A historical home
Reykholt is the home of 13th century writer, poet and scholar Snorri Sturluson. During his time, Reykholt was the intellectual centre of Iceland and was the site of the country’s most important schools. Here you can visit the remains of Snorri’s old farm, including a tunnel that ran between the farm and the bathhouse, in which Snorri died.
The nearby Snorrastofa is a medieval research centre dedicated to Snorri. Snorrastofa manages research projects, a library and exhibitions for visitors. The centre is open 1 May through 30 September daily from 10:00 to 18:00, and on weekdays from 10:00 to 17:00 for the rest of the year.
Another must-see is the beautiful Hraunfossar waterfall, a fascinating series of waterfalls seemingly originating in a field without a river or lake. The water is actually streaming through rivulets in the Hallmundarhraun lava field. The detour from the Ring Road takes about two to three hours, depending on how long you stop at each place.
Another waterfall beside Hraunfossar is Barnafoss, which is more like a series of rapids caused by the water of Hvitá entering a narrow passage. Barnafoss means “Child Falls” and legend has it that one day two boys were left home while their parents went to church, but they got bored and decide to follow. When taking a shortcut, the two boys tried crossing the falls over a natural stone bridge but fell in and drowned. The mother of the boys cursed the bridge and shortly after it was destroyed by an earthquake.
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