Mind-blowing glaciers, jets of boiling water shooting dozens of meters into the air, rock pillars rising from the sea. But that’s enough spoilers, otherwise you won’t read the article.
Do you want to do something truly amazing at least once in your life? An off-the-beaten-path trip to Iceland is exactly what you need.
The average tourist thinks of this land of fire and ice by picturing the usual Vikings with horned helmets (which they didn’t actually wear—didn’t know that? Now you do!) and little else. And so they waste the opportunity of a lifetime by choosing those boring, crowded seaside resorts for their holidays, just so they can post an Instagram photo of themselves sipping a cocktail on the beach.
You, on the other hand, if you’re looking for something different, can enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience surrounded by Iceland’s wild nature. And you really couldn’t make a better choice.
Here’s a little preview of 3 places you absolutely can’t miss in this incredible land.
The glacier with the “how on earth do you pronounce that?” name
Vatnajökull, the king of Europe’s glaciers!
Located in the beautiful southeastern part of Iceland, this giant covers an area of around 8,100 km², making it the largest glacier in the entire continent by volume. Even bigger than the one that keeps forming on the walls of your freezer and forces you to defrost it all the time!
It also ranks impressively on a global scale: it is the world’s fourth-largest ice mass, after a few superstars such as the Antarctic ice sheet and the Greenland ice sheet.
And the best part is that it’s not just ice. Beneath its frozen surface lie active volcanoes, one of Iceland’s most defining natural features.
One of the coolest things about Vatnajökull is its Blue Ice Caves.
Have you ever heard of them?
They’re not exclusive to Vatnajökull, but some truly stunning ones can be found here.
These are ice caves that look like they came straight out of a fantasy movie, glowing in shades of blue—a natural phenomenon that occurs when ice crystals are compressed over hundreds of years, forcing the air out from inside them.
The color is crystalline and transparent, almost resembling blue quartz.
The only catch is that these caves sometimes seem to get tired of their everyday routine and change shape—or even location—because of the melting and expansion of the ice. But that also means that if you’re lucky enough to visit one, you may be among the very few people to see it in that exact form!
Read also: When to go trekking in Nepal? Everything you need to know
The valley of giant splash fights
The Haukadalur valley is home to the famous Great Geysir, the world’s most famous jet of water after a water blaster.
It is the father of all geysers (the very word comes from its name), it has been active for at least 10,000 years, and its name comes from the Icelandic verb gjósa, meaning “to erupt.”
And how powerfully does it erupt?
A lot.
Just think: Geysir’s jet of boiling water can reach a height of 60 meters, and apparently in 1845 it even reached 170 meters!
Pretty incredible.
Unfortunately, it must be said that the Great Geysir erupts only rarely these days because of changes in its underground channels and because of foolish tourists who, in the past, used to throw objects into it for fun. Still, the whole area has intense geothermal activity, so you can admire other geysers that erupt even more than once an hour.
Reynisfjara’s black sand beach
If you thought all beaches were made of golden sand and swaying palm trees, Reynisfjara in Iceland will make you think again.
It’s the kind of sight that gives you goosebumps: a beach with sand as black as night, basalt columns that make the area look like an alien planet, and powerful waves that remind everyone to respect the force of nature.
We’re about 180 km from Reykjavik, near the picturesque village of Vik, and this beach is famous not only for its breathtaking beauty, but also for its legends. It is said that the sea stacks of Reynisfjara are actually petrified trolls caught by the sunrise while trying to drag a ship onto the shore.
Of course, we’re not falling for that—we know perfectly well those rock columns were put there by reptilians!!!
Reynisfjara’s black sand, of volcanic origin, was formed by eruptions of the nearby Katla volcano. And if you walk closer to the cliff, you’ll find hexagonal basalt columns resembling the pipes of a gigantic organ. Behind these columns lies an atmospheric lava cave called kirkjan, meaning church.
And for wildlife lovers, during the summer season it’s possible to admire the huge colonies of puffins nesting in the area.
How amazing is Iceland?
In conclusion
Iceland is a place where nature reveals itself in all its majesty and unpredictability.
From Vatnajökull, the icy colossus dominating the landscape, to the mysterious blue caves, passing through the valley of geysers and the black beach of Reynisfjara, every corner of this land tells a story of primordial forces, ancient legends, and incomparable natural beauty.
And we admit it—we’re a little jealous of this land, which, besides all the incredibly cool things we’ve described in this article, boasts many more that would take us far too long to tell you about, and even longer to pronounce correctly.
But we can show them to you in person during a 7-day itinerary in icy Iceland.
Our backpacks are already packed, get yours ready—and don’t forget your undershirt!
