Route 1 and Beyond - A Self-Drive Guide to Iceland

The Reykjanes Peninsula

De: John Lloyd

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

The Reykjanes Peninsula, including Keflavík Airport Guide and The Blue Lagoon

The first sight of Iceland for most visitors, the Reykjanes peninsula is home to the international airport at Keflavík, the world-famous geothermal spa at the Blue Lagoon and the UNESCO Global Geopark.

Reykjanes, also known as Smoky Nose, is filled with brooding volcanoes, bubbling geothermal areas, and rugged lava fields. Formed by relatively recent volcanic eruptions, it’s Iceland's “newest” region.

This is where you’ll discover that Iceland is a country still in the making, with constant geological activity changing the landscape all the time – a fabulous introduction to the Land of Fire and Ice.

Route 41 takes you most of the length of Reykjanes from the international airport at Keflavík to the capital city, Reykjavík, and the famous Ring Road that connects the rest of the country.

Easily explored between those two points, you’ll find a fabulous collection of natural marvels, including the Bridge Between Continents, Kleifarvatn, Krýsuvík, Gunnuhver, Brimketill, and many more places of interest.

With a population of fewer than 30,000, some say there are as many lighthouses as villages and towns on the Reykjanes peninsula - see how many you can find!

Because of the ongoing volcanic eruptions close to Grindavík, it is not possible to drive a complete circuit of the Reykjanes peninsula - it can only be explored in separate sections.

The first section of the guide will take you from Keflavík and the neighbouring community of Reykjanesbær to the stunning sights in the peninsula's northwestern and southwestern parts.

The second section will lead from Reykjavík and then south from Hafnarfjörður to explore the remainder of Reykjanes.

These suggestions will help you plan a Reykjanes road trip, plug potential gaps between your flight arrival and check-in at your hotel, or make the most of your time before returning your rental vehicle at the end of your time in Iceland.