Vatnajokull National Park, Skaftafell: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

Vatnajökull National Park covers 14,141 square kilometers in southeast Iceland—roughly 14 percent of the country's total land area—centered on the Vatnajökull ice cap, the largest glacier in Europe by volume. The ice cap conceals several active volcanoes, including Grímsvötn, which last erupted in 2011. The park encompasses Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, where icebergs calved from the Breiðamerkurjökull outlet glacier float toward the sea and wash ashore on the adjacent Diamond Beach. Glacier hiking and ice cave tours are available from multiple access points along the park's southern edge. is just one of many options in Skaftafell. Major attractions worth considering include Svartifoss Waterfall, Diamond Beach (Breiðarmerkursandur), and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.