Stays in Vík í Mýrdal

Vík í Mýrdal marks the spot where Route 1 turns from farmland to black sand, close to three hours past Keflavík on the South Coast run. Every guesthouse and hotel here sits within walking distance of Reynisfjara's basalt columns and the Reynisdrangar stacks, with Mýrdalsjökull's ice cap visible above the rooftops on clear days. Small hotels and guesthouses line the main street and the road up toward Víkurkirkja, the white church on the hill that marks the village from any direction on the Ring Road. Winter brings dark, exposed skies well suited to watching the aurora, though wind off the open Atlantic can close the Route 1 approach for hours at a time. Most travelers use Vík as a one- or two-night base before continuing east toward Skaftafell or turning back toward Reykjavík.