Skógar hamlet with two waterfalls and a great museum

Old houses that are part of Skógar museum

Skógar is a tiny hamlet on the south shore of Iceland, right by the Ring Road. Although best known in Iceland for most of the 20th century for its regional primary and middle school serving the surrounding rural area, today it is mostly recognized for the stunning waterfall Skógafoss. The waterfall is one of the best-known landmarks in Iceland and one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country. Like most district schools, Skógar was also one of the first places in Iceland to offer hotel accommodations for tourists during summer. It was common for the dormitory to be used as a hotel during summer. Like the building at Skógar, the School buildings and dormitory were well-designed and good. It is still a hotel, but now it is all year round as both communication and the educational system have changed in Iceland.

Skógar is in the South Region on the Map of Iceland

One-of-a-kind museum and another waterfall

Skógar museum

For many reasons, the small hamlet Skógar and Skógafoss waterfall have developed into a large-scale tourist attraction in Iceland. The whole area is stunning, with the waterfall, green hills, and the glacier in the background. Skógar also has a long history of interest among visitors and tourists, offering accommodation long before others in the rural area in Iceland. The popular hiking trail Fimmvörðuháls, leading between the glaciers Eyjafjallajökull glacier and Mýrdalsjökull glacier to Þórsmörk, starts at Skógar. There is also another waterfall, Kvernufoss, in the neighborhood that is becoming increasingly popular. But last but not least is the Skógar cultural and heritage museum, where you can see local artifacts related to the living conditions in Iceland for many centuries. It is one of the most interesting museums in Iceland and opens all year round.

Access to Skógar is as simple as it gets in Iceland

Skógar hamlet

Skógar and Skógafoss are almost impossible to miss if you are driving on the Ring Road. The waterfall and the hamlet are quite visible from Road Nr. 1. It is located between the village of Hvolsvöllur and Vík at the west end of Sólheimasandur. Anyone visiting Skógar should take the time to visit the Kvernufoss waterfall and the museum. Skógar also has excellent accommodations, a great camping site, and wonderful hiking trails up the hill by Skógarfoss waterfall. Skógar is part of the Ring Road drive in Iceland - read my Ring Road article.

If you're planning to tour Iceland in a rental car, make sure to read this article about the type of car that would be best for your trip.