En esta página encontrarás los diarios de nuestros viajes por España.
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Contenido:
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En esta página encontrarás los diarios de nuestros viajes alrededor de Europa.
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Contenido:
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We continue our journey through Iceland and arrive at the capital: Reykjavik. It is coming to an end (unfortunately). We leave the Snaefellsnes peninsula behind and head to what will be our hotel for the last two nights.
We chose the Laxness Hotel, a simple hotel located in the town of Mosfellsbær, about 15 km north of Reykjavik. It cost us €120 per night with a private bathroom.
Find the best hotels in Iceland at the best price with Agoda:
July 23rd
Since we still had some time, we left our things at the hotel and went for a walk around the nearby Mount Esja.
Mount Esja, located in Kjalarnes, is one of the most popular destinations in Iceland for day trips. Actually, Esja is not a mountain itself, but a volcanic chain, whose highest peak reaches 914 meters in height.
The way up the mountain is divided into different sections, with signs indicating the difficulty of each route.
The best known paths lead to the summits of Þverfellshorn (780 m) and Kerhólakambur (851 m). The highest point is called Hábunga and requires an additional three kilometer hike northeast of Þverfellshorn.
Approximately 200 m from the top, hikers find themselves on a large rock called Steinn. There they can choose three options: continue on the marked path, go directly to the top or simply enjoy the excellent views before descending. Climbing to the top is recommended only for experienced hikers.
The truth is that we, already exhausted from so many days and, above all from such a fascinating day, soon decided to turn around.
We got back in the car and went to the hotel.
For dinner we do not complicate life much. Right in front of the hotel there was a restaurant from the KFC chain and we had dinner right there. The truth is that it is much more expensive than in Spain. 4,087 ISK (€30) we got dinner.
July 24th
We get up very early and we set out. At 12:00 we have to return the car and we had to take advantage of it.
We are going to try to do the hiking route that runs through the Geldingadalir volcano area again, which we had to cancel the first attempt due to inclement weather.
But today yes. We arrived at the car park (number 1, there are 3) and it was hardly windy and not very cold.
There are several routes up according to the difficulty. They are well signposted with the letters A, B and C. The A is about 3 km long and is the easiest.
The B is a little longer, about 3.5 km and is more difficult. When we were there it was cut off.
The C has two variants. By Langihryggur it is about 4 km. By Nátthagi it is 2 km and it is the easiest. In this one you can see the lava field but not the crater.
We did the A. At first the route is very beautiful, admiring the beautiful landscape of Reykjanes.
We started to climb uphill until we reached one of the edges of the still smoking lava field.
We continue up the even steeper path until we reach the top, from where we have a fascinating view of the lava field and the crater.
How to imagine that just a few days later, the ground would reopen in this area.
It was starting to get late to return the car, we decided to run to the rental office. We return it and take a walk to the bus stop to go to Reykjavik.
We arrive at the stop. WOW! It takes a long time for it to happen. We looked for somewhere to eat or buy something that the stomach began to complain. There was practically nothing open around but we did find a pylsur stall in front of the town hall. It’s called Pulsuvagninn and it was good… along the lines: cheap and tasty.
The bus arrives on time and the driver turned out to be the same horny one from the first day at the airport (it’s the same line). We did not hesitate and we got behind him. Laughing all the way once again.
Reykjavik
Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland and its most populous city with almost 138,000 inhabitants and some 245,000 including its metropolitan area.
According to what is said in Landnámabók, Ingólfur Arnarson was the first settler of Iceland. He settled in the year 870 where the city stands today and named his hut Reykja (r) vík. Recent archaeological excavations in the area of Aðalstræti, Suðurgatu and Kirkjustræti seem to corroborate this.
We got off the bus next to the BSI station, which is the station of the direct airport bus company, not the public one.
If you want more comfort, discover the Civitatis Reykjavik City Tour:
From here we went for a walk to Hallgrímskirkja, about 15 minutes walk.
Hallgrímskirkja is a Lutheran church located on top of the Skólavörðuhæð hill. And although many think so, it is not a cathedral, it is a “simple” church.
Almost 75 meters high, from its bell tower you get spectacular views of the entire city.
It was built between 1945 and 1986 according to the design of the architect Guðjón Samúelsson, who wanted to capture the spectacular Icelandic nature in the building. For this he was inspired by glaciers, mountains and lava formations, particularly the hexagonal basalt columns that surround the Svartifoss waterfall in Vatnajökull National Park.
It’s also designed to resemble Thor’s hammer, with the handle upturned, as a nod to Iceland’s religious history.
The interior is quite austere. A really simple decoration, highlighting the organ with more than 5,000 pipes built by the German company Johannes Klais from Bonn and installed in 1992.
Outside we find a statue of Leifur Eiríksson, the Nordic explorer who discovered North America 500 years before the arrival of Christopher Columbus. The sculpture is the work of American sculptor Alexander Stirling Calder and was a gift from his government to Iceland in 1930, to commemorate the millennium of the Alþingi, the world’s first democratically elected parliament founded in 930 in Þingvellir.
It was already time to eat seriously so it was time to find a place. We go down towards the center along Skólavörðustígur street. On the way we bought some souvenirs. Almost at the end of the street, it becomes pedestrian and is renamed Regnbogagatan (Rainbow Street).
The floor of Regnbogagatan is painted in the colors of the rainbow representing the kindness and acceptance of Iceland towards its LGTBI community. Iceland is considered one of the friendliest countries with the LGTBI collective in the world.
There was a place here called Reykjavik Fish. Basically Fish & Chips and little else. It was quite good and not expensive: 5,670 ISK (€40).
After eating we went for a short walk through Laugavegur, one of the main shopping streets of the city. In it we can find hundreds of restaurants, clothing stores, souvenirs, etc…
Walking quietly we arrived at Laekjargata, another of the main streets of the city. Here we can find Stjórnarráðshúsið, the office of the Prime Minister of Iceland. The building was originally built as the first penitentiary in Iceland.
On March 20, 1759, King Frederick V of Denmark ordered the construction of a prison in Iceland. It was built between 1761 and 1771 and they used some convicts as labor.
In 1816 it stopped working as a prison and in 1904 reforms began to be the government building. In 1918 it began to function as a government building.
Nearby is Safnahúsið (house of culture), which is part of the National Gallery. The building was built between 1906 and 1908 by the Danish architect Johannes Magdahl Nielsen.
In 1908 the museum of antiquities was moved here until 1950 it was moved to its own building in 1950. Between 1908 and 1947 you could also find the Museum of Natural History of Iceland.
In 1909 the National Library and the National Archives were moved. The first until 1994 and the second until 1987.
Currently in the building is the permanent exhibition Points of View and temporary exhibitions.
We continue down to Austurstræti, another of the main shopping streets of the city. In it we can find some of the oldest buildings in the city.
Parallel to Austurstræti we find the Austurvöllur square. It is one of the most popular places to meet. Good for sunbathing, for coffee or for mass protests, since the Alþingi, the Icelandic Parliament, is located here.
In the square there are several noteworthy elements, such as the aforementioned Alþingi. As we already mentioned in the first journal entry, the Alþingi was formed in 930 AD, originally in the Þingvellir National Park.
In 1800, the Alþingi was temporarily dissolved by the Danish King Christian VII and replaced by a High Court in Reykjavík. In 1843 the parliament was re-established through a second royal decree.
Since then, the Alþingi has been modernized with the times. The right to vote grew to incorporate everyone, regardless of income and gender, and eventually, first by achieving Home Rule and then Independence from Denmark.
The current building, known as Alþingishúsið (Parliament House), opened in 1881 and is the work of Danish architect Ferdinand Meldahl. The Alþingishúsið was also the home of the National Library, until 1908, and of the National Gallery of Iceland, until 1950. The University of Iceland operated on the first floor of the building between 1911 and 1940, and the President of Iceland had his offices there. until 1973.
Returning to Austurvöllur square, we can find in the center a statue of Jón Sigurðsson, the leader of the Icelandic independence movement. That during our visit it was found covered by scaffolding.
In the square is also Svarta keilan – Minnisvarði um borgaralega óhlýðni (The Black Cone, Monument to Civil Disobedience). It was created by the Spanish Santiago Sierra and installed in 2012 to honor the protests that took place here after the economic crisis of 2008.
It is a large stone with a black metal cone embedded in it and a plaque written in Icelandic and English. In it you can read the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1793:
“When the government violates the rights of the people, the insurrection is for the people and each part of the people the most sacred of rights and the most indispensable of duties.”
Next to Alþingishúsið is Dómkirkjan í Reykjavík, the Lutheran Cathedral of Reykjavik. It was originally built in the 18th century by the Danish architect Andreas Johannes Kirkerup.
Domkirkja is the seat of the Bishop of Iceland, the central Lutheran church in Iceland, and the central parish church in and around Reykjavik. The cathedral is the place where services are held before the opening of the National Parliament of Iceland and the inauguration of the President of Iceland since 1845.
From here we approach the nearby Reykjavíkurtjörn, Lake Tjörn, a shallow natural lake located in the center of the city. The lake has a great wealth of birds with some 40 different species of birds inhabiting it.
In winter it freezes completely and becomes an ice skating rink.
In its surroundings there are many noteworthy elements. As soon as we got to the north shore, we came across a sculpture… interesting?: Óþekkti embættismaðurinn, Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat… Created by Magnús Tómasson in 1993. Initially the work was located in a garden behind the Hotel Borg, but it has been given a much more visible home in front of Iðnó.
There must be everything in the world…
The sculpture stands in front of Iðnaðamnarhúsið or Iðnó. It is a restaurant and meeting house where the Leikfélag Reykjavíkur theater company was located until 1989, the oldest in Iceland founded in 1897.
At the northwestern end of the lake is Ráðhús Reykjavíkur, the town hall building. Here are the town hall offices, the tourist information office and a huge 3D map of Iceland.
The building was inaugurated in 1992 according to the design of Estudio Granda. The designers fused traditional Icelandic materials with modern Nordic design, but arguably the most distinctive feature of the building is how it appears to rest on the body of water that is Tjörnin.
Since 2017 the building houses the tourist office and can be freely visited (there is a free WC… important information).
On the east bank we find Fríkirkjan í Reykjavík, the Free Church of Reykjavik, which is an independent Lutheran congregation from the State, founded in 1899.
Next to it is Listasafn Íslands, the National Gallery of Iceland, founded in 1884 in Copenhagen by Birn Bjarnarson.
The building was built by the Icelandic architect Samuelsson Guðjón in 1916 to be a frozen food factory. It started working as an art gallery when the collections were transferred from Alþingishúsið in 1950.
From here we head to Landakotskirkja, the Cathedral or Basilica of Christ the King. It is the Catholic cathedral of Iceland. In 1864, the small Catholic community of Reykjavik built a small chapel on this site, which was replaced a few years later by a wooden church.
On July 23, 1929, the new building built by the architect Guðjón Samúelsson in neo-Gothic style was consecrated.
Going down the hill where the cathedral is located, we went to Landnámssýningin, The Settlement Exhibition. In it we find Viking elements discovered in 2001 during an excavation in the area.
Part of a 10th-century longhouse was discovered, as well as relics dating from before 871, even before the settlement era officially began.
The exhibition also features multimedia and interactive installations where this part of Icelandic history can be explored. The entrance price is 1,600 ISK (€11.36).
As we needed to rest a bit, right next to it is a cafeteria called Uppsalir where we had some delicious coffees. A quiet and comfortable place.
After the break we headed towards Old Harbour. It is the main port of departure for whale watching and puffin tours, as well as Northern Lights cruises.
At first it was dedicated exclusively to fishing and commerce, but in recent years they have been replaced by tourism.
From Old Harbor you can see in the background Þúfa, a work of art designed by Icelandic artist Ólöf Nordal. He was looking for a perfect place to meditate away from the bustle of the city.
The word Þúfa, “túfa”, in Icelandic means kill, but it can also mean a small mountain or a mound. At the top of the hill is a shed for drying fish. The work was commissioned in 2013 by the HB Grandi fish factory.
From here you can see beautiful views of the city, although you have to walk a lot.
