Selfoss is the largest town in South Iceland, about 50 km (31 mi) southeast of Reykjavik on the Ring Road, on the banks of the Ölfusá river. It has 10,420 residents (1 January 2025) and works best as a base for the Golden Circle and the south coast rather than as a sight in itself. This page contains partner links: if you book, we earn a commission at no cost to you.
Highlights
The town on the Ölfusá
the river runs through the centre, and the road bridge over it carries most of the traffic heading south and east.
Tryggvaskáli
a house first built for the workers on the 1891 bridge, described as the oldest building in Selfoss.
The new town centre
a pedestrian area opened in summer 2021, with reconstructed historical buildings; its largest building, the reconstructed Old Dairy, is now a food hall.
Sumar á Selfossi
a summer festival in early August with garden decorations, market stalls, live music, bonfires and fireworks.
The coast villages
Eyrarbakki and Stokkseyri are close by, and Hveragerði is on the road to Reykjavik.
Practical info
Tips
- Selfoss is a service town: it has shops, restaurants and a Strætó bus link, with routes 51 and 52 to Reykjavik and routes 72 and 73 to inland destinations. That makes it useful on a Golden Circle trip, where overnight stays near the route are scarce; the options are compared in where to stay near the Golden Circle. From here, Geysir, Gullfoss and Þingvellir are all day-trip distance, and the guided option is described in Golden Circle tours. South of town the Ring Road continues to Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. Do not expect a long list of attractions in town: plan an hour or two for the centre and the river, and spend the rest of the day on the road. If you want to stay, the Booking.com page for Selfoss is linked in the box above.
How to get there
Take the Ring Road (Route 1) southeast from Reykjavik; the drive is about 50 km. Strætó buses 51 and 52 serve the town from Reykjavik.
Opening hours
Nearby
See on the map →
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