After most visitors to Iceland arrive at Keflavik international airport, they quickly grab their bags and set their sights on traveling to downtown Reykjavík. Unfortunately, the don’t give any thought to visiting the rest of the Reykjanes Peninsula.

 Little do they know that a beautiful, less crowded and completely underrated place waits just outside of the airport. I was delighted when I found out that this peninsula had been designated a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2015.

I have been fortunate to travel to this area on several occasions. When there, I am always pleasantly surprised by how amazing and diverse the landscape is. While I don’t want this peninsula to become overcrowded with visitors, I do think it is a shame that more people do not explore this place. It is literally brimming  with geothermal activity, mud pools and lava fields. It is also home to so many hiking trails and fascinating Icelandic history.

Most notably, it is one of the best places to see the separation of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.   After learning more about this place, I decided it was worth it to dedicate this episode to the Reykjanes Peninsula.

The Unique Geology of the Reykjanes Peninsula

During one of my visits to the area I found the geology to be quite interesting. After looking up how the area was formed, I found the following quote from Visit Reykjanes brochure. Just a heads up, there is some science lingo in the quote but I still think it is worth sharing,

“Reykjanes Peninsula is an important region from a geological standpoint. It is a geologically young section of Iceland and is a land born and highly volcanic counterpart of the North Atlantic Ridge where the tectonic plates diverge at an average rate of 2.5 cm/ yr. The peninsula contains late Quaternary volcanic palagonite tuff and pillow lava formations as fells and mountains from the last glacial periods. Widespread basaltic lava flows and volcanic structures from interglacial periods, especially from the last 11,500 years (the Holocene Era) characterise the area. Four elongated volcanic systems and fissure swarms line the peninsula from SW to NE. They contain open fissures, normal faults, high temperature geothermal fields and numerous volcanic fissures that are lined with monogenetic craters.”

Whether you care about the science behind how this area was formed or not, the beauty and the uniqueness of the landscape can’t be denied.

Where is the Reykjanes Peninsula & How to Get There

Before jumping into what to see and do in this part of south Iceland, I think it is important to go over where it is and how to get there. As I mentioned in the beginning, this peninsula is in the south of the country, specifically the south-west.

The towns and villages that make up the Reykjanes Peninsula include Suðurnesjabær, Grindavík, Vogar, and Reykjanesbær. If it is relatively clear when you are flying into Iceland, you can get a glimpse of the stark black sand beaches along the coastline and the jagged lava rock that dominates this part of the country.

By car, it is very easy to drive around the peninsula. Whether you rent a car on your own or take a tour. However, the real fun begins when you get out of the car and explore on foot.

Different Towns on Reykjanes Peninsula

Each of the towns of the peninsula that I mentioned above have unique features that attract visitors. For instance, Reykjanesbær, which is the municipality that is home to Keflavik international airport is made up of three districts: Keflavík, Hafnir and Njarvík. With a population of a little over 15,000 people, it is the largest town on the peninsula. There you will find different types of accommodations, stores, bars and museums.

<figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><figcaption>Suðurnesjabær</figcaption></figure>

Suðurnesjabær

Suðurnesjabær is a fairly new municipality in Iceland. In 2018, it was created by merging Garður and Sandgerði and it has a population of about 3,000 people. There are a plethora of outdoor activities to do in this part of the peninsula.

In addition to having spectacular sea views and two awesome lighthouses to experience, this area is brimming with bird life and seals. There is even the possibility of seeing dolphins swim near the shore. Surprisingly, there are white sand beaches here, which you will only present in certain areas of the country. If you have a motorhome, want to camp or have a trailer, there is a local campsite with amenities like toilets, running water and electricity.

Within this municipality is the northern tip of the peninsula. In addition to bird watching and golfing, there is a unique souvenir shop called Listatorg that sells a variety of handmade goods. Additionally, the Suðurnes Science and Learning Center is located there. If you have an interest in exhibitions about Icelandic nature, sea creatures, wildlife and any research related to those topics,I recommend taking time to visit the center.

Vogar

Vogar has a population of a little over 1,100 and the town is an old fishing village. What is absolutely fascinating about this place is that even though it mainly has lava fields that span from the ocean to the mountains, it is the largest agricultural area on the peninsula.

In this municipality, you can take a stroll along the pond Vogatjörn, visit the old harbor and check out the íslands Hrafnistumenn monument, which was erected in memory of local fisherman. There is a golf course in this area as well. Even if you don’t care much for the sport, you might still be interested in visiting to check out one of the largest timber churches in Iceland. It just so happens that the golf course encircles that building.

If you are anything like me, you’re probably interested in knowing where the hiking trails are in Vogar. Mount Keilir is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the area. While it looks quite steep, it is not a difficult hike. You can also check out Hrafnagjá, a normal fault and tension fracture that is the longest on the peninsula. This 12 meters long and 30 meters high set of fractures forms a valley rift. There is an easily accessible hiking trail to it from the parking area.

<figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><figcaption>Grindavík</figcaption></figure>

Grindavík

The third municipality that makes up the Reykjanes peninsula is Grindavík. This place is home to the world famous Blue Lagoon. So many visitors that have gone to the Blue Lagoon were not aware of the other activities in the area. Just to give you a little background about Grindavik, it has a population of about 3,300. Most of the people that live there base their lives around fishing or the fishing industry.

This small town provides more than 40% of Iceland’s salt fish production. It is still one of the most active harbors in the country. The landscape surrounding the town looks eerily like the moon and there are lovely hiking trails there. It is worth noting that this southwestern town is home to one of Iceland’s best golf courses. Kvikan, which is a house of culture and natural resources, is also located here.

Top 10 Places to Go on the Reykjanes Peninsula

Because there are over 50 spots on this peninsula to check out, I decided to give you the top 10. However, here is a link to the brochure from Visit Reykjanes that has a plethora of information about this fascinating part of the country.

1. The Blue Lagoon
   • This spa is famous for a reason. While it is visited by a lot of tourists each year, I think it is worth checking it out at least once.
2. Gunnuhver
   • These smelly mud pools and steam vents are pretty cool to check out but there is an added bonus. They are names-d after a female ghost that was laid there. She was kind of a pain in the butt and caused trouble. That stopped after a priest tricked her into falling into the spring 400 years ago.
3. Reykjanes Light House
   • It’s the country’s oldest lighthouse. The original was built in 1878 but ended up being damaged by an earthquake. Another lighthouse was built in 1907 and is currently the one that people visit today. In 2007, it was voted as the favorite lighthouse among Icelanders
4. <a href="https://www.visitreykjanes.is/en/inspiration/towns