TIn the south of the country, Vatnajökull National Park is a land of glaciers and magnificent ice caves, which attract adventurers from across the globe. The vast National Park (one of three in Iceland) is divided into four sections and consists of Vatnajökull glacier and its surroundings. You'll find a number of visitor centers, those in Skaftafell Ice Cave and Höfn are open year round, while Skriðuklaustur and Jökulsárgljúfur are closed in winter. The best time to visit Skaftafell Ice Cave is during winter after heavy rain has washed the top layer of the glacier away. If seen at the right time, the cave is bathed in spectacular blue light. Group visits to all areas can be arranged off-season.
Magnificent Gullfoss Waterfall lies around one and a half hour's drive west of Reykjavik. The river Hvítá plummets into a canyon, which forms three step terraces, creating a powerful torrent. Gullfoss encompasses two cascades, the upper one drops 11 meters, while the lower one cascades about 21 meters. Torrents of water flow over Gullfoss at an average rate of 109 cubic meters per second, although heavy floods have recorded an astonishing rate of nearly twenty times that. A word of warning: there are no rails or barriers, just a spine-tingling spectacle to enjoy amidst surroundings as nature intended.
A Reykjavik modernist icon, this visually striking church is one of Iceland's top attractions, and when you see it, you'll understand why. It's the tallest and most recognizable building in the country. The Black Falls (a basalt rock formation), which is one of Iceland's natural wonders, inspired the architectural design. A climb to the top of the 73-meter-high tower is particularly rewarding. There, you'll be treated to spectacular views across the city and surrounding landscape. At the front of the church is a statue of Icelander Leifur Eiriksson ("Leif the Lucky"), the first European to discover America around AD 1,000. It seems he beat Christopher Columbus by around 500 years or so.
Around two and a half hours' drive northwest of Reykjavik is the small town of Grundarfjördur, a charming fishing village centrally located on the north coast of Snaefellsnes peninsula. The town lies in a picturesque fjord, surrounded by mountains, with Mt. Kirkjufell looming as a striking landmark. Dotted about the surroundings, you'll discover small streams and waterfalls. During winter, Kirkjufell is a great place to watch the awe-inspiring Northern Lights. Eyrbyggja Heritage Centre holds exhibitions on Grundarfjördur's seafaring history and is the information center for the whole peninsula.
Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon is one of those places in Iceland that doesn’t get the attention it deserves, yet, its location near the ring road in south-east Iceland makes it very easy to get to and have a look. On the way from Vík to Skaftafell, Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon is a great place to visit and the highlight of any trip. It’s a great opportunity for a break while driving this part of the country.Fjaðrárgljúfur is not a massively deep and long canyon. Still, its beauty lies in the colours and shapes. At 100m deep and around 2km long it’s very nice to hike along the top right-hand side and observe it from different angles. Allow at least an hour for this, ideally two.