the Segull 67 microbrewery, and fans of Nordic noir will recognize it as the setting of the series Trapped. It feels remote and cinematic, especially when the light goes low.
- The Herring Era Museum
- Segull 67 brewery taproom
- Frida Chocolate cafe on the square
- Skiing and hiking on Trollaskagi
Best for the quietest, most cinematic northern escape
Getting there About a 5.5-hour drive north of Reykjavik, or roughly 1.5 hours from Akureyri through the Trollaskagi tunnels
5tours from $154.00Isafjordur Google
The largest town in the remote Westfjords, Isafjordur spreads across a sandy spit beneath sheer mountains, and the approach by road or air is half the experience. The old town holds some of Iceland's oldest timber buildings, now home to cafes and the Westfjords Heritage Museum. It is the natural base for reaching Dynjandi, a tiered waterfall many consider Iceland's most beautiful, and for boat trips to the Hornstrandir nature reserve. Time it with Aldrei for ovi Sudur, the town's free Easter music festival, for real local atmosphere.
- Day trip to Dynjandi waterfall
- Westfjords Heritage Museum and old timber houses
- Boat trips to Hornstrandir reserve
- Tjoruhusid for fresh fish by the harbor
Best for adventurous travelers exploring the Westfjords
Getting there About a 6-hour drive northwest of Reykjavik, or a roughly 40-minute domestic flight from Reykjavik
6Husavik Google
Iceland's whale-watching capital is a handsome harbor town on Skjalfandi Bay, watched over by the photogenic wooden Husavikurkirkja church. Boats head out daily in summer to spot humpbacks, minkes, and sometimes blue whales, with sightings on the vast majority of trips. Warm up afterward at GeoSea, the cliff-top geothermal sea baths with views over the bay, or learn the backstory at the Whale Museum. The town got a global moment as the setting of the Eurovision comedy film, and yes, you can sing along at the right bar.
- Whale watching on Skjalfandi Bay
- GeoSea geothermal sea baths
- Husavik Whale Museum
- The wooden Husavikurkirkja church
Best for wildlife lovers and families
Getting there About a 6-hour drive northeast of Reykjavik, or roughly 45 minutes north of Akureyri
7Hofn Google
Hofn sits on a flat spit reaching into a lagoon, with the white peaks of the Vatnajokull ice cap filling the horizon behind it. It bills itself as Iceland's langoustine capital, and a plate of garlic-buttered humar is the reason many travelers stop. It is also the gateway to the southeast's headline sights, including the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach an hour to the west. Sunset over the glaciers from the harbor edge is one of the country's quietly great views.
- Langoustine (humar) dinners in town
- Glacier views over Vatnajokull
- Nearby Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach
- The Humarhofnin restaurant
Best for seafood lovers and glacier scenery
Getting there About a 6-hour drive east of Reykjavik on the Ring Road, ideally broken into an overnight or two
8Grundarfjordur Google
This modest fishing town would be a footnote if not for its backdrop: Kirkjufell, the cone-shaped mountain that is among the most photographed in Iceland, rises right beside it. Pair it with the small Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall in the foreground for the classic shot, magical under summer's midnight sun or winter's northern lights. The town itself is low-key and friendly, with a harbor, a couple of cafes, and orca-watching boat trips in late winter. It pairs naturally with Stykkisholmur on a Snaefellsnes loop.
- Kirkjufell mountain and Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall
- Northern lights over Kirkjufell in winter
- Orca watching tours (late winter)
- Snaefellsnes coastal drives
Best for iconic photography on Snaefellsnes
Getting there About a 2.5-hour drive northwest of Reykjavik; included on many full-day Snaefellsnes tours
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✦ Good to know
Before you go
When to goJune to August gives long daylight, open mountain roads, and whale and puffin season, but also the most visitors. September to March brings northern lights and quieter towns, though Westfjords and East Fjords roads can close in storms.
Getting aroundA rental car is by far the best way to reach these towns; public buses are limited and slow. For the Westfjords, consider a domestic flight to Isafjordur to save a long drive.
Allow more time than the map suggestsFjord roads wind and speed limits are low, so a 200 km leg can take far longer than expected. Build in buffer time and check road.is and vedur.is before remote drives.
Book seafood and tours aheadPopular restaurants in small towns (like Tjoruhusid in Isafjordur) and whale-watching trips fill up in summer, so reserve a day or two in advance.
Iceland's small towns turn a scenery-driven trip into something more memorable: a langoustine dinner by a glacier, a rainbow street under fjord cliffs, a herring museum at the end of the road. Pick one or two that fit your route, give the drives the time they deserve, and let these little harbors slow your trip down. Plan a loop around the Ring Road or the Westfjords and you can string several of them together.
Frequently asked questions
Which beautiful Icelandic town is the easiest day trip from Reykjavik?
Stykkisholmur and Grundarfjordur on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula are the most realistic day trips, each about 2.5 hours from Reykjavik by car or reachable on full-day Snaefellsnes tours. Vik on the South Coast, also around 2.5 hours, is another easy option often combined with waterfalls and black-sand beaches.
What is the prettiest small town in Iceland?
Seydisfjordur in the East Fjords is widely considered the most beautiful, thanks to its rainbow-painted street leading to the blue church and its setting beneath waterfall-streaked mountains. Stykkisholmur and Siglufjordur are strong contenders for those who want something closer to Reykjavik or quieter.
How do you get to the Westfjords town of Isafjordur?
Isafjordur is about a 6-hour drive northwest of Reykjavik, with spectacular but slow fjord roads. A quicker alternative is a roughly 40-minute domestic flight from Reykjavik's city airport.
Are Iceland's small towns worth visiting in winter?
Yes, towns like Siglufjordur, Grundarfjordur, and Husavik are atmospheric in winter and good for northern lights, but check road conditions on road.is, as remote fjord routes can close in storms. The South Coast and Snaefellsnes are generally more accessible than the Westfjords and East Fjords in winter.
Which town is best for whale watching?
Husavik on Skjalfandi Bay is Iceland's whale-watching capital, with summer tours spotting humpbacks, minkes, and occasionally blue whales on the great majority of trips. Reykjavik also offers reliable whale-watching cruises if you are short on time.
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