I liked Vic very much, or rather, it would be more correct to say that the impression was left not by the town itself, but by its surroundings. The natural attractions here are of the highest standard. Here you will find black volcanic beaches, and basalt columns scattered along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, and grottoes of the most bizarre shape, rocks sticking right out of the water. And, of course, the pride of the country, puffins - a bird that looks like either a penguin or a parrot ...
Well, in general, look.
I'll start in order:
The town of Vik is located in the very south of Iceland, or rather, it is the southernmost settlement of the island. It is located about 180 km from Reykjavik, on the ring road. The population of the village according to various sources is 300 - 500 people, and this is the largest settlement for the next 70 km.
Attractions include a hilltop church, a couple of monuments and natural beauty. From the church, for example, you can observe a beautiful panorama of the surroundings.
The village has several hotels and guesthouses, camping, restaurants and cafes - everything for tourists. And also here is the famous ICEWEAR factory for the production of products from Icelandic wool, famous for its excellent qualities. There is a shop at the factory (in summer it is open around the clock), which offers a huge range of woolen products at the most loyal prices for Iceland. It is not cheaper to buy. But prices still bite.
And right there is the famous black beach. Indescribable beauty in any weather. Just imagine: an icy gray ocean, every minute throwing piles of white foam onto the black shore. You can admire for hours.
I can't help but copy and paste: In 1991, the American magazine "Islands" announced this beach as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches on Earth.
2. Troll Fingers (Reinisdrangar) ( a point on the map)
Four black basalt pillars rising majestically from the Atlantic Ocean. The sight is quite unusual. The rocks really resemble gigantic fingers, or rather the whole hand sticking out of the water.
Local legends claim that huge boulders were once trolls. According to the legend, they tried to pull the ship to land, but they got so carried away by the process that they did not have time to return to the cave before sunrise and turned into black stone.
3. Reynisdrangar cliffs and Reynisfjara beach
( a point on the map)
We got here only thanks to a successful hitchhiking. Walking on foot for a long time, 5 kilometers from the road, and from the nearest settlement (Vika) to the desired turn is also not a low beam. So, no matter how it sounds, you need a car to admire the basalt rocks on the ocean coast.
There is a large parking lot and a cafe at the entrance to the cliff. But we are not particularly interested in it. Columnar basalt is our goal.
Waves and winds have created whimsical columns and grottoes decorated with natural ornaments here. Their walls are lined with individual stone pillars, and the ceiling is decorated with a scaly pattern. Don't look around.
4. Cape Dyrhólaey.( a point on the map)
Another attraction of Vik is a 120-meter cape, ending in beautiful arches. This cape, by the way, is considered the southernmost point of mainland Iceland.
Let's get closer.
It offers stunning views of the mountains, coastal valleys, the Atlantic Ocean and the endless black beaches of Iceland's south coast.
The color combination is mesmerizing.
Natural arches and turrets are formed by the work of the sea and the wind.
Over the centuries, water has eroded cliffs of 100-meter-high volcanic lava created by an underwater eruption. Rocks rise in the middle of a black sandy wasteland, and individual groups run into the ocean.
Cape Dirholaei is also famous for its puffins. Here they can be observed in the immediate vicinity, without climbing the rocks. The cape is a nature reserve and in the spring, during the bird nesting season (from mid-May to June 23), the cape is closed.
Here is such a Vic, such are his surroundings.
Even though it is wet and rainy for most of the year in this part of Iceland, a gorgeous landscape is guaranteed, and if the day is sunny, it will be fantastic.
The coast of Reynisfjar is of amazing beauty. There are not many places in the world where you can see black beaches, and Iceland is one of them. Here is the famous "Black Beach" Reynisfiyara - a very interesting place. It consists of black gravel and black boulders. According to legend, in fact, these boulders were trolls who did not have time to hide from the sun's rays and turned to stone. In the same way, the legend describes the emergence of the famous black basalt columns "Troll's fingers", going straight into the sea, these columns can be clearly seen from the "Black Beach". The "Black Beach" is located in Vic, 180 km south of Reykjavik.
