Iceland 2: Whirl Around the Ring Road
Iceland’s Ring Road traces the circumference of the sub-Arctic island and delivers 820 miles of spectacular scenery. Get ready to go on a whirl around the island and touch on a few highlights. Our starting point is Reykjavik, on Iceland’s southern shore.
First settled in 870 AD Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik, has a population of 140,000.
The TALLEST BUILDING in Iceland, Hallgrímskirkja Evangelical-Lutheran Church is in central Reykjavik. It stands 244 feet tall (74.5 meters) and it is one of the world’s most architecturally unique churches.
Our journey will take us clockwise from Reykjavik because… that’s the direction we went.
Known widely as the Little Black Church, the Búðakirkja Church sits on the southern shore of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Western Iceland. A solitary structure surrounded by a lava field and mountains in the background, Búðakirkja is the MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CHURCH in Iceland.
Located on the north coast of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Mt. Kirkjufell (463 m, 1,519 ft) is the MOST PHOTOGRAPHED MOUNTAIN in Iceland. Game of Thrones fans will recognize Kirkjufell as one of the filming locations for seasons 6 & 7.
Húsavík, located along the Northern coast, is recognized as the WHALE-WATCHING CAPITAL of Iceland. The Arctic Circle is a stone’s throw away.
When this fella jumps out of the water he’s a sight to behold!
The Northern Lights can be seen at any time of the year, although they are most prevalent during the winter months. There are no guarantees of seeing the mighty Aurora Borealis.
At 814 feet (248 m) deep, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is Iceland’s DEEPEST LAKE. Icebergs and huge ice chunks break away from an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, Europe’s LARGEST GLACIER, silently drift into the lagoon, and slowly melt. It’s really quiet out there on the water! There’s almost an eerie silence amidst all that ice.
The water from Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon empties into the ocean after crossing a black lava shoreline appropriately named Diamond Beach after the crystal clear freshwater ice formations.
Melting waters from the nearby Mýrdalsjökull Glacier feed Skógafoss, the MOST FREQUENTLY PHOTOGRAPHED WATERFALL in Iceland. Measuring 197 feet (60 m) high and 82 feet (25 m) wide, Skógafoss Falls is an awe-inspiring sight. Legend has it that a treasure chest filled with gold is hidden behind the falls.
Reynisfjara’s stunning basalt sea stacks flanking its rich black beach and legendary offshore rock formations earned it recognition in 2021 as the “6th BEST NON-TROPICAL BEACH IN THE WORLD.” Close to the town of Vik, the rock formations in the water have sparked more than one folklore story about their origin.
Take a stroll along this path in Þingvellir National Park - North America is on your left, and Europe is on your right.
Next stop Reykjavik. I hope you enjoyed our quick WHIRL AROUND THE RING ROAD in the Land of Fire and Ice.
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We did this a few years ago and I think it's one of our favorite trips to date - so incredible!
Amazing scenery!