Cliffs · Iceland
Iceland Cliffs
4 mapped · 4 regions · Basalt columns & sea cliffs · Stay back from the edge
TommyBee · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Iceland’s cliffs split into two kinds: inland basalt-column walls and coastal sea cliffs. Gerðuberg on Snæfellsnes is a wall of hexagonal dolerite columns; Ketubjörg in the north are eroded sea cliffs with rock pillars; and Lögberg, the Law Rock at Þingvellir, is where Iceland’s parliament met from 930. Most named cliffs are short roadside stops — but the edges are undercut and the wind is real, so stay well back from the rim.
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Top cliffs
Iceland’s best-known basalt-column walls and sea cliffs, with real access info.
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When & how to visit Iceland's cliffs
Gerðuberg pairs with a Snæfellsnes peninsula loop — a short gravel road off Route 54 leads to the base of the basalt columns. Ketubjörg sits on the remote Skagi peninsula in North Iceland; the road in turns to gravel, so check conditions before you drive. Lögberg, the Law Rock, is inside Þingvellir National Park on the Golden Circle, an easy half-day from Reykjavík. Seabird colonies at coastal cliffs are busiest from roughly May to August. Whichever cliff you visit, the same rule applies: the edges are undercut and can give way, and Iceland’s wind gusts hard on exposed headlands — stay well back from the rim and keep to marked paths.
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The cliffs of Iceland, compared
All 4 mapped cliffs, ranked — our best-documented picks first. Tap any name for the full guide. Location and access details come from Wikidata and OpenStreetMap where they exist.