Weather in Reynisfiyara
Let's talk about the Icelandic province. If you book your hotel in Wick in advance, you should definitely stop here on the ring road south of Reykjavik. Vic is a small town, rather a village, but the infrastructure is well developed, there is a small church, shops, banks, restaurants, you can book a hotel in Vic, which is also available here. The humidity in Vick is increased, it is the wettest place in Iceland, it is said that it rains here 340 days a year. Despite the fact that it is located in the south, no one wants to take off their jacket, it is cool here and the winds often blow.
The best beach in the world
Sea waves wash the coast of unusual black color. As in most of Iceland's quirky corners, volcanoes are at work here. During the eruption, black lava flowed into the ocean, cooled in water, and then the water broke it into fine gravel for many years. This space, five kilometers long, filled with fine, pure black volcanic sand without admixtures of man-made debris or stones, because the beach is usually cold, damp and therefore deserted, there is no one to litter. According to the rating of the best beaches in the world, Black Beach is confidently in the top ten. And the American magazine "Islands" called "Black Beach" the most beautiful beach on Earth. Don't forget to explore the nearby caves.
It is not surprising that Black Beach has become a filming location for more than one science fiction film; local landscapes bear little resemblance to those of the earth. The feelings that overwhelm tourists who were fortunate enough to see all this with their own eyes are the most extraordinary: from inexplicable, supernatural admiration, to fear and goosebumps.
"Black Beach" Reynisfiyar on the map of Vic
The coast of Reynisfjar is of amazing beauty. There are not many places in the world where you can see black beaches, and Iceland is one of them. Here is the famous "Black Beach" Reynisfiyara - a very interesting place. It consists of black gravel and black boulders. According to legend, in fact, these boulders were trolls who did not have time to hide from the sun's rays and turned to stone. Exactly ... "/\u003e
In the morning, after the strongest night rain, because of which we slept in the car, not daring to lay out the tent due to the difficulty of its further drying, we quickly had a snack and after leaving the campsite moved to the side seljalandfoss waterfall ... Seljalandfoss waterfall is the first attraction of south Iceland .Seljalandsfoss waterfall
It differs from many other waterfalls in the ability to go behind it. At the top of the waterfall there is a ledge, as well as a deep indentation at the foot, thanks to all this, you can quite comfortably go behind it along the path. But you can only walk here in a raincoat, otherwise you will get completely wet.
The waterfall lies on the Seljalandsá River and rises 60 m (200 ft) above the cliffs of the former coastline. This is one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland.
At the exit to the ring road number 1 from the waterfall, we are met or, on the contrary, accompanied by one of the symbols of Iceland - Dead End. Arriving here yesterday, we did not notice it due to heavy rain.
Next was waiting for us vik town is the southernmost city in Iceland and one of the largest cities in this country. And the road to this city is just a fairy tale, here you will find endless expanses of black sand and fabulous furry growths on long ago petrified lava. Mountains with caps of clouds, snowy peaks, glaciers - there is probably everything that a man can find on Earth and all this in one place. You are driving and you cannot hold back the emotions of delight and beauty around. No, no, yes, you will definitely stop to capture another wonderful piece of the fairyland.
Skogafoss waterfall Is one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. The width is 25 m, the height of the water fall is 60 m. Due to the large amount of splashes formed by the waterfall, on sunny and clear days, one can observe a single and sometimes double rainbow.
According to legend, Trasi Tourulfsson (Isc. Þrasi Þórólfsson), the first Viking to settle in the area, hid his wealth in a cave located behind a waterfall in a cliff. Years later, a local boy found an unusual chest in a cave. But, before the chest disappeared again, the boy took possession of only the ring, now kept in the Skogar Museum.
