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Þingvallavatn (Lake Þingvallavatn)
Best time to visit
Late spring to early autumn offers milder weather, abundant birdlife, and long daylight; early morning or late evening reduces coach crowds and gives calm water for reflections.
Budget tips
Entry to Þingvellir National Park is free, but main parking lots charge a fee; pay at on-site machines or local parking apps to avoid fines, and combine the visit with a Golden Circle stop to save on driving.
Recommended for
History buffs, Geology enthusiasts, Photography enthusiasts, Birdwatchers
Plan your visit
1-3 hours
About
Fatos rápidos: Glass-clear water plunges to over 100 meters in sheltered bays, offering snorkelers the rare sight of a deep rift lake's submerged cliffs. Visitors hear silence broken only by bubbles and wind as visible fissures reveal where tectonic plates are drifting apart, so diving here feels like floating between continents.
Destaques: Bright turquoise water pours through a glass-clear fissure called Silfra, where snorkelers float between the North American and Eurasian plates with visibility often approaching 100 metres and water temperatures around 2–4 °C. The lake beside the ancient assembly plain is the country's largest natural lake at about 84 square kilometres with a maximum depth near 114 metres, and Viking chieftains have gathered on its rocky benches for the Althing since 930 AD, a history you can almost taste in the cold air when you stand there.
Insider tips
- Dress in windproof layered clothing and waterproof shoes, weather can change rapidly by the lake.
- Arrive early or late to avoid tour-bus crowds and catch mirror-like reflections on calm days.
- Walk north from the visitor centre for quieter shorelines and wider panorama photo angles.
- Book any Silfra snorkeling or diving with a licensed operator, do not attempt water activities alone.
Practical info
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