What Our Dear Visitors Really Think of Our Most Beloved Waterfalls, According to Google Reviews
Iceland’s landscapes are supposed to stop you in your tracks. And for many visitors, they do. But scroll through the Google reviews for some of the country’s most famous waterfalls and a different story emerges — one full of soggy disappointment, parking rage, and the occasional demand to “turn down the water.”
Gullfoss
Edgar Boda-Majer found Gullfoss to be just another waterfall, and one that comes with an unwanted bonus: the crowd. “If you’re staying in Iceland for more than a day, do yourself a favor and skip this one—unless you enjoy being swept along with a massive crowd,” he writes, giving it two stars. Ashley Ljungbäck agrees, calling the whole thing a “waste of time” and “very touristy.”
Skógafoss
“Another waterfall… nothing interesting,” writes Lukas J, who also took issue with the mist blocking the view — two stars. Xavier Mtz de Guereñu was blunter: “So crowded it takes away the desire to go. There are a thousand more beautiful waterfalls in Iceland!” He gave it two stars as well.
Dettifoss
SmArT wasn’t impressed by the aesthetics, flagging “dirty and disgusting water quality.” Marijana Cizmadija had an even simpler problem: she showed up and the site was closed, despite a perfectly nice day for a visit.
Glymur
Ollie Buschert came up with a creative angle: “It would be five stars if it were in Greenland, but since it’s in Iceland, I can’t bring myself to like it.” Patricia Clevy managed to enjoy the walk but couldn’t actually find the waterfall, which netted a two-star review.
Godafoss
Thomas Lilleengen called Godafoss “underwhelming” — a hard word to shake for a place literally named the waterfall of the gods. Jesse Sehl kept things brief: “There was water… It fell.” Both landed on two stars.
Seljalandsfoss
Luka Koerber had strong feelings: “The water pressure was too intense, aggressively smacking against the rocks. And the cold? I expected better.” Two stars. Matt DeAbreu kept it simple: “Too much water, need to turn down water. Iceland, please fix water. Thx ❤️” Also two stars.
Brúarfoss
Vivian Wu walked more than three and a half hours through terrible roads and was not happy about it. “Why doesn’t the Icelandic government fix the roads?” she asked. S Gron called the site a “total rip-off,” saying the real thing looked nothing like the pictures — still, a generous two stars.
Svartifoss
David Roberts flagged the 750 kr parking fee and the crowds, suggesting Svartifoss sits near the bottom of the waterfall rankings once you’ve already seen a few others. Elbo Wright brought in an international comparison: “Our waterfalls in British Columbia are way more superb.” One star.
Throbbing
Irene Boccato had broader concerns: “Now parking is 750 ISK, and they’re building a useless cement path to the waterfall. The trail is closed, yet they still charge for visits. It’s crucial that we rethink how we manage tourism.” Kat advised arriving early to beat the cruise tourists and noted the toll they take on the landscape — three stars.
Taken together, these reviews say less about the waterfalls themselves than about the strain Iceland’s tourism boom puts on the people visiting them. The water is still spectacular. Getting to it, parking near it, and sharing it with hundreds of strangers on a Tuesday afternoon — that’s where things get complicated.
