plad22's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Iceland

Krýsuvíkurbjarg (Krýsuvík Cliffs)

The summer tourists on these cliffs are thousands of seabirds.
Heimaey, Iceland

World's Largest Puffin Colony

Every summer local children form "pysja patrols" to save young birds that have wandered from their nests.
Iceland

Garðar BA 64

The oldest steel ship in Iceland has been beached for years and is now a rusting ruin.
Iceland

Öskjuvatn and Viti Lakes

Two volcanic lakes in an enormous crater formed in a prehistoric eruption.
Iceland

Fjaðrárgljúfur

Strange rock formations tower above the river that snakes through this enchanting Icelandic canyon.
Iceland

Rauðfeldsgjá

This mountain fissure hides a secret path to a secluded mossy grotto within the rock itself.
Iceland

Krafla

This tumultuous Icelandic lava field looks so alien European researchers want to use it as a stand-in for Mars.
Iceland

Námaskarð

A sulfuric martian landscape that looks far better than it smells.
Höfn, Iceland

Viking Village Film Set

This replica Viking village was created for a film that was never shot and is now open to visitors.
Skogar, Iceland

Seljavallalaug

The oldest (maybe) swimming pool in Iceland is a stunning oasis built into the side of a lush hill.
Vik, Iceland

Reynisdrangar

Three columns of volcanic rock shoot out of the ocean.
Iceland

U.S. Navy DC-3 Wreckage

This wrecked airplane has been sitting on a black sand beach since the 1970s.
Iceland

Grafarkirkja

The oldest church in Iceland is one of the few to feature ornate decoration.
Steingrímsfjörður, Iceland

Drangsnes Hot Tubs

A trio of hidden hot tubs takes advantage of Iceland's natural geothermal vents.
Iceland

Dimmuborgir

These ominous lava formations were said to be an entrance to the netherworld so of course they inspired a famous metal band.
Iceland

Gullfoss (Golden Falls)

If a glacial river suddenly diving into a sheer chasm via a dramatic, multi-stage waterfall isn't peak Iceland, it's certainly close.
Iceland

Hekla

A stratovolcano located in the south of Iceland, with a long history of charted activity and a rich mythology attached.
Iceland

Haukadalur Geothermal Field

This valley of hot springs and boiling mud pots is home to the record-holding "Geysir," which originated the English word.
Iceland

Leiðarendi Lava Tube

A winding, blood-red tunnel of hardened lava navigable by foot.
Raufarhöfn, Iceland

The Arctic Henge

This modern monument to pagan belief looks like it was transported straight from ancient times.
Iceland

Dettifoss

The most powerful waterfall in all of Europe.
Iceland

Godafoss

This elegant arc of a waterfall marks a religious turning point.
Iceland

Bridge Between Continents

Walk in the footsteps of the gods and straddle two tectonic plates.
Hveragerði, Iceland

Reykjadalur

Iceland's "Smoky Valley" is a beautiful river that is shrouded in a constant cover of steam clouds.