Explore 17 photography locations in the Golden Circle & Nearby area of Iceland.
Golden Circle & Nearby hosts 17 photography locations curated for this guide, with a focus on waterfalls, lighthouses, and landscapes. Each entry includes GPS coordinates, season notes, distance from Reykjavik, and access details (paved, gravel, or 4x4) so you can build a realistic itinerary across a single day or a multi-day loop through the region.
This guide lists 17 curated photography locations in Golden Circle & Nearby, spanning waterfalls, lighthouses, landscapes. Each waypoint includes GPS coordinates, seasonal notes, and access details so you can build a route before you leave Reykjavik.
Driving distance from Reykjavik varies by location within Golden Circle & Nearby. Each card in the list shows the precise distance — use it to group nearby locations into single-day shoots and plan refueling stops on longer loops.
Most coastal and Ring-Road-adjacent sites work with a 2WD year-round. Inland and highland approaches generally need a 4x4 and are summer-only (mid-June to mid-September). Check the "Way In" field on each location card before committing.
Barnafoss is also known as Bjarnafoss, which was its previous name. The waterfall is located in Western Region of Iceland.
Reached by a hiking trail, this waterfall sits near an ancient lava field & has a viewing platform.
Gljúfrafoss or Gljúfrabúi is a small waterfall north of the larger falls of Seljalandsfoss in Iceland
Gluggafoss is a waterfall in southern Iceland, specifically in the Fljótshlíð area
Glymur is the second-highest waterfall in Iceland, with a cascade of 198 m
Gullfoss is a waterfall located in the canyon of the Hvítá river in southwest Iceland
Hjalparfoss is a beautiful, two stepped waterfall near the confluence of Rivers Thjorsa and Fossa in the Thjorsa Valley.
Langárfoss is a small roadside waterfall
Seljalandsfoss is a waterfall in Iceland. Seljalandsfoss is located in the South Region in Iceland right by Route 1 and the road that leads to Þórsmörk Road 249
Urriðafoss is a waterfall located in the river Þjórsá in southwest Iceland
The old Garðskagi Lighthouse was built in 1897
A lighthouse south east of Keflavik
Akranes is a port town on the west coast of Iceland about 45 km north of Reykjavík. This spot is also good for Aurora photography.
Stafnesviti stands in between the towns Sandgerði and Hafnir at Stafnes and was built in 1925