Home to thundering waterfalls, black-sand beaches and dramatic lava deserts, Iceland never fails to enchant visitors with its wild natural beauty. Add to that a rich Viking heritage and a thriving contemporary culture and it's easy to see why this Nordic island features on most travellers’ bucket lists. With so many incredible things to see and do, we’ve rounded up the most epic Icelandic experiences not to be missed.

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It’s no secret that the best way to experience Iceland is to rent a car and hit the open road. To drive the Ring Road – or Ring One – is to voyage through a fairytale landscape of ice-gnarled peaks, ragged fjords and smouldering volcanoes. Along this route are plenty of opportunities to mingle with locals, whether wandering tiny hamlets like Vik or partying in the “Capital of the North'' Akureyri.

For a shorter and easier route, the popular Golden Circle loop allows you to tick off Iceland’s main natural attractions – Geysir Geothermal Area, Gullfoss Waterfall and Þingvellir National Park.

Tip: allow 5–7 days to complete the Ring Road in summer, while 7–9 days are recommended in winter.

Iceland’s mighty waterfalls never fail to inspire a sense of awe. For one of Europe’s most powerful waterfalls, head to the northernmost part of Vatnajökull National Park where thunderous Dettifoss crashes over a jagged grey basalt landscape. Its roar is deafening as it drops 45-m (148-ft), sending a cloud of spray skywards.

The powerful two-tier Gullfoss in the southwest of Iceland is an incredible spectacle, whether part-frozen in winter, in full flood during the spring melt or roaring furiously during the long summer twilight. The main viewing area, and the safest, is the platform on the top of the canyon, but the best way to appreciate the sheer scale of the waterfalls is from below, soaked by the spray.

Tip: take care at Gullfoss as paths are slippery and there are no safety railings or warning signs.

The geothermal waters of Iceland are the best place to slow down, recharge and admire incredible views. The tranquil Blue Lagoon is Iceland’s premier geothermal spa. Here, you can soak in steaming bright blue waters and enjoy a beauty treatment or relaxing massage. You can also opt for a cleansing rub-down using the naturally processed fine silica, minerals, algae and salt distilled from the Blue Lagoon’s waters, which have long enjoyed a reputation for relieving skin ailments such as eczema and psoriasis.

The Jardbodin Nature Baths at Myvatn also offer the chance to steam in open-air mineral-rich geothermal waters. The views here are even better: Mythavn is hemmed in by a spectacular landscape of extinct cinder cones, twisted lava formations and bubbling mud pits.

Nothing gets you closer to Iceland’s raw, natural landscape than hiking across it. Landmannalaugar is Iceland’s most famous trail for good reason: taking you along winding rivers, past shattered grey mountains and around sputtering hot springs, this four-day trek will make you feel like an explorer in the wild.

If you’re looking for something you can complete in a day, head to the flat-top mountain Esja just north of Reykjavík. A return hike from the Moglisa forestry station takes about 4 hours and is a popular weekend activity for locals.

Tip: the Landmannalaugar trail is only open from June to September and should not be attempted the rest of the year.

Hardy Icelanders have long been braving frigid waters and reaping the benefits, which include a boosted immune system and a reduction in stress. There are plenty of hidden swimming holes scattered across the island but you don’t necessarily have to venture into the wild to sample ice swimming. Instead, try the man-made Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach, an accessible spot located just a short walk from the centre of Reykjavík. A welcoming community and excellent facilities – which include hot tubs for warming up post-dip – make this a great spot for novice ice-swimmers. No need to be Wim Hof here – just getting in the water counts as an achievement.

Extremely low light pollution in its night skies makes Iceland an ideal place to see one of life’s great spectacles, the Aurora Borealis. There are plenty of places to catch this incredible display, as long as you get away from light sources like Reykjavík. At Jökulsárlón, the curtain of lights is reflected in the tranquil mirror-like waters of the lagoon and the glassy surfaces of drifting icebergs, creating an otherworldly scene you won’t want to miss.

Tip: visit between November–February for the best chance of viewing the Northern Lights (they do not appear on short summer nights).

Hauntingly beautiful, Iceland’s beaches look like something from another world with their ominous black sands and eerie rock formations. Located on the south coast, Reynisfjara is one of the most popular thanks to its unique basalt rock stacks and its role as Eastwatch-by-the-sea in Game of Thrones.

Dyrhólaey is another volcanic-sand beach worth visiting for its huge sea arch large enough for a ship to sail through. You might also discover its colony of puffins and other sea-birds.

Tip: beware of sneaker waves which crash much further up the shore than you would expect – never turn your back on the ocean and always maintain a safe distance from the shore.

Iceland can be just as beautiful below the water as it can be on land. There are several scuba diving spots around Þingvallavatn but if you want to conquer one of the best freshwater sites in the world you need to head to Silfra. This is a scuba dive into a magical world sandwiched between two tectonic plates. Here, it’s actually possible to reach out and touch the continents of North America and Europe at the same time. Some of the planet’s clearest water allows unrestricted views of submerged lava formations, “troll hair” algae and Arctic char.

Strap on your crampons and embark on an adventure into Iceland’s ice caves to discover fantastical landscapes of turquoise, aquamarine and coal black. The most famous and certainly one of the most eye-catching is the brilliant blue Crystal Ice Cave, located in Breiðamerkurjökull within Vatnajökull National Park. For something visually different, try Katla with its distinct blue and black walls dotted with bubbles. Located beneath Kotlujokull glacier, this lava cave was formed by the Katla volcano.

One thing is for sure, Icelanders know how to party. Though usually sober and straight-laced throughout the week, they like to let loose on the weekends. The rúntur (which translates to “round tour”) is an all-night pub crawl where locals hop from bar to bar into the small hours of the next morning. In the winter, it's a way to pass the long dark nights but in summer there’s something even more special about the rúntur. From May to July, round-the-clock daylight has the locals saluting the midnight sun – join them with eating, drinking and merriment.

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