Hvolsvöllur: Volcanoes, Trails and Local Life

Hvolsvöllur on Iceland’s south coast offers something for different travel plans: the LAVA Centre focuses on volcanoes and earthquakes, while trails and sports facilities add activity to the town’s offerings. The swimming pool and Meat Soup Festival round out the selection. If you’re looking for a hotel in Hvolsvöllur, you can plan your stay around geological history, activity or an event date. The interactive exhibition, one-hour walking trail and workout stations offer notably different experiences.

Volcanism at the LAVA Centre

The LAVA Centre in Hvolsvöllur is an interactive exhibition about Iceland’s volcanoes and earthquakes. The high-tech educational exhibition presents volcanic activity and the formation of Iceland over millions of years. Visitors can also observe the geophysical monitoring of active volcanic systems, earthquake activity and ground movements. The exhibition offers a perspective ranging from how the land formed to the processes monitored in active volcanic systems. If you’re interested in Iceland’s geological forces, the Centre offers a focused introduction to the subject.

Trails for walking and training

The Hvolsfjall Trail is a 2-kilometre walking trail with 127 metres of elevation gain and a walking time of one hour. The well-maintained footpath passes over steps and through a forest. When planning your time, both the elevation gain and walking time are relevant, as well as the trail’s length. Steps and forest shape the route, giving this walk a different character from a route with workout stations.

The Hvolsvöllur Training Trail offers a different kind of activity. The 4.2-kilometre trail has 15 stations, each equipped with various pieces of exercise equipment; exercises for different fitness levels are also provided. Compared with the Hvolsfjall Trail, it is longer and includes workout stations, while the Hvolsfjall walking trail is defined by its walking time, elevation gain and forest path. The Hvolsvöllur sports grounds also have a nine-hole disc golf course. Frisbees can be rented at the sports centre. Check locally whether rentals are available at the time of your visit.

Swimming pool and festival

Hvolsvöllur’s swimming pool has a 25-metre outdoor pool, two hot tubs and a sauna. If you’d like to include these facilities in your plans, check the latest operating details before your trip.

The recurring Meat Soup Festival takes place in Hvolsvöllur during the last week of August; the exact dates vary from year to year. During the Soup Stroll (Súpurölt), visitors walk around Hvolsvöllur as local residents serve them homemade meat soup. The festival includes live music and colourful neighbourhood decorations; the specific programme varies from year to year. The Soup Stroll combines the walk with a meal, while music and decorations are other parts of the festival. If the festival is important to your trip, check the date for your travel year.

Discover more destinations

Ásólfsskáli, Blaskogabyggd, Háfur, Úlfljótsvatn, Laugarás, Ólafsvellir, Flúdir, Grimsnes

For the wider travel guide: Sudurland.