Vík is one of those places in Iceland where you will end up visiting automatically. You can pass through it or stay overnight. There are plenty of things to do in Vik and whether you are basing yourself here for 1-2 nights to see the south and south east of Iceland or just passing through it on your road trip, there are couple of stops which are mandatory.
Most people know it for the black sand beach, but that is only part of the reason to stop. Vík also works as a base for cliffs, sea views, short adventure tours, food, and one of the few South Coast towns where you can actually slow down a bit as there is some signs of civilisation here.
Chances are that you searched for what to do in Vik as most guides mention it on their Iceland itinerary but is unclear what to do in this small town. Here is a complete guide on how to get here and the worthwhile attractions that you need to visit once you are here. Like my other Iceland guides I do recommend you renting a car but it is somewhat possible to get here by bus but then going to the attractions will prove even more difficult.
Table of Contents
- How to Get to Vik
- Things to Do in Vik
- 1. Walk Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
- 2. Drive Up to Dyrhólaey
- 3. Go Up to Víkurkirkja, Vik’s Church
- 4. Walk the Seafront and Víkurfjara Beach
- 5. Watch the Lava Show
- 6. Visit the Katla Visitor Centre
- 7. Visit the Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck
- 8. Do a Katla Ice Cave Tour (Winter Only)
- 9. Visit the nearby Waterfalls
- Eat and Drink Options in Vik
- Is It Worth Staying Overnight?
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
How to Get to Vik
Like I said in the intro, the easiest way to get to Vík is by car. From Reykjavík, the drive is about 2 hours and 15 minutes without stops, which sounds quick until you remember this is Iceland and roads will probably be covered in ice so be careful and check road conditions in Iceland. If you are road-tripping Iceland, Vík is a very natural stop because it sits directly on the Ring Road and works well either as a long day trip from Reykjavík or as a base before continuing further east.
If you are relying on public transport, getting to Vík is possible, but it is not something I would call flexible. Strætó serves this stretch of the South Coast, and the Reykjavík to Höfn route connects through Vík, but departures are limited, so you need to check the live timetable before building your day around it. This is not the kind of place where you want to assume there will be another bus an hour later, because there won’t be. If you are doing Iceland without a car then you will definitely need to stay overnight in Vík.
A guided South Coast tour from Reykjavík is the other obvious option. It is easier than public transport and removes the stress of driving in Icelandic weather, but the trade-off is time. On tours, Vík is often treated as one stop among many, which means you usually get a taste of the place rather than enough time to properly explore it. If you want to do more than just stand on the beach, grab a photo, and leave, you are better off self-driving or spending a night here.
Once you are in town, getting around is easy. Vík itself is small enough that you can walk around the centre, the church viewpoint, and the seafront without any problem. For places like Reynisfjara or Dyrhólaey, having a car is a big advantage because they are outside the main centre and much easier to visit on your own schedule.
Things to Do in Vik
Vik is the ideal base for you to stay if you are not doing a full Iceland loop. It is close enough to almost all of the main attractions along the south coast so here are the best stops to do near Vik and more importantly the best things to do in Vik
1. Walk Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
This is the reason most people come to Vík in the first place or to the south east of Iceland, and yes, it is worth it. Reynisfjara is the famous black sand beach just west of Vik and it felt surreal from the moment we got off the car and approached the black sand for the first time. This beach is not just the sand that makes it truly special but the surrounding area, in particular the cave and basalt rock formations.
However there is a caveat. Recently the waves have been crushing in and have made progress inwards making entry to the cave area impossible. Do follow the signs and if the red light is on do not approach to take photos, it will be too dangereous. You can still take gorgeous photos from a distance, don’t risk your life. One more important thing. Do NOT ever turn your back to the sea. The waves are unexpected and you can’t predict which one is going to be small and which is going to be huge.
My advice here is to go early in the day and start with it, you will skip any tours coming in from Reykjavik which will arrive a bit before midday. Also once you get there take your time and relax to take this unique scenery in. It is difficult to pick up highlights in Iceland as almost everywhere you look is a highlight, but this beach definitely stands out.
