Hveragerdi

Hveragerði sits on one of Iceland’s most active geothermal zones, just 45 km south-east of Reykjavík on the Ring Road, and the town has grown up around its extraordinary underground heat. Residents heat greenhouses with volcanic steam to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and bananas year-round — a surreal sight in the subarctic — and the town centre is pocked with steaming vents and boiling puddles.

The main outdoor attraction is the Reykjadalur ‘Steam Valley’ hike, a 6 km round trip from the edge of town that climbs into a geothermal valley where a warm river runs at a natural bathing temperature. Bringing swimwear and a towel to soak in the river is a quintessential Icelandic experience and the trail is one of the most accessible hot-spring hikes in the country.

Hveragerði makes an easy half-day stop on the way to or from the South Coast and the Golden Circle. There is a geothermal park in the town centre with an exhibition on Icelandic earth science, several cafés, and a bakery that bakes rye bread in the ground using volcanic heat. The town is served by regular Strætó buses from Reykjavík.