Continuing our walk through Old Harbor we passed several sculptures, such as the commemorative statue “Looking at the Sea“, the work of Ingi Þ. gislason.
Behind it is Listasafn Reykjavíkur – Hafnarhús, one of the buildings of the Reykjavik Art Museum. The rear facade, the front was the street raised by works (and it was a pain in the ass).
This building is the most recent in the museum complex. It was built between 1913 and 1917 to be a port warehouse. The building was completely renovated and reopened in 2000, coinciding with Reykjavik’s status as the “European Capital of Culture”.
We continue in the direction to Harpa but along the way we come across something that caught our attention: Hið íslenzka reðasafn, the Icelandic penis museum!
It is a museum dedicated to the male sexual organ founded in 1997 by history professor Sigurður Hjartarson. The objective of the museum is to have the penises of all the species of mammals in Iceland, including those of different species that are in danger of extinction in that country. The museum also exhibits some specimens of mammalian penises that do not live in Iceland. In addition, it has representations of the phalluses of mythological creatures (such as elves, trolls, sea monsters, etc.) and related artistic works.
We continue our walk and arrive at Harpa, the Reykjavik Conference Center and Concert Hall. It was designed between the Danish-Icelandic artist Ólafur Elíasson and the Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects.
Its construction began in 2007 but with the arrival of the financial crisis of 2008 the works were paralyzed. Finally the necessary funds were obtained and it was inaugurated in 2011.
We set off again and walk along the promenade parallel to the sea to Sólfarið, the Traveler of the Sun.
It is a steel sculpture representing a ship. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a Viking ship. It is one of the most visited places in the capital, where people gather daily to contemplate the sun reflecting on the stainless steel of this remarkable monument.
The project was the winner of a contest held in 1986 during the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the founding of the city. The sculpture was unveiled in its location in August 1990, a few months after the death of its author Jón Gunnar Árnason.
We continue taking a pleasant walk in the cool. Walking, walking we reached Viti við Höfða, the Höfði lighthouse. It was built in 2019 but is inspired by the lighthouses that were in the Reykjavik harbor until 1910.
Opposite the lighthouse is one of the most remarkable historical buildings in the city: Höfði.
It was built in 1909 for the French consul Jean-Paul Brillouin.
Between 1914 and 1917 it was the residence of the Icelandic businessman poet Einar Benediktsson.
Between 1938 and 1951 it housed the embassy and the residence of the ambassador of the United Kingdom.
Since 1958 it has been used for formal receptions and festive occasions.
But it was in 1986 when he caught the attention of the whole world. Between October 11 and 12 of that year, the presidents of the US and the USSR, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, met here for the first time. This was the beginning of the end of the Cold War.
Here we almost end the day. We go to a bus stop. He comes, we get on and try to pay with our mobile. Well, in the urban areas of Reykjavik you can’t.
We tell the driver that we have no cash, that in 10 days we have not touched a single crown. The kid freaks out but doesn’t force us to get off. As the journey lasted about 20 minutes, we had time to download the company’s application. In it you can buy single tickets and validate them with the mobile in the travel card reader.
For dinner we did not complicate our lives and we ate at the KFC that was right in front of the hotel.
July 25th
Last moments in Iceland. We leave the hotel and go to the BSI station. There we have lockers where you can store your suitcases. The large locker costs us 1,490 ISK (€10.60) and we can fit two large suitcases and a backpack. There are different prices for three different sizes of lockers.
Today the only plan is to visit Perlan (The Pearl). It is a museum and a revolving glass dome that sits on top of Öskjuhlíð hill.
In 1939 cisterns where geothermal waters were stored were built here. In 1991 the current building, the work of the architect, was inaugurated. The building consists of a huge glass dome that rests on six district heating tanks, each of which can hold around 4 million liters of geothermal water.
The museum has various exhibits on the nature of Iceland. In it we can learn about the geology, fauna, flora and history of the country. It is really complete and it will take you about 3 hours to go through it.
It has a planetarium where we can learn everything about the northern lights (in English) and an ice cave simulation (in which it is terribly cold).
On the top floor, where the dome is located, we have a restaurant and a viewing terrace from which we have impressive 360º views.
We were not very convinced but it was really worth it. I think it is one of the essential visits in Reykjavik. The entrance price is 4,690 ISK (€33.40).
You can buy your ticket a little cheaper at Civitatis:
After the long visit we went for the last walk through the city. From here we went to the Einar Jónsson museum, next to Hallgrímskirkja.
Einar Jónsson (1874-1954) was Iceland’s first sculptor. He attended the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen from 1896 to 1899.
After residing in Rome from 1902 to 1903, Jónsson rejected naturalistic representation altogether and was publicly critical of the classical art tradition, which he felt had burdened artists. He stressed the need for artists to forge their own path and cultivate their originality and imagination rather than follow in the footsteps of others.
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Jónsson’s exposure to the ideas of the Swedish theosophist Emanuel Swedenborg in 1910 had a significant influence on his life and art. From that time until the end of his life, he created works of figurative art whose complex symbolism was based on theosophy.
Einar Jónsson was a pioneering figure in Icelandic sculpture and his influence on the visual arts in Iceland has been considerable, if indirect. He moved permanently to Iceland in 1920 at the age of 46 and resided there until his death in 1954.
From here we went for a walk towards the center in search of somewhere to eat.
On the way to Old Harbor we pass through a very, very touristy place: Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur. It is a hot dog stand famous because former US President Bill Clinton ate one and said it was the best he had ever tasted.
Like good tourists we got in line. About half an hour later we already had our pylsur. It was good but nothing special. One more tourist tour to do.
As it wasn’t too crowded we continued our search for a place to eat. We did it in the same place as the day before, although in another place located in Old Harbour.
It was time to start going back to the station to take the bus to the airport, but without rushing. Let’s go for a walk.
On the way we stopped at a cafeteria from which came an exquisite smell of coffee. It’s called Reykjavik Roasters. It’s a very hipster place with very good coffee and… very expensive. 690 ISK for coffee (€5).
Yes now. We’re going to the station. We pick up our bags and take the bus, which stops at a shelter in front of the station.
At 9:55 p.m. it took off punctually to Barcelona, from where we had a stopover to our final destination: Bilbao.
Balance of the trip
What can I say. He dreamed of this destination since he was a child. More than 30 years later I was able to fulfill it and not only does it not disappoint, but it offers even more than expected.
The incredible landscapes that remain etched in the retina and its kind and friendly people. Although tremendously expensive.
A destination to repeat.
Discover the best activities and tours in Reykjavik with Civitatis:
En esta página podrás encontrar todo lo que necesitas saber antes y durante tu viaje a Bilbao.
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Información Práctica
Qué ver en Bilbao
Qué ver cerca de Bilbao
Hoy daremos un paseo por Bilbao, la capital de la provincia de Bizkaia y ciudad más poblada de la comunidad autónoma.
Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Jesusen Bihotzaren monumentua)
Empezamos nuestro paseo en la plaza homónima, que une las avenidas de Sabino Arana y la Gran Vía Don Digo López de Haro.
Se construyó entre 1924 y 1927 por el Pedro Muguruza Otaño. Durante el gobierno del alcalde Ernesto Erkoreka (1931-1934 / 1936-1937) se aprobó su demolición y fue retirada de su pedestal.
El inicio de la Guerra Civil interrumpió su destrucción. Tras la guerra, la escultura se devolvió a su pedestal.
Cómo llegar: Metro San Mamés (línea 1). Tranvía Sabino Arana (línea 5).
Itsasmuseum Bilbao
Bajamos hacia la orilla de la ría, donde se encontraban antiguamente los Astilleros Euskalduna. Se inauguró en 2003, sus exposiciones pretenden difundir el patrimonio marítimo vinculado a la ría de Bilbao y su entorno.
A parte de las exposiciones interiores, en la explanada exterior podemos observar algunos elementos de manera gratuita barcos y elementos navales como , por ejemplo, la Grúa Carola.
La Carola es una grúa cigüeña construida por la empresa Talleres de Erandio entre 1954 y 1957 y era entonces la máquina elevadora más potente de toda España.
Tenía capacidad para levantar 60 toneladas de peso y era utilizada para la construcción de grandes barcos. Funcionó hasta el año 1984 en que se cerraron los astilleros.
Tras muchos años abandonada la adiquirió el ayuntamiento de Bilbao y la donó a la Diputación Foral de Vizcaya para que formara parte del museo.
Precio: 10€ la entrada general y 5€ la entrada infantil y jubilado.
A parte del museo, también se encuentra la Bilbao 1803 Escape Room, con un precio que oscila entre los 60€ y los 100€.
Cómo llegar: Metro San Mamés (Línea 1). Tranvía Euskalduna (Línea 5).
Como siempre, recomendamos viajar con un buen seguro de viajes. IATI es especialista en seguros de viaje y, por ser nuestro lector, tienes un 5% de descuento.
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Pasear por la Ría de Bilbao
La ría de Bilbao es la desembocadura en el mar Cantábrico de la confluencia entre los ríos Nervión e Ibaizábal.
Se extiende durante 23 km hasta su desembocadura en el mar, entre los municipios de Santurce, Guecho y Ciérvana.
Divide la ciudad de Bilbao en dos. En la márgen derecha quedan Deusto, Uribarri, Begoña y Otxarkoaga-Txurdinaga. En la márgen izquierda quedan Basurto-Zorroza, Rekalde, Abando y Ibaiondo.
Puente de Deusto (Deustuko zubia)
El puente de Deusto es un puente basculante sobre la Ría de Bilbao. Comunica los barrios de Abando y Deusto.
Fue diseñoado en 1931 por el ingeniero de caminos, canales y puertos Ignacio de Rotaeche y al ingeniero industrial José Ortiz de Artiñano e inaugurado en 1936.
El 18 de junio de 1937 fue destruido durante la Guerra Civil como defensa de la ciudad. Fue reconstruido entre 1938 y 1939 y se nombró como Puente del Generalísimo, en referencia a Francisco Franco. En 1979 recupera su nombre anterior.
Museo Guggenheim (Guggenheim Bilbao Museoa)
El Museo Guggenheim es un museo de arte contemporáneo diseñado por el arquitecto canadiense Frank O. Gehry.
Se construyó entre 1992 y 1997, y fue inaugurado el 18 de octubre de 1997 por el rey Juan Carlos I de España.
La característica más llamativa del museo es el innovador edificio en el que se emplaza, constituido por formas curvilíneas y retorcidas, recubiertas de piedra caliza, cortinas de cristal y planchas de titanio.
El museo está vinculado en régimen de franquicia o colaboración con la Fundación Solomon R. Guggenheim desde 1994 aunque, tanto el edificio como su colección permanente pertenecen a las autoridades vascas.
Desde su inauguración ha causado un gran impacto en la economía y la sociedad vasca, impulsando el turismo. Este fenómeno es conocido como el “efecto Guggenheim” que ha conseguido la revitalización de numerosos espacios de la zona y mejorar la imagen de la ciudad.
Puppy
Se trata de uno de los iconos principales de la ciudad. Puppy, es un West Highland terrier de doce metros de altura recubierto de flore. Está instalado en el lado sur del museo. Es obra del artista estadounidense Jeff Koons del año 1992.
Escultura “Maman” Bilbao
Mamá (Maman), de casi 9 metros de altura, es una de las esculturas más ambiciosas de Louise Bourgeois y pertenece a una serie inspirada en la araña, motivo que apareció por primera vez en varios dibujos realizados por la artista en la década de 1940 y ocupó un lugar central en su obra durante la década de 1990.
Durante nuestro viaje de 2019 a Canadá, también pudimos contemplar la misma obra frente a la National Gallery of Canada en la ciudad de Ottawa.
Puedes verla en el diario de ese viaje: Canadá 2019
Información General
Cómo llegar: Tranvía Guggenheim (Línea 5).
Horario: de martes a domingo de 10.00 a 19.00. Cerrado los lunes.
Precio:
Web: https://www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus/
Puedes contratar un fantástico tour privado por el Museo Guggenheim con Civitatis:
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Puente Zubizuri
Construido entre 1990 y 1997, el pularmente llamado puente de Calatrava, fue diseñado por el arquitecto Santiago Calatrava. Une el Campo de Volantín, en la margen derecha, con Uribitarte, en la izquierda.