On the eastern side of the waterfall, a specially designed tourist trail leads up to the Fimmvörðuháls pass, which lies between the Eyjafjallajökull glaciers and Mürdalsjallajökull glaciers (Iceland Mýrdjökull). The trail then descends on the other side of the magnificent Thorsmörk Valley (Isc. Þórsmörk), named after the Scandinavian god Thor (Occ. Þōrr, Þunarr) and continues with the famous hiking trails Laugavegur (Isc. Laugavegur) and Landmannalaunalaugar (Isc.
And we were still attracted by the road towards the city of Vik. After spending about two wonderful hours at the Skogafoss waterfall and enjoying both the views from its top and the power at its foot, as well as a variety of double, triple and single rainbows, we moved towards the town of Vik and its black beaches, capes, arches and stone formations.
Vik is located 180 km from Reykjavik and is the main city in the region of southern Iceland. This is the wettest place in the whole country and it is here that you will be very lucky, as it was with us, if you do not get into the rain. It is important for travelers to know that there are inexpensive supermarkets where you can replenish food or stock up on food if you have not done so in Reykjavik.
Reinisdrangar - Icelandic Basalt Columns
There are many very beautiful natural attractions in the city and its surroundings. For example, Reinisdrangar - basalt columns in the ocean. According to Icelandic legends, these are trolls that have been petrified by the sun's rays.
The place is very beautiful and unique, but you have to go here prepared and not at all because of the complexity of the path. Due to the close proximity of the ocean, the wind here is so strong that you should think about warm and windproof clothing.
On this beach, as in almost all of Iceland, you can touch the black lava sand. For tourists, Vic's beaches are considered iconic in terms of viewing black sand, but I would not say that it is so good here. For example, at the ice lagoon I liked it much more, but there are no tourists on that beach at all. There is a small pirate cave right next to the basalt columns, for sure if you search the Internet for information about it, you will stumble upon another legend - Iceland is still a fabulous country.
Probably it is in this place that you realize how strong-willed people lived in these inhospitable places. On the nose is the middle of August and the height of warm summer days, and you are standing on the seashore in unblown and warm clothes and you feel every new breeze on yourself, which, having stumbled upon you, did not even think to turn aside.
I highly recommend everyone who comes to Vik to climb the square next to the church on the hill. There is another road leading from there, along which you can drive by car towards the cemetery. There is a parking lot near the cemetery, and if you go around its fence from the side of the hillock, you will see such a wonderful view of the city itself and of the Troll's Fingers, but from the other side.
On this our tourist day ended and we went to the campsite in the town of Vik. I will still not recommend the camping itself, you can safely go outside the city and stop for the night there - you will not lose anything. Later, I will prepare a map of free convenient parking spaces in Iceland for a tent stop near the main attractions.
The magnificent black sand beach of Reynisfjara (also called Reynisfjara) is located in the south of Iceland, near the tiny village of Vik and Cape Dirhoulae, the southernmost point of the island.
Due to the specific climate of the country - cold and humid, tourists come to the black beach of Reynisfjara not to sunbathe and swim, but mainly to walk and take pictures of the unearthly beauty of the local nature. This popular attraction of the island is one of the most unusual and picturesque places on the planet, striking the imagination and as if taking its visitors to another reality.
Characteristics Reynisfjara Beach
The beach is covered with black sand, the color of which is associated with the nearby volcano. The lava it spewed out, when it hit the ocean, solidified at the bottom, acquiring a black color. Over the years, the water eroded and crushed these sedimentary formations, turning them into black volcanic sand and carrying them ashore. In addition to sand, there are pebbles and stones on the beach that are also close to black shades.
The length of the Reynisfjara beach is about 5 kilometers, and the width reaches several tens of meters.
It is noteworthy that the sand on the beach is very clean and pleasant to walk on. The number of visitors to the beach is generally low, even during Iceland's so-called high season.
According to the reviews of tourists who have been here, when visiting this beach, a variety of feelings arise - from indescribable admiration to fear and goose bumps.
