Reykjanes Peninsula: In the Heart of Iceland’s Volcanoes

The Reykjanes Peninsula gave us some wonderful moments, a few of them absolutely unforgettable! Like descending into the heart of a volcano and a completely unexpected encounter with an arctic fox.

The place in a few words

The Reykjanes Peninsula sits at the southwestern tip of Iceland, and it’s also where you’ll find Keflavik International Airport. This region has been entirely shaped by volcanism: black soil, lava fields, hot springs, and steam vents as far as the eye can see. It’s been Iceland’s most volcanically active zone in recent years, with repeated eruptions since 2021.

Practical information

Flight
We took a direct Nantes–Reykjavik flight with Transavia for €370 round-trip for 2 people, with 1 checked bag — unfortunately, this route has since been discontinued. Check with different airlines to find the best route from your city.

Car
We rented a 4×4 from Lotus Car Rental for €1,100 for 8 days. ⚠️ Rental prices in Iceland are high — expect to pay roughly double what you’d pay in North America for a similar model and rental length.

Accommodations

• Black Beach Guesthouse in Þorlákshöfn — small hotel with self check-in. €97/night, breakfast not included.
• ABC Hotel in Keflavik — a unique stay in a former US military base, ideal for a night before the return flight. €120/night, breakfast not included.
  

The Hot Springs of Gunnuhver

As soon as we picked up the car outside the airport, we headed straight to these hot springs to dive right into this volcanic island. Along the way, the first photo stops of a long list to come had already begun 😉!

A lovely little stop where I got to enjoy geothermal phenomena all over again, complete with that famous rotten-egg smell of sulfur 😉, which I’d loved back at Yellowstone in the US. There’s also a beautiful lighthouse right next door. Plan for about 20 to 30 minutes on site to enjoy it.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

I had booked an excursion with the Inside the Volcano company for a truly unique experience: descending into the heart of a volcano. To get there, you start with a hike through stunning scenery.

Then the guides got us equipped, and finally came the 120-meter descent on an open platform toward the center of the Earth. Pretty intense, honestly 😉… but once we reached the bottom, I simply had no words left. It was an incredibly emotional moment! We had time to walk around the “chamber” and take in the stunning colors of the walls — absolutely extraordinary.

Back at the top, a hot bowl of soup was waiting for us, along with a totally unexpected surprise: a beautiful arctic fox! She’s gotten used to visiting the staff, who named her Mia 😊. It was simply magical watching this adorable little fox play and nap peacefully.
⚠️ Good to know: this excursion is very expensive and can be tough for anyone prone to vertigo or claustrophobia. Plan for a full half-day.

The Seltún Geothermal Area

A truly beautiful geothermal spot — steam vents, gorgeous colors, green rolling hills… a real feast for the senses!

The site can be visited quickly and for free, along a lovely wooden boardwalk trail. A mini Yellowstone 😉, and I really loved it.

The Krýsuvíkurberg Cliffs

We made a little detour to these cliffs in the late evening, which gave us beautiful light and really brought out the red in the rock. It’s known as a great spot for birdwatching, especially puffins, though we were probably a bit too late in the season for that…

Still, we spent a lovely moment there — we had the place to ourselves, and it’s somewhere that really moved me, though I couldn’t quite explain why 😊. About thirty minutes is enough to enjoy the cliffs, unless you stay longer just to take it all in, like we did.
⚠️ Good to know: the last stretch of road to get there (about 3 km) is unpaved and pretty bumpy, so it’s best to have at least an SUV.

Reykjavik, the Little Capital

I usually steer clear of big cities, but given how small Reykjavik actually is, I figured it was the perfect chance to visit a capital, and I wasn’t disappointed! Despite the bad weather, we visited the lovely cathedral, then wandered through the rainbow-colored streets 😊. We found a nice little restaurant and discovered a fun, adorable local habit: shop cats everywhere!

The Famous Blue Lagoon

I’d hesitated a lot about going to the Blue Lagoon, since some reviews described it as too touristy, but we were so glad we went! We were there in the evening after a rainy day, and it was truly relaxing to soak in that super warm, milky-colored water. You can even get a face mask while you’re there — don’t worry, it’s normal if it tingles a bit 😉! Crowds were pretty reasonable, and we really felt like we had our own little bubble.

Be sure to take the short walk outside to enjoy the beautiful colors. That said, no photos from inside the water — too risky for the camera, and honestly, I mostly wanted to just relax. That didn’t stop some people from doing it, though — you just have to keep your phone held well above the water the whole time.

📍 Good to know: plan for 2 to 4 hours on site — there’s no time limit once you’re inside, just a booked entry time slot.

A Volcano in Eruption… Almost

The summer of our trip, a volcano had erupted, but of course, it decided to stop the day before we arrived! So we had to let go of our dream of seeing molten lava… but we still took this incredible opportunity to go see the lava field. The area was well marked, since plenty of people had been hiking there for several days already.

We chose to take a short hike up the hill to take in the sheer scale of the flow, which is actually a mix of several years’ worth of eruptions. Then we made our way down close to the freshest lava, which was still steaming and giving off a very strong smell.

A hike that was anything but ordinary, and one we truly loved! And as is often the case in Iceland, the surrounding scenery was stunning.

📍 Good to know This hike is located in the Nátthagi valley. Since eruptions are frequent in Iceland, I can’t say for sure whether the landscape looks the same today. . Longer hikes of several hours were also possible.