Þingvellir National Park
Thingvellir National Park · Southwest Iceland (Golden Circle)
The site where Icelanders founded their parliament, the Althing, in 930 — one of the oldest surviving parliaments in the world.
Antes de ir · Know before you go
- Don't leave the paths in the national park — the moss and lava landscapes are extremely fragile
- diving in the fissure requires certification and advance booking.
Este artículo está «Sin verificar». Consulte los avisos oficiales sobre precios, horarios y fechas.
Stories & people
Historias y personajes
Historia
A day and a night thinking under a blanket
In 999 or 1000, Iceland's parliament, the Althing, was deadlocked over whether to follow Norse paganism or Christianity. The Christian side's lawspeaker left the decision to the pagan chieftain Þorgeir. He covered himself with a fur cloak and thought silently for a day and a night, then announced that Iceland would convert to Christianity, averting a possible civil war. Legend says that on returning home he threw his statues of the Norse gods into a waterfall, which is why it's called 'Goðafoss', the waterfall of the gods.
Fuente: Wikipedia: Torgeir
Culture
Cultura y costumbres
Contexto cultural
In 930 Iceland's free farmers founded the Althing here, reading out the laws each summer at the Law Rock — a symbol of Iceland's thousand-year spirit of independence. The parliament plains sit on the rift between the North American and Eurasian plates, which are pulling apart by centimetres a year, so geological wonder and human history share the same frame.
Costumbres locales
- Icelanders regard this as a national sanctuary, and national days and major commemorations are often held here
- visitors walk quietly along the paths of the old assembly site, while divers come to snorkel between two continental plates in the Silfra fissure.
Religión y creencias
- In 1000 the Althing met here and voted to adopt Christianity, ending the standoff between the old gods and the new faith
- today the site has a 19th-century church, and the tradition of religious tolerance continues.
Etiquette
Normas y tabúes
Normas que se aplican aquí
Iceland: headlights on all year when driving
- Keep dipped headlights on all year, fit suitable tyres in winter and keep to the speed limit
- Drink-driving (Iceland's limit is stricter than the UK's)
Breaking traffic rules brings heavy fines.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Iceland travel advice
Iceland: keep away from waves, cliff edges and hot-spring vents
- Stay behind warning lines and tell your hotel your plans or register them with Safe Travel Iceland
- Going near waves, cliff edges and geothermal vents
These are the most common causes of accidents in Iceland.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Iceland travel advice
No lo haga DON'T
- Don't leave the paths in the national park — the moss and lava landscapes are extremely fragile
- diving in the fissure requires certification and advance booking.
Lo que aprecian los locales DO
Locals like to bring their children here for a 'history lesson', using the geological wonders as a classroom of national pride.
Plan your visit
Información práctica
Consejos de viaje
- It is about 40 minutes' drive from Reykjavík and the first stop on the Golden Circle
- the park is free, and a visit takes about 2–3 hours
- it's windy and cold, so bring windproof clothing.
Eat nearby
Qué comer cerca
There's no regular food in the park, only the visitor-centre café (sandwiches, soup, coffee; seasonal opening)
Imprescindible
- Rye-bread sandwiches
- Lamb soup
- Simple meals at the visitor centre
Bring your own: rye-bread sandwiches, lamb soup in a flask, chocolate
| Dónde comer | The Þingvellir visitor-centre café; back in Reykjavík or Selfoss for restaurants |
|---|---|
| Normas en la mesa | Leave no trace in the national park; no open fires outside designated picnic areas (follow the signs); don't feed wildlife |
| Precio orientativo por persona | Café CNY 103–171 (ISK 1,800–3,000) |
| Consejos | Golden Circle day tours mostly stop for lunch at farms or tomato-greenhouse restaurants along the way (around Friðheimar) — check in advance whether lunch is included. |
Los precios son orientativos a octubre de 2026, no presupuestos exactos; en zonas con tipos de cambio muy variables solo se da un intervalo aproximado en yuanes.
The blanz · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photos
Fotos
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0
Balou46 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Jakub Hałun · CC BY-SA 4.0
Fuentes y notas de verificación
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