Thingvellir is widely regarded as the most important heritage site in Iceland. Not only a place of great historic significance, it is also a site of geological importance. In 1928 Iceland’s first National Park was established here, and in 2004 the Thingvellir National Park was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Not surprising then, Thingvellir is included on the Golden Circle scenic route, and features on most if not all itineraries. In this article I outline the different ways you can get to Thingvellir National Park and what you should see to get the most out of your visit.
- Ricky Menzies
- Last Checked and/or Updated 30 August 2024
- Iceland
Between the rocks, within a rift valley, where two continents drift apart, something remarkable happened in the year 930 AD. A gathering of folk from the four corners of Iceland to establish an assembly of all who lived on the island. It was here that the Althing took shape, creating a society of the people, for the people; the world’s first parliament. A land unruled by Kings, where only The Lawspeaker, a man of remarkable memory, a powerful voice and a specialist in legal matters, was the highest in the land. Beneath him were the goði, chieftains from the four quarters, of which there were around 40.
This unique organisation of Viking society meant that landowners were able to keep their own power and have a voice in the decisions made for the good of the country. No taxes were paid (until after the Conversion in 1000) and every free man had a right to have his say. A land of family feuds, duels and violence beyond imagination, this was, however, no eutopia, as a visit to Thingvellir would reveal.
How to get to Thingvellir National Park
Thingvellir is located around 45km away from the centre of Reykjavik making getting there the biggest barrier to explore this spectacular Viking site. The easiest way to visit the site, if you don’t want to rent a car, is through a guided bus tour. There are many tour companies in Reykjavik city to choose from, bookable either online or in their tour shops in downtown Reykjavik and its highstreet.
You will usually get the choice between a guided tour or a simple tour bus. The tour bus won’t include a guide and unless you’ve done extensive research on the site you are about to visit, it is not recommended going this route. There is not a huge amount of information on the site around the route and the main complaint I often hear is that going around the site like this tends to be too rushed and you might come away feeling underwhelmed and not quite knowing what you just saw.
The benefit of going on a guided tour is that you really don’t have to do much. Just show up and follow the tour guide. They will give you a reasonable amount of information as you are taken around the site. The tour will last approximately 2 hours and you should see most of what the National Park has to offer, be it in a condensed fashion. Ideal for those on a time budget, the downside to this is you might not get much chance to explore the National Park for yourself. Beyond its historical value, Thingvellir is an area of outstanding natural beauty, with waterfalls, lakes, mountains and volcanoes as far as the eye can see. You might find yourself wanting to slow down and take it all in while your tour guide is pushing you along the route.
How to get there by renting a car
Thingvellir is the first recommended landmark to stop at.
For those who would rather experience Thingvellir at their own pace, or avoid sitting on a crowded bus, cars are available to rent throughout Reykjavik and from the airport at Keflavik. Car rental for a day would cost on average around 118€ (depending on your personal circumstances) so it’s not the cheapest route, but you will be able to take your time. Renting a car can be economical if there are a group of you going and can split the cost. The benefit of this way is you can take a slower more intentional walk around the site. Photographers will have plenty of opportunity for dramatic and interesting photos.
Driving from Reykjavik to Thingvellir is fairly straightforward with a GPS and takes around 45mins to an hour. Depending on the time of year you go, make sure whoever is driving has experience driving in icy, wet and windy weather. The speed limits in Iceland never go above 90kmph but it is recommended to use common sense and caution driving on these roads. Roads do get quite narrow, and ironically many Icelanders own very wide American style pickup trucks. As is true for all European countries, Icelanders do drive on the right hand side and most cars are manual (although you can choose to rent an automatic).
There are five car parks at Thingvellir. All of them charge a fee of around 6.50€ (depending on the size of vehicle you bring) as of August 2024. The main parking lot near the Visitors Centre is called Hakið and begins your journey with a spectacular view of the whole site.
The car park I would recommend for people interested in the historical aspect of Thingvellir is Langistígur. This is located just north of the Öxarárfoss waterfall and the beginning of the trail through the Almannagjá rift valley. Beginning at this end means you can walk through some amazing rock formations where a scene from Game of Thrones was shot.
Is it possible to get to Thingvellir without a car or tour bus?
The answer to this is … it’s complicated. But with patience, determination and grit you might be able to make it by hiring a taxi. There are taxis available from the city, however, to cut down the cost there might be another way…
Take the number 15 bus to Varmárskóli in Mosfell (the next town over). From there you can get a taxi to Thingvellir. It won’t be cheap, but it is possible. The most trusted and widely used taxi company in Iceland is Hreyfill.
Cycling might be an option, but as mentioned earlier this comes with a significant risk on the narrow roads. From my experience, the law of the wasteland prevails outside the towns in Iceland, leading to some fairly sketchy driving.
Beyond that, you might try your luck at hitchhiking since it is the safest country in the world, at least according to crime statistics.
How accessible is Thingvellir?
For the majority of the trail, Thingvellir is smooth, flat and easy to walk. The boardwalks make traversing the mossy heaths, rocky cliffs and waterfalls as simple as it gets. You shouldn’t miss any of the main sites due to accessibility issues, although it should be noted that there are steps down from the assembly platform to the flat plains where the booths are located. This is one of the main obstacles but with assistance it should be doable.
The other obstacles come at the entrance to the National Park if you decide to start at the Langistígur carpark. Here the path is an ancient cobblestoned which does require some light scrambling over rocks to get through. Therefore, those who have accessibility concerns may want to begin at the Hakið side where the visitors centre is. You begin with a fantastic panoramic view of the entire site from a wooden platform before descending down a wooden path to the main areas.