Debido a las numerosas caídas por resbalón que se producían en su suelo de baldosas de cristal con la lluvia, se optó por añadir una alfombra antideslizante. Sólo a un lumbreras se le ocurre poner suelo de cristal en una ciudad donde llueve 300 días al año…
También se descubrió que las baldosas de cristal se iban rompiendo por los cambios de temperatura, teniendo que sustituirlas regularmente. Un diseño digno de un crack.
En 2007 se construyó una pasarela, obra del arquitecto japonés Arata Isozaki, que une el puente con las Torres Isozaki.
Calatrava denunció en febrero de 2007 al Ayuntamiento de Bilbao por los derechos morales de la integridad de su creación. El motivo fue el corte de una barra de metal (para seguir cubriéndose de gloria).
El ayuntamiento opuso los derechos de los ciudadanos de Bilbao sobre los del arquitecto, aduciendo la funcionalidad de la nueva pasarela y recordando las caídas de los usuarios del puente y el coste de las reparaciones del suelo de cristal.
En noviembre de 2007 un juez Rodríguez Achúteguil dio la razón a Calatrava pero falló a favor del Concejo bilbaíno y permitió la conexión de Isozaki.
Tras la apelación del arquitecto la Audiencia Provincial de Vizcaya rectificó el dictamen del juez Rodríguez Achútegui. En marzo de 2009 condenó al Ayuntamiento a pagar 30.000 euros en concepto de indemnización al arquitecto. Cantidad que el arquitecto donó a la Casa de la Misericordia de Bilbao.
Casa Consistorial de Bilbao (Bilboko udaletxea)
La casa consistorial de Bilbao o casa de la villa de Bilbao es el principal edificio en el que se asienta el Ayuntamiento de Bilbao. Fue construido en estilo modernista, de carácter ecléctico, entre 1883 y 1892 según diseño del arquitecto Joaquín Rucoba.
Esta es la 4ª caa consistorial de la ciudad desde su fundación en el año 1300. La primera se construyó en 1535 frente a la iglesia de San Antón pero fue destruida en una inundación en 1553.
La segunda se construyó en el lugar de la 1ª en el año 1560 añadiéndose, además, una alhóndiga, un peso público y una sala de armas y municiones. También se la llevó una riada en 1593.
Se levantó entonces un 3º edificio. Con la industrialización de la ciudad en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX se hizo evidente la necesidad de superar los límites del Casco Viejo.
El edificio actual se construyó en el solar donde se encontraba antiguamente el convento de San Agustín, hasta que quedó en ruinas tras la Primera Guerra Carlista (1833-1840).
Cómo llegar: Metro Abando (Líneas 1y 2). Tranvía Pío Baroja (Línea 5).
Pasear por el Casco Viejo (Zazpikaleak)
El Casco Viejo o Las Siete Calles (Zazpikaleak en euskera) es el barrio más antiguo y el núcleo originario de la villa de Bilbao. En él se encuentra (entre otros) la Catedral de Santiago y las iglesias de San Antón, San Nicolás y Santos Juanes.
Las siete calles que históricamente formaron el Casco Viejo son:
Cómo llegar: Metro Casco Viejo / Zazpikaleak (Líneas 1, 2 y 3). Tranvía Arriaga (Línea 5). Euskotren (Casco Viejo / Zazpikaleak).
Kiosko Arenal
Se trata de un kiosko de música construido en 1928 por el arquitecto Pedro Ispizua.
Inicialmente fue diseñado en 1923 pero hubo que posponer su construcción por falta de medios económicos.
En 1985 el kiosko fue rehabilitado por Ramón Lecea restaurando sus vidrieras.
Iglesia de San Nicolás
La iglesia de San Nicolás es un templo católico construido entre 1743 y 1756 según proyecto del arquitecto Azpeitiarra Ignacio Ibero.
En este lugar se encontraba la ermita dedicada a San Nicolás de Bari, fundada en 1490. Esta iglesia fue destruida en unas inundaciones (como no). Fue entonces cuando se empieza a construir un nuevo templo en 1743.
La iglesia permaneció cerrada durante la Guerra de Independencia (1808-1814). También durante las Guerras Carlistas (1833-1840 y 1846-1849), en las que fue usada como polvorín.
Teatro Arriaga (Arriaga Antzokia)
Se trata de un edificio construido entre 1885 y 1890 en estilo neobarroco. Es obra del arquitecto Joaquín de Rucoba y está dedicado al compositor bilbaíno Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga, el Mozart español.
Fue inaugurado el 31 de mayo de 1890 con la representación de la ópera La Gioconda, de Amilcare Ponchielli.
En el lugar en el que se encuentra, se instala en 1834 el Teatro de la Villa, explotado por un grupo privado de capitalistas. Más tarde pasa a manos del empresario Luciano Urízar Echevarría.
El teatro es clausurado y derribado en 1886 por su estado ruinoso ya estando en construcción el nuevo teatro que lo iba a sustituir en el mismo lugar.
Aquí, en 1891, en los bajos del edificio se celebraron las primeras sesiones de la Bolsa de Bilbao.
El 22 de diciembre de 1914 el edificio es destruido por un incendio.
El 5 de junio de 1919 se reinaugura el edificio con la representación de la ópera Don Carlo de Giuseppe Verdi.
Durante las terribles inundaciones en Bilbao el 26 de agosto de 1983, el agua llega hasta el segundo piso del teatro dañando gravemente el edificio.
Se vuelve a reinaugurar el 5 de diciembre de 1986 con algunas modificaciones en su interior.
Cómo llegar: Tranvía Arriaga (Línea 5). Metro Casco Viejo / Zazpikaleak (Líneas 1, 2 y 3).
Comer pintxos en Plaza Nueva
Situada en el corazón del Casco Viejo, fue construida en estilo neoclásico entre 1829 y 1851. Realmente se proyectó en 1786 pero estuvo paralizado durante años.
Su construcción se repartió entre dos periodos. El primero, en 1821, estuvo a cargo del arquitecto Silvestre Pérez y entre 1825 y 1832 pasa a manos de Antonio de Echevarría.
El segundo periodo, entre 1840 y 1851, Avelino de Goicoechea toma el control modificando el proyecto de Echevarría.
La plaza tiene una superficie de 3.400 m y cinco accesos, de los cuales 4 son originales. Está llena de pequeños bares en los que los agotados viajeros podemos parar a descansar en tomar unos pintxos tranquilamente.
Cómo llegar: Metro Casco Viejo / Zazpikaleak (Líneas 1, 2 y 3).
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Plaza Miguel de Unamuno
La plaza Miguel de Unamuno está situada en pleno Casco Viejo y está dedicada al filósofo y escritor bilbaíno Miguel de Unamuno.
En esta plaza, a parte de sitios para tomar algo, hay varios elementos reseñables como el Museo Arqueológico Vasco (Bizkaiko Arkeologi Museoa) y el Museo Etnográfico (Vasco Euskal Museoa).
Iglesia de los santos Juanes
Se trata de una iglesia católica construida en estilo barroco clasicista y fundada en 1622. Hasta el siglo XVIII fue la iglesia del colegio jesuíta de San Andrés.
Catedral Basílica de Santiago
La Catedral Basílica de Santiago es un templo católico construido en estilos gótico, neogótico y renacentista. Su construcción empezó a partir de 1397 y finalizado en varios periodos de tiempo.
El edificio actual está construido en el mismo emplzamiento que sus dos antecesores. El primero es anterior a la fundación de la ciudad (1300).
El segundo templo realmente fue una ampliación del primero. Quedó destruido en un incendio en el año 1374. Tras ello, el Papa Gregorio XI dispensó indulgencias a quienes dieran limosnas para la erección de un nuevo templo.
En el año 1397 comienza su construcción, en estilo gótico que era el que imperaba en aquel momento. Estas obras se prolongarían a lo largo de un siglo. La obra se completa a principios del siglo XVI con la construcción de las capillas laterales, el claustro y la Puerta del Ángel.
El 3 de junio de 1931 es designado Monumento Histórico-Artístico Nacional.
En 1949 se convierte en catedral y sede de la Diócesis de Bilbao tras su separación de la Diócesis de Vitoria. Su desmembramiento se realiza tras la bula de erección Quo Commodius con fecha del 2 de noviembre concedida por el Papa Pío XII.
Como llegar: Metro Casco Viejo / Zazpikaleak (Líneas 1, 2 y 3).
Precios:
| Iglesia de San Antón | Catedral + Iglesia de San Antón | |
| General | 8€ | 10€ |
| Mayores de 65 | 7€ | 9€ |
| Grupos (+15 pax) | 4€ | 9€ |
| Jóvenes (13 a 18) | 7€ | 7€ |
| Reducida | 7€ | 7€ |
Fuente del Perro (Txakur kaleko iturria)
Se trata de una fuente construida en estilo neoclásico en el año 1800. Anteriormente era conocida como Fuente de San Miguel.
Está decorada con tres cabezas de leones, aunque se llame Fuente del Perro. Hay dos teorías sobre el origen de su nombre acutal.
La primera y más extendida es que, como los bilbainos dela época jamás habían visto un león, tomaron estas figuras por perros.
La segunda teoría es que el dueño de una casa de esa calle esculpió un león de piedra como guardían de su hogar. El resto de vecinos y viandantes, para mofarse de lo mal esculpido que estaba, decidieron tomarlo como un perro en lugar de un león. Fue tal larelevancia del hecho, que se decidió llamar a esta calle “calle del perro“. Más tarde la fuente adquiriría ese nombre.
Acudir a un concierto en BilboRock
BilboRock es una sala de conciertos y espectáculos situado en una antigua iglesia desacralizada, junto al Casco Viejo.
La iglesia de La Merced fue construida en estilo barroco en el siglo XVII por los arquitectos Antonio Ortiz de Calina y Francisco de Elorriaga. Entonces formaba parte del convento de la Orden de las Mercedarias.
En los años 90 del siglo XX el edificio fue adquirido por el ayuntamiento de la ciudad para poner en marcha el BilboRock, siendo inaugurado 7 de abril de 1997.
Comprar o tomar algo en el mercado de la Ribera
El mercado de la Ribera es el mayor mercado de abastos cubierto de Europa. Está ubicado en la orilla derecha de la ría del Nervión junto al Casco Viejo, en donde se encontraba antiguamente la Plaza Mayor.
En este lugar se encontraba el antiguo mercado de la villa. Éste fue evolucionando hasta que en 1928 se toma la decisión de construir un nuevo mercado más grande y con lugar para más puestos.
El nuevo edificio, construido en estilo racionalista por el arquitecto Pedro de Ispizua, se inaugura el 22 de agosto de 1929.
En 1971, con la inauguración de MercaBilbao, la Ribera deja de ser un mercado de abastecimiento mayorista pasando a dar servicio de “mercado de barrio” al Casco Viejo y a Bilbao La Vieja.
Durante las inundaciones de agosto de 1983 sufre graves daños..
Horario: de miércoles a domingo de 8.00 a 00.00. Lunes y martes de 8.00 a 17.00.
Cómo llegar: Tranvía Ribera (Línea 5).
Iglesia de San Antón (San Anton eliza)
La iglesia de San Antón es un templo católico de estilo gótico de finales del siglo XV. Está construido el el solar donde se encontraba un antiguo almacén de mercancías fluviales, 300 años antes.
En 1334 Alfonso XI de Castilla construye en el lugar un alcázar y una muralla defensiva. No mucho después es demolido para construir una iglesia en honor de San Antonio Abad, consagrada en 1443.
Pronto se queda pequeña así que, en 1478 se proyecta una nueva construcción, que finaliza en 1510.
La iglesia sufre diversas modificaciones hasta 1775 en la que se termina el campanario. Aunque en 1902 se le añaden la sacristía y el pórtico actual.
El 17 de julio de 1984 San Antón fue declarado Bien de Interés Cultural con la categoría de Monumento Histórico-Artístico Nacional.
