This is an article about 2nd half of 1 week of Iceland traveling from the outskirts of the Vatnajökull glacier to the Mývatn region in the northeast of Iceland and back to Reykjavik.
The video story (if you prefer to read the story, please continue below the video):
Day 4: Going north – towards the treasures of the Mývatn region
On the 4th day, we are heading along the east coast towards Djúpivogur, a small town at the mouth of the fjord Berufjörður. At the innermost end of the fjord, there is a possibility to leave Route 1 and take a shortcut via Öxi pass (road 939) towards Egilsstaðir – 939 is 12 mi long gravel road, some even hold it for scary – but it will save you about 40 miles / 1 hour. After passing Egilsstaðir, Route 1 turns west towards Lake Mývatn, an amazing area overflowing with countless attractions. The entire area where we will spend two days is also known as the Diamond Circle.
Djúpivogur
Djúpivogur is a cozy town, perfect for stretching your legs before heading up to the most strenuous section of the road. I recommend two tourist attractions: Eggin í Gleðivík artwork, 34 granite eggs representing local bird species, and JFS Handcraft, a handmade art store and stone garden.
As we draw nearer to the Mývatn area, the landscape looks more and more moonlike and announces that we are entering one of the most spectacular regions in Iceland. Literally, we run into another attraction every 10 minutes.
Krafla and Hverir
Krafla is a volcanic caldera 10 miles north-eastern from Lake Mývatn. Its main attraction is a crater Viti (the Icelandic word for hell), filled with blue water and surrounded by a geothermal area.
On the way from Krafla towards Lake Mývatn, on the left-hand side of Route 1, we fall into Hverir, the moonlike area with steam and smoke fuming off the ground at each step. Take a break and enjoy a walk among hundreds of hot springs, bubbling mud springs, fumaroles, and hissing cairn chimneys.
Reykjahlíð
After four more miles, we reach Reykjahlíð, a cozy town on the shore of Lake Mývatn offering several accommodation possibilities, including Camp Mývatn, one of the best camping sites in Iceland – time to settle for two nights and start investigating the broader surroundings.
Dimmuborgir
Located east of Lake Mývatn, Dimmuborgir (dark castles), not to be mixed up with the extreme metal band, is a unique lava field consisting of unusually shaped rock formations and caves – a perfect home for elves.
Mývatn Nature Baths
After a long day, it is time for regeneration, and we are at the right place – Mývatn Nature Baths is a smaller brother of the famous Blue Lagoon. Alkaline and mineral-rich warm water without added chlorine is a perfect body & soul healer in the neverending evening. This night we will sleep like babies.
Day 5: Northern Eden – neverending treasures of the Diamond Circle
On the 5th day, we will continue to explore the Diamond Circle, starting with a morning walk along the shore, bird-watching, and a short trip to Hverfjall volcano, followed by whale watching tour at Húsavík, a small town on the north coast. We will return to Mývatn, taking the detour via the famous Ásbyrgi canyon and Dettifoss waterfall.
Lake Mývatn shores and bird-watching
The shores of Lake Mývatn offer numerous opportunities for walking and bird-watching. Especially its western shore is a nesting place for thousands of birds. For some species, this is the only nesting place in Iceland.
Hverfjall
Hverfjall is a volcano crater near the eastern shore of Lake Mývatn. It has a diameter of 1 km (0,6 mi) and is fully covered with black ash. Walking up to and around the crater’s rim offers magnificent views into the crater and the whole Mývatn area.
Húsavík and whale watching
Húsavík, a small town on the north coast, less than an hour’s distance by car from Lake Mývatn, is the whale-watching capital of Iceland and one of the most popular in the world. Besides whale watching tours, Húsavík also offers several other activities for tourists – Húsavík whale museum being the must one to mention.
