South Coast

The South Coast has been farmed since the settlement period, and the land beneath the mountains has always been shaped by volcanoes and glacial floods. Farmsteads, small churches and turf-roofed buildings tell of communities that lived with the risks of eruptions from Katla and other volcanoes. Before the harbourless coast had roads and bridges, rivers were major barriers and fishermen launched open boats directly from beaches such as Reynisfjara.

The area around Vík and Skógar now forms part of the Katla UNESCO Global Geopark, which interprets the volcanic and glacial landscapes for visitors.

Life on the South Coast revolves around sheep and dairy farming, small family-run tourism businesses and a strong sense of community in villages such as Vík and Skógar. Local museums keep alive the memory of traditional rural life, turf houses and the hardships of living between glaciers and the sea.