Hvolsvöllur is a small town in South Iceland that works as a convenient base for exploring Iceland’s volcanic south, with Seljalandsfoss close by and views tied to Eyjafjallajökull. In town, the interactive LAVA Centre focuses on Icelandic volcanoes and earthquakes, bringing nearby eruption history to life through exhibits. For a stop with deeper roots, Oddi is a historic church site known as a medieval literary center.
Waterfalls are among the area’s standout sights. Seljalandsfoss is a tall waterfall with a path that lets you walk behind the falling water, and nearby Gljúfrafoss is a more secluded waterfall experience.
Off the coast, Vestmannaeyjar is a volcanic island group known for puffin colonies and eruptions. Heimaey is associated with the 1973 volcanic eruption evacuation, and Eldfell is the volcanic cone on Heimaey formed during that same 1973 eruption. Farther out, Thridrangaviti Lighthouse sits on a remote sea stack on Iceland’s southern coast.
