Sightseeing Spectaculars Mother Nature's Special Effects Department

Rugged and moss-grown lava fields, some only a few centuries old, greet visitors arriving at Keflavik Airport and spread right across the southwestern Reykjanes peninsula. Geothermal activity is also very much in evidence, in natural hot springs such as Krysuvik and especially at the Blue Lagoon, a bathing spot in the lava field by a geothermal power station, with mineral-rich waters renowned for their health-giving properties. Coupled with its interesting shores, birdlife and whale watching opportunities, southwest Iceland makes an ideal place for a day tour from Reykjavik or on a stopover, for visitors who don't have time to explore the region in depth.

South Iceland offers a variety of day tours from the capital too, and its "Golden Circle" is a real must for sightseers. Its centerpiece is Thingvellir, where early settlers established an assembly in 930 AD which has evolved into the world's oldest national parliament today. Besides its key historical role through the centuries, Thingvellir is also a masterpiece of nature, with a scenic lake and rifts which mark where the continental plates of America and Eurasia meet and are spreading apart.

Other Golden Circle highlights include Gullfoss, the "Golden Falls", a mighty two-tier waterfall in a chasm on the river Hvita, and the geothermal fields of Geysir, where the spouting spring Strokkur erupts boiling water and steam every five minutes or so - as it happens, the "old faithful" Geysir itself has suddenly begun spouting again after snoozing for decades.

The forces of nature in south Iceland have shaped not only the land but man's life too. In medieval times people thought fiery Mt. Hekla was the gateway to Hell. Off the south coast, the Westmann Islands were evacuated for a couple of months in 1973 because of volcanic activity - but the inhabitants soon went back. Killer whale Keiko also left stardom in the "Free Willy" movies to go back there to his native haunts. Just off the Westmann Islands is Surtsey, a new island which suddenly

appeared out of the sea; access is limited to scientists, however.

History is everywhere in south Iceland, too, spanning the whole range from the Saga Age farm at Stong to the old bishop's seat of Skalholt and the regional folk museum at Skogar, probably the most comprehensive of its kind in the country.

Raw nature within easy reach
For a taste of the interior without "going the whole way," two gems of nature on the southern rim of the highlands are among Iceland's most popular summer outdoor spots. Thorsmork is a designated nature reserve, a hikers' paradise with woods and grass nestling among mountains and glaciers and cut off by powerful glacial rivers. It is divided into three separate areas, one of which can be reached by road but the other two only by driving through the river in very large vehicles at specific places. Newcomers should not attempt the crossing on their own - the river is unpredictable.

Landmannalaugar is a hotbed of geothermal activity, famed for its springs where travelers bathe, and for the riotous colors of its landscape and mountains - including shrieking pink rhyolite. Landmannalaugar can be reached by ordinary automobile, but you should drive carefully along the quite bumpy road. Regular coaches operate to both �orsmork and Landmannalaugar in the summer, and visits are included in some packages as well.

Another treasure bordering the south Iceland interior is the Lakagigar crater series inland from Kirkjubaejarklaustur, which produced the largest lava flow ever witnessed in historical times anywhere in the world, during the Skaftar eruptions of 1783.

The Wild West
West Iceland, easily reachable from Reykjavik through a 4 mile tunnel under Hvalfjordur fjord, is a showcase of lava formations, geothermal activity and history. Woodlands are relatively common, and there are fine lakes and rivers for fishing, as well as grand scenery with chasms and waterfalls, overlooked by Langjokull and other glaciers on the rim of the highlands.

On Snaefellsnes peninsula, amazing works of nature adorn the entire landscape, culminating in the glittering glacial cap of Snaefellsjokull, atop a crater which provided Jules Verne with the setting for his classic Journey to the Center of the Earth. The shore abounds in bizarre rock formations and bird life, and a number of towns snuggle in bays on its north coast, including Olafsvik where whale watching cruises can be taken. From the largest town, Stykkisholmur, travelers can take cruises or a ferry across Breidafjordur Bay with its "countless islands." The ferry calls at Flatey Island with period-piece houses that testify to its old status as a major cultural center, although now only a handful of people live there in the summer.

The West Fjords are the most sparsely populated region of Iceland apart from the uninhabited highlands, typified by sheer mountains rising from the sea and deep fjords with occasional fishing villages snuggling against the slender seaboard. Isafjordur is the main town, the regional center for services, scene of plenty of social and cultural activities and starting-point for many tours.