2. Drive Up to Dyrhólaey
If you are travelling by car then I would highly recommend to drive up to Dyrhólaey. This viewpoint is amazing as you can see two stretches of black sand beaches as far as the eye can see. On the left hand side you will see Reynisfjara and on the other you will see another black sand beach which is more difficult to access.
There is also another attraction here apart from the amazing views over the coast. Dyrholaey is an amazing rock formation which looks like a window. It is also a protected area valued for both its landscape and birdlife. This fact can make the area restricted between 1 May and 25 June to protect nesting birds. That matters if you are travelling in late spring or early summer, because you should not assume every section here will be Iceland.
Be warned that if you are visiting in the winter like me, the wind can be a right issue here. You are high up on the coast and it makes conditions freezing even with layers. Coincidentally it started snowing which made the scene magical but I couldn’t stand long in the freezing cold much after that.
3. Go Up to Víkurkirkja, Vik’s Church
Vík’s church, Víkurkirkja, is one of the simplest stops in town and one of the most worth doing. This is more so to get a nice view than the actual church itself. Its location is the main attraction and the red roof stands out. You can see it from the village but going up there is better. It is also one of if not the only places where you don’t have to pay for parking.
This is a great stop to do whenever in the day, and you can walk from the village up to it so it is doable even without a car. It is particularly great because it can act as a nice break from driving. Enjoy the views out to the beach, the mountains behind you and naturally the church.
4. Walk the Seafront and Víkurfjara Beach
For those who want to go to a black sand beach but are strict with budget and it seems difficult for them to rent a car and go Reynisfjara, there is another black sand beach right next to the town center. This town-side beach and seafront area are worth walking because it feels calmer, more local, and easier to fit if you are basing yourself in Vik.
It is also great to have a stroll either morning or evening, and it doesn’t take too long to arrive. In my opinion this is only worth if you have the time to spare and are taking a slow paced approach to Iceland. In my case, having visited the famous Reynisfjara and as we were not staying in Vik we skipped this beach.
5. Watch the Lava Show
The Lava Show is one of the best “bad weather” things to do in Vík, but honestly it is worth considering even if the weather is perfect. It is the first and only live lava show in the world, and it recreates a volcanic eruption by superheating real lava and pouring it in front of the audience.
Practically, it is a very easy activity to slot into your day. The Vík location operates daily year-round, and the official ticket page lists opening hours from 12 PM to 8 PM depending on the season. The classic show runs about 45 to 55 minutes. You can buy tickets from the Vik Lava Show website
At the moment, the official admission price for the classic experience in Vík is 6,590 ISK for adults and 3,590 ISK for children. That is not cheap in absolute terms, but by Iceland standards it is not expensive either, especially for something different. If you are travelling with kids, if the weather turns miserable, or if you want one activity in Vík that is more than just another viewpoint, this is one of the easiest things to do in town.
6. Visit the Katla Visitor Centre
Another indoor stop that if the weather turns bad, going to the Katla Visitor Centre is the obvious choice. It is housed in the historic Brydebúð building in the old heart of Vík and focuses on the geology and history of the Katla UNESCO Global Geopark. Here it is explained why the scenery that you marvel at on a daily basis in Iceland appears the way it does.
7. Visit the Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck
One of the most unusual things to do near Vík is visiting the famous plane wreck on Sólheimasandur black sand beach. This is a US Navy DC-3 aircraft that crash-landed here in 1973. Thankfully, everyone survived, but the wreck was left behind and has since become one of Iceland’s most photographed spots.
Getting there is not as straightforward as other attractions in the area. You cannot drive directly to the wreck anymore, so you have two options: walk or take a shuttle. The walk is around 3.5 km each way (so roughly 7 km return) across a completely flat but very exposed black sand desert. Expect it to take about 45 minutes to 1 hour each way depending on your pace and the wind, which can be brutal here.
If you are short on time or don’t fancy the walk, there is a shuttle bus that runs from the parking area to the wreck. It costs extra, but it saves a lot of effort and makes the visit much quicker.
Is it worth it? That depends. If you are into photography or want something a bit different from waterfalls and viewpoints, it is a solid stop. But if you are tight on time in Iceland, this is one of the easier things to skip because of the time commitment just to get there.
