The best walks and hikes in Sveitarfélagið Hornafjörður

You leave the car in the paid parking lot (like all those you will find in Iceland) and climb up the path that includes three waterfalls. The last one, Svartifoss, has the peculiarity of being "formed" by square lava columns suspended in the void. From here you could continue the walk on the other side, but in our case we opted for the return route. You then go back to the visitor center and, after a possible stop at the bar, you head towards the Skaftafelljökull glacier.

Caution: challenging path to the viewpoint.

You can get almost right up to the glacier.

A little further along the beach it gets much quieter, and then you don't have footprints everywhere in your photos.

The Jökulsarlon Glacier Lagoon was formed naturally from melted glacial waters and continues to expand as icebergs break off from the shrinking glacier. This ever-changing landscape is a striking visual reminder of global warming, as the glacier retreats noticeably year after year.

In the summer months, it's possible to visit the lagoon up close and even touch the ice: several companies offer amphibious boat or zodiac excursions that depart from the shore and sail among the icebergs, with prices around €100. The Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, at the foot of Breiðamerkurjökull, is Iceland's most famous glacial lake and seems like a world unto itself. Ice blocks of all sizes and colors float within it, from pure white to intense blue or streaked with black volcanic ash. Access from the main road is direct and easy, even by bike, with several easy-to-reach stops. It's a good idea to bring warm clothing because the air descending from the glacier is icy, and take the time to watch the icebergs drift slowly toward the sea. Seals are often seen playing among the chunks of ice, making the scene even more magical. It's a place that never disappoints: changing every minute and always seeming freshly created.

The Svínafellsjökull glacier in Skaftafell National Park is one of the most spectacular tongues of the mighty Vatnajökull glacier. It stretches about ten kilometers down the valley and is almost a kilometer wide, with blue ice crisscrossed with crevasses and razor-sharp seracs. The trail to the viewpoint is short and easy to bike, although it includes sections of gravel and moraine that require good-grip tires. You don't come here to run, but to stop and watch a frozen river flow down from the mountains. It's a good idea to arrive with breakfast and be prepared for sudden changes in weather: sun, rain, or even snow in midsummer. Its surreal landscape has made it a setting for films like Interstellar and Batman Begins, but the best way to see it is to see it in person: it feels like another planet.

One of the most striking features of the peninsula is Mount Vestrahorn. At 454 meters high, it rises majestically into the sky and is a popular destination for photographers from all over the world. The mountain offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscapes and is a popular photo subject at any time of day. In Iceland, one of the first settlement farms was built by Hrollaugur, the son of Count Rögnvaldur of Møre in Norway, and was named Horn. The municipality of Hornafjörður and several nature reserves were named after the settlement farm. Horn means the same thing in Icelandic and English.