Vatnsdalur (‘Lake Valley’) is located just south of the Ring Road. As well as being well vegitated, the valley is known for its countless hillocks, one of Iceland’s best salmon river and Vatnsdæla Saga, one of the sagas of the Icelanders. Vatnsdæla chronicles the lives of the valley’s original settlers from Norway and their descendants. Get to know the saga sites by driving the valley road (circle).

Þingeyrakirkja church, near Vatnsdalur valley,  is one of the most beautiful churches in Iceland. It was consecrated in 1877 and is one of Iceland’s few stone churches. It is well known for its ceiling, which is blue painted with some 1000 golden stars. The altarpiece is the oldest artifact in the church, dating back to the 14th century. This is the only artifact left in the church from the Catholic period.

At Þingeyrar the first monastery in Iceland was erected in 1133. It stood here until the Reformation in 1550. Þingeyraklaustur monastery was well known for its literature, which was written down on parchment in the years 1100-1300.