View the route on Mapquest

Iceland's ring road Route 1 (Þjóðvegur 1) was completed in 1974, linking many of its major towns - most of which are concentrated on the coast, away from the inhospitable interior of the island. Iceland's landscape is forever changing, thanks to volcanic eruptions and glacial action, and the lively nightlife of capital Rekyavík contrasts with the eerie isolation of much of the country.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Suggested route

This route starts from the ferry port on Seyðisfjörður, to the east of the island.

If you choose to arrive in Iceland by plane (from Keflavík Airport) and rent a car, it's a 28.9 mile (46.5km) drive to reach the Route 1 at Vesturlandsvegur. From the airport turn left into Reykjanesbraut (41) and stay on it for 27.2 miles (43.8km) then join the Stekkjarbakki (419) for 1.6 miles (2.6km). Turn right into Vesturlandsvegur (49) for 0.3 miles (0.5km) and join Route 1 towards Borgarnes. Then follow the route below from there.

It's worth noting that Iceland has a unique system of signage. The black-on-yellow signs are placed on the roadside at junctions. A rectangular dotted line around a number signifies a route to another numbered road (as signified by brackets or parentheses in other countries). The cloverleaf symbol denotes a tourist attraction or place of interest.

It's also worth noting that the approximate journey time is how long it would take you drive the route driving non-stop in consistently good weather. It may seem like a slow average speed, but much of the route is on unmade gravel roads. Plan excursions from the route carefully, as many roads in Iceland are inaccessible to two-wheel drive vehicles. It's advisable to buy a road atlas.

To get to Route 1 from Seyðisfjörður, turn left onto Vesturvegur (93) towards Egilsstaðir. Reaching Egilsstaðir, after 14.6 miles (23.5km), turn right into Árhvammur for 0.2 miles (0.3km) and turn left into Árskógar (1). You are now on the famous ring road which will be the basis of your journey. Navigation is merely a job of following road signs and not doing any unexpected U-turns.

This route takes us around the ring road in a clockwise direction, so the next major settlement you will reach is Vík, the southernmost village in Iceland, some 287.7 miles (463km) later. It has only 300 inhabitants and lies beneath a glacier, which is above an active volcano.

Vík is famous for its black sand beaches (voted among the most picturesque in the world) and its puffin nesting grounds. Despite its tiny size, Vík has several hotels and a youth hostel, and WiFi is widely available.

A further 85.8 miles (138.1km) around the 1 and you're in Selfoss. The largest town in southern Iceland, with 6,000 inhabitants, Selfoss has a nine-hole golf course, numerous hotels, holiday cottages and a campsite. It's a good base for hiking trails along the Ölfusá river.

From Selfoss it's 32.9 miles (52.9km) around the 1 towards the junction with the 49. From here you can detour to Reykjavík. A cultural capital that feels like a cosmopolitan small town (its population is just 140,000), Reykjavík is famous for its nightlife (the famous Kaffibarinn bar is owned by Blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn) and the monumental Hallgrimskirkja Lutheran Cathedral.

Or if you skip Reykjavík you'll drive 68 miles (109.4km) from Selfoss to Borgarnes, an industrial settlement of 3,000 people with a hotel but little of interest to tourists.

From Borgarnes it's 103 miles (166km) to Blönduós, a small dairy-farming town that is a good base for exploring the Húnaflói bay. Then it's 86.5 miles (139.2km) to Akureyri. Positioned on the west side of the Eyjafjörçur fjord and surrounded by mountains, Akureyri has several hotels, a botanic garden, water park and the best skiing facilities in Iceland.

From here it's a further 164.8 miles (265.2km) to complete the circle and return to Egilsstaðir.

Click to see a map of Iceland's Route 1.

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TRIP

Worth getting out of the car for

• Housed in one of Iceland's oldest wooden houses looking over Húnaflói (or 'Polar Bear Bay'), the Sea Ice Exhibition in Blönduós is a museum about sea ice and the challenges it has posed to Icelanders.
• No visit to Iceland would be complete without a trip to its famous geysers. The most famous, and eruptive, of which is the Great Geysir in Haukadalsskógur. To get there, take a detour from just outside Selfoss and onto the 35.
• Goðafoss is a majestic double-horseshoe waterfall just by the 1, about 29.2 miles (47km) east of Akureyri. The name means 'falls of the Gods' and, according to mythology, is where the idols of the former Gods were disposed when Iceland converted to Christianity.

Events

• May 15-31 - Reykjavík Arts Festival - An arts festival in Iceland's capital that includes opera, theatre and pop music from Icelandic and international companies. This year's highlights include theatrical British musical act The Tiger Lillies and the American soprano Deborah Voigt.
• May-September - Whale watching season - Take a boat from Reykjavík harbour in search of sightings of the island's extensive marine life: minke whales, harbour porpoises, humpback whales and dolphins.
• June 25-27 - The Arctic Open - A two-day golfing tournament that promises 'midnight golfing' thanks to the long summer days in Akureyri. The tournament is open to all, with an entry fee of US$385, which includes admission to the opening reception and award presentation dinner.

Useful links

• Smyril Line Ferries
• Iceland Tourism
• Keflavík Airport

Have you done this trip? Got advice on the route? Know some unmissable stop-offs? Help others by adding ideas and comments below.