In Bardaströnd (western part of Iceland) you can find a delightful and warm swimming pool right by the sea. The place is called Laugarnes vid Birkimel in the Bardastrond area.
The swimming pool is old, ca 60 years old but has been renovated recently. During the summertime you may expect it to be open from 13:00 - 23:00.
Enjoy!
Ready to visit the queen of elves in Iceland? One of our secret hot spots in east Iceland is a hillock named Álfhóll (Elf Mound). It is located on the outskirts of the fishing hamlet Bakkagerði (Borgarfjörður Bay). And according to the legend the queen of elves lives in this hillock.
You could literally spend many weeks exploring all the beautiful spots in South Iceland. The landscape of this area is extremely rich and diverse, both soft and rugged, black and white or so rich of colors you cannot choose where to point your camera.
Vestmannaeyjar - The Westman Islands
If you have a day or two to spare, you should go and visit the beautiful Westman Islands off the south coast and the famous puffins. There are about 15 islands and 20 cliffs.
A flight from Reykjavík to the islands only takes about 20 minutes and you could also take a ferry from the town Þorlákshöfn which takes about 3 hours.
Across the lake from Hallormsstaður is the river Hengifossá which spills into the lake Lögurinn.
Two big waterfalls are in the river, Hengifoss (118 m) and Litlanesfoss. Hengifoss is the third highest waterfall of Iceland and therefore a very interesting place to visit. It is certainly worth walking up to it.
It is framed with very beautiful and remarkably long and regular basaltic pillars. You can also walk or climb behind the waterfall where a small cave is to be found.
A short distance from Lake Mývatn you’ll find the geothermal power center of Krafla. Its name derives form the mountain Krafla (818 m).
It’s possible to drive a “dead end” road through the area which climbs steeply up to the Krafla caldera. What is a caldera? A Caldera is made when the roof of the magma chamber collapses after the chamber has been emptied by an explosion.
There is a special parking area and you can take a short walk to the edge of the caldera or even walk along a path to the left which will take you to a lava field in about an hour.
Photo above:
This Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons image is from the user Chris 73 and is freely available at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Lava_at_Vulkan_Krafla_Iceland_1.JPG under the creative commons cc-by-sa 2.5 license.
There are many secret hot spots in North Iceland worth mentioning. Mainly wooden areas where you can enjoy peace while hiking and the scent of wood and nature.
Kjarnaskógur
Akureyri is one of the biggest and most beautiful towns in Iceland. It lies in north Iceland and you will most probably visit this friendly town if you travel the Ring Road (nr. 1).
A few kilometers south of Akureyri lies Kjarnaskógur, a delightful place. It is a wooded recreational area for everyone, adults as well as children, extremely beautiful and peaceful. Perfect for hiking and relaxation.
There are hiking paths all over and clearings, often with grill facilities and playgrounds for children. You will also find a volleyball ground and a jogging track which becomes a skiing track in winter. There are over 50 species of trees and shrubs in the woods and the highest trees there reach ca. 12 meters.
If you really want to experience something special, you should visit the old fishery station at Hellnar in Snæfellsnes and feel the spirit of past generations in this beautiful place.
Let the elves in the rocks play with your imagination and last but not least visit Kristjan and Sigridur and have a fantastic fish soup at their popular Fjoruhusid (Fjöruhúsið) on the shore, a small restaurant only open during the summertime.
Photo: The popular Fjöruhúsið with some guests on the veranda.
When you leave the town of Borgarnes in the direction of Bifröst (University Campus) pay attention after about 20-30 km. Two secret hot spots are well worth your visit in the neighborhood of Bifröst.
A little below Bifröst, on your left side, you'll find a road that leads to Hreðavatn, a beautiful little lake where it is possible to buy fishing permits if you wish. The surroundings of the lake are extremely beautiful and mostly hidden from Road 1. There are all kinds of trails available for short or long walks.
Glanni - Paradísarlaut
Another secret hot spot is also a little below Bifröst on your right hand side when driving from Borgarnes. Actually two spots to be precise! On your right side runs the river Norðurá with the beautiful waterfall Glanni. You'll find a nice walking path leading to it.
But don't just stop at Glanni... continue on the path until you reach Paradísarlaut - the Hollow of Paradise. A beautiful (and romantic!) oasis in the lava on the banks of Norðurá, not too far from Glanni.
Paradísarlaut is a hollow with a tiny lake in the middle with green grass, moss and bushes all around. You'll have to climb down a path to get down. A very romantic and wonderful place and if you brought some coffee and provisions, you can easily enjoy a small picnic there.
