Seltún & Krýsuvík

You don’t need to travel far from the city centre to witness the otherworldly spectacle of geothermal activity. A scenic 40km drive from Reykjavík City Centre takes you to the steamy wonderland of Krýsuvík, with the vibrant Seltún area at its heart. This high-temperature geothermal zone showcases steaming fumaroles, bubbling mud pots and sulphur-stained ground across a colourful palette of white, yellow, red, orange and green. It’s an incredible testament to Iceland’s volcanic forces.

Top attractions

A Road Trip to Remember

You might think that Iceland’s lunar-like landscapes can only be reached by travelling far from the big city, but that’s not the case. If you head to Hafnarfjörður then take a turn south at road 42, you’ll be on a road trip that fills your windows with mossy lava fields, rolling multi-hued mountains, intriguing rock formations and long black-sand beaches. The road winds along the western shore of Kleifarvatn lake, with picnic pit stops and pull-over parking spots offering great photo opportunities. You don’t need to end at Seltún, either – if you want more natural wonder, stop by Grænavatn (Green Lake), a small lake within a volcanic crater, where the high sulphur content results in water with a green hue.

A Volcanic Past

The broader Krýsuvík region sits atop an active volcanic fissure system where plate tectonics and magma converge. Evidence of historical eruptions – from the medieval 12th-century Krýsuvík Fires that buried the original farm settlement in lava – still marks the landscape, including Ögmundarhraun lava fields and ruined farm structures. Today, marked trails ascend Sveifluháls ridge for dramatic panoramas and glimpses of fumarolic activity along the slopes.

Hiking trails