Discover the different parts of Iceland (Part 2)

The Amazing Lava Fields of Reykjanes

The Reykjanes peninsula is a geothermal wonder, where lighthouses outnumber villages. Besides hosting the Keflavík International Airport and, just a few minutes away, the spectacular Blue Lagoon, the Reykjanes peninsula is a destination in its own right.
The Reykjanes peninsula has several high-temperature geothermal areas, three of which have been harnessed to generate electricity. Nowhere on earth is the junction in the earth's crust between the European and American tectonic plates as clearly visible as on the Reykjanes peninsula. The area is a veritable hotbed for recreational activities. The dramatic, rugged landscape features volcanic craters, caves, lava fields, geothermal waters, and hot springs, in addition to a variety of restaurants, museums, churches, lighthouses, and festivals.


The little capital with the big heart

With a population of 120,000, Reykjavík is not a whirlwind metropolis. Few skyscrapers grace the skyline, traffic jams are rare and faces are familiar. But don't be deceived—a steady beat of energy and events keeps the city alive and pulsing with excitement.

Sunny days feel like spontaneous holidays in Reykjavík. Sunbathers and picnickers fill Austurvöllur, the green square in front of Parliament; locals and tourists alike stroll up and down Laugavegur, the main drag, shopping, stopping for coffee, and people watching. The thirsty jockey for sparse outdoor seating at bars as happy hour rolls around. Crooning buskers line the sidewalk; performance artists stage surprise acts; maybe a marching band appears from the ether. Anything can happen.


The Great Escape

For centuries, the interior of Iceland was virtually inaccessible, for years at a time playing host only to outlaws in hiding. Via the mountain roads Kjölur and Sprengisandur, the untouched wilderness of Iceland's mountainous centre is now open to the general public—for cautious exploration by foot or 4x4 vehicles—in the summer months.
Surrounded by obsidian and colorful rhyolite mountains, visitors can bathe in natural hot rivers in the geothermal area of Landmannalaugar. From there, the Laugavegur trail leads to the woodland nature reserve Þórsmörk—a hidden valley surrounded by mountains, glaciers and glacial rivers—that serves as a popular base camp for hikers who intend to reach the surrounding highland mountains.


The Natural Beauty of the North

The north of Iceland truly is a land of contrasts. Its long valleys and peninsulas are interspersed with mountains, lava fields and smooth hills carved out by rivers. The deep and numerous indentations in the coast of the North are at times lush with vegetation, at others barren. As one nears the Arctic Circle in the northern latitudes, the midnight sun is invariably awe-inspiring.
The North is home to Iceland's second largest urban area, Akureyri, located in Iceland's longest fjord, the mild-weathered Eyjafjörður. Akureyri, rich in culture and history, has a charming downtown full of late nineteenth century wooden houses. In summer, golfers can take advantage of the midnight sun at the Arctic Open.