Things to Do in the Reykjanes Peninsula: Fagradalsfjall, Gunnuhver, Reykjanesviti and the Blue Lagoon

The Reykjanes Peninsula has more lighthouses than villages, and the whole of it is a UNESCO Global Geopark. Start with the Fagradalsfjall volcano, the geothermal areas of Seltún-Krýsuvík and Gunnuhver, and Reykjanesviti, Iceland’s oldest lighthouse. The Blue Lagoon is only a few minutes away, and Keflavík International Airport sits on the peninsula too.

At a glance

• Top sights to see first: Fagradalsfjall, Seltún-Krýsuvík, Gunnuhver, Reykjanesviti
• Main access: Keflavík International Airport, a 45 minute drive from Reykjavik
• Best time of day: the end of the day for a soak in the Blue Lagoon
• Best season to visit: late spring and early summer, with the fewest rainy days (June has 10.0)

What are the best things to do in the Reykjanes Peninsula?

Fagradalsfjall

The eruption here began on 19 March 2021, after a year of increased seismic activity. Over six months it built a small volcanic shield covering 5 km2 (about 2 square miles).

The volcano lies east of Grindavík by road no. 427 (Suðurstrandarvegur). Eruption sites change, so check the current situation before you drive out.

Gunnuhver and Seltún-Krýsuvík

These are the two geothermal areas the region singles out as must-sees. At Gunnuhver, two ramps let you look down to the spring, hear the noise, see the boiling water and feel the steam.

Seltún-Krýsuvík is the second stop. Krýsuvík church, built in 1857, now forms part of the National Museum. Bring a windproof layer for the steam and the open ground.

Reykjanesviti and the Bridge between Continents

Reykjanesviti is Iceland’s oldest lighthouse, and the visitor center is right next to it.

The Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa, and it owes its existence to the neighboring Svartsengi Power Station. It is only a few minutes from the airport area, which makes it an easy first or last stop.

Plan it after your sightseeing, when you’ll want the heat.

Brimketill, Grindavík and Eldvörp

Brimketill is a small naturally carved pool at the lava shore edge, west of Grindavík. The old church in Grindavík was consecrated in 1909.

Eldvörp is a row of scoria and spatter cones ten kilometers (6 miles) long, with lava around it covering 20 square kilometers (about 8 square miles).

Viking World and the museums of Reykjanesbær

Viking World displays the Íslendingur, a replica of a ship excavated in Norway. The Icelandic Museum of Rock ‘n’ Roll is at Hljómahöll in Keflavik, and Duus Museum, the Art and Cultural Center of Reykjanesbær, is at Duusgata 2-8.

These indoor stops suit a rainy day. The stone church at Hvalsnes, consecrated in 1887 and still in use, is a short addition.

When is the best time to visit the Reykjanes Peninsula for sightseeing?

Winter is cold but not extreme: January and February highs reach 38°F (3°C) and lows drop to 29°F (-2°C), with 16 rainy days a month, so plan indoor stops. Spring warms gradually, from 44°F (7°C) in April to 49°F (10°C) in May. June is the mildest and driest of the months listed, at 55°F (13°C) and 10 rainy days. The peninsula is described as a perfect day trip from Reykjavik, and nowhere is much more than an hour from the city, so a car makes the stops easy to link.

Beaches and outdoor things to do in the Reykjanes Peninsula

Stóra-Sandvík is a small inlet with a big black sand beach backed by grassy dunes. A large pond with birdlife sits on its inner part. The weather is unpredictable, so this isn’t a place for swimming or even paddling. Come for the walk and the birds.

Reykjanes offers many beautiful hiking trails and a wealth of leisure activities. It also has some of the best winter birdwatching in Iceland, so bring binoculars in the cold months. Dress for wind and wet.

• Stóra-Sandvík: close to the Bridge between Continents · black sand, grassy dunes, birdlife · for walkers and birdwatchers, not swimmers

Day trips from the Reykjanes Peninsula

The peninsula itself is the day trip from Reykjavik. Hafnarfjörður is 11 miles (18 km) from central Reykjavík.

• Fagradalsfjall: by road no. 427, east of Grindavík · by car · for volcano watchers
• Sundhnúksgígar eruption site: by road no. 43, north of Grindavík and east of the Blue Lagoon · by car · for those combining it with a lagoon soak

Both need a car, so pick Sundhnúksgígar if you want the Blue Lagoon on the same day.

Things to do in the Reykjanes Peninsula with kids

Children can watch boiling water and feel the steam from the ramps at Gunnuhver. The geothermal exhibition on the Hellisheiði lava fields explains geothermal energy and local geological history. Indoors, the Íslendingur ship replica at Viking World and the rock ‘n’ roll museum are good for wet days.

Three geothermal areas on Reykjanes are used for power generation, and the Gjáin information centre in Svartsengi is near the Blue Lagoon. Keep children back from the steam and away from the sea at Stóra-Sandvík, where the weather rules out swimming or paddling.