Iceland, in addition to being a geologically active land, is one of the few nations in the world located near the Arctic Circle, where the temperature is irrefutably lower than in more temperate latitudes. It also has plateaus and mountains that exceed 2000 m in height: these two characteristics make it a very favorable place for the formation of immense glaciers (the Vatnajōkull, with its 7900 km², is the largest European glacier), where are often abundant rainfall.

The combination of frequent precipitation and the partial summer melting of this huge volume of ice and snow gives rise to rivers of immense flow, whose energy in some points is usable (in 2015, 73% of Iceland's energy needs were covered by hydroelectric plants, compared to 27% coming from geothermal).

Icelandic rivers then flow wildly, dig deep and wide gorges, make crazy jumps and shape valleys with their own bends.

The jumps, called in Icelandic "Foss" (waterfall) are magnificent, spectacular, things we were not in the least used to.

Do you know the force with which water digs and shapes our beautiful alpine landscapes? Well, because for this reason, everything in Iceland is exponentially bigger.

The first contact with this immense force came on the second day seeing the Gullfoss waterfall, where the waters of the Hvit river make two small but superb jumps, continuing their journey in a narrow and deep gorge.

Subsequently it was the turn of Godafoss, the waterfall of the gods.

A stop on the way to the Myvatn area, Godafoss is the point where the Skjálfandafljót river plunges for about 12 meters with a front of about 30 m.

This waterfall also tells a story: let's take a dip in the past.
Around the year 1000, the lögsögumadur (political-juridical figure capable of governing) Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði Þorkelsson, in order not to come into conflict with King Olaf of Norway on the one hand and the Icelandic factions on the other, decided, after having meditated one day and one night in a shelter, to opt for a compromise: to have all Icelanders baptized, but to leave them the freedom to profess their beliefs in private.

Returning from the Alpingi (assembly), Þorgeir, who converted to Christianity, threw the statues of pagan idols from Godafoss.

Dettifoss, which we visited the day following our departure from Myvatn, was another flurry of emotions.

Dettifoss is the waterfall with the largest flow in Europe, as well as the scene of the origin of life on Earth in the film Alien: Prometheus.

The glacial river Jōkulsa á Fjōllum, which originates from the Vatnajōkull glacier, makes several jumps during its journey towards the Arctic Ocean, two of which were the subject of our visit: Dettifoss and the nearby Selfoss.

We chose the dirt parking lot east of the river to have the favorable morning sun. Once we arrived at the highest observation point, the landscape was impressive: inside a gigantic canyon, the Jōkulsárgljúfur, the water flowed mightily, making a jump of almost 45 m for a front of about 100 m. The muddy river, rich in glacial sediments, fell with an almost deafening roar, and the splashes created, aided by the wind, not one but two rainbows.

We went further and reached the location of the scene shot in the film, very close to the river. Perhaps only so close we realized what potential an element as apparently harmless as water can be capable of. The waterfall discharges about 200 tons of water ... in just one second, although in summer it can reach 500 tons per second, while its peak was 1500 tons per second!

We followed the path, and after a few short stops due to the blueberry harvest, we arrived in Selfoss, located more inland. Here too the show was guaranteed: the river was divided into dozens of branches that jumped into the gorge, with the splashes that created an immense cloud of droplets, where it was almost impossible not to get wet.

Haifoss was yet another surprise.

Returning from Landmannalaugar (we will talk later about this colored land), we took the road that led to the parking lot from which we could see it. The Fossá í Þjórsárdal river threw itself into a gorge from an impressive height of 122 m, a spectacularly sublime leap. Here, too, the beautiful setting of a canyon was the icing on the cake to a show never seen before.

Skogafoss, Svartifoss and Seljalandfoss were 3 other waterfalls that we reached during our Icelandic stay.

Of Skogafoss we remember the force of impact with which the water ruined towards the ground, raising splashes that were visible hundreds of meters away, and on it too a beautiful rainbow emerged.

Svartifoss, on the other hand, was located within the Skaftafell National Park: the waterfall flowed into a gorge formed by harmonious basaltic columns.

Finally in Seljalandfoss, very picturesque, you could go behind the waterfall, taking into account a shower.

We stood contemplating all these indescribable wonders in silence for a long time, continuing to observe everything that mother nature had created over the millennia: a perfect fusion of water, earth, ice and fire.