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Iceland Lighthouses

123 mapped7 regionsWorking navigation aidsMost closed to entry
Bjargtangaviti
Hraunhafnartangaviti
Reykjanesviti

Iceland has more than 100 lighthouses ringing its coast, most of them still working navigation aids rather than visitor sites. A handful are easy to reach and worth the drive: Dyrhólaey above the black-sand South Coast, Grótta on a tidal causeway just outside Reykjavík, Garðskagaviti on the Reykjanes tip, and Bjargtangaviti at Látrabjarg — the westernmost point of Europe. Most towers are locked; the reward is the headland, not the interior.

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Before you go
Check access
Most towers are locked; some sit at the end of rough tracks
Tower entryUsually closed
Remote accessOften gravel
ExposureVery windy
Tidal spotsGrótta at low tide

Lighthouses worth visiting

The most reachable and best-documented towers, with real location info.

When & how to visit Iceland's lighthouses

Lighthouses ring the whole Icelandic coast, so most fit naturally into a regional drive rather than a trip of their own. On the South Coast, Dyrhólaey and Knarrarósviti pair with the black-sand beaches near Vík. On Reykjanes, Garðskagaviti and the Reykjanes lighthouse are an easy loop from Keflavík. Grótta sits just outside Reykjavík but only connects to the mainland at low tide — check the tide table first. Remote towers in the Westfjords and East, like Bjargtangaviti at Látrabjarg, sit at the end of slow gravel roads; budget extra time and check road conditions. Almost all towers are working navigation aids and closed to the public — the draw is the headland, the birds and the exposed coast, not the interior.

The lighthouses of Iceland, compared

All 119 mapped lighthouses, ranked — our best-documented picks first. Tap any name for the full page. Region and tower height come from OpenStreetMap and Wikidata where they exist.

