The picturesque birthplace of Icelandic democracy is drenched in the blood of its brutal past.

Cairns built to bring travelers good luck stretch across the land like miniature stone mountains.

This mountain fissure hides a secret path to a secluded mossy grotto within the rock itself.

A formerly glacier-tipped volcano that inspired none other than Jules Verne.

The unique waterfall in Iceland's south features a backdrop of geometric black lava columns.

This five-foot-tall bronze bird is a memorial to a species that was hunted out of existence.

Dozens of large, brightly-colored paintings adorn the walls of the "street art capital of Iceland."

A Wes Anderson-esque lighthouse that boasts magnificent coastal views.

A popular Icelandic children's story comes to life inside this cave.

A fantastic reconstruction of a 10th-century Viking longhouse.

Instead of solid circles, the stoplights in this northern Icelandic town have glowing red hearts.

This beautiful, historic church looks like something out of a simpler past.

An Icelandic island full of diving birds and legend.

These enlarged egg sculptures represent the native birds of eastern Iceland.

The oldest hall in Iceland was written of in the Sagas and features a centuries-old escape tunnel.

Iceland's largest geothermal mud pool is a little bit haunted and a little bit dangerous.

The summer tourists on these cliffs are thousands of seabirds.

This natural Icelandic fissure allows divers to swim right between two volatile tectonic plates.

The oldest church in Iceland is one of the few to feature ornate decoration.

If a glacial river suddenly diving into a sheer chasm via a dramatic, multi-stage waterfall isn't peak Iceland, it's certainly close.

The oldest (maybe) swimming pool in Iceland is a stunning oasis built into the side of a lush hill.

This valley of hot springs and boiling mud pots is home to the record-holding "Geysir," which originated the English word.

Iceland's "Smoky Valley" is a beautiful river that is shrouded in a constant cover of steam clouds.

This elegant arc of a waterfall marks a religious turning point.