Few photos from my trips to Iceland through the years
Reykjavik, on the coast of Iceland, is the country's capital and largest city. It's home to the National and Saga museums, tracing Iceland’s Viking history. The striking concrete Hallgrimskirkja church and rotating Perlan glass dome offer sweeping views of the sea and nearby hills. Exemplifying the island’s volcanic activity is the geothermal Blue Lagoon spa, near the village of Grindavik.
Apart from it being a beautiful place to walk with stunning views across the bay to Mount Esja, the Old Harbour area is where the majority of marine activities, such as whale watching and puffin tours are concentrated; it's also home to the excellent Víkin Maritime Museum
The Icelandic National Day celebrations in Reykjavík take place annually in the city centre on June 17th from 10 o'clock in morning until 7 pm.
The programme includes family oriented entertainment with street theatre and a variety of wonderful activites, followed by a concert at Arnarhóll and an accordion ball at City Hall.
The programme starts with the chiming of all church bells in Reykjavík, followed by a mass in Domkirkjan Cathedral. At 11:10 the Icelandic government's National Day ceremony starts at Austurvöllur Square, followed by a parade from Austurvöllur to Suðurgata Cemetery, where the Chairman of the City Council lays a wreath of flowers on the grave of Jón Sigurðsson.
Hallgrímskirkja church is Reykjavík's main landmark and its tower can be seen from almost everywhere in the city.
This fantastic dome–shaped, glass building was designed by Ingimundur Sveinsson and is supported by six massive hot-water tanks - each with a capacity of 4 million litres. That is apart from one, which houses the Saga Museum - a history installation of very lifelike silica figures depicting some of the more famous scenes of the Sagas.
Whether it's frozen to perfection like a frosted mirror or dressed in the dazzling shades of summer, Tjörnin pond is enchanting in any season and one of Reykjavík's most photographed attractions.
Tjörnin, which is dramatically framed by the impressive Reykjavík City Hall and numerous beautifully coloured old houses, is a natural pond and home to countless ducks, swans and geese that even stay for the entire winter season thanks to a little geothermal heating. Apart from being a great place to frame a photograph, it’s also a great place to wander and a popular destination for families in Reykjavík, who are often seen feeding bread to the bustling birdlife.
The Reykjanes peninsula is a geothermal wonder, where lighthouses outnumber villages. The dramatic rugged landscape features volcanic craters, caves, lava fields, geothermal waters and hot springs.
Snæfellsnes has many friendly towns and villages, spectacular mountains and multitude of bird species. Sparkling fjords, dramatic volcanic peaks, sheer sea cliffs, sweeping golden beaches and crunchy lava flows. The area is crowned by the glistening ice cap Snæfellsjökull, immortalised in Jules Verne's journey to the Center of the Earth.
Borgarfjordur is a fjord and a district in south western Iceland, by Faxafloi bay. It takes its name from the farm of viking and poet Egill Skallagrimsson, of Egil’s Saga fame.
Situated on the northern shore of lake Þingvallavatn, Þingvellir is the national shrine of Iceland. It is, for one, a key location in Icelandic history as the oldest existing parliament in the world first assembled there in 930 AD. Þingvellir has for this reason been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Heidmork is one of he primary sources for cold water in the capital region. It also has a beautiful forest of over five million plants and about 150 species of flowers. Rabbits and over 60 types of birds can be found there. Of particular note are Raudholar, a spectacular remainder of a cluster of pseudocraters and the salmon river Ellidaar. A number of caves can be found in the area, such as Mariuhellir and Draugahellar. During World War Two the British army used material from the craters to build the airport in Reykjavik.
Hveravellir is a geothermal area and nature reserve in the Icelandic highlands, between the glaciers Hofsjokull and Langjokull. The area features colourful sinters and smoking fumaroles, hot springs and a geothermal hot pool. Hveravellir is renowned for its beauty and is a popular stop when traveling through the highland road of Kjolur.
Midnight Sun
During the summer months, the west coast of Iceland becomes an excellent viewing platform for witnessing one of nature's most magnificent shows on Earth - the setting of the midnight sun.
Iceland's longest day of the year, the summer solstice, is around the 21st of June. On that day the sun sets just after midnight and rises again just before 3am, in Reykjavík.
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© Maggý R. Þorvaldsdóttir Pease