Picture © Credits to istock/demerzel21
Picture © Credits to istock/demerzel21

South Iceland


Iceland’s Southern Region is home to many of the most popular sights in the country, and is an area you won’t want to miss....

The Golden Circle route, easily done in a day from Reykjavik, features three prominent places: Þingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall, and the Strokkur geyser, which regularly erupts every 5-10 minutes. Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is notable for a couple of reasons — it was the location where Iceland’s parliament was founded in 930 AD, and it’s also where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. Bit by bit, the tectonic plates are drifting away from each other, slowly widening the fault lines. Some of the rifts are filled with water, and visitors are able to snorkel through the cold yet clear water. Another popular place in the Southern Region, which is sometimes included in the Golden Circle route is the Kerið volcanic crater. Further south, a must-see place is the town of Vík and the nearby Reynisfjara beach, with its stunning black volcanic sands and basalt stone columns. Many puffins and other birds call the surrounding area home, so keep your eyes open and you may spot some here!