Vík í Mýrdal (or simply Vík) is a village in the very south of Iceland. It has only 750 inhabitants but is nevertheless a very popular attraction for tourists. It is also the only place where you can refuel and buy food within the next 70 kilometres. Therefore, if you travel the “ring road” in Iceland by car, you should keep this name in mind.
Vík
Of course, it is not the stores that mainly attract travellers to Vík, but the picturesque nature of the settlement itself. Vík í Mýrdal is the only village/town in Iceland without a harbour. This may be why the bay was not settled until 1890. In its early days, Vík was a meeting place for farmers to exchange goods. In time, the first buildings began to be erected on this small plain. However, it was with the “flow” of tourism that the settlement grew to its present size.
Vík í Mýrdal beach was classified in 1991 by the American Islands Magazine as one of the most beautiful beaches on earth. In due course, you can observe on it the Fratercula birds that are so typical of Iceland. It is, however, from the hill above Vík í Mýrdal that you get the best view. In the foreground is the Vík Church, which was built in 1934. It is supposedly the safest place of refuge in the event of an eruption of the nearby Katla volcano.
If you’re curious about my other photos from Iceland tour check out my Iceland Tourguide blog post.
