Iceland · The Reykjanes Peninsula
The Reykjanes Peninsula is the first and last piece of Iceland most travelers see, a raw volcanic landscape that sits between Keflavik airport and Reykjavik. Its star is the Blue Lagoon, a milky-blue geothermal spa cradled in a field of black lava, where you can soak in mineral-rich water that stays warm whatever the weather is doing above.
Beyond the lagoon, Reykjanes is a place of steaming earth and shifting ground. Geothermal fields like Gunnuhver and Seltun hiss and bubble, a footbridge spans a fissure between the North American and Eurasian plates, and recent eruptions have left fresh black lava across the land.
Because it is so close to the airport, this corner of Iceland makes a perfect first or last day. We often arrange a soak straight after a long flight, or a final unwinding morning before departure, with time to wander the lava fields and clifftop lighthouses in between.
