Thingvellir National Park in Iceland

If you are going to Iceland, the most popular tour is Golden Circle Tour and I highly recommend that you get this package tour. But if you want to explore it on your own, don’t forget to visit Geysir, Gullfoss and Thingvellir National Park. Since we have relatives in Iceland, we had DIY Golden Circle Tour last year. We started our tour as early as 6AM and our first stop is Thingvellir National Park.    

Since we’re all first timers (yes, even my relatives haven’t visited this park yet) we don’t know where to start. The Visitor Center was still closed, I think we arrived around 7:30AM so we just look for a parking lot and started our tour. There is NO ENTRANCE FEE so we just followed the signs. Honestly, I have no idea about this park so all I thought, this is just an ordinary park but I was wrong. This park surprised me and this is my favorite place among the three tourist spots that we have visited. 

Thingvellir National Park is a protected national shrine and if you want to know more about Iceland, visit this place. It is where the general assembly was established in the year 1930 and a lot of major events held in this park. In 2004, this park became part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. 

Aside from the history, Thingvellir National Park is considered a natural wonder because of their geologic history. It is where you can see the evolution and formation of Mid Atlantic Ridge. It is located on the tectonic plate boundaries so you can see the evidence that the Eurasian and North American plates are drifting apart. 

What can you see in Thingvellir National Park? 

Kastalar lava hills
Almannagja 
Drekkingarhylur (Drowning Pool) 
Lorberg (Law Rock)

Hakid View Point
Gestastofa 

Flosagja 
Thingvallakirkja Lake
Valholl 
Silfra 

Stekkjargja 
Oxararfoss Falls
Langistigur 

Watch the video here 

This park is so huge, there are four parking lots and it is not free so we just park at P2 and started our walking tour. Thingvellir National Park is so wonderful and stunning so even this park is so big and our feet were tired, we're not complaining. My son was enjoying this park this park too, sa laki nito siguro ilang kilometro na rin ang nalakad namin. We arrived around 7:30AM and inabot na kami ng lunchtime, kakalakad. For lunch, we had baon so we ate in the parking lot where picnic tables and comfort rooms are located.  

standing on the fault line

Despite the beauty of this park, there are also sad stories. This park is also a reminder of the harsh punishments and execution that happened in the 16-17th century. According to the information post, there are seventy-two people known with certainty to have been executed at Thingvellir from 1602 to 1750; 30 males were beheaded on Hoggstokkseyri, 9 burned of alleged wizards and witches in the Brennugja, 18 women were drowned in Drekkingarhylur and15 men were hanged in Stekkajarja. There were also offenders that were flogged in Kagaholmi. 

As the quote says, "Travel - it leaves you speechless then turns you into a storyteller". This park leaves me speechless and now I’m sharing it with you and hopefully, you can visit this too. 

Read: IcelandAir Experience
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Reykjanes Peninsula Tour
Bridge Between Two Continents