At the western end of the village, the lovely double waterfall, Systrafoss, tumbles down the cliffs and a sign outlines three short walks in the pretty wooded area (Iceland's tallest trees grow here!). The lake, Systravatn, reached by a leisurely climb up steps cut into the hill beside the falls, was once a bathing place for nuns. A marked 2.5km walking path leads from the lake to descend near Kirkjugólf and takes in glorious views.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.66 MILES
This darkly picturesque canyon, carved out by the river Fjaðrá, has been well and truly discovered, thanks to Instagrammers and one Justin Bieber (who…
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20.92 MILES
Adding more eye candy to an impressive road trip, a precipitous 767m-tall palisade of cliffs known as Lómagnúpur towers over the landscapes, begging to be…
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27.61 MILES
Skeiðarársandur, the largest sandur in the world, covers a 1300-sq-km area and was formed by the mighty Skeiðarárjökull. Since the Settlement Era,…
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19 MILES
Lómagnúpur towers over the impossibly photogenic old turf-roofed farm at Núpsstaður. The farm buildings date back to the early 19th century, and the…
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20.28 MILES
Although the peak called Laki (818m) did not erupt, it has loaned its name to the 25km-long Lakagígar crater row, which stretches northeastwards and…
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0.67 MILES
The basalt columns of Kirkjugólf (Church Floor), smoothed down and cemented with moss, were once mistaken for an old church floor rather than a work of…
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7.94 MILES
Fagrifoss (Beautiful Falls) is not a misnomer: this waterfall must be one of Iceland’s most bewitching, with rivulets of water pouring over a massive…
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19.79 MILES
The crater row is fascinating to explore, riddled with black sand dunes and lava tubes, many of which contain tiny stalactites. At the foot of Laki,…
Nearby Southeast Iceland attractions
1. Steingrímsson Memorial Chapel
0.34 MILES
The triangular, distinctly atypical wood-and-stone chapel at the heart of the village was consecrated in 1974. It commemorates Jón Steingrímsson’s …
0.5 MILES
West of the village and south of the Ring Road is this vast, dimpled, vivid-green pseudocrater field. Pseudocraters formed when hot lava poured over…
0.67 MILES
The basalt columns of Kirkjugólf (Church Floor), smoothed down and cemented with moss, were once mistaken for an old church floor rather than a work of…
0.95 MILES
Religious connections are particularly strong around Klaustur. The prominent, stumpy rock pillar Systrastapi, near the line of cliffs about 1.5km west of…
3.66 MILES
This darkly picturesque canyon, carved out by the river Fjaðrá, has been well and truly discovered, thanks to Instagrammers and one Justin Bieber (who…
7.94 MILES
Fagrifoss (Beautiful Falls) is not a misnomer: this waterfall must be one of Iceland’s most bewitching, with rivulets of water pouring over a massive…
11.23 MILES
This waterfall, 11km east of Kirkjubæjarklaustur on the Ring Road, is a head-turning cascade that normally tumbles down from the cliffs. During especially…
11.38 MILES
Just east of Foss á Siðu waterfall (about 11km from Kirkjubæjarklaustur on the Ring Road) is the outcrop Dverghamrar (‘Dwarf Rocks’) – two rock formations…