Film locations you can see on a day trip from Reykjavík

Iceland has appeared in so many films and series that it can feel like every waterfall and black beach has been on screen at some point. For visitors based in Reykjavík, that is good news: several of the best-documented filming locations sit on the classic day trip routes, so you can see them without changing hotels.

This guide groups the film locations near Reykjavík by day trip: the Golden Circle, the South Coast, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and one very long day to the glaciers of the south-east. For each, we explain what was filmed there in general terms, how long the day is and what else you will see on the way. We only include places that are widely documented, and where the exact spot of a scene is disputed, we keep it general.

All of these locations are public natural sites or towns. Nothing remains from the productions, and none of the places has any official connection to the films or to us. What you get is the real landscape, which usually looks even better than on screen.

Which day trip for which film?

• Golden Circle (an easy day): Þingvellir National Park, used in Game of Thrones.
• South Coast to Vík (a long day): Reynisfjara and Dyrhólaey, used in Game of Thrones, and the black sands near Vík, used in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
• Snæfellsnes Peninsula (a long day): Kirkjufell, seen in Game of Thrones, and Stykkishólmur, which played Greenland in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
• Glaciers of the south-east (a very long day): Svínafellsjökull, used in Interstellar, Batman Begins and Game of Thrones, and Jökulsárlón, seen in James Bond films.

If you only have one day and want the easiest option, choose the Golden Circle. If you want the most film locations in one trip, the South Coast and Snæfellsnes are the best choices.

Golden Circle: Þingvellir and Game of Thrones

Þingvellir National Park, about 45 minutes from Reykjavík, is the first stop on the Golden Circle. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the site of Iceland's ancient parliament from the year 930, and a rift valley where the North American and Eurasian plates are moving apart.

In Game of Thrones, the Almannagjá gorge, the main path through the western rift wall, was used in season 4 for scenes in the Vale, as Arya and the Hound travel towards the Eyrie. Walking between the high rock walls, you will recognise it straight away.

The rest of the day

After Þingvellir, the Golden Circle continues to the Geysir geothermal area, where Strokkur erupts every few minutes, and to Gullfoss, a huge waterfall dropping into a canyon. It is a relaxed day with short walks, and you can add a geothermal bath on the way back. See our Golden Circle guide and our Þingvellir guide for details.

At Þingvellir itself, give yourself time beyond the gorge. A short walk from Almannagjá leads to Öxarárfoss waterfall, and the old assembly site and the small church sit beside the river below. Snorkellers and divers come for Silfra, a fissure filled with very clear, cold water, which you can only enter on a tour with a licensed operator.

South Coast: Game of Thrones and Star Wars near Vík

The South Coast is the classic long day trip from Reykjavík, with Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss on the way and the black beaches around Vík as the turning point. Vík is about 2.5 hours' drive from Reykjavík.

Reynisfjara and Dyrhólaey

The black sand beach at Reynisfjara, with its basalt columns and sea stacks, and the headland of Dyrhólaey just to the west are widely listed as locations for Game of Thrones season 7, in scenes at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea on the coast north of the Wall. At Dyrhólaey you can drive up to a lighthouse with views along the coast; parts of the headland may be closed in late spring during the nesting season.

The black sands of Rogue One

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story filmed scenes for its opening on the black sand plains of South Iceland, in the area around Vík. Location guides name different exact spots, so think of it as a landscape rather than a single viewpoint: the wide black plains east of Vík, which the Ring Road crosses, give you the same otherworldly feel.

For the full route, see our South Coast day trip guide and our Vík travel guide.

On the way to Vík, the South Coast day usually includes Seljalandsfoss, where a path leads behind the falling water in the warmer months, and Skógafoss, with a staircase to a viewpoint at the top. Our Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss guide has the details.

9–10 hours · private

South Coast & Vík

Seljalandsfoss · Skógafoss · Reynisfjara · Vík

Car

1–4 people

120,000 kr

Van

5–7 people

142,000 kr

Book this tour

Snæfellsnes: Kirkjufell and Walter Mitty's Greenland

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula, about 2.5 hours north-west of Reykjavík, is often called Iceland in miniature: a glacier-topped volcano, lava fields, black and golden beaches, sea cliffs and fishing villages. It also has two well-known film locations.

Kirkjufell

The steep, cone-shaped Kirkjufell by Grundarfjörður appears in later seasons of Game of Thrones in scenes north of the Wall. The classic view is from the small Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall across the road from the mountain. Enjoy it from below: the climb is steep and exposed, and there have been serious accidents on the mountain.

