Krafla

Krafla is a central volcano in the Mývatn region of North Iceland, a broad caldera system that last erupted as recently as 1984 and remains one of Iceland’s most geothermally active landscapes. The area encompasses the vivid blue Víti explosion crater, the Leirhnjúkur lava fields, steaming fumaroles, and the impressive Krafla geothermal power station which harnesses the volcanic energy directly.

The Víti crater — meaning ‘Hell’ in Icelandic — is a particularly striking feature: a deep circular bowl filled with opaque, milky-blue geothermal water, its rim accessible via a short walk from the car park with excellent views down into the crater and across the Krafla caldera. The surrounding landscape of coloured soils, steam vents, and lava is highly photogenic and feels genuinely alien.

Krafla is located approximately 7 km north of Lake Mývatn via a paved road, accessible by regular car year-round. The Víti crater car park has information boards. The Leirhnjúkur lava trail is a short drive further. Allow 2–3 hours to explore the main sites properly. This is one of North Iceland’s must-visit geological destinations.