ICELAND: THE SOUTH COAST

Have you ever fallen in love? You know, the breath-taking moment when you realize your heart no longer belongs to you? Your eyes swell up with tears and nothing around you matters? Yea, that’s what I felt when exploring the south coast of Iceland.

I’ve done a couple other posts on Iceland, which you can see here and here, but I’ve saved my favorite for last. Honestly, it’s everyone’s favorite considering it is home to the most popular sights in the world. With that being said, you can find these spots on any google search, but you won’t find my personal touches anywhere other than here at Urban Fleur.

SKÓGAFOSS

Get ready for the cringe, but this place *changed* me. The best way to describe it is, my soul gasped. You stand at the bottom of this massive waterfall, water spraying all over you, you’re freezing cold and yet you cannot turn your head away. The sound is beating around you and you’re surrounded by the moss covered rock of the cliff. It’s one of the first stops on your drive down the coast and is definitely not one you want to skip. If I’m not proposed to under this waterfall, then I’m asking for a refund.

SELJAVALLALAUG POOL

On your journey around the south coast, you’ll be driving on what they call “Ring Road”. One of the stops is this, the oldest pool in Iceland, built in 1923. It’s a natural hot spring and sits nestled in-between the mountains. However, I was not able to make it quite there due to the weather. It is a small hike to get there, and the weather for us was hypothermic at best. But the views from the parking lot were great!

RING ROAD

As I mentioned before, you’ll be following Ring Road for a large part of your adventure. Do not fear to stray off the path if you see anything worth visiting! We pulled off after seeing a cliff or two; to our left was a large caged in area stating things such as “hazardous” and “do not enter” (who knows what they do out there in the middle of nowhere) and to our right were great cliffs dropping into the ocean. Like children, we ran over the moss covered ground and climbed down to the beach from there. It was so fun and so breathtaking and it wasn’t on our to do list.

ÞINGVELLIR NATIONAL PARK

For a quick lunch, you can stop at this park and grab a sandwich to go while also walking the trails between the mountains and seeing some waterfalls. It’s like, four birds one stone?? You’re high up so you see all the land beneath you, like a true Viking Queen. It feels like you’re exploring Ruby Falls, only way cooler and way prettier (and way colder).

GOLDEN CIRCLE

This is another very touristy spot, where you park in a lot and make your way to the views. While it is crowded, it is worth it to see the magnificent falls (like the one shown in the feature image of the post!). You’ll be sprayed with water, you’ll be freezing, but it’ll be worth it. It’s crazy how nature can make such a large beauty that withstands thousands of years. Go! Enjoy it! Fight the crowds for the best view!

REYKNISFJARA BEACH

This list wouldn’t be complete without the black sand beach. The drive to it is beautiful, along with the cute little coastal town and picturesque church. The sand is a deep black with large smooth black pebbles (I’ll admit it, I stole one). The water is a scary grey with is white foam huge as the waves crash down. It is a very dangerous beach as the current is so strong and the waves so big, but it is amazing to look at. On your side stands a large cliff, covered in green moss, and in the ocean stands a few other large rocky monuments. It’s breathtaking and you’ll leave in silence as you’re comprehending all that you’ve seen. And maybe you’ll also have a stolen pebble.

When driving around to all of these spots, don’t forget to take in the drive. That was my favorite part of the trip and where some of the best scenery was, spots that are hard to capture by camera.

Well, that’s all from me on Iceland. Don’t forget to dress accordingly. Our poor friend Brian didn’t, and you don’t wanna be like Brian.