Horario: de lunes a sábado de 11.00 a 14.00 y de 16.00 a 18.00.
Precio:
| Iglesia de San Antón | Catedral + Iglesia de San Antón | |
| General | 8€ | 10€ |
| Mayores de 65 | 7€ | 9€ |
| Grupos (+15 pax) | 4€ | 9€ |
| Jóvenes (12 a 18) | 7€ | 7€ |
| Reducida | 7€ | 7€ |
La entrada es gratis para menores de 12 y nacidos en Bizkaia.
Cruzar el puente de San Antón
El puente de San Antón fue construido entre 1870 y 1880. Sustituyó al primer puente que funcionaba desde antes de la fundación de la villa en 1300.
Este antiguo puente fue durante siglos el único de toda la ciudad y era era paso obligado para el comercio de Vizcaya con Castilla. Imaginarse las hostias que habían por su control…
Durante el siglo XV, aquí era donde se ajusticiaba a los condenados a muerte. Se hacía por el método de empozamiento. Éste consistía en atar una soga al cuello del reo con una piedra en el extremo y arrojarlo al agua.
Durante la Guerra Civil fue destruido pero se volvió a edificar en 1937.
Peregrinar a la Basílica de la Virgen de Begoña (Begoñako Basilika)
La basílica de Nuestra Señora de Begoña es el santuario de la Madre de Dios de Begoña, patrona del señorío de Vizcaya.
El edificio fue construido entre 1511 y 1621 por los arquitectos Sancho Martínez de Asego y Martín de Garita (torre). Se levantó en el lugar en el que se encontraba un templo más primitivo.
Durante la invasión francesa, las tropas napoleónicas saquean la iglesia y asesinan al párraco.
La basílica supone un gran punto estratégico debido a su situación elevada. Ésto la convertía en un objetivo durante la Primera Guerra Carlista. Tras la retirada de los carlistas en 1835, las fuerzas liberales deciden destruir el campanario para evitar un futuro uso del enemigo. Al desplomarse, el campanario también destruye parte de las bóvedas.
Al año siguiente, son las fuerzas liberales las que defienden el edificio de las tropas carlistas. Entonces se quema lo que quedaba de la iglesia.
Tras la guerra se reconstruye la iglesa con fondos del ayuntamiento. Las obras acaban en 1850 y en 1869 se instala el retablo neobarroco.
Durante la Segunda Guerra Carlista (1846–1849) vuelve a ser destruida durante unos bombardeos e incendios posteriores.
Entre 1876 y 1881 se vuelve a reconstruir la basílica. El 27 de marzo de 1908, Roma otorga al templo el rango de basílica menor y en 1928 es consagrada de nuevo.
Cómo llegar: Para llegar a la Basílica de Begoña podemos subir andando el millón de escaleras que parte de la plaza Miguel de Unamuno.
La otra opción es tomar el ascensor Mallona, de Metro Bilbao, desde la estación de Metro Casco Viejo. Es de pago, como si fuera un viaje en transporte público. Es válida la tarjeta de transporte Creditrans Barik.
Arco de Mallona
Construido entre 1828 y 1830 por el arquitecto Juan Bautista Belaunzarán, era la puerta del antiguo cementerio.
Se encuentra en las Calzadas de Mallona, construidas en 1745 sobre la pequeña meseta delantera del Monte Artagan.
El cementerio, el primero de la villa, permaneció en uso desde 1830, cuando los franceses prohibieron los enterramientos en las iglesias a partir de 1808, hasta el año 1927.
Pasaremos por delante si subimos andando hacia Begoña desde la plaza Miguel de Unamuno. También queda muy cerquita del ascensor de Mallona.
Subir en funicular a Artxanda (Artxandako funikularra)
Si quieres contemplar las mejores vistas de Bilbao, este es el sitio. Pero para subir, nada mejor que tomar el funicular.
El funicular se instaló en 1915, con un proyecto de Evaristo San Martín y Garaz. El 7 de octubre de ese mismo año se realiza el primer viaje. La maquinaria fue diseñada por una empresa suiza, especialista en trenes de montaña L.Von Roll.
Durante la Guerra Civil se destruyen las vías y la estación. El 18 de julio de 1938 se reinicia el servicio. El precio era entonces de 60 céntimos de peseta (0.0036€) y se usaba para transportar todo tipo de cosas, desde personas hasta ganado.
El 25 de junio de 1976, tras una cadena de fallos, el vagón se precipita hacia la estación inferior con dos heridos, ambos empleados del funicular. Tras el accidente, el funicular queda suspendido durante 7 años.
A principios de 1983 se reconstruyen las vías y las estaciones y se reinaugura en abril de ese mismo año.
En la parte alta encontraremos un parque con un mirador. Desde allí tendremos unas espectaculares vistas de la ciudad. Merece mucho la pena.
Tiene una frecuencia de 15 minutos y el viaje dura 3. Si se acumula mucha gente se aumenta la frecuencia.
El precio del viaje es de 3€ un viaje y 5€ ida y vuelta. Es válida la tarjeta de transportes Barik y el precio con esta es de 0.42€.
Visitar la Alhondiga Bilbao – Centro Azkuna (Azkuna Zentroa)
Se trata de un antiguo almacén de vino reconvertido en centro de ocio y cultura. Fue construido entre 1905 y 1909 según proyecto del arquitecto Ricardo Bastida y Bilbao.
El 4 de junio de 1977 se clausuraba la alhóndiga tras la inauguración de una nueva en Gaztelondo. Tras su cierre se promovieron algunos proyectos para darle un nuevo uso pero ninguno salió adelante.
Tras décadas cerrada, en mayo de 2010 era reinaugurado como centro cívico polivalente. La restauración del interior fue diseñada por el diseñador industrial francés Philippe Starck.
El 16 de marzo de 2015 pasa a denominarse oficialmente Azkuna Zentroa (Centro Azkuna) en honor a Iñaki Azkuna en reconocimiento del que fue alcalde de Bilbao.
El interior del edificio es precioso y el interior… curioso. Tiene un espacio abierto enorme en el que encontramos multitud de columnas que son auténticas obras de arte. Todas diferentes.
Tras hacer multitud de fotos en su interior, justo antes de salir, había carteles que dicen que no se pueden publicar fotos del mismo… así que las guardaré para mi.
Cómo llegar: Metro Indautxu (líneas 1 y 2). Bus Bizkaia Plaza (líneas 18 y 62).
Barrio de Irala
Conocido como el Notting Hill bilbaino, es una serie de calles con casas de estilo inglés cuya fachada está pintada con llamativos colores.
En 1902 Juan José Irala y sus socios fundaron la mayor panificadora de la ciudad, Harino Panadera. Con la necesidad de contratar numerosos trabajadores, Irala mandó construir un barrio de viviendas para ellos. Así es como nace Iralabarri.
Cómo llegar: bus parada Juan De Garay / Gobierno Militar línea 1 // También podemos llegar dando un paseo desde el centro (15 min desde la Alhóndiga).
Callejón Zollo
El callejón Zollo es un callejón situado a la altura del número 11 de la calle Alameda San Mamés. Antiguamente conectaba Alameda San Mamés con la calle Iparraguirre. En principio era uno de los lugares donde se ataban los caballos de los carros que abastecían a la Alhóndiga.
Hace unas décadas los propietarios de las lonjas adecentaron el callejón pintando las paredes de blanco; y las puertas y ventanas de azul. Puntualizar que por las noches se cierra el acceso al callejón.
…No te olvides de los pintxos
Como buen turista gastronómico, me encanta. En casi todos los bares vascos los encuentras. Pequeñas porciones de comida para picar algo mientras te tomas tu cervecita (o cualquier bebida).
Expuestos de una manera muy atractiva para llamar bien la atención. No te podrás resistir.
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Aquí encontrarás un mapa con todos los puntos a visitar en Bilbao:
Descubre todo sobre el mundo a través de nuestros diarios de viaje.
We continue our route through Iceland. We are going to the Westfjords, the region of the west fjords. We woke up very early in the city of Akureyri.
Akureyri is the capital of northern Iceland and the most populous city outside of the Reykjavik metropolitan area, with just under 18,000 inhabitants.
The city was founded in 1778 and has been an important fishing center throughout its history. It was also one of the allied military bases during World War II.
July 21st
We wake up to the sunny day and hit the road on the go. Many kilometers of car await us today. We headed to the Westfjords, the western fjords.
In the Westfjords, more than tourist spots, it is admiring the spectacular natural scenery.
The first stop was going to be Hvítserkur, although before arriving we stopped several times to admire the impressive landscapes.
Along the way we came across a herd of horses that were moving from one place to another. It was wonderful to see so many horses, although you have to be very careful because they are on the road.
After about 2.30 hours on the way (with a stop for breakfast) we arrive at Hvítserkur.
Hvítserkur, also known as the Northwest Icelandic Troll, is a 15 m (49 ft) high basalt rock stack jutting out of Húnaflói Bay.
Folklore says that Hvítserkur was originally a troll from the peninsula, determined to rip the bells out of the Þingeyraklaustur nunnery (trolls are believed to fear Christianity). He was so enraged and persistent in his enterprise, that he did not notice the dawn, and was instantly petrified for eternity by the sun’s rays.
We return to the car and approach a nearby cafeteria that we had passed on our way. We park and, before ordering a coffee, we approach the services outside. Like many in Iceland they were paid. The difference is that this one cost 700 ISK. €5!!!!
Coffee was another bundle so we passed. A little mouthful of water and the road.
Our next long stop was going to be in Hólmavík, 190 km away. This is where we ate.
The scenery up to Hólmavík was still spectacular.
We arrived in Hólmavík at lunchtime. We stopped at a supermarket called Krambúðin to buy things for dinner before looking for a place to have lunch. Upon entering we saw that right there was a part that was a hamburger. Since the city was not very big (300 inhabitants) and we didn’t feel like looking for a restaurant… Well, “go ahead”.
The hamburger was very simple but it was not bad and it was cheap.
We eat, refuel and hit the road to enjoy the Westfjords.
During the journey, while we skirted the Ísafjarðardjúp fjord, we passed by an abandoned-looking building that caught our attention. This is Arngerðareyri Kastalinn, a farm built in 1928. In its heyday there was a shop, a “traffic center”, a telephone exchange and a school.
The building was abandoned in 1966 due to the depopulation of this rural area of Iceland. In 2020, restoration works began on the building. I love abandoned places.
A few photos and we continue on our way.
About 150 km from Hólmávik there is a seal watching area. On google maps it appears as Seal lookout at this address: X5VP+F43, Litlibær, Iceland. But hey, it’s well signposted.
About 2:30 hours after leaving Hólmávik we arrived at our accommodation for that night: Súðavík Tours & Guesthouse, in the city of Súðavík. It is a small guesthouse with a kitchen and a shared bathroom, quite well priced for the Westfjords: €152 per night.
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Súðavík is a tiny fishing town on the Álftafjörður fjord with a sad recent history.
On January 16, 1995, around 6:30 in the morning, there was a huge avalanche that buried most of the city. 14 people died (8 children) and 12 were injured. The large amount of accumulated snow made rescue work tremendously difficult. The last person was found 23 hours after the disaster.
On January 23 of that same year, it was decided to rebuild the village in another less dangerous location, including the fishing facilities.
We settled in our room, showered and found something for dinner. For this we went to the nearby city of Ísafjörður, about 20 km away.
Ísafjörður is the capital of the Vestfirðiry region. It is the largest city in the region with 4,000 inhabitants. Its economy is mainly based on fishing, which has one of the largest fisheries in Iceland.
Located on the shores of the Skutulsfjördur fjord, it is the northernmost city in Iceland, just 50 km from the Arctic Circle.
Because of its isolation, Ísafjörður has developed a great urban atmosphere. The city has a music school and a hospital.
The first settlement in Skutulsfjördur was established in the 9th century by the Viking Helgi Hrólfsson “the Thin”. The city prospered during the 16th century thanks to its establishment as a trading post for foreign merchants.
The local museum contains the oldest house in Iceland, built in 1734. The largest collection of old wooden houses in Iceland is in this sector. The houses were mostly built by foreign merchants in the 18th century.
