By the time we finished lunch on the second day of our trip, we were ready to get out of the city and start seeing the natural beauty of Iceland. Reykjavík is a great city, but we weren’t in Iceland to hang out in a city. My original plan was to do the Golden Circle in one day, but we decided to go ahead and tour Þingvellir so we weren’t rushed for time.
Þingvellir combines the raw power of tectonic plates and a rushing waterfall with the wonder of history and culture. I had never visited any place like this before. As you stand in the huge cracks in the earth and see stones towering above you, you really do feel in awe of this planet. And if geology isn’t your passion, learning about the Alþingi and imagining the amount of history that took place between 930 and the present day, right at your feet, might pique your interest.
So let’s talk about our experience. The drive in is scenic and easy with clearly marked signs at the major stops. We paid 1000isk, or around $7 USD for parking in lot P1, and we paid at the kiosk in the parking lot. This area did have accessible parking, as well as a visitor’s center.
The pathways here ranged from wooden deck to dirt paths. It was raining on the day we went, so we had a few areas of mud, also. There are some rock stairs to get to the top of Öxarárfoss, but you can view the blue water of the river itself from a bridge on the main path. There are many trails to explore and beautiful mosses, grass, flowers, and rocks to enjoy. We went in October, and the colors at Þingvellir rivaled those back home in New England. They offer guided tours and snorkeling, but we were content with just an afternoon visit on our own.
One last note before we close. If you park in P1, and aren’t used to climbing hills, listen up. I happily enjoyed walking DOWN the path, chose to go further to see the waterfall, got sidetracked by rocks and moss, and had a fabulous time. In the back of my mind, some voice I ignored tried to remind me that we went down a rather steep hill into this fissure in the earth at the start. A good ways from the car, that incline started and kept going up and up and up. There is a very long and rather steep climb to get back up to the visitor’s center. And feel free to stand off to the side and try to catch your breath in the cold, damp air like I did if you need to!