Due to its unusual appearance, which hardly resembles earthly landscapes, Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach often attracts directors who make science fiction films.
Infrastructure
Near the black beach of Reynisfjara is the village of Vik. It is something like an urban-type settlement stretching along the Atlantic coast.
Despite its very small size, Vic has a fairly developed infrastructure: there are shops, bank branches, restaurants, hotels (two- and three-star) and guesthouses that can be booked in advance.
On the east side, the beach is bordered by Mount Reynisfjadl with arched caves and basalt columns, which offer stunning views of the surrounding area. The mountain is popular with bird watchers due to the fact that many different species of birds live in its crevices.
The largest cave in the mountain is the Hálsanefshellir Cave. It is an unusual and interesting grotto, which can be entered directly from the shore.
Near the coast, in the ocean, you can see the imposing basalt rock pillars of Reynisdrangar, known as the "Troll's Fingers" due to their unusual shape.
Cape Dyrholaey, located to the west, is clearly visible from the black beach of Reynisfjara. Translated from Icelandic, its name means “mountain with a hole”. Also on the cape you can see the eponymous white lighthouse with a beautiful arch on the shore. It should be noted that the cape can be reached by car.
Beach Legends
Due to its uniqueness, the beach has become a place surrounded by various myths and legends. The most famous of them is about the black rocks near the coast, which the locals nicknamed "Troll's Fingers".
According to legend, the trolls who once lived here once decided to steal a ship with sheep on board and were already pulling it to the shore, but did not have time before sunrise. Its rays began to burn their bodies, and they turned into black boulders. The petrified hand of one of the trolls still sticks out of the water to this day.
Weather and climate features
The island's cold maritime climate provides cool and windy weather for most of the year. The area in which Reynisfjara Beach is located is considered to be one of the wettest places in Iceland: it is believed that rainfall is 340 days out of 365. Despite the location in the south of the island, the sun, unlike rain and fog, is quite rare here.
Throughout the year, the average daily temperature ranges from 0 ° C to + 15 ° C, which can only be found in the warmest months - July and August. These climatic conditions necessitate warm, windproof and waterproof clothing when planning a trip to Reynisfjara Black Beach.
Panoramic view of Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach in Iceland - Google Maps
How to get to the black beach of Reynisfjara in Iceland
Reynisfjara Beach is located on the southern coast of the island, about 180 kilometers southeast of Reykjavik and 11 kilometers by road from the coastal village of Vik.
GPS coordinates of the black beach of Reynisfjara: 63.404271, -19.049165.
Due to the sufficient remoteness of the beach from the capital of Iceland and major cities, it is most convenient to get to it with a rented car.
Video about Reynisfjara Beach in Iceland:
The southernmost point is considered to be the small village of Vik. It belongs to the municipality of Mirdalshreppur and is its administrative center. About 300 people live in several dozen houses. The village has a working church and Icewear woolen mill. It rains here for 340 days a year, which is why Vik is also the wettest place in the whole country.
Vik village - Iceland tourist
Nature in Vik village
The magnificent landscape, original surroundings and unique natural monuments attract crowds of tourists. A visit to the beach is an unforgettable experience regardless of the season. In summer, the bright blue sky and the calm azure sea contrast with the dark coastal pebbles. In spring, the area is somewhat hazy due to overhanging fogs. In autumn, the seething waters of the Atlantic Ocean show tourists the full power of an unpredictable element. And in winter, the most courageous travelers can observe the shine of white blocks of ice on the graphite surface of the purest sand. And if it gets too cold, a convenience store with Icelandic wool is always close at hand! In addition to tourists, bird watchers from all over the world come to Vik village. They observe a population of puffins that settle on the basalt rock of Reynisfjall in the summer.
How to get there? The village of Vik is located 180 km southeast of, on the ring highway that stretches along the entire coast of the country. Regular buses pass through the village of Vik every day, although in order to see absolutely all the sights of the village and its surroundings, it is better to use a rented car.
