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Explore the geysers and waterfalls of Iceland on Google Maps
August 20, 2014
In his book
Tales of Iceland
, Stephen Markley wrote, “The problem with driving around Iceland is that you’re basically confronted by a new soul-enriching, breath-taking, life-affirming natural sight every five... minutes. It’s totally exhausting.” We've never been ones to take someone else's word for it when it comes to sightseeing, so we took Street View to some of the most stunning locations throughout the country. As it turns out, Markley was right...and now with
Street View
, you can take a journey through Iceland to explore these beautiful places too.
We started with Iceland's "Golden Circle," a famous loop in the southern part of the country. Here’s a look at the famous
Gullfoss Waterfall
on the Hvítá river in the south west of the country. The average amount of water crashing over the falls can reach as much as 140 cubic meters/second at its summertime peak.
Gullfoss Waterfall on Street View
Then, we made the trek to what’s known locally as “Geysir,” or the
Haukadalur Geothermal Area
. Our cameras snapped footage of
Strokkur
, which routinely erupts every five to 10 minutes, and the bigger
Geysir
, which is largely dormant now but used to erupt several times a day. Interestingly, this is
the
geyser that lent its name to the phenomenon in many languages.
Haukadalur Geothermal Area on Street View
We’ve also captured beautiful heritage sites including
Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður
, a national park, and the UNESCO site
Þingvellir
, a place of great historical, cultural and geological
importance
. Iceland's Parliament,
Alþingi
, was established on this site in the year 930, and in 1930 the national park was established to protect the remains.
Þingvellir on Google Street View
And the wonders don’t stop there. Gaze at
Dettifoss
, a waterfall situated in the Vatnajökull National Park and said to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe, or explore
Kerið
, the perfect volcanic crater lake.
Dettifoss Waterfall on Street View
Kerið on Street View
So start your
virtual exploration
now—and it's OK if, like Markley, exhaustion sets in and you need to take a nap in the middle. We—and Iceland's astonishing natural beauty—will be waiting.
Posted by Deanna Yick, Street View Program Manager
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