Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Pub scene, Reykjavík
HOLGER LEUE/GETTY IMAGES ©
1 WEEK
With one week to spend, you'll be able to roam further than the popular Golden Circle, and
the busy southwest. We like heading northwest from Reykjavík to lesser-travelled West
Iceland, which is chock-a-block with history and boasts landscapes ranging from lava
fields to broad fjords and ice caps, while giving a greater sense of the wonderful solitude
that Iceland offers.
Start in
Reykjavík
, enjoying the city's museums, cafes and bars while getting acclimat-
ised. Then complete the day-long Golden Circle with stops at glittering
Gullfoss
, surging
Geysir
, and historic
Þingvellir National Park
, where you'll witness the tearing apart of
the continental plates. If you're feeling adventurous, go inland and bump along the rutted
Kaldidalur Corridor
for stunning vistas through the pinnacles of several ice caps, such as
Langjö kull with its new ice tunnel. You'll emerge at
Upper Borgarfjörður
, where you can
sleep in the quiet countryside and explore enormous lava tubes. If you're not up for the
back-country aspects of the Kaldidalur Corridor, head to
Borgarnes
along the coastal
route instead, and learn about the sagas at its excellent Settlement Centre.
Next up, explore the wonderful Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Start by horse riding around
Breiðavi
́
k
or creeping into the bizarre gorge, Rauðfeldsgja
́
. Then head west to
Arn-
arstapi
, where you can hike the coastal trail to
Hellnar
or pick up a Snæfellsjö kull glacier
tour, exploring Jules Vernes' fabled centre of the earth. The area is part of Snæfellsjo
̈
kull
National ̈Park and offers a multitude of hikes taking in bird cliffs, volcanic craters, lava
tubes and protected native flower terrain.
