In the last three posts of Circling Iceland, we showed you the best spots along the Ring Road, but now, it is time to introduce you to the capital, Reykjavik, and the popular Golden Circle Route. Reykjavik is a popular stopover destination. This is why in this post, I’m gonna show you what you can do in hours in and around the capital of Iceland. Let’s go. Reykjavik is not only the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is also the world’s northernmost capital of the sovereign state. The city was founded in as an official trading town, and grew steadily over the next decades, as it transformed into a regional, and later national center of commerce, population, and governmental activities. It is among the cleanest, greenest, and safest cities in the world. We start things off at the landmark of Reykjavic the Hallgrimskirkja, which is among the tallest structures in the capital city and the best place to see the city from above. Let’s check it out.
Best Things to do in Reykjavik Golden Circle 48h Challenge Circling Iceland Photo Gallery
At. meters high, Hallgrimskirkja is the country’s largest church and among the tallest structures in Iceland. The church is named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman, Hallgrimur Petursson, author of the Passion Hymns. In between the city exploration of Reykjavik, we stop by at a little seafood restaurant to try the famous fermented shark. So make sure to head over Gary’s blog to check out what the experience is like. Don’t do it. People had it rough here in Iceland for a long time. My next stop is the harbor of Reykjavik, where traditional fishing industry meets modern developments with cute little cafes, restaurants, and modern architecture, like the Harpa building right behind me. Harpa is a concert hall and conference center in Reykjavik which was opened in. It houses the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, and the offices of the Icelandic Opera. The building features a distinctive colored glass facade inspired by the basil landscape of Iceland.
Reykjavik is dotted with street art, another good reason to go for a stroll in the city center. If you wanna go beyond fish soup and hot dogs, the Hlemmur food hall is the right place to go. So let’s head in and check it out. Hlemmur food hall is inspired by the great European food halls. Here, ten ambitious vendors provide, as they say, all kinds of food for all kinds of people. Another must when you are in Reykjavik is the Blue Lagoon, which is located just minutes out of the city. A good time to visit is actually at night because it’s very relaxing and not as many people. The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland. The Lagoon is a man-made lagoon, which is fed by the water output of the nearby geothermal power plant, Svartsengi, and is renewed every two days. The warm waters are rich in minerals, like silica and sulfur, and bathing in the Blue Lagoon is reputed to even help some people suffering from skin diseases. The water temperature in the bathing and swimming area of the lagoon averages between and degrees Celsius. Like in every other city you should also check out the nightlife in Reykjavik, and I just happened to be here during the Iceland Air Waves music festival. So, let’s check that out. The cool thing about this festival is that the venues are scattered around the whole city, so this way you get to know a lot of bars and little pubs, and it really has a connection to the city. And if you don’t have a ticket for the festival, you can also enjoy it because there are numerous off-venues where you can enjoy live music totally for free. When you do night life in Reykjavik, you need to do it right.
So you need to finish it with some hot dogs. Right? I just wanna hold ya d d I just wanna look d Up for an early start, heading to the Golden Circle. The Golden Circle is a popular tourist route covering about kilometers looping from Reykjavik into the Southern uplands of Iceland and back. It is the area that contains most tours and travel related activities in Iceland. d You are, you are, you are d And the first up is the geyser. d You are the solution d d You are the solution d d You are, you are, you are, you are d We’re starting small here. With Litli geyser. The interesting thing about this geothermal area is that this is the original geyser. This is where name “Geysir” comes from. The most impressive one you can tell by the people is the Strokkur which shoots water into the air every six minutes so everyone there is waiting for it to burst. d Solution d (water gushing) d Never thought I’d meet someone like you d And the next one is the mighty Gullfoss waterfall. Gullfoss means “Golden Falls”. Here the the wide Hviter river rushes southward and about a kilometer above the falls it turns sharply to the right and flows down into a wide-cut three-step staircase. And then abruptly plunges in two stages meters and meters into a crevasse meters deep. d You are, you are, you are, you are d d You are, you are d d You are the solution d d You are the solu d The Golden Circle can be overwhelming so make sure to start early and to start at the furthest point of it.
For example, at the Gullfoss. This way, you skip all the masses coming in with the buses because they do one attraction after the other. Another tip is to go a little bit over the Golden Circle by renting a X and then you can make your way into the highlands where the true gems are waiting for you. So we simply drove through the highland center called Hrauneyiar, and there’s a canyon just a minute walk behind it, and we just came here and we had the place all to ourself. It’s just incredible. d Solution d d You are, you are, you are, you are d d You are, you are, you are d d You are the solution d d You are the solution d The Kerid crater is located right at the end of the Golden Circle and it’s filled up with water. A really colorful spot for some photographs. Kerid is one of several crater-lakes in the area, known as Iceland’s western volcanic zone. Created as the land moved over a localized hot-spot. But, it is the one that has the most visually recognizable caldera still intact. d You are the solution d The rainbow’s leading the way. We’re heading up this valley because up there and there’s geothermal hot springs, and there’s a river where you can jump in and relax. Reykjadalour means, “Steam Valley” as it is filled with hot springs and mud pools. It is located about kilometers out of Reykjavik close to the town Hveragerdi. After a three-kilometer hike up the valley you get to a hot river in which one can bathe. d You are the solution d We’re in a river in the valley somewhere. Feels nice when your in here. d You are the solution d d You are the solution d Alright guys, this is it from this Iceland road trip adventure with my buddy Gary from Touristy Town, make sure to check out his blog too. Go to my website for all the guides to do it yourself and make sure that you comment to this blog for new travel posts every Thursday. See ya! See ya!
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