Thingvellir National Park (icelandic: Þingvellir) is famous for several reasons.
First of all, Thingvellir is associated with the national parliament of Iceland, which was established in 930 AD. Sessions were held at Thingvellier until the end of 18th century. The unique landscape was used as a natural amphitheater, which was perfect for public speeches. Just imagine that instead of sitting in a building the politicians just gathered together on the grass! Since 2004 Thingvellir is a UNESCO World Heritage Site based on cultural criteria.
Secondly, this is the place where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates come together. It gives you a unique chance to walk between the two continents.
You can easilly spend half a day in the park. There are plenty of nice view points. In particular we enjoyed the one at the top of the hill.
One of the most beautiful places in the park is a waterfall called Öxarárfoss. There is, however, a dark story behind it. In the middle ages it was used to execute criminals. Those were drawn in the water at the foot of the waterfall.
Surprisingly, you can also go diving in Thingvellir. You will have a possibility to swim in crystal clear water just between the two huge tectonic plates.
The road to Thingvellir is pretty spectacular and reminds Switzerland. In general the roads in Iceland are in good condition. You would not expect it from a country with so low density of the population.
The park is located at the distance of about 40 kilometers from Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. You can reach it by car in about 45 minutes.
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