Earlier this year, as most of us remember, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted, spewing ash all over this small island nation and creating a massive cloud that closed airports and grounded flights all over Europe.
While it was an extraordinary situation, volcanic eruptions and intense geothermal activity are business as usual in Iceland — which routinely puts on a beautiful but sometimes dangerous display of fire and ice.
DIVE IN
Start your adventures at ground zero — Pingvellir National Park, the only place on earth where you can see the steady migration of the Eurasian plates. The movement has created massive cracks in the earth, dramatic cliffs, and an ever-widening rift valley that sinks by two centimetres every year.
HOT STUFF
After that, head to the boiling geothermal area that includes Geysir and Strokkur, two active geysers. Other hot springs can be found all over Iceland, but the biggest is Deildartunguhver, the largest in Europe, flowing at a rate of 180 litres per second —turning all the water in the area (from river to hot pots) into a seething, steaming expanse.
WONDER FALLS
Iceland is home to some of the most gorgeous waterfalls in the world. North of Reykjavik, Hraunfossar, which means literally lava falls, is a series of flossy-white cascades which flow directly out of a jet-black lava field.
Also make sure to stop at Gullfoss, a magnificent glacial waterfall that often creates a complete rainbow at its base.
What to see and where to soak
Reykjavik: This city — the world’s northernmost capital — is dotted with about a dozen geothermal pools, places where naturally-warmed waters provide a place for swimming, relaxation and socializing
Laugardslaug: The city’s largest pool lets you pick your pace — swim some warm laps in the Olympic-sized swimming pool, twist down the fun little waterslide, or just chill in one of the several hot pots (each of which is heated to a different temperature).
Nautholsvik Geothermal Beach: This ring of golden sand (reportedly flown in from Morocco) hosts two hot pots, but the big attraction is ability to swim in a part of the Atlantic that’s just a wee bit south of the Arctic Circle.
