| Vík í Mýrdal | ||
 | ||
| State | Iceland | |
|---|---|---|
| Inhabitants | 291 (2011) | |
| Prefix tel | 354 | |
| Time zone | UTC | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Vík í Mýrdal (commonly called Vik) is a city ofSouthern Iceland.
To know
Vík í Mýrdal is an Icelandic town along the Hringvegur in the Suðurland region. Its importance stems from the fact that it is about halfway along the southern coast, and is one of the few villages that overlooks a sandy beach (a typical feature of this coast). The area is dominated by the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, and is also home to Katla, one of Iceland's most ferocious volcanoes. The village and surrounding countryside are in constant danger of flooding resulting from a potential eruption, which has been expected for many years.
Geographical notes
Vík is located at the foot of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, which covers the top of the Katla volcano, which exposes it to the risk of flooding if the volcano resumes its eruptive activity.
Background
Reynir's first church according to the ecclesiastical register dates back to 1200. In 1897 the church was moved south.
How to orient yourself
Vík í Mýrdal: full screen map.The group of farms below the western end of Reynisfjall is called Reynishverfi. The Reynishverfisvegur road [215] runs from Hringvegur to Reynisfjara beach in Garðar. Reynir is a farm that dates back to the earliest settlement in Iceland.
Driving from Reynir towards the sea you will see the old Reynir cemetery on the right.
How to get
By car
Vík is located on the Ring Road, in an area where there are few other roads. It is just under 200 km from Reykjavík to the west and about 270 km from Höfn at East.
By bus
The bus that travels along the south coast stops in Vík. It departs Reykjavík at 08:30 and arrives around noon.
How to get around
Vik is a tiny village, so it's easy to get around on foot.
By car
To get around the surroundings it is a good idea to have a well-equipped car as many of the interesting places are only accessible via gravel roads (not asphalted).
What see
- 1 Dyrhólaey. Peninsula of volcanic origin with in front of a gigantic black lava arch over the sea that rises to over 100 m. In fact, its name derives from: dyr door, hóla hill and eyja island. The view is majestic, with the Mýrdalsjökull glacier to the north, the black lava columns of the Reynisdrangar over the sea and the entire coast to the west. Selfoss.
- 2 Reynisdrangar. Basalt rocks that represent the remains of an ancient coast, eroded over time by the Atlantic which is particularly aggressive in this area. According to legend, however, two giants had attempted to bring a three-masted ship ashore, but dawn reached them before they could get to safety in the mountains, turning both giants and the ship to stone. The stacks are individually called as Skessudrangur, Langhamar is Landdrangur.
- Hálsanefshellir. At the southwest corner of Reynisfjall are basalt column formations that extend east along the coast, forming a large vaulted cavern called Hálsanefshellir, one of the country's most famous natural landmarks.
- Hellnaskagi. In the area there are some caves, partly dug by the sea and partly by man. The best known cave is called Baðstofuhellir and was occupied by the Reverend Jón Steingrímsson during the shepherd's first winter in Mýrdalur in 1755. Other famous caves are Heyhellir and Sönghellir. Grænkerluhellir is believed to be the home of the "hidden people" or fairies, while Hestatröð is the largest cave at 18m in length.
Events and parties
What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
Where stay
Moderate prices
- Norður-Vík Hostel, Suðurvegur 5, ☎ 354 487 1106, fax: 354 487 1303, @[email protected].
2,900 kr. in a sleeping bag in a dormitory. Charming little hostel in an old building. It has a shared lounge and kitchen.
2,900 kr. in a sleeping bag in a dormitory. Charming little hostel in an old building. It has a shared lounge and kitchen.Average prices
- Hótel Edda Vík, Klettsvegi 1-5 (Along the road from the N1 petrol station, in the eastern part of the village), ☎ 354 444 4840, @[email protected]. 17,000-22,000 kr.. In addition to the rooms in the main hotel, they rent small cottages. Like all Edda hotels, this hotel is only open during the summer season.
- [link not working]Hótel Lundi, Víkurbraut 24a-26, ☎ 354 487 1212, fax: 354 487 1404, @[email protected]. 16,000-26,000 kr. In an old building in the center of the village.
- Volcano hotels, Ketilsstaðaskóli, 871 (In the surroundings of Vík 15 km in the direction Reykjavík), ☎ 354 486 1200. 14.000kr per night. Very nice and modern family run hotel. Very generous, healthy and tasty breakfast. Huge bedrooms and bathrooms. Open all the year.
Safety
The Atlantic Ocean is treacherous in these parts, the waves can be large and small boats driven by poorly trained crews can easily be swallowed. While there is no reason to worry about the volcano, tourists should be very careful by the sea, in fact many foreigners have drowned from being sucked into the waves on the beach near Vík.
How to keep in touch
Around
Take the Ring road for 140 km east towards the Skaftafell National Park, is the Vatnajökull National Park. Kirkjubæjarklaustur it is the closest village to the east, similarly small but with 4x4 it is possible to drive up to the highlands. To the west it is located Hvolsvöllur, 80 km away. Beyond are the most popular destinations ofSouthern Iceland, as the Golden Circle.
Itineraries
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Vík í Mýrdal
Commons contains images or other files on Vík í Mýrdal
