A field report by Velhugur Kamalsson & Hafliði Velhugursson (a playful translation of our names into Icelandic) from the actively erupting Fagradalsfjall Volcano and subsequently crawling the Raufarhólshellir Lava Tubes (thankfully quiet).

Fagradalsfjall Volcano lights up the night - first eruption in 800 years and it’s a real show-off.

⚠️ Update on Grindavík and Volcanic Activity

Historic Context: The field report below documents our expedition in June 2021 during the Fagradalsfjall eruption. At that time, the eruption was a rare, stable and "tourist-friendly" spectacle and the town of Grindavík served as a vibrant, safe and welcoming base for our travels.

Subsequent Situation: Since late 2023, the geological reality of the Reykjanes Peninsula has shifted dramatically. New volcanic fissures and seismic activity have led to the evacuation of Grindavík and significant challenges for the local community. The "friendly" lava fields we explored have been succeeded by more hazardous geological events nearby.

We have preserved this post as a time capsule of that unique moment in history - a tribute to the raw, ever-changing power of Iceland and the memory of the landscape as it was. While specific hiking trails or accommodations mentioned in this guide may currently be inaccessible, this story remains a tribute to the region's beauty.

For real-time safety information and current access restrictions, please strictly follow SafeTravel.is.

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Hello from The Vagabond Couple! In our last expedition to Iceland, we explored The Ultimate Iceland 360° Ring Road Trip Guide. Today, we want to share our unforgettable trip from Grindavík to the Fagradalsfjall volcano, a journey that was both thrilling and humbling. In addition, we visit the Raufarhólshellir Lava Tunnel and revisit the remarkable sights on the Golden Circle as well as the South Coast of Iceland. If you're planning your 2026 Iceland itinerary or a dedicated Iceland volcano tour, this is a must-see adventure, blending the raw power of nature with Iceland’s unique geology.

The D8 (Adriatic Highway) at Podimoć, Croatia: One of Europe's Most Beautiful Roads

Iceland & South-Central Europe Road Journey

This 12-episode travel series follows a sweeping journey from Washington, DC to Iceland’s volcanic wilderness and onward into the imperial heart of Central Europe. What begins as a full circumnavigation of Iceland’s Ring Road evolves into a cross-border road loop through Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Slovenia.

Along the way, the series moves from glaciers and geysers to Habsburg palaces, medieval old towns, Alpine fortresses, film locations, Tesla’s birthplace, and the dramatic Adriatic coast. It is a geographically continuous, historically layered, self-drive journey linking raw landscapes with Europe’s cultural and architectural backbone.

A photo spot on Skólavörðustígur, one of Reykjavik's main shopping streets that leads directly to the famous Hallgrímskirkja church. Reykjavik's kaleidoscopic buildings prove Scandinavians do have a sense of color. They just save it all for their capital city after using up the grayscale on the rest of the landscape.

Our Iceland road trip kicked off in Reykjavik. But let's be honest - Iceland (or Ísland, if you're feeling fancy) has been pulling a legendary bait-and-switch on travelers for centuries. They call it the "Land of Fire and Ice." A more accurate travel guide would rename it the "Land of Wind That'll Steal Your Hat." This is where Viking warriors retired to write poetry, mostly because the weather made pillaging a logistical nightmare.

The country also has a quirky relationship with alcohol. Full-strength beer (over 2.25% alcohol) was banned in Iceland from 1915 until March 1, 1989 - a 74-year stretch known today as Beer Day (Bjórdagurinn). Low-alcohol beer remained legal after 1935, when wine and spirits prohibition was lifted following a trade dispute with Spain. Iceland kept the strong beer ban long after everything else came back. Priorities were… selective.

But here's the secret sauce nobody tells you. Iceland's real magic isn't the postcard-perfect waterfalls or the glaciers posing for National Geographic. It's the absurdity of finding a world-class coffee shop in the middle of nowhere. It's realizing that every Icelander you meet is either a published author, a part-time elf-spotter, or both. The entire country has a population smaller than Wichita, Kansas, but produces more books per capita than anywhere else on Earth. Twenty hours of winter darkness will do that to you. You either write novels or go completely stir-crazy.