LighthouseRegionHeightKnown for
ReykjanesvitiReykjanes Peninsula31 mWorth discovering
ÞrídrangavitiSouth Coast4 mWorth discovering
BjargtangavitiWestfjordsWorth discovering
HraunhafnartangavitiNorth IcelandWorth discovering
MalarrífsvitiWest Iceland24.5 mLighthouse in West Iceland
StraumnesvitiWestfjords24 mLighthouse in Westfjords
GróttuvitiReykjavík Area23 mLighthouse in Reykjavík Area
KnarrarósvitiSouth Coast22 mLighthouse in South Coast
Sauðárkrókur front rangeNorth Iceland18 mLighthouse in North Iceland
SelvogsvitiWest Iceland15 mLighthouse in West Iceland
KópaskerNorth Iceland14 mLighthouse in North Iceland
SkarðWest Iceland14 mLighthouse in West Iceland
DyrhólaeyjarvitiSouth Coast13 mLighthouse in South Coast
SvörtuloftWest Iceland12.8 mLighthouse in West Iceland
ÆðeyWestfjords12.8 mLighthouse in Westfjords
HvalnesvitiEast Iceland11.5 mLighthouse in East Iceland
GarðskagavitiReykjanes Peninsula11 mLighthouse in Reykjanes Peninsula
SandgerðiReykjanes Peninsula11 mLighthouse in Reykjanes Peninsula
StafnesReykjanes Peninsula11 mLighthouse in Reykjanes Peninsula
VatnsnesReykjanes Peninsula8 mLighthouse in Reykjanes Peninsula
StórhöfðiSouth Coast7 mLighthouse in South Coast
UrðirSouth Coast7 mLighthouse in South Coast
SúgandiseyWest Iceland3 mLighthouse in West Iceland
AkranesvitiWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
ArnarnesWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
ArnarstapiWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
BjarnareyEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
BrimnesEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
DalatangavitiEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
Dalatangaviti eldriEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
DigranesEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
ElliðaeyWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
EngeyjarvitiReykjavík AreaLighthouse in Reykjavík Area
FlateyNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
Gamli AkranesvitiWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
GerðistangiReykjavík AreaLighthouse in Reykjavík Area
GjögurNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
Grímsey á SteingrímsfirðiNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
GrímseyjarvitiNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
GrundarfjörðurWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
HafnarnesEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
HegranesNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
HellirEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
HjalteyrarvitiNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
HornafjörðurEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
HornbjargsvitiWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
HólmavíkWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
HólmsbergReykjanes PeninsulaLighthouse in Reykjanes Peninsula
HópsnesReykjanes PeninsulaLighthouse in Reykjanes Peninsula
HríseyjarvitiNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
HrólfsskerNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
HúsavíkurvitiNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
HvanneyjarvitiEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
IngólfshöfðiSouth CoastLighthouse in South Coast
KambanesEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
KarlsstaðatangiEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
KálfshamarNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
KetilflesEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
KirkjuhóllWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
KlofningsvitiWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
KolbeinstangiEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
KrísuvíkurbergReykjanes PeninsulaLighthouse in Reykjanes Peninsula
KrossnesWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
KögurEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
LundeyNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
MalarhornNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
MálmeyNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
MánáreyjarNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
NorðfjarðarvítiEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
Old LighthouseEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
ÓlafsvitiWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
ÓlafsvíkWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
ÓshólarWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
PapeyEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
RauðinúpurNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
RaufarhafnarvitiNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
ReykjanestáReykjanes PeninsulaLighthouse in Reykjanes Peninsula
SauðanesNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
SelnesEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
Selsker LighthouseWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
SelvíkurnefNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
SiglunesNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
Skarfagarður lighthouseReykjavík AreaLighthouse in Reykjavík Area
SkipavíkWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
SkorWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
Stokksnes LighthouseEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
StreitiEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
SvalbarðseyriNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
TjörnesNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
VattarnesEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
ÞorlákshöfnSouth CoastLighthouse in South Coast
ÆðarsteinnEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
ÖndverðarnesWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
SkarðsfjöruvitiSouth Coast18 mLighthouse in South Coast
SléttueyrarvitiWestfjords5 mLighthouse in Westfjords
BríkNorth Iceland4 mLighthouse in North Iceland
FjallaskagiWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
GaltarvitiWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
Glettingsnes vitiEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
GrímaEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
HrollaugseyjavitiSouth CoastLighthouse in South Coast
HöskuldseyWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
KópanesWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
KrossvíkurvitiWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
LandahóllEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
LanganessvitiEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
LanganesvitiWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
MelrakkanesNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
MjóeyrarvitiEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
MýrnatangiSouth CoastLighthouse in South Coast
NorðfjarðarhornEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
SeleyjarvitiEast IcelandLighthouse in East Iceland
SelskersvitiWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
SkaftárósvitiSouth CoastLighthouse in South Coast
SkagatáarvitiNorth IcelandLighthouse in North Iceland
SvalvogarWestfjordsLighthouse in Westfjords
TaskaWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland
Vitinn við VitastígReykjavík AreaLighthouse in Reykjavík Area
ÞormóðsskerWest IcelandLighthouse in West Iceland

Lighthouse
questions

Can you go inside Iceland’s lighthouses?
Most are working navigation aids and closed to the public. A few, like Garðskagaviti on Reykjanes, open the tower during set hours in summer — check locally before you count on getting in. Assume the door is locked unless a sign says otherwise.
Which lighthouse is easiest to reach from Reykjavík?
Grótta on Seltjarnarnes is inside the capital area — a short drive plus a walk across a tidal causeway (only crossable at low tide). Garðskagaviti near Keflavík and the Reykjanes lighthouse are both under an hour by car.
What is the westernmost point of Iceland?
Bjargtangar, marked by Bjargtangaviti lighthouse at the edge of the Látrabjarg cliffs in the Westfjords. It is also the westernmost building in Europe. The access road is gravel and slow — allow plenty of time.
Do I need a 4WD to visit Icelandic lighthouses?
It depends on the tower. South Coast and capital-area lighthouses have paved or good gravel access. Remote headland towers in the Westfjords and East often sit at the end of rough gravel tracks where a higher-clearance vehicle helps — check road conditions before you drive.
Is Þrídrangaviti the lighthouse on the sea stacks?
Yes. Þrídrangaviti stands on a sea stack about 7 km off the southwest coast, near the Westman Islands, and was built in 1939. There is no public access — it is reached only by helicopter or boat in calm weather. You can see it in photos, not in person.
Are lighthouses a good spot for northern lights or birds?
Often, yes — they sit on dark, exposed coasts away from town light, which helps aurora viewing on clear nights, and many headlands are seabird cliffs in summer. Dress for wind; these are some of the most exposed spots in Iceland.