Visit Austurland

In the valley Jökuldalur (Glacier Valley) in Austurland - East Iceland there is a marvelous natural site that almost nobody knew about until recently. For a long time it was hidden underwater or until the hydroelectric plant Kárahnjúkavirkjun was built and the water flow in the glacier river Jökulsá á Dal, a.k.a. Jökla, was remarkably reduced.

At Vök Baths you will find, floating geothermal pools with infinity view, two on shore hot pools, a sauna, cold water spray tunnel, tea bar, an in-water pool bar, and the on-site restaurant, Vök Bistro.

Between Reyðarfjörður and Eskifjörður you can visit the Nature reserve Hólmanes. This is an ideal place to enjoy a good walk either down to the sea or up the hills. Birds and remarkable rock formations can be enjoyed in Hólmanes. With luck, you could stumble upon a herd of reindeers.

Hafnarhólmi islet at the harbour in Borgarfjörður Eystri is perfect for birdwatching. Hafnarhólmi is easily the most accessible Atlantic Puffin colony in Iceland where they nest every year from middle of April to beginning of August. Kittiwakes, Fulmar and Common Eider also nest in Hafnarhólmi along with many other bird species. Locals have taken care of Hafnarhólmi and its birds for decades and built it up to be easily accessible for visitors to enjoy the area in harmony with the wildlife there. At the newly built Hafnarhús - Harbour House you can enjoy art exhibitions and excellent view over the harbour and Hafnarhólmi while tasting some Icelandic delicacies.

Apart from having recently been re-defined as Iceland's second-highest waterfall, the Hengifoss is particularly picturesque. The layers between numerous Tertiary lava strata yield a reddish color particularly salient in the cliffs around Hengifoss. Moreover, underway towards Hengifoss, the Litlanesfoss presents impressive stands of basalt columns on both sides of the gorge. Usually, the climb ends well below Hengifoss, at a point where it can easily be admired without crossing the river. However, if the flow is scarce - as is often the case in autumn - it is feasible to go closer and even enter a shallow cave behind the waterfall. There is an easy walking path from the highway to Hengifoss, it takes 40-60 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the waterfall. www.hengifoss.is

Painted by the locals, Rainbow Street in Seyðisfjörður is probably one of the most well-known landmarks in East Iceland. At the end of the rainbow, you can find the beautiful Blue Church.