The entrance costs 1,500 ISK but by the time we arrived it had been closed for hours…
Right next to it is Tjöruhúsið, a very famous Icelandic restaurant for which they recommend making a reservation days in advance. Still we tried to get in. No luck.
We left looking for another place. In the end we ate at Edinborg Bistro. We had a scandalous dinner and it was not too expensive. 6,980 ISK (€50).
By the way, at night the restaurant turns into a pub.
After the abundant dinner (without irony) we went for a “night” walk through the city.
We end the day returning to Súðavík to sleep with the (almost) midnight sun in the background.
July 22nd
Today is another long day in the car. Today we sleep at 387 km.
We have a leisurely breakfast and we set off. As a curiosity, we went through the longest vehicle tunnel in Iceland. The Vestfirðir Tunnel is 9 km long and… it only has one lane. The main direction is northbound and for those of us going south we have sidings every few meters. Well thought.
Before reaching the first destination… stop for photos in an idyllic landscape.
First scheduled stop: Dynjandi (Thundering).
Dynjandi are a series of waterfalls whose main one is the largest in the Westfjords. It is located close to Dynjandisvogur bay and Arnarfjörður fjord, an area very famous for its richness in birds and impressive natural views.
We park and as soon as we get off, the cloud of mosquitoes from those tiny little girls assault us. This time it has been really desperate. There was a moment when I was so overwhelmed that I thought about turning around. Luckily I didn’t.
From the car park we start to climb and leave behind seven waterfalls: Hæstahjallafoss, Strompgljúfrafoss (Strompur), Göngumannafoss, Hrísvaðsfoss-Kvíslarfoss, Hundafoss and Bæjarfoss (Sjóarfoss).
The speck at the top of the photo is not a bird. It’s one of the shitflies she was talking about. In some photo it comes out perfectly in the very center.
And already above all the spectacular Dynjandi.
Dynjandi is known as the “Bridal Veil” for its resemblance to this garment. It has a 100-meter drop and is 30 meters wide at the top and 60 at the base.
The walk from the car park to Dynjandi is approx 200m uphill with some steps.
With regret for leaving such a wonderful setting we hit the road again.
We continue to be amazed by the spectacular landscapes that the little-known region of the Westfjords offers us.
Our next scheduled stop was Helgafell, Snæfellsnes peninsula almost 300 km away. Outside the Westfjords 4 hours away.
But before there is some non-improvised stop, like lunch. We stopped in a town called Búðardalur, 200 km away. We ate at a pizzeria called Dalakot, which is also a guesthouse.
We ate wonderfully again and at the more or less usual price: 6,400 ISK (€46) for a large pizza, a very complete salad and two drinks.
The pizza was delicious. After lunch we set off again. With some stop… of course.
83 km later we reach Helgafell, located in Thorsnes. Here we find a farm and a church at the foot of a hill, which is what interests us.
At the time of the settlements, also at the foot of the hill was a temple in honor of the thunder god Thor (Þór) built by Þórólfr Mostarskegg in the 9th century.
According to the Laxdœla Saga, the heroine Gudrun Osvifursdottir (974 – 1060) is buried next to the hill. In these pagan times the mountain was said to be the home of the dead.
Helgafell Hill is 73 meters high and the entrance fee is 400 ISK. From the top we have a truly spectacular 360º view.
We go down the hill and we are on our way to the next point of interest: Berserkjahraun.
Berserkjahraun is a 4,000-year-old lava field located on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Its name comes from one of the Icelandic Eyrbyggja saga.
According to this story a farmer brought two berserkers from Sweden to the Snæfellsnes peninsula. He gave them to his brother, Beam-Styr, who lived on the other side of the lava field. One of these berserkers fell in love with the daughter of Beam-Styr and asked for her hand in marriage.
Beam-Styr made a deal with the berserker. If he cut a path through the lava field connecting the farm with his brother’s, he would grant her his hand.
Between the two berserkers they managed to open a path very quickly. A fact that was practically impossible. Víga-Styr had the two Swedes killed and buried near the road.
In Berserkjahraun we can find four landmarks. Those are Berserkjagata, the road itself, Berserkjadys, where the two Berserkers are supposed to be buried, Landamerkjagarður, a border fence, and Fjærrét, a sheep shelter.
Already very close is Grundarfjörður, where we had our accommodation that night.
Grundarfjörður is a small town of about 900 inhabitants located on the north coast of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Nestled in a natural harbour, its main industry is fishing and fish processing. In recent years the tourism sector has also prospered.
Next to the city we find the Kirkjufell mountain.
Kirkjufell, which translates as Church Mountain, is the most photographed mountain in Iceland… or so it is said.
The mountain takes its name from its resemblance to a church steeple, tapered at the top with long curved sides. From other angles, the mountain has been compared to a witch’s hat or even ice cream (you have to use your imagination).
To stay we chose the Stöð Guesthouse and Apartments. It was really good. Very spacious room with a private bathroom… the first in Iceland. In principle it cost us €117. And I say in principle because a few days later we realized that €144 had been charged to our account.
We complained and they told us that they would refund us a maximum of 30 calendar days. After the deadline we still did not receive the money. We returned to claim and this time yes, they returned it to us in 2 days.
I have to say that if the accommodation had cost €144, it would also be worth it.
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We left our things in the room and went for a walk around the town, which was having a local holidays.
In the church square there were remains of a popular barbecue, to which we arrived late. At that time there was a bike freestyle exhibition and shortly after a concert began. It wasn’t very cold and it was fine.
We took a short walk through the town, enjoying the spectacular surroundings and we went looking for somewhere to dine… one of the few that there were.
Of the few options that were available for dinner, we chose Harbour Cafe. It was packed and we had to wait, but not long. It did not have a very extensive menu, so it was easy to decide. We succeeded again. We had a wonderful dinner and at a good price: 6,600 ISK (€47), average.
After dinner, to bed to rest. A long day awaits us.
July 23rd
We got up early, had some breakfast and we set off.
The first stop was going to be Kirkjufellsfoss, but since you had to pay 500 ISK and it looked good from the road… We saved money. It’s not too spectacular.
We continue our way to the city of Ólafsvík. There we would contemplate the Bæjarfoss waterfall. Don’t waste time and go on your way. It’s nothing spectacular.
The city church is curious.
After the little disappointment we set off for Svöðufoss. This one is quite spectacular.
Svöðufoss is a beautiful 10-meter-high waterfall that pours between basalt columns into the Hólmkelsá River.
The setting in which it is located is truly spectacular, with the watchful summit of the Snæfellsjökull volcano with its glaciers.
Snæfellsjökull is a stratovolcano 700,000 years old and 1,446 meters high. The mountain is actually called ‘Snæfell’ (Snow Mountain), although ‘jökull’ (Glacier) is often added to help distinguish it from other mountains of the same name.
In August 2012, it ran out of snow for the first time in its history. Fact that generated concern among the locals that climate change threatens the nature of the mountain.
For centuries, Snæfellsjökull has been considered, as one of the world’s ancient places of power, a source of mysticism, energy and mystery to the area’s superstitious population.
There are many rock formations in and around Snæfellsjökull that are said to be sunlight petrified trolls or houses of hidden people.
On November 5, 1993, thousands of paranormal enthusiasts flocked to Snæfellsjökull in the belief that an alien spacecraft would land here. People get very bored.
From Svöðufoss we went directly to the Saxhóll crater 18 km away.
Along the way we passed a section where we were warned of the possible presence of suicide birds. Well, there could be thousands there. Without exaggerating. And hundreds of them smashed to the ground. Luckily we didn’t run into one. Of course, we throw away half a life to travel a couple of kilometers.
Saxhóll is a crater about 100 meters high and is one of the most popular on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. You can go up through a stepped path that starts from the car park. From the top we can enjoy an impressive view of the lava fields that surround the entire area.
There was no time to waste so on the way down we set off for Djúpalónssandur.
Djúpalónssandur is an arc-shaped bay of dark cliffs and black sand. Formerly here was a small and prosperous fishing village that was left abandoned.
Djúpalónssandur Beach stands out for its impressive coastal lava rock formations including a large lava rock with a hole in the middle through which you can directly see the Snæfellsjökull glacier volcano.
Behind the rocks there are two freshwater lagoons called Djúpulón and Svörtulón, the first being the one that gives the bay its name. Although in ancient times they were believed to be bottomless, it was later revealed that the bodies of water reached a depth of only five meters.
Most of the photos I took in Djúpalónssandur are damaged and I have not been able to repair them despite having used many programs for it. If anyone knows someone who can help me…
Svörtulón is believed to possess healing properties, having been blessed by Bishop Guðmundur góði (‘the good’) in the late 12th century.
(DAMAGED PHOTO)
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We also find the natural monument Söngklettur (“singing rock”), a large lava rock with a reddish hue that resembles an elven church. Nearby are other rock formations of folkloric appeal, including the reputed stone trolls of Kerling and Lóndrangar.
We went down from the parking lot. Upon reaching the sand we find a series of stones lined up next to an informative sign. These stones were used by fishermen to measure their strength. Its weight varies between 23 kg of the lightest to 155 kg of the heaviest. Their names are Amlóði (useless), Hálfdrættingur (weak), Hálfsterkur (half strong), and Fullsterkur (fully strong).
You know, here you can try your strength to see if you would have been a good sailor. And it is better for me to dedicate myself to cooking, which is my thing…
(DAMAGED PHOTO)
We can also find a lot of very rusty iron remains all over the beach. This is the remains of a British trawler called the Epine GY 7 from Grimsby which sank in 1948 near the beach. 14 of the 19 crew members of it died. The remains are preserved here as a memorial to those who disappeared.
From the beach there is a small path of approximately 1 km to the cove on the west side. During the journey we can see remains of the constructions of the fishermen who inhabited the area and some explanatory panel. Unfortunately I have lost all those photos.
Time to leave for the next destination: Lóndrangar.
The basalt cliffs of Lóndrangar are among the many geological wonders of the Snæfellnes peninsula.
Here was a volcanic crater that was gradually destroyed by the force of the sea. Today only two columns of 75 and 61 meters high remain as witnesses. They are known as “the Rocky Castle”.
In Icelandic folklore the surrounding lands are believed to have never been cultivated as they are believed to be inhabited by elves.
Return to the car and follow the path. There are still things to see before going to the capital.
The next stop is Arnarstapi. It is a small former fishing village, although today it is more touristy.
Records of settlement around Arnarstapi date back to the Bárðar Snæfellsáss saga (c. 14th century), an ancient Icelandic saga that tells of the half-human, half-ogre who once lived on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Since his death, he has been considered the guardian spirit of the area.
During the Norwegian and later Danish occupation, it prospered as a fishing and trading port. Many of the resulting buildings still stand today, some of the oldest in the country, such as the Danish Prefect’s Residence, which was built in the 1770s.
The Icelandic industrial revolution caused much of its population to move to the capital, Reykjavik, reducing its size to little more than a village.
We parked in one of the city parking lots and started our walk towards the coast. The first thing we come across is a monument called Minnisvarði um Bárð Snæfellsás, the protector of Snæfellsás.
Bárður Snæfellsás was a half-human, half-Titan Viking who settled the area and gave the peninsula its name, Snæfellsnes, after being captivated by the beauty of the Snæfellsjökull glacier and its white snow (Snæf is Icelandic for snow).
It is believed that his spirit continues to watch over and take care of the peninsula.
After the monument we reach the beautiful coast, the cliffs of Arnarstapi, considered one of the most beautiful landscapes in Iceland.
Here we find Gatklettur (“Hellnar Arch”), a famous natural stone arch that shelters hundreds of seabirds. It is a true gift of nature that not many people stop to admire and continue on.
We return to the car and head to the nearby Rauðfeldsgjá gorge, about 4 km away.
Rauðfeldsgjá, which translates as Red Cloak Crack, is a beautiful gorge on Botnsfjall Mountain.
It is also mentioned in the Bárðar Saga Snæfellsáss saga, which was written in the 14th century about events some 5 centuries earlier.
The first part of the saga follows the half-giant Bárðar, who after his death became the guardian spirit of the Snæfellsnes peninsula.