Ásbyrgi and Dettifoss
We are leaving Húsavík towards the north, taking road 85 along the north coast. Built at the top of cliffs, the road offers magnificent views of the sea deep below. We might spot a whale or a flock of dolphins with a bit of luck. After 40 miles, we reach the entrance to the Ásbyrgi, a horseshoe-shaped canyon at the northernmost part of Vatnajökull National Park. The gravel road 864 leads us along the gorge and Jökulsá á Fjöllum river to Dettifoss, apparently the most powerful waterfall in Europe. Again, as is often the case in Iceland, we can walk very close to the top of the waterfall. From Dettifoss, it is not far to Route 1 and to the Mývatn area.
Day 6: On the way to the West to meet the first European born in America
On day six, we are heading on a journey of almost 300 miles toward Reykjavik. Despite spending a bit more time on the road, the journey is not less spectacular. Along the way, we will visit Goðafoss waterfall, Akureyri, a cozy capital of northern Iceland, and the famous Glaumbær Museum with the grave of the first white man born in America and the beautiful Víðimýrarkirkja church.
Goðafoss
Probably no other land has so many spectacular waterfalls as Iceland. The last one we will see on our one-week journey is Goðafoss (Icelandic: a waterfall of the gods), just beside Route 1, 30 miles west of Lake Mývatn. Goðafoss was named after the legend that says that upon Christianity became the official religion of Iceland, the law speaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði threw his statues of the Norse gods into the waterfall.
Akureyri
Apart from Reykjavik, Akureyri is the only town in Iceland that makes a city-like impression. It is northern Iceland’s economic, cultural, and educational center. A cozy, clean, and lively city with about 20.000 inhabitants is located at the inner end of the fjord Eyjafjörður. The list of attractions contains several churches, museums, lovely shops, and restaurants. Still, for a shorter stay, one must visit the Akureyri Church, take a walk across the city center, and taste the famous Brynja ice cream.
Glaumbær farm
About 60 miles further west, near the village of Varmahlíð, lies Glaumbær farm museum with its spectacular old turf farmhouse and 19-century timber houses with exhibitions of rural life through the centuries. But its most significant attraction is the grave of Snorri Thorfinnsson, the first European born in America.
Víðimýrarkirkja church
A few minutes drive to the south, and we reach a Víðimýrarkirkja, a beautiful turf church from the 19th century. Among several attractions is a preserved old-seating area with men sitting at one side and women at the other.
Hvalfjörður Tunnel
The road from Akureyri to Reykjavik winds through a beautiful landscape surrounded by mountains, small waterfalls, pastures, lava fields, and coast and fjords. The Hvalfjörður Tunnel, a 3,5 mi long road tunnel built under the Hvalfjörður fjord, shortens the distance to Reykjavik by about 30 miles. Inside, the tunnel looks pretty attractive. Compared with tunnels in continental Europe, it looks polished and darker. The good news is that as of September 2018, it is toll-free.
Day 7: Visit the capital on the last day
The last day of the one-week journey is dedicated to Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. It is a lively, well-organized, and tourist-friendly city with over 130.000 inhabitants. By selecting attractions we want to see well, one day visit could be very effective. Besides must-sees, such as Hallgrímskirkja and the National Museum of Iceland, I would recommend visiting Maritime Museum, Árbæjarsafn, making a shopping tour along the Laugavegur and having lunch at one of many cozy restaurants in the city center.
Hallgrímskirkja church
A Lutheran parish church is the largest church in Iceland. A modern-style church is located at the top of a short slope in the city center and offers excellent views of the capital and its surroundings, especially from the 244 ft tall tower. In front of the church, there is a statue of Leif Erikson, a Viking explorer, the first known European to discover North America, almost 500 years before Columbus.
National Museum of Iceland
National Museum offers permanent exhibitions as well as numerous temporary special exhibitions. The most attractive permanent collection: Making of a Nation – Heritage and History in Iceland, provides insight into the history of Iceland from the settlement to the present day and is a must-see.
Árbæjarsafn
Árbæjarsafn is a historical open-air museum of Reykjavik, exhibiting earlier life and work in Reykjavik. The museum consists of old houses of historical value built on the abandoned Árbær farm.
Laugavegur
Laugavegur is one of the oldest shopping streets in Iceland, hosting exclusive stores, bars, and restaurants.
