Walking the Bridge Between Continents in Iceland

The North American plate is drifting away from the Eurasian plate as we speak, widening Iceland in the process. Most tectonic plate boundaries are found under the ocean, there are only two spots on earth where they can be seen from land: Iceland and East Africa. Along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge within the Reykjanes Peninsula it is possible to walk from Europe to North America across a 50-foot bridge.

A major fissure caused by diverging plates drops 30 feet into a wide sandy crack, seemingly stable for now. The drift isn’t happening at an alarming rate, just 2 cm a year – though in 100 years the country will be 6½ feet larger. What will the Bridge Between Continents look like then?

Leif Erikson was the Icelandic explorer credited as the first European to set foot upon North America soil – he made his voyage in a longboat 1,000 years ago. Due to this connection, the site is also referred to as Leif the Lucky’s Bridge. If you’re looking for an inexpensive and quirky souvenir to bring home head to the Reykjanes information center and pick up a certificate commemorating your epic journey.

Visiting the bridge is a quick, fun, and free activity close to Keflavík International Airport and the Blue Lagoon.