It is said that one of his daughters was pushed into the sea on an iceberg by some children while they were playing. She made it all the way to Greenland where she found love. Barður, thinking that she was dead, punished these children by throwing them into the Rauðfelsdsgjá gorge.
From the car park an uphill path (quite gentle) awaits us for about 500 meters.
From here we have beautiful views of the area.
Now with a calm stomach we set off to the penultimate scheduled destination: Ytri Tunga, the beach of the seals.
Ytri Tunga is a beach next to a farm of the same name. Unlike most beaches in Iceland, Ytri Tunga has golden sand, rather than black.
This one of the most reliable places to see seals. on some rocks sticking out of the water, at least a few individuals from the local colony can be seen throughout the year. However, the best time to see them is in the summer months.
When visiting the beach, you must be quiet and keep your distance from the seals, especially between May and December, which is the breeding season. Don’t bother them because they don’t look like it, but they stir very, very quickly.
Well then. We park and go to the beach. No sign of seals. No matter how much we look for them, we don’t see a single one. While we were there, we took a walk on the beach. Well, after walking for a while, there they were, few and on some rocks in the sea. Well lying sunbathing… without obligations or worries.
It was starting to get too late so we had to find something to eat. Instead of going back to Arnarstapi, we decided to continue towards Reykjavik, because we would find something. Fat mistake. Kilometers and kilometers with no place to eat.
In the end we did it in a foodtrack called Agnið streetfood, which is next to a visitor center. It’s sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs and the truth is that they are delicious. Once again, we agree. The sandwich came without potatoes but the hamburger did. It cost us all 5,030 ISK (€36).
With a calm stomach, we head to the last scheduled point on the Snæfellsnes peninsula: the Gerðuberg cliffs.
Gerðuberg is a row of perfectly shaped hexagonal basalt columns that run along a cliff of just over 1 km. The columns are between 7 and 14 meters high and up to 1.5 meters wide.
The columns appear to be hand-carved and give the appearance of being the wall of a fortress.
With this visit our visit to the Snæfellsnes peninsula ends. Now if we go to visit the capital Reykjavik. But that is already another entry.
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We continue our road trip through Iceland. Like every day, we get up early. We had breakfast, which we had included, and we set off. First stop: Dettifoss.
After 124 km and a little less than 2 hours on the way, we arrived at the West Parking of the Dettifoss waterfall.
Located in the Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, it is a spectacular waterfall 100 meters wide and 44 meters down. With a flow of between 200 and 500 m³ per second, it is the mightiest waterfall in all of Europe.
The car park is located 1 km from the waterfall, in a spectacular rocky desert landscape.
But first, we decided to visit Selfoss, which is 1km from Dettifoss and the parking lot.
Smaller than its neighbour, it is a beautiful waterfall that flows wide down the basalt columns that surround the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river.
On the way to Dettifoss a fog began to creep in and was becoming more and more dense. So much so that, when we got to the waterfall, nothing could be seen anymore.
Here a photo of the spectacular waterfall:
Since nothing was visible, we decided to continue on our way and would try again later. We went to Hljóðaklettar, 22 km north of Dettifoss.
Hljodaklettar (“Echo Rocks”) is a distinctive group of columnar rock formations, located next to Jokulsargljufur in Vatnajokull National Park.
These formations are divided into three different types of rocks and each of them has been given a name for its appearance and formation.
The first is Kastali or the Castle. It has two huge rocks that give it the appearance of a fortress.
The next formation is Tröllið, ‘the Troll’. Many rock formations in Iceland were believed to be trolls that would turn to stone if sunlight hit them.
Next is Kirkjan, ‘the Church’. This formation is an almost perfect arch that is actually the entrance to a cave.
Two hiking trails start from the car park. The blue route is about 1 km long and takes about 30 minutes. The red route, more complicated, takes about 2 hours to complete.
The landscape of Hljodaklettar is truly spectacular. It was worth going out of our way.
In the parking lot there was a small sign indicating that every day at 2:00 p.m. a one-hour free tour departs from here. We thought about it but it was too early and we would have to wait almost an hour. Time in Iceland is precious and we had a lot to see today.
We turn around and head to Dettifoss to see if there is more luck. There was. The fog has dissipated so we can see the spectacular waterfall.
Without much delay we leave behind the spectacular waterfall and head to the next destination.
We were going towards Myvatn, about an hour away. But since it was getting late we decided to find somewhere to eat on the way. We ate at a place called Fish and Chips Lake Mývatn. Guess what we ate… you would never guess…
The fish & chips was quite average and on top of that, expensive: 6,080 ISK ($43).
After eating we retrace our steps to Námafjiall in Hverir.
Námafjiall is one of the most active geothermal areas in all of Iceland. In it we find numerous boiling mud pits and fumaroles that spread over several kilometers.
At about 1,000 meters deep, the temperature is about 200ºC. The area smells “very rich” because of the hydrogen sulfide expelled by the fumaroles.
The truth is that it is quite a spectacle.
By the way, parking is 500 ISK.
With the wonderful smell of rotten eggs in our nostrils we got back in the car and headed for Krafla.
Krafla is a huge volcanic caldera about 10 km wide with a fissure zone almost 90 km long. Two of Iceland’s most famous volcanoes are located here. The first is Askja, which we could not visit because it requires an all-terrain vehicle and Víti.
The Víti crater was formed in 1724 by a massive eruption that lasted 5 years and was known as the Fires of Mývatn. Its diameter is about 300 meters, but what it is really known for is its interior lake. This lake stands out for its beautiful aquamarine blue color that remains throughout the year.
Nearby is the Leirhnjukur crater and its lava field. From the car park there is a circular route of about 5 km. In it we can see small crater lakes with boiling geothermal waters that produce steam vents and smoking fumaroles surround the volcano.
Taking a walk through the Leirhnjukur lava field is like taking a walk on the moon. Its last eruption was in 1984 but its activity is still monitored.
We get back on the road towards Lake Mývatn. On the way we came across something that I had already seen on the internet. A work of art called “The Eternal Shower”, which consists of a permanently lit shower. A nonsense like any other. We didn’t even stop.
Lake Mývatn is a large volcanic lake in which we have many tourist attractions. Its name means “the lake of the midges” since these small and annoying insects number in the billions in summer. The same ones that we suffered when we visited Þingvellir and that we would suffer later.
Lake Mývatn is the 5th largest in the country with a surface area of 37 km² and a maximum depth of only 5 metres.
Around the lake there are many points of tourist interest.
We went straight to Grjótagjá, a small cave that was used as thermal baths until the eruption of 1975 to 1984. That tremendous eruption is known as “The Fires of Krafla”. Then the temperature of Grjótagjá rose to 60ºC, for which bathing was prohibited.
Currently the water temperature is 43º but bathing is still prohibited.
As a curiosity, the scene from Games of Thrones was filmed here in which Ygritt steals Jon Snow’s… innocence from him.
A little further south is the Hverfjall crater. It is an almost perfect conical crater 400 meters high that was formed about 2,500 years ago.
You can climb up and skirt the crater but we didn’t do it because we were very, very tight on time.
We go straight to the parking lot of the Dimmuborgir lava field.
Dimmuborgir was formed about 2,300 years ago when incandescent lava mixed with an ancient swamp that was found in this place. It was this clash that originated the spectacular rock formations that we can see. Dimmuborgir literally means “dark castles”.
Several well-signposted trails start from the entrance to explore the area.
We take a little walk and get back on the road. We go to Skútustaðagígar.
Skútustaðagígar is the name of a row of pseudocraters throughout the area.
Here there is also a path to go around the small craters.
We set off to the next point, which catches us on the way to the accommodation: Goðafoss, located 53 km from Mývatn.
Goðafoss Waterfall is located on the Skjálfandafljót River, the fourth largest river in Iceland. It is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the country, falling from a height of 12 meters over a width of 30 meters.
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The name Goðafoss means waterfall of the gods or waterfall of the ‘goði’ (priest) and comes from a fascinating story:
When Iceland was established between the 9th and 10th centuries, the majority of the population were Norwegian descendants who followed the Old Norse religion and worshiped deities such as Thor, Odin, Loki and Freya.
In 930, after establishing the Commonwealth, the pressure for its Christianization began. Around the year 1000, Norway threatens an invasion if they continue to maintain their pagan religion. This is discussed in Þingvellir where Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði, the priest Ásatrú (or goði) and spokesman for the law, is given the responsibility of making the decision.
He spends a day and a night reflecting and praying to the gods for the right decision. He finally communicates that, for the people’s sake, Christianity would be the official religion, but pagans could practice the Norse religion in private.
To symbolize his decision, he returned to his home in northern Iceland and cast idols of the old gods into a beautiful waterfall. Since then, it would be known as Goðafoss.
Now yes, we set off for Akureyri, 30 minutes away, where we would sleep that night, before leaving the next day for the Westfjords.
We stayed at Akureyri Hostel, in a private room with a shared bathroom for €99. It was well located, with its own and quite complete parking.
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We continue our journey through Iceland. We leave Reykjavik (for the moment) and we are going to explore the south of the island.
July 18th
The first stop today is the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, from which we were separated by 125km.
Seljalandsfoss is a 60 meter high waterfall through which the Seljalandsá River flows. If you wear a raincoat you can go behind the waterfall.
Parking costs 700 ISK (€5). Since we didn’t want to start paying so early and time is money… from outside the car park it looks very good.
We continue our way this time towards the Skógafoss waterfall.
Skógafoss is located in the course of the Skógá river and has a height of 60 meters and a width of 25.
According to legend, the first Viking settler in the area, Þrasi Þórólfsson, hid a treasure in a cavern behind the waterfall.
From one side of the waterfall there are some stairs with a few steps: 400! Here we find a platform to see the waterfall from above. There are also spectacular views of the entire area.
On the eastern side of the waterfall, a hiking trail leads to the Fimmvörðuháls pass between the Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers. Then it goes down to Þórsmörk on the other side and continues like the famous Laugavegur to Landmannalaugar.
We go down the 400 steps again and we are on our way to the next destination: the Arch of Dyrhólaey.
Dyrhólaey Arch is an impressive stone arch located on a peninsula at the western end of Reynisfjara beach. It was formerly known among sailors as Cape Portland.
Reynisfjara Beach was listed in 1991 as one of the ten most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world. In 2021 it was rated the sixth best beach in the world. The truth is that it does not invite you to take a bath, but the beach is really spectacular.
This is a perfect place to watch the famous puffins in summer. You will easily see them flying and perched on the surrounding rocky walls.
From here you can see the basalt spires of Reynisdrangar, which we will go to later.
As there was no time to lose, we returned to the car to visit the next point: Reynisdrangar. These are basalt columns found at the other end of Reynisfjara beach.
A popular tale tells that three trolls, Skessudrangar, Landdrangar and Langhamrar; they spent one night dragging a three-masted ship ashore. How the task took longer than expected, without realizing the night came to an end. With the rising of the sun, they were turned into stones along with the ship. Those stones are known today as Reynisdrangar.
It must be pointed out that these stones continue to keep the names of the three trolls.
At this end of the beach is also the Hálsanefshellir cave. It is one of the most popular caves in Iceland located at the foot of the Reynisfjall mountain and is surrounded by basalt columns. It is quite a spectacle of nature.
At this time a little gazuza was beginning to enter but we wanted to wait until we got to the city to eat. But next to the parking lot there was a pylsur stall.
The pylsur are hot dogs or hot dogs and are quite an institution in Iceland. Somewhere I have come to read that they are a national Icelandic dish. They are everywhere: street stalls, supermarkets and even gas stations. The truth is that they are very tasty and are very “cheap”.
The pylsur cost us 450 ISK (€3.20) and it was enough to kill the bug.
Already with a calm stomach we prepared to go to Vík í Mýrdal. It is a small town located in the municipality of Mýrdalshreppur and is the largest urban center within a radius of 70 km. It has about 300 inhabitants…
We drove into town and left the car in the Reynisdrangar Overlook parking lot. From here we have another magnificent view of the “trolls” from the other side.
