Fagradalsfjall, Iceland's Newest Active Volcano, Amazed the World

On either side of the road leading to Grindavk, distinct plumes of smoke are rising. Constant white plumes are coming from the renowned Blue Lagoon to the right.

This was one of Iceland's top attractions long before it was the face of mass tourism; travelers on their way to or from the United States could reach these tranquil waters just 20 minutes from Keflavik Airport.

Today, the experience has been improved to become one of Europe's sexiest spas.

"New" Volcano

The smoke comes from something entirely fresh and less polished on the left. Iceland's newest volcanic outpost, Fagradalsfjall, was born spectacularly around three miles from the Blue Lagoon.
Writer and photographer Jamie Lafferty have only been there for three months, but he saw terraforming in action. According to some scientists, it may erupt for several years.

The mountain's fractures kept opening throughout his visit, spewing tens of thousands of gallons of vivid orange lava out of the ever-expanding volcano.

He joins a small group of tourists to observe the occasional geyser-like eruption of this underground light show from a safe distance under the watchful eye of rangers.

People have been drawn to this underground flame like moths from all around the world. Authorities will have a lot of work to keep the site safe and accessible if Fagradalsfjall (the name translates as "Fair Valley Hill") keeps going, and tourists keep returning to Iceland in large numbers.

Attracting Tourists

Nevertheless, it is a fantastic gift for Iceland when travel picks up again after the Covid-19 outbreak. It will appeal to adventurous travelers and provide a much-needed boost to the country's finances.

According to Eythor Saemundsson, whose job is promoting the Reykjanes Peninsula, "People were mesmerized by the material we were putting out online." Along with a few foreign visitors who were in the nation then, the entire country of Iceland came hiking to view it.

The Covid-19 restrictions assisted in controlling the crowd size. Images of folks having fun around Fagradalsfjall became popular when the volcano was young. Others played volleyball while others cooked food over the lava. A minimum of twelve drones perished in the molten rock. If it weren't for the epidemic reducing the quantity of international travel, this behavior-and worse-would have worsened.

Faced with Enthusiasm

Whatever happens to the newest volcano on the country's list will be handled with the kind of shrewd entrepreneurship Iceland has developed a knack for.

The Blue Lagoon illustrates what can be accomplished when time and money are added to naturally occurring volcanic events; even the infamous, ash-spewing Eyjafjallajökull eruption of 2010 was swiftly transformed into a marketing opportunity.

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