Goðafoss
A wide horseshoe-shaped waterfall. Legend says that when Iceland converted to Christianity around AD 1000, its pagan idols were thrown into it. It is a must-stop beside Ring Road 1.
Goðafoss sits on the Skjálfandafljót river. It is about 30 m wide with a 12 m drop and forms a horseshoe-shaped curve. Legend says that in the year 1000, the lawspeaker Thorgeir Thorkelsson decided Iceland would adopt Christianity, and threw the Norse god statues into the falls, hence the name. Both banks have car parks and trails. The east bank lets you go down to the river for a close look, while the west bank offers a panoramic view, so it is worth walking both sides. Admission is free, but parking is paid. It is about 45 km from Akureyri and 50 km from Mývatn, and lies along Route 1. In winter the walkways can be icy, so bring ice grips.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Aldeyjarfoss
- GeoSea Geothermal Sea Baths
- Húsavík Whale Watching
- Húsavík Whale Museum
- Húsavík Church
- Forest Lagoon
- Skútustaðagígar Pseudocraters
- Hafnarstræti (Akureyri)