Enjoying the beautiful scenery we set out to find somewhere to eat. We chose the Halldórskaffi restaurant, very close and with good opinions. We had a burger and an Icelandic style lamb sandwich which was to die for. They also had some cakes that looked spectacular, but there wasn’t much room between the food and the pylsur. The meal cost us 5,780 ISK (€41.14).
After lunch we went to a supermarket in Vík í Mýrdal to buy something for dinner and breakfast.
After the purchase we set off for the next point with an unpronounceable name: Fjaðrárgljúfur, 68 km away.
On the way, passing through one of the innumerable lava fields carpeted by moss, we passed a place with several parked cars. We decided to investigate.
It’s called Eldhraun. There is an informative poster where it explains a little about the history, evolution and information about the moss. There is also a small, very stony trail. In it you will destroy your feet, ankles and shoes.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT STEP ON THE MOSS. There are signs but still people step on it.
After the brief stop we got back on the road and arrived at our destination.
Fjaðrárgljúfur is an impressive canyon about 2 km long and up to 100 m deep near the village Kirkjubæjarklaustur. It was created by the erosion of the Fjaðrá River that flows from the glaciers.
The trail is uphill but not difficult. At the end there is a viewpoint walkway with a transparent floor to admire the Mögáfoss waterfall.
The pity is how little accompanied the time. It was raining sideways due to the wind and it was very, very uncomfortable.
Return to the parking lot. A relief in the services, it must be said that in almost all the car parks there are toilets and back to the road.
Next destination: Svartifoss.
On the way, as always, we stopped to take photos of the spectacular landscapes. But there was one where we almost slammed brakes on. It is a tiny waterfall, little more than a waterfall. What was striking was the beautiful decoration that formed in the landscape.
We continue the way making some stops to delight ourselves with the landscape formed by the tongues of the Vatnajökull glacier. With 8,100 km² it is the largest in Iceland and the second largest in Europe after Austfonna in the Svalbard islands (Norway).
After a while we arrived at the parking lot of the Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður visitor center (Vatnajökull National Park).
Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður is the second largest national park in Europe with more than 14,000 km². This is 14% of the total area of the island. It is second only to the Yugyd Va National Park in Russia with almost 19,000 km².
After paying and without wasting time, we started the climb towards Svartifoss. The route is about 2 km in which most of it is uphill, but it is bearable.
About half way we come across Hundafoss, a 25 m high waterfall.
The name of the waterfall is derived from the Icelandic word “hundur”, which means dog. The name comes from the fact that, during the flood of the river, sometimes the dogs from the farms would float out of the waterfall.
We continue climbing and finally we reach the jewel in the crown: Svartifoss.
Svartifoss is one of the famous waterfalls in Iceland. It is not because of its height (20 m) or because of its flow. It is because of the spectacular setting in which it is located. It is surrounded by hexagonal basalt columns. These basalt columns have inspired Icelandic architects, such as the Hallgrímskirkja church in Reykjavík.
With the time it was (around 8 pm) there was hardly anyone. Only two girls who took several photos of us (and we of them). So it could be seen very calmly.
Here we finished our tourist visits. Now to the accommodation. We had hired a Guesthouse in the city of Höfn, 136 km away.
On the way something happened to us with which you have to be very careful driving. There is a road sign in Icelandic that we have seen before. We didn’t realize what it was for until now.
On many roads there is a kind of bird that, being on the edges of the road, when frightened, ALWAYS flies towards it. He does it very slowly so it’s easy to take them over.
Here there was a section where we ran over two (the only ones we hit in Iceland). No matter how careful you are, it is almost inevitable due to the large number of birds there are. It is witnessed by all those who are dead on the ground.
We call them the suicide birds.
After almost two hours of walking, around 10 o’clock in the “night” we arrived at the accommodation. With such good luck that the reception closed at 8… what now?
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In what appeared to be the main room there was a doorbell. we play. A lady with the appearance of being very angry (we screwed up her lever) comes out and she tells us that we don’t have a reservation there.
After several checks it turned out that our accommodation was another one that was in the port with a quite similar name. A thousand pardons.
We go to the good one and there we were able to enter.
July 19th
Today it’s time to hike a glacier.
We get up very early, with a lot of wind and rain and we go to the starting point of the excursion. We had hired her more than a month in advance at Civitatis.
From the starting point we reached the end of the road. Although calling it a path is being benevolent. From here you have to walk about 1km to the end of the glacier. It is one of the languages of the gigantic Vatnajökull.
There they equip you with crampons and… ala!, to walk on the ice. The guide, Haukur, was very nice and gave us a lot of information about the geology and history of the area and the country.
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After the spectacular excursion, we returned to the starting point for the car and we set off for Lake Jökulsárlón.
Jökulsárlón, located at the southern end of the Vatnajökull glacier, is the largest and most famous glacial lake in Iceland. It is relatively recent since it appeared in 1934. In 1975 it had doubled in size due to the acceleration of the melting of the glaciers.
Its main characteristic is that icebergs abound, which break off from the tongue of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier.
On the lake it is possible to kayak among the icebergs or take boat trips.
In the parking lot you have a couple of food stalls. You have one of fish & chips and another of pylsur and lobster sandwiches. Needless to say, we took a well loaded pylsur… which cost us 650 ISK each.
After the hot dog, we crossed the road and headed to Diamond Beach, the beach of diamonds. It is a black sand beach into which the waters of Lake Jökulsárlón flow. In addition, along with the water, the remains of the iceberg end up in the sea and on the beach. The arena is littered with numerous small ice stones, with what looks like a field of diamonds.
I thought that because it was summer we would only find big icebergs, but no, the beach was full. It is a true marvel.
We leave this marvel behind and head west. Among other things, we were separated by 5 hours of road to the accommodation.
An hour after setting off, we decided to stop for a sandwich at a viewpoint. It was next to the wrong accommodation from the night before. There were beautiful views but, with the terrible wind, we ate inside the car. Salami sandwich from the supermarket.
On the way to the city of Egilsstaðir, at a certain moment, the navigator tells us to take a detour, with 124 km to go. That road was pure mud. It couldn’t be there. It turned out to be one of the many dirt roads we were going to take. Being the first, with rain and a lot of fog, we were scared.
After traveling 21 km along that infernal road, we finally reached a paved road. At that junction there was a sign indicating that we only had 44 km left to Egilsstaðir. We had saved 60 km around here.
We arrived in the city 20 minutes after the supermarket closed. We buy, refuel and continue on our way. Our destination: the Stuðlagi canyon.
Stuðlagi Canyon is located in the valley of the Jökuldalur glacier and contains the largest number of basalt rock columns in Iceland. This marvel was submerged under water until 2009 when the dam for the Hálsón reservoir was built.
It can be visited from both banks. On the west side we have a platform from which you can see the canyon wonderfully.
Between the tremendous cold and the rain we could hardly rejoice with the landscape. We climbed the million steps to the parking lot and ate more salami sandwiches.
After the banquet we set out for the lodging. For tonight we chose Síreksstaðir Farm Holiday. A farm in the middle of nowhere, literally. “But it was cheap.” €99 private room with shared bathroom and breakfast. It was really fine.
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This 2022 we travel again in conditions: Iceland. A destination that I have dreamed of since I was a kid and that I am about 30 years later.
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The time has come: We are going to Iceland.
After 8 hours of layover in Barcelona, around 7:05 p.m. (10 minutes late) we left for Keflavik airport where we landed a little over 4 hours later, at 9:30 p.m. Icelandic time (2 less than in Spain).
For that night we had hired the KEF Guesthouse by Keflavik airport to spend the night, which was close to the airport to pick up the car the next day. A modest guest house with a shared bathroom that cost us 17,940 ISK (€129.35), with breakfast included.
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To get there we took the 55 bus, which was the public company that goes from the airport to Reykjavik on a route. The bus cost us 490 ISK (€3.53) to our stop Njarðvíkurtorg.
It was a great experience as the driver was horny. He was laughing out loud the whole time. He seems to be very happy in his work. In addition, he explained very well what you needed about the route or where to get off.
Around 11:30 p.m. we arrived at the accommodation and went directly to rest.
July 15th
Reykjanes Peninsula
Since they didn’t give us the car until 12.00, we decided not to get up too early and go for a walk around the city. There was nothing remarkable except Viking World, the museum of Viking history and Stekkjarkot, the Reykjanes museum, which is located in the town of Njarðvík.
Stekkjarjot is an example of the roughly built turf, stone and timber cottage-type houses once common on the Reykjanes Peninsula and other coastal areas of Iceland.
It was inaugurated in 1993 after the restoration of the 19th century cabin. The cabin can be visited only by appointment and is free.
Viking World opened its doors in May 2009 although it was officially inaugurated on June 17 of that year in a modern building designed by Guðmundur Jónsson.
The museum tells in detail the history of the Icelandic Vikings and their most striking element: the Gokstad Viking ship that in 2000 sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to L’Anse aux Meadows, Canada, for the celebrations of the millennium of Leif Ericsson’s voyage and then to New York.
After the visit we retraced our steps, bought some food at a Bonus supermarket and went to the accommodation to wait for them to pick us up to go get the car.
We chose Icelandcar to rent the car, the “cheapest” site we found. It was a Peugeot 2008 and it cost us a total of 257,701 ISK (€1,855) for 10 days, including premium insurance that covered everything except the wind blowing off the car door and portable wifi.
Already with the car we went directly to the first site that he chose: Brúin milli heimsálfa, the bridge between two continents.
The Reykjanes Peninsula lies on one of the world’s major plate boundaries, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Here lies the divide between the North American and Eurasian plates.
As the plates diverge, linear fractures, known as fissures, form due to stress that builds up as the plates move away from each other.
The Bridge of Leif the Fortunate is a small bridge built as a symbol of the connection between Europe and North America. If you cross it, you will be crossing from one continent to another.
Here something curious happened. A family forgot to put the handbrake on the van when parking and it plunged out of the compound. We had to get it out of the scree between 5 people pushing on the stones where it was.
The van was beautiful…
From here we went to the next point: the Gunnuhver geothermal area.
There is an ancient legend about this place that says:
In the 18th century, an old woman named Gudrun (Gunna for short) was suspected of practicing witchcraft. Shortly before her death, she was visited by a judge who ended up arguing with her. That same judge attended Gunn’s funeral and was found dead the next morning, his body bruised and mutilated. He blamed this on the old woman.
Her spirit had been wandering, terrorizing the peasants and wreaking havoc on the Reykjanes Peninsula. It wasn’t until the locals gorged a priest with liquor that they found a solution to trap Gudrun. Following the priest’s advice, they left a loose end of a ball of string for the ghost to grasp. She did, and the ball rolled into the hot springs, taking the witch’s ghost with it and trapping her there forever.
Some say that Gudrun’s ghost did not fall into the boiling pit, but will cling to the edge for all eternity. The steam is constant and thick enough to hide any ghostly figure inside or outside of Gunnuhver.
The hot spring takes its name from the old woman (Gunnuhver translates to “Gunn’s Hot Spring”) and is the largest geothermal field in Iceland. It measures about 20 meters and constantly expels dense and cloudy steam at a temperature of almost 300ºC.
The enclosure has several car parks. We parked in the west parking lot. As soon as you go down, the smell of rotten eggs from the sulfurous waters can be noticed in the room. The path is well marked and with some wooden walkways that bring us closer to the wells from which the steam comes out (and an impressive stench).
Next to the geothermal area is Reykjanesviti, the 31 m high Reykjanes lighthouse. The original lighthouse was built in 1878 but an earthquake destroyed it just 8 years later. The current one was inaugurated in 1929.
We return to the road to go to the nearby city of Grindavík to find something to eat. We did it at Papa’s Restaurant, a restaurant with a lot of variety such as pizzas and hamburgers. The food was really good and not expensive (for Iceland). The account came out to us 5380 ISK (€38.79).
When we finished eating, the weather was still shitty (a lot of rain, cold and wind) so we decided to go to what was going to be our accommodation for the next 3 days. A tourist rental house where a retired lady lived in Kópavogur, in the metropolitan area of the capital Reykjiavik.
