outdoors

Thingvellir National Park

Þingvellir National Park is a UNESCO world heritage site and holds great significance for historical, cultural and geological reasons. It was once the site of Alþingi; the world’s first Commonwealth parliament, back in 930 AD. It was also the site where Icelanders declared independence from Denmark and confirmed their first president. Þingvellir sits on the Mid-Atlantic rift and it is where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet. You can see the continental plates drift apart (at a very gradual rate of 2cm per year) at the Hakið viewing point or even dive between the plates on the Silfra fissure in the clear Glacier waters. While the tectonic plates are a fascinating sight at Þingvellir, there are also other attractions like the stunning Öxarárfoss waterfall and the Almannagjá ravine where you can admire Iceland’s geology. Recommended time: half a day