Opening Hours
The park is open all the time, but the opening hours for the Visitor Centre are as follows:
May to October: daily from 09h00 – 18h00
November to April: daily from 09h00 – 17h00
Closed on the following days: 1 January, 1 May, 25 December
Ticket Prices
Adult (18 and older): 1200 kr
Child (17 and younger) & Disabled: free
Seniors & Students: 600 kr
Drones
Drone photographers will be pleased to know that it is permitted to fly your drones within the designated hours, but it is always worth checking the rules before you do. Check the Environment Agency of Iceland’s website for up-to-date information.
Recommended Books About Thingvellir
- Njal’s Saga, Penguin Classics (2002) with an introduction by Robert Cook – available to purchase from Amazon.
- Egil’s Saga, Penguin Classics (2005) with an introduction be Svanhildur Oskarsdottir – available to purchase on Amazon.
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate Archaeology Travel earns from qualifying purchases.
Facilities
There are a number of car parks in the park, choose one depending on where you want to go. The camping site is open throughout the year, check the website for further details. The website also has all the information you need for diving and angling – two popular activities. There are a number of hiking trails through the park – get the hiking trail maps.
What to see at Thingvellir
Thingvellir is a vast national park with a huge amount to see. It is geologically fascinating, ecologically rich and archaeologically significant. There is no shortage of things to see, but to focus on the archaeology there are five main spots to keep an eye out for.
If you enter from the Langistígur side, you will follow a trail down between two huge rock faces. It is here you walk between two continents; North America and Eurasia, as they drift apart. Of course, I am grossly oversimplifying the immensely complicated geological processes going on (for more about tectonic plate movements, see this interactive website). What is true, however, is as you walk, look up and you will see the site of Viking Age executions, where a wooden board would be placed over the gap between the cliffs, and men would hang.
Öxarárfoss
Öxarárfoss is a roaring waterfall with an interesting history. It got its name from two men who came to the river during the winter to collect water. The river was frozen over so one of the men began breaking the ice with his axe. Unfortunately the axe fell into the river, and thus, in classic Icelandic naming fashion, was henceforth known as Axe River.
Another fun fact for those metal fans out there. A photo of this waterfall was used for the front cover of the Nine Inch Nails album The Fragile.
Drekkingarhylur
Lögberg
Lögberg or The Law Rock can be found next to the assembly place. It is not clearly marked by a sign or a board but can be recognised for being the huge rock right next to the steps that lead you down to the booths below the cliffs. Opposite the Law Rock is a tall flat rock wall that was used as a natural resonance chamber, allowing The Lawspeakers voice to be heard far and wide. It is here the law council would convene and discuss legal matters, update laws, and famously change the religion of the country.
There is an assembly place built with a wooden decking where it is suspected that the Althing was founded and gathered. It has not been archaeologically confirmed but the location seems to have everything an assembly place would require; being a raised platform for The Lawspeaker to stand, over a flat plain for his audience. It seems to overlook the site of at least 50 booths that have been excavated so it is very plausible this is indeed the place spoken of in sagas.
The Booths
Öxarárhólmi
Interactive Map
You can use the following interactive map to explore Thingvellir National Park in the same way you would use street view in Google maps. Load the map, switch to satellite mode, and then zoom into the markers. Drag the yellow pegman onto a light-blue dot or line for great 360 panoramic views of the site.
Onsite Information & Apps
Geology and the the surrounding area
Is it Worth Going to Thingvellir National Park?
Visiting Thingvellir should be high on every person’s list when coming to Iceland. First of all, it’s a good excuse to get out of the city. Reykjavik is not Iceland. Just like every capital city is not a true representation of the country it is located in. Thingvellir is a deeply special place for both those who love history and those who love nature. If done right, you’d be hard pressed not to have a good time here. There is a reason it is featured in what is known as The Golden Circle, the most famous scenic route in Iceland.
Admittedly, this site isn’t for everyone. Icelandic weather can be harsh, and being much of the site is either high up, down low on exposed plains or between rock channels that make perfect wind tunnels, it can be daunting for people who don’t enjoy the great outdoors. It is, however, a beginner friendly walk, most of which is easy going on foot with only a few places that are more like medieval cobblestone streets than the usual gravel stone trail. Overall however, it is a place you can get a huge bang for your buck, with all bases covered in one site. For that reason, and more, I would highly recommend anyone coming to Iceland to give Thingvellir National Park a visit.
Add Thingvellir National Park to Your Itineraries & Travel Lists
To help planning a trip to Iceland you can create your own travel lists (such as places you have been to, places you would like to visit) and an itinerary for your visit. You can share these on social media. To see how to use our Itinerary Builder, watching our Using the Itinerary video on YouTube, or reading the Using the Itinerary page.
For more sites and museums to add to your lists and itinerary, see out Iceland Travel Guide.
Thingvellir National Park
In 930 AD the Vikings established an open-air assembly or parliament, making this the world’s oldest Parliament. The assembly continued to meet here until 1798, before relocating to Reykjavik in 1844. Around the Þingvellir (Thingvellir) archaeologists have found the remains of human habitation from the 10th to the 19th century. Not only is Thingvellir a protected national site, it is situated with in the Thingvellir National Park, part of which is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site (2004), in recognition of its archaeological and geological importance.
Archaeology Travel Writer