The accommodation was relatively “cheap” and cost us 14,310 ISK (€103).
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We left the bags at the accommodation and ran out because we had a time for 8 pm in Bláa lónið, the Blue Lagoon.
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa whose waters are rich in minerals such as silica and sulfur. The lagoon is fed by the production of water from the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant.
Superheated water rises from the ground near the lava flow to drive turbines that generate electricity. After passing through the turbines, the steam and hot water pass through a heat exchanger to provide heat for the municipal hot water system. The waste is what feeds the lagoon.
The water temperature oscillates between 37 and 39ºc and it is said that it helps people who suffer from skin diseases such as psoriasis.
Unfortunately the weather was really shit: rain, cold and an icy wind that turned around. It was impossible to take proper photos of the Lagoon, but if we were able to take some video passed through the water… But in the water it was wonderful.
They also give you a bracelet with which you open and close the ticket office and what you consume in the bars is recorded. Admission includes a drink.
At the exit they give you a towel and one for your hair if you wear it long.
If you have long hair you have to apply a good amount of conditioner that you will find in the locker room showers. The water leaves your hair like that of the Jackson Five. It is also not recommended to wear glasses or contact lenses as silicon lenses can damage them. And, in addition, it irritates the eyes. Anyone would say that bathing is good for health…
The lagoon is gigantic. It has a bar inside and a small kiosk where they give you white mud to spread on your face. There is also a black mud but you have to pay for that.
Once you enter you can be as long as you want. We entered at 8:00 p.m. and left when they closed at 11:00 p.m. (wrinkled like raisins).
The price of the entrance varies according to the season and the hour. It cost us 11,990 ISK (€86.44) per person. There is also a premium ticket for 14,490 ISK (€104.47) and another called Retreat Spa that costs 79,000 ISK (€569.56).
At the exit, very relaxed and being so late, we ate some sandwiches with food that we had bought in a Bonus. And then to sleep because we had to get up early.
July 16th
We got up early, a shower and we set off towards Þingvellir (Thingvellir), in the Golden Circle. By the way, the water in the Reykjavik area stinks of rotten eggs. It stinks a lot. It is quite unpleasant to take a shower, let alone brush your teeth…
Golden Circle
The Golden Circle is a circular tourist route of about 300 km that starts and ends in Reykjavik.
Time continues without accompanying. It continues to rain and along the way we find a lot of fog that prevents us from contemplating the landscape. With a few kilometers to go, the fog begins to dissipate and the rain stops.
Þingvellir is a national park established in 1930 and is located 40 km from Reykjavik. It is one of the most important places in the history of Iceland.
The Alþingi (Althingi), the oldest parliament in the world, was founded here in the year 930. This met annually when the lögsögumaður (man of laws) recited the laws, settled disputes, and punished criminals. There is no construction left but Lögberg (king rock) remains as a witness.
We arrived at the huge parking lot and left the car and headed for the visitor center. There you have to pay 750 ISK (€5.40) for parking.
In the center there is an interactive exhibition about the park that costs 1,000 ISK (€7.20).
We passed the gift shop/cafe. There I saw something that caught my attention. It was like a bug net for the face. You have to be a geek.
On the other side of the visitor center we reach the viewpoint. From there there are spectacular views of the entire area.
Next we go down inside the Almannagjá fissure, which until 2011 was a gravel path. In March of that year a hole appeared in the middle of the road. After investigating it, the fault was discovered, 10 meters deep and 15 meters long.
We go down the fault and cross to the other bank of the Óxará river. There we find Þingvallakirkja, a small Lutheran church. The first church was built in 1017, being the oldest in Iceland, but the current one dates from 1859.
Next to it is Þingvallabær, a small farmhouse built in 1930 to commemorate Alþingi’s 1000th anniversary. Today it is used as the park warden’s office and the prime minister’s summer home.
From here we headed north towards Öxarárfoss. Do you remember the hairnet we saw for sale in the visitor center?… BUY IT! The road was fucking hell.
For more than a kilometer there is a real cloud of tiny flies that get into your eyes, nose, ears, mouth… it was a real hell. Throughout the trip they would cross our path again.
Öxarárfoss is a small waterfall about 14 meters high. Of course, it does not impress due to its size, but the setting in which it is located is really beautiful.
The Icelandic writer Björn Th. Björnsson wrote:
“Although Öxarárfoss is not large in size, it is peculiarly beautiful and has a lot to do with it. It falls from a smooth edge and is reasonably wide to give it particularly graceful proportions. The boulders are below, but not covering, creating a lot of spray. But this is how the sun behaves here, in the last part of the day it stands obliquely along the gap and shines on the waterfall, so rare to see. The surroundings created by the crack hammers do not in the least enhance the beauty, whether the waterfall is in light mode in summer or in icy bands in winter.”
After contemplating the waterfall for a long time, we walked back to the visitor center, from which we were separated by about 2 km. The truth is that the environment is truly spectacular.
We took the opportunity to have a coffee and a soft drink. It is curious to see that, in Iceland, coffee is more expensive than soft drinks. The coffee cost us 500 ISK (€3.57) and the 500cl soft drink 350 ISK (€2.50).
Back in the car we get back on the road. About 10 km away we find Hrafnagjá útsýnispallur, a viewpoint to contemplate the Hrafnagjá canyon.
After the short stop we continue to our next destination: Kerið.
Kerið is a crater with a small lake inside. It formed about 6,500 years ago at the northern end of a row of craters known as Tjarnarhólar. It is oval in shape with 270 m long, 170 m wide and 55 m deep.
Its interior lake varies between 7 and 14 meters deep. According to an old tradition, a rise in the water level here is accompanied by a corresponding drop in the Búrfell pond in Grímsnes (75km away) and vice versa.
The entrance to the crater costs 400 ISK (€2.85). By the way; bathing in the lake is prohibited.
It was getting close to lunch time so we decided to go to the city of Selfoss, only 15 km away, in search of somewhere “cheap”. We ended up eating at a KFC: fast and inexpensive.
From here we went for a bit of hiking. We are going to tour the surroundings of the lava field of the Geldingadalir Volcano, on Mount Fagradalsfjall, the last one that erupted in July 2021.
The same mountain that erupted at the beginning of August, just a week after we returned to Spain. live to see
After 50 km we arrive at the deserted parking lot. I try to get out of the car, but it was so windy that I could barely open the door to get out. Between the wind, the rain and the cold, the route was going to be impossible.
We decided to look for an alternative plan and leave this activity for another day, if we had time.
Since we didn’t really know what to do, we decided to take a walk to Akranes, a port city north of Reykjavik. The truth is that there is practically nothing to see, except the spectacular landscape and some seabirds.
We parked next to the Visitor Center and went to the Akranesviti, the new lighthouse, built between 1943 and 1944. It came into operation in 1947 and from 2012 it was opened to the public. It was already closed when we arrived.
A little further on we find Gamli Akranesvitinn, the old lighthouse. Built in 1917 and operated until 1947.
For dinner we stopped on the way to Reykjavik in an open field. There we made some sandwiches with accoutrements bought in a Bonus and we ate them admiring the spectacular views.
After the copious dinner… To sleep.
July 17th
We return to the Golden Circle. First Stop: Brúarárfoss, a small but beautiful waterfall on the Brúarà river. It is neither the largest nor the mightiest in Iceland, but its turquoise waters are truly hypnotic.
We cover the 90 km that separate our accommodation from the small car park where the route begins. From here you have to do a short trek of about 3 km following the Brúarà river to reach the waterfall.
It is a relatively smooth path, although the day we were there it was extremely muddy and it was somewhat difficult to walk. In some sections it was literally impossible to walk and you had to go a little off the road.
Brúarárfoss is not the only waterfall on the way. We are going to find two more. The first is Hlauptungufoss, approximately 1.5 km from the car park.
Here we can already appreciate the incredible turquoise color of the water from the melting of the glaciers.
A little further on we come across the second: Miðfoss. As its name indicates, it is the one in the middle…
And now yes. At about 800 meters we find the spectacular Brúarárfoss. Judge for yourself. Although I have to say that the photos do not do justice to the color of the water.
The truth is that it is well worth the walk and having gotten into the mud up to our ankles.
We return to the car and go to the next point: the Geysir geothermal area, in the Haukadalur valley.
This area is dotted with several fumaroles, hot springs, and mud pits. The main geyser is Geysir, although it is currently inactive.
Really the main attraction is the Strokkur geyser that bursts every 5 minutes or so. The height usually varies but can be up to 40 meters.
We park at the visitor center and head towards the enclosure. As soon as we arrive we see a lot of people milling around some fumaroles as if waiting for something… this will be Strokkur.
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While we are waiting, a worker from the center arrives and tells us that nothing is going to burst there. He doesn’t know what all those people are doing there. Strokkur is located higher up.
Well, we went directly to the geyser. The first explosion was pretty shitty. Just a couple of meters. The next one was quite fat. But the third was spectacular, and it even splashed people.
We can go up to the viewpoint at the top to admire the area from above.
From here we went straight to the next stop. Another of the stars of the Golden Circle: the Gullfoss waterfall (Golden Waterfall in Icelandic).
It is the most famous waterfall in Iceland. Nestled in the Hvitá river canyon, it has two waterfalls, one 11 meters and the other 21. In total there are 32 meters of fall and a flow of between 80 and 140 cubic meters of water per second.
Advice: take a raincoat with you because if you go near the waterfall you will end up soaked.
Next to the stairs that go up to the visitor center we find a small monument dedicated to Sigríður Tómasdóttir. She was an Icelandic environmentalist whose activism helped preserve the Gullfoss waterfalls, protecting them from industrialization. She is considered Iceland’s first ecologist.
As lunchtime was getting closer, we went up to the visitor center that had a restaurant. It was full, no, the next thing, so we decided to go back to Geysir, which had several restaurants.
There were less people here so we decided to stay.
We ate at the Geysir Glíma restaurant. The food was great and at a fairly average price for a tourist place.
A plate of meatballs and a lamb knuckle for 4,970 ISK (€34.20).
A coffee and on to the next destination: the Háifoss waterfall, 87km away.
Leaving paved highway 32, we enter the first relatively long gravel road. We were a bit scared by the holes it had, but it served as an experience for future roads.
Háifoss was theoretically the highest waterfall in Iceland. The Fossá River pours its waters here at no less than 122 meters high. Recent measurements indicate that Hengifoss is the highest waterfall on the island at 128 metres.
Next to Háifoss is another large waterfall called Granni. The whole set forms an authentic spectacle of nature.
Everything was so impressive that we were there for a long time enjoying the tremendous spectacle that Iceland offered us.
Back in the car, as it was early, we decided to deviate from our route and went to visit the Faxi waterfall.
Faxi is a waterfall on the Tungufljót river. It is 7 meters high and 80 meters wide and has been described as the smaller sister of Gulfoss.
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To access Faxi you have to pay 700 ISK (€5). If you eat in the restaurant and spend at least 2,000 ISK, they discount the 700 of the entrance fee.
It was already a good time for dinner. We decided to stop again in Selfoss on the way to Reykjavik. We didn’t complicate our lives and ate at KFC. Quick and relatively cheap.
After dinner we decided to take a walk through the town of Selfoss. It is a small town in the south of Iceland, on the banks of the Ölfusá river.
Its history goes back more than 1,000 years ago, it was colonized by Thorir Ásason. Although the Icelandic Sagas mention that Ingólfur Arnarson was here during the winter of 873 on the mountain Ingólfsfjall.
The current city was formed in 1891 as a result of the construction of the first suspension bridge over the river. This construction was ordered by Tryggvi Gunnarsson, a member of the Alþingi.
It was a nice and short walk through its old town, full of charming colored houses.
Even with a temperature of 7ºC, we saw several people with some very appetizing ice creams, so I craved one.
They were from a place called Ísbúðin Fákafeni. We enter and prepare to make our queue. On the wall they have a large poster with the letter… in Icelandic. We don’t understand shit.
So we point to what the rest of the people are ordering and we point to more for the topping. It went right. They were very good and cost us 610 ISK (€4.36) each.
We eat it relaxed and we go back to Reykjavik to sleep.
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