Iceland City Break Attractions
Iceland’s got so much to offer that with just 24-48 hours you soon begin to wander how you’re going to cram it all in. The ‘land of fire and ice’ is a playground for outdoorsy-types and the good news is that you don’t have to stray far from the capital to sample some of the Iceland’s most spectacular scenery. Pick two or three of the following and your Iceland City Break will be an unforgettable one:
Gullfloss is a truly breath-taking waterfall cascading over a geological fault line. In the summer Gullfloss is a raging torrent fed by melting ice caps, while the winter months see the falls transform into a mysterious ice- encrusted crack in the earth. Most tour buses zip through, but it’s worth spending some time and wandering down to the water’s edge for a closer look.
Powered by deep volcanic activity, Geysir is the site of the original geothermal fountain; form which all other ‘geysers’ around the world took their name.
Pingvellir was once the assembly ground for Iceland’s ancient government and is the setting for some of the country’s most dramatic myths and legends. However, today Pingvellir tops most visitors’ agendas as the place to sample Mother Nature in the raw. The weather-beaten volcanic landscape of barren lava fields and swirling cataracts is among the country’s most photogenic and well-worth any effort spent getting there.
The Blue Lagoon isn’t strictly a natural wonder, but that hasn’t stopped it becoming one of Iceland’s most visited attractions. The milky blue waters are warmed by the run-off from the nearby geothermal power plant at Svartsengi. Whether you believe that the mineral-rich waters really do have healing qualities; the experience of bathing outdoors surrounded by snow and ice is undoubtedly good for the soul.
Snaeffelsjokur is a glacier-topped mountain at the end of its own peninsular some 60 miles north of Reykjavik. Explore the dramatic coastline of bizarre lava formations or trek towards its 1446m summit and you soon begin to understand why the region inspired so many folk tales; not to mention Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
Iceland City Break