8. Do a Katla Ice Cave Tour (Winter Only)
I have got to do a bit of a disclaimer here and say that this goes against all the principles of this blog. This activity’s price is not for the faint of heart however it is Iceland and this is rather unique. There are a lot of ice cave tours happening in winter, but this is the most popular because you don’t need to do long glacier walks to get to the cave. You will meet in Vik and get picked up in a super jeep, drive into off road terrain until you reach the glacier area all with a guide.
The tour takes around 2.5 to 3 hours, and is rated easy to moderate depending on conditions. That makes it relatively accessible for travellers who want something more exciting than a viewpoint but are not looking for a full hardcore expedition.
Price-wise, this is obviously not the budget part of a budget trip. This costs around 29,900 ISK per person for the Fast Track option, while the longer Katla Ice Cave tour is listed at 39,900 ISK. Yes it amounts to €200-260. Is it worth it? Honestly for that price, not really.
The ice cave is a bit underwhelming, compared to the ice caves I visited in Werfen, Austria. I also opted for a cheaper tour, but it includes a glacier hike which quite honestly was the highlight of the tour and not the ice cave in itself. The terrain and landscape you get to go on are honestly out of this world. The tour I did was €140 so around €100 cheaper but you do have to walk!
9. Visit the nearby Waterfalls
Vík is surrounded by some of the best waterfalls on Iceland’s South Coast, and the good news is you do not need to go far to see them. If you are driving between Reykjavík and Vík, you will already pass two of the most famous ones in the country.
I have listed Iceland’s best waterfalls and near Vik or a short drive from them you have three of the best ones in my opinion. The first is Seljalandsfoss, which is about a 45-minute drive west of Vík. What makes it different is that you can actually walk behind the waterfall. It sounds like a gimmick, but it is genuinely one of the more unique stops in Iceland. Just be ready to get wet, and in winter it is really slippery and might be close. A short walk from there also takes you to Gljúfrabúi, a hidden waterfall inside a narrow canyon that a lot of people miss.
If you want something closer to Vík itself, Kvernufoss is a solid option and usually much quieter. It is just a short walk from the Skógar area, and like Seljalandsfoss, you can also walk behind it. The difference is that far fewer people make the effort to come here, which makes it feel a lot more relaxed.
For more details about these waterfalls, read the best waterfalls to visit in Iceland, where I go in depth on each waterfall.
Eat and Drink Options in Vik
Iceland is famous for extortionate prices and eating and drinking is what might get your expenses up. It is more expensive here than in Reykjavik but there are some decent options.
The most budget friendly is of course the friendly pink pig depicted of the supermarket chain BONUS. There is a supermarket right in the heart of Vik and is worth buying anything and everything from here especially for snacking throughout the day.
For dinner the most famous place is Black Crust Pizzeria. If you have looked up Vík before, you have probably already seen it. It has become one of the most recognizable food stops in town. Another iconic food stop is the Skool Beans where a school bus got converted into a café.
Is It Worth Staying Overnight?
The answer is definitely yes. Whether you are breaking up your Iceland road trip itinerary and only spending a night before continuing east, or only reaching as far as Vik and then turning back like we ended up doing, you will definitely need to spend more than one day in this area. You will need to spend at least one day in the waterfall areas and another in Vik town and the beaches. We ended up staying in a town an hour away from Vik further east. This saved us money however there were limited options for buying groceries and food in general.
We did this because we did a glacier walk and visited the famous Diamond Lagoon before turning back and heading back on the road towards Reykjavik. Vik is still a decent base to go to Diamond Lagoon just makes it a bit of a longer day and it will be impossible to fit in the glacier walk we did. However from Vik there are other glacier walks as highlighted in the things to do above, albeit a bit more expensive.
Conclusion
In my opinion Vík is the last town that you will see proper civilisation along Iceland’s south coast. It is definitely worth a visit and staying here to access all of the nearby attractions I listed above. If you only have a short amount of time here then it goes without saying that the Black Sand Beach is the must visit attraction.
However I do recommend properly coming here and visiting this area of Iceland as well. If you are looking for more Iceland guides, check out the best things to do in the Golden Circle and read all about Iceland’s best waterfalls!