Stykkishólmur

On the north coast of the peninsula, the harbour town of Stykkishólmur stood in for a town in Greenland in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, including the bar scene and Walter's helicopter departure. Walk up the little island of Súgandisey for the view over the harbour and the islands of Breiðafjörður. Our Walter Mitty road trip guide covers the film's other locations.

A Snæfellsnes day is long, so it helps to agree on your priorities in advance: if Stykkishólmur matters to you, tell us when you book, because the classic loop focuses on the southern and western side of the peninsula and Kirkjufell. See our Snæfellsnes day trip guide and the private Snæfellsnes tour.

The rest of Snæfellsnes

Between the film locations, the peninsula has plenty more to see: the black church at Búðir, the sea cliffs and rock arch at Arnarstapi and Hellnar, the black pebble beach at Djúpalónssandur and, on clear days, the glacier-capped Snæfellsjökull volcano at the western tip. In good weather, it is one of the most rewarding day trips from Reykjavík, and it is usually quieter than the Golden Circle or the South Coast.

The very long day: Svínafellsjökull and Jökulsárlón

The most famous screen glacier in Iceland is Svínafellsjökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull near Skaftafell. Christopher Nolan filmed scenes for both Batman Begins and Interstellar on it, and it was also used in Game of Thrones season 2 for scenes north of the Wall. Less than an hour further east, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon appeared in the James Bond films A View to a Kill and Die Another Day.

These places are roughly 4.5 to 5 hours' drive from Reykjavík each way, so a day trip means a very early start and a late return, with most of the day in the car. It is possible, and our South Coast and Jökulsárlón tour does exactly that, but if you have the time, one or two nights in the south make it far more relaxing. Our guide to the Interstellar, Batman Begins and Star Wars locations covers this route in detail.

• Walk to the viewpoints near the glacier tongue at Svínafellsjökull; follow the signs and any closures on site.
• Never walk on a glacier without a certified glacier guide.
• At Jökulsárlón, stay off the icebergs on the shore and at Diamond Beach, where waves can move the ice suddenly.

Combining two days

If you have two or three days in Reykjavík and love films, a good combination is the Golden Circle on one day and the South Coast or Snæfellsnes on the other. That covers Þingvellir, the black beaches near Vík or Kirkjufell and Stykkishólmur, without any hotel changes. With four or five days, you can add the other long day, or spend a night in the south for the glaciers.

Film locations that are too far for a day trip

Some well-known locations are simply too far from Reykjavík to visit and return the same day. They are worth a separate trip or an overnight stay:

• Grjótagjá and Dimmuborgir near Lake Mývatn (Game of Thrones): about 6 hours' drive from Reykjavík. Fly to Akureyri or book a transfer to Mývatn.
• Route 93 into Seyðisfjörður (Walter Mitty's longboard scene): in East Iceland. Fly to Egilsstaðir, about 30 minutes away, or see the transfer to Seyðisfjörður.
• Dettifoss (the opening of Prometheus): in North Iceland, best visited from Akureyri or Mývatn.

Our Game of Thrones locations guide and Lake Mývatn guide help with planning a trip north.

Tips for film fans

• Choose your season. Many of the snowy scenes were filmed in winter. Between roughly November and March, the landscapes look most like the screen, but daylight is short. In summer, you have long days and greener scenery.
• Bring the right clothes. Wind, rain and cold can change quickly, even on a sunny morning. Our packing guide has a checklist.
• Check the drone rules. National parks and many popular sites restrict drones, so check before you fly.
• Stay on marked paths. Moss, lava and cliff edges are fragile and can be dangerous.
• Keep it flexible. Weather decides what is possible on the day; a private tour makes it easy to change the order of stops.

Seeing the locations with a private driver

A private tour is the most comfortable way to combine several film locations in one day. You travel in your own vehicle, at your own pace, and you can spend longer where you want. Our private tours are priced per vehicle, not per person, with hotel pick-up in Reykjavík.

• Car (Tesla or similar) for 1 to 4 people, or van (Mercedes Vito) for 5 to 7
• Groups of 8 to 16: minibus on request via WhatsApp at +354 777 3949
• Extra stops, such as Dyrhólaey or Stykkishólmur, if agreed in advance
• Free child seats on request
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pick-up

Arriving in Iceland? Our airport transfers take you from Keflavík Airport to your hotel at a fixed price per car, and you can see all our routes if you plan to stay outside Reykjavík.

Frequently asked questions

What film locations are near Reykjavík?

Can I see Game of Thrones locations on a day trip from Reykjavík?

Which Golden Circle stop was in Game of Thrones?

Can I visit the Interstellar glacier on a day trip from Reykjavík?

Where was Walter Mitty filmed near Reykjavík?

Is there an official film location tour in Iceland?

When is the best time to visit Iceland's film locations?