It’s no secret that Iceland is an otherworldly fire and ice wonderland, a land of volcanoes, ice-covered beaches, and flamboyant singers who wear swan dresses to award shows. However, one thing that people who have never visited Iceland often don’t realize is how close to civilization many of the country’s wildest natural wonders are. Believe it or not, you can see many of Iceland’s most spectacular scenes on day trips from Reykjavik, the capital.
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blue Lagoon
Direction
Nordurljosavegur 9, 240 GrindavÃk, IcelandGet directions
Telephone
+354 420 8800
Web
Visit the website
Located midway between downtown Reykjavik and Keflavik Airport, where all international flights to Iceland arrive, the Blue Lagoon is as convenient as it is fascinating, with fluorescent blue water that seems too beautiful to be real. What’s more is that the lagoon, due to its geothermal feeding mechanism, remains at an attractive 104ºF year-round, which means you can swim there no matter when your travel plans take you to Iceland.
The easiest way to visit Blue Lagoon is to use your own rental car, but it’s also easy to book a Blue Lagoon tour from Reykjavik, or even visit it during a long layover at the airport. In fact, Icelandic flag carrier Icelandair offers Iceland layover packages that allow you to see destinations like the Blue Lagoon between flights, even if you only have a few hours to spare.
If you have more time than a single day, an alternative to the Blue Lagoon (which, amazing as it is or maybe because of that, can be quite crowded) is the Myvatn Natural Pools, which are more secluded and sit between some creepy looking lava fields.
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Thingvellir National Park
Direction
IcelandGet directions
Telephone
+354 482 2660
Web
Visit the website
Don’t worry about trying to pronounce the name of Thingvellir National Park for now. Instead, focus on marveling at the incredible spectacle going on there – the meeting of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Or, more exactly, their separation: they are separated up to 2.5 cm per year.
Sure, while you probably won’t have enough time in Thingvellir to realize that Iceland is moving away from the nearest land, you can explore the man-made treasures found within the park, including the first Icelandic Parliament building, which is just one. de The reasons why the park is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Gullfoss Cascade
Direction
Gullfoss Falls, IcelandGet directions
Known in Icelandic as ‘Golden Waterfall’, Gullfoss rises more than 100 feet above its surrounding landscape, which combined with its rapid flows makes it the largest waterfall in Europe by volume of water.
Summer is the best time to see Gullfoss in all its glory, due to the melting of nearby glaciers, but you can enjoy it all year round: Gullfoss is on Iceland’s tourist route called ‘Golden Circle’, which means Any Reykjavik hotel can arrange an easy day trip there, of course, if you choose not to explore the country with your own rental car.
On the other hand, Gulfoss is also beautiful during winter, the snow around it often takes on the icy blue color of water. Unfortunately, you only have a few daylight hours to work during the winter months, which means you have to meticulously schedule this day trip from Reykjavik.
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geyser
Direction
Geysir, IcelandGet directions
Here’s a fun fact about Geysir: Discovered – and named – in the late 13th century, it is the source of the English word “geyser,” among analogues in other languages. Of course, the splendor of visiting Geysir extends beyond the thrill of knowing that you are visiting the ‘original’. For one thing, there are no barriers around Geysir, which means you can get as close to the hole as possible, bearing in mind, of course, that you are solely responsible for its safety.
TIP: Geysir is in close proximity to several other geysers, namely Strokkur, which erupts much more frequently than Geysir, and whose surrounding pools emit a wide variety of beautiful colors, in addition to Geysir’s brilliant turquoise.
