Natural wonders: the best day trips from Reykjavík

This famous waterfall, located less than a 2-hour drive from Reykjavík, is named Gullfoss (“golden falls”) because of the way it turns golden in the sunlight as it tumbles dramatically into a 32-m (105-ft) deep crevice below. Part of the river Hvítá, Gullfoss can be visited on the famed Golden Circle tour.

The second largest glacier in Iceland is a beauty to behold. If you have the correct vehicle, it’s possible to drive to – and even up – this dramatic ice formation, but a guided tour is highly recommended; this way you get to explore its stunning 600-m (1970-ft) “Ice Cave”, and even enjoy some snowmobiling.

The main highlight of this recently established park, a 2-hour drive from Reykjavík, is the vast volcano-glacier Snæfellsjökull, whose 1446-m (4744-ft) peak is one of the most famous in the country. Other notable sites within the park include Djúpalónssandur beach, Saxhóll volcano crater and the acoustically fantastic Sönghellir (the singing cave).

Best known as the setting for the Icelandic sagas, the Borgarfjörður region is home to Snorrastofa, a centre for medieval studies in Reykholt village, as well as a wealth of natural features. These include the Hraunfossar waterfalls, Surtshellir (the most famous and longest lava cave in the country) and Deildartunguhver, Europe's most powerful hot spring.

Just 5 km (3 miles) from downtown Reykjavík, the coastal area of Seltjarnarnes is a literal breath of fresh air from the busy city. The lava-strewn beach and pathways are ideal for running, walking and cycling; the pretty lighthouse offers sweeping views of Faxafloi Bay, and the offshore island of Grótta has abundant bird life.

Located around half a mile from the Reykjavík coast, in the Kollafjordur fjord, the two islands of Akurey and Lundey are well-known breeding grounds for puffins. Both can be visited by boat tours, and visitors can see an array of other birdlife, including cormorants, black guillemots, kittiwakes and more.

The Geysir Hot Springs area is one of the most famous in Iceland. Active for around 10,000 years, the region comprises more than a dozen hot-water blowholes (geysers). Strokkur and Geysir are two of the best known and most dramatic, spouting boiling water up to 70 m (230 ft) in the air.

Beyond the Snæfellsjökull National Park (see above), the broader Snæfellsnes Peninsula offers visitors a diverse array of natural delights. Scenic fishing villages and working farms dot the coastal road, and visitors can also find lava caves, sweeping beaches, dramatic cliffs and even bird sanctuaries.

The country’s most southerly village (with a population of just 300) is reached from Reykjavík via a highly scenic 2-hour drive along the south coast. Dwarfed by the nearby glacier Mýrdalsjökull – home to Katla, one of Iceland's most volatile volcanoes – the village offers a black-sand beach (Reynisfjara) lined with striking basalt formations and sea-made caves.

Alongside Gullfoss, Skógafoss is one of Iceland's most magnificent waterfalls. Some 25 m (82 ft) wide and dropping 60 m (196 ft), not only do the falls make a satisfyingly loud roar, they often produce highly photogenic combinations of rainbows and mist (weather permitting). A path allows visitors to climb up the cliffs above the waterfall.

Best known as the location of the Blue Lagoon and Keflavík Airport, the Reykjanes Peninsula is actually a UNESCO Global Geopark. Its diverse landscape hosts more than 100 different geothermal craters, caves and lava fields, plus a variety of bird life, expansive beaches and the Reykjanesviti lighthouse, Iceland’s oldest.

The uninhabited island of Viðey might be small but it is highly atmospheric. Its isolation is ideal for anyone seeking peace and quiet, and its many hiking paths make for some decent scenic rambling. There is even modern art in the form of Yoko Ono’s Imagine Peace Tower installation.

Although there is no physical reminder of the ancient parliament that used to gather here, Þingvellir remains a spectacular place to visit. Situated on the tectonic plate boundaries of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the park offers abundant hiking trails, camping grounds and a variety of activities from angling and diving, to hiking and horse-riding.