Thingvellir (Þingvellir) National Park

Thingvellir National Park: unique place

Thingvellir National Park is a fascinating place with a unique combination of natural and historical treasures, where you’ll find enchanting colourful scenery and a host of activities

Experience is the journey itself

From Reykjavík, you take Route 36 and after just a few minutes, you’ll start to get some breathtaking views, which are amplified as you get closer to Lake Tingvallavatn. Whether planned or spontaneous, be sure to stop at the Tingvallavegur View Point. Little did we know about this viewpoint, but the views out the window of the snow-covered landscape illuminated by the freshly risen sun made us stop and enjoy the first beauty of Iceland.

After that, the park itself and the individual places it hides await you. We originally planned to spend only an hour here, which was a huge mistake. With a busy itinerary, the park created a big hole in our schedule as we spent more than two hours here .

If you decide to continue along the Golden Circle, more fabulous scenery awaits you. Just keep going along Route 36 past the lake and keep your eyes open.

Thingvellir National Park and its beauties

If you are coming here by car, pay attention to the car park signs. We were heading for the P5, but Google Maps fooled us a bit. There was no road leading on from either P1 or P2 to get to the car park where we wanted to stop. Eventually, we parked our rental car on P1 and headed out to see the park’s most famous gorge.

Almannagjá – River of History

Almannagjá is a place where you feel like witnessing the immense power of nature. Just a few meters from the parking lot, you will understand why this place attracts masses of tourists.

Here, you’ll discover massive walls of dark gray basalt soaring several tens of meters high. Indeed, these black, rugged rocks appear as though they’ve been weathered into sharp edges, rising against the sky like ancient ruins.

It is here that we get the best view of the tectonic fault. In fact, the North American and European tectonic plates are moving away from each other at a rate of about two centimetres per year.

The Öxará River also flows through the gorge, and if you visit during the winter months, you’ll find the river blanketed in snow and ice, creating a striking contrast with the surrounding black rocks. Moreover, its water boasts a beautiful, cool blue hue that appears almost mystical in the morning light. In contrast, during summer, the surrounding nature glows with vibrant colors, offering a unique and captivating view.

Lögberg – Assembly area

Once out of the gorge, head to the right where you can see not only the fault but also an important historical site that will delight men in particular. Martin was a young boy as the history of this place is linked to the Vikings.

Lögberg, or “Rock of Law”, is where the Althing, one of the oldest parliaments in the world, was founded in 930. In Viking times, laws were passed and conflicts settled on this spot. Today you will find a lookout point overlooking the whole valley.

You can’t go wrong with the place. Apart from the amount of people, the Icelandic flag flies here to add to the atmosphere of the place.

Öxarárfoss – Veil on the rock

If you decide to continue past the rocks, you won’t be disappointed. From the Parliament, you can reach the picturesque Öxarárfoss Waterfall in about 10 minutes.

Like a gentle veil of water, the waterfall cascades over the dark gray basalt walls. And although it is certainly not one of the largest or most impressive waterfalls, it has its own charm. During the winter months, you’ll see the flowing water finding its way through the snow and ice that litter the rocks.

To make matters even better, Öxarárfoss Waterfall has a silver glow in the sunlight. Surrounding rock formations and meadows covered in moss, snow and ice combine with the rays of light to create a romantic idyll. This place is so beautiful that it photographs itself and, even without editing, looks like something from another world.

Silfra – Underwater journey between continents

For diving and snorkelling enthusiasts, there’s Silfra – a clear fissure between tectonic plates where you can swim in crystal-clear water with visibility of up to 100 metres. Snorkelling costs around €100 per person. Although we hesitated about it for a long time, the fear of the icy water was stronger than the desire to get to experience this place ☹.

How to get here?

Located about 50 km northeast of Reykjavík, it takes about 45 minutes by car. Thingvellir is part of the Golden Circle, and if you decide to pay for an organised trip from Reykjavík, one of the stops will be this wonderful park. But the much better option is to rent a car. This park deserves more than just a short stop for 30 minutes. However, expect to pay a parking fee of 1000 ISK at each of the five car parks.

Visit Thingvellir National Park with children

Visiting Thingvellir with children is an experience full of discovery and learning. There are many trails where children can safely walk and explore the various rock formations. Almannagjá, with its high black walls and the Öxará River, acts as a natural playground to spark their imagination. In fact, the quality trails are even suitable for strollers.

However, we used a “pass from my parents” to visit Iceland, who offered to babysit our kids and honestly, it was the best decision we ever made.