Nine fun things to do in Southern Iceland

People who want to visit the southern part of Iceland this summer have a lot of options. Here is a list of nine interesting places to visit, but bear in mind it is just the tip of the Iceberg when it comes to fun things to do in this part of the country.

Kayaking in Stokkseyri

Icelandic Kayaktours in Stokkseyri have been operating since 1995. There are many types of tours available, from easy going family fun tours without a guide, to a two and a half hours tours with a guide.

Fontana Wellness in Laugarvatn

It is a good idea to take a break in Laugarvatn, relax in a hot tub and the sauna. Fontana Wellness naturebaths are a unique experience and the steam comes from natural geysirs which the locals have used for health baths for ages. Fontana Wellness is by Laugavatn lake and the view is spectacular with a circle of mountains a far.

Seljalandsfoss

Selja­lands­foss is a waterfall in the  Selja­landsriver where it falls off the  cliffs of Western Eyjafjöll down 60 meters, but the river originates underneath Eyjafjallajökull. Seljalandsfoss is one of the highest waterfalls in the country and it is a very popular place, and don´t forget the camera.

Eyja­fjalla­jök­ull

Eyjafjallajökull made it into the news worldwide in 2010 when the volcano erupted. The name was quite a tongue twister for news anchors around the world as can be seen in the video below.

Eyja­fjalla­jök­ull  is one of the highest glaciers in the country, but one of the smaller ones in size. It is a strato volcano and lies north of Eyjafjöll. At the top of the glacier is a crater around 3-4 km in diameter. Many companies offer guided tours to the glacier and going there it is a once in a lifetime experience.

Surts­ey, the youngest island on the planet

Surts­ey is on the World Heritage list of UNESCO. It is the youngest island around Iceland and the most southern island belonging to the Westman Islands, and it is 1,9 square km in size. The island is a natural reserve but it is popular to sail around the island and it is advertised as the youngest island on the planet. The sailing tours can accommodate twelve people and it takes around three hours and leaves from the town of Westman Islands. You can get more information on Visitwest­man­is­lands.com .

Slakki Petting Zoo

There is always a good time at the Petting Zoo at Slakki in Laugarás. Both grown-ups and children can have fun there, petting little rabbits, dogs and other nice animals. The surrounding area is beautiful and serene.

Downtown Sel­foss

Those who appreciate the Southern part of Iceland agree on Selfoss being a must stop, especially the new downtown area. There you can find beautiful buildings, shops and all kinds of restaurants. The town is a center for milk production in Iceland and just recently a statues of Egill Thorarensen was put up as a part of that history, but he was the CEO of Kaupfélag Árnesinga and the Chairman of the Board of Mjólkurbú Flóamanna for over thirty years.  Þeir sem kunna að meta Suður­landið eru flest­ir sam­mála því að nú þurfi all­ir að heim­sækja miðbæ Sel­foss. Þar má finna fal­leg­ar bygg­ing­ar, versl­an­ir og alls kon­ar veit­ingastaði. Stytta af Agli Thor­ar­en­sen var af­hjúpuð þar ný­verið en hann var kaup­fé­lags­stjóri Kaup­fé­lags Árnes­inga og stjórn­ar­formaður Mjólk­ur­bús Flóa­mann a (MS Iceland Dairies) í þrjá ára­tugi.

Thing­vell­ir National Park

The Heart of Iceland is a celebrated interactive exhibition about the history and the nature of Thingvellir National Park and it allows the guests to become a part of the National Park, and they can get the information themselves while they stroll through the exhibition. After the exhibition it is good to go outside and experience the spectacular nature of this historical heart of Iceland.

Sól­heim­ar Eco Village

Sól­heim­ar which would be called The Home of the Sun in a direct translation is a sustainable eco village and the home of over 100 individuals that live and work in the village. It is possible to get food and walk around the village and the villagers sell hand made  art pieces that some say are one of the most beautiful in the country.

The villagers also produce and sell hand soaps, lip balms, bathsalts and oils that are good for the skin and your appearance. Everything is made from herbs grown in the area in the clean air and fresh soil and everything is hand made.