Icelandic Lava Show in Vik Iceland Review

Last Updated on November 15, 2023 by Suzy McCullough

We love the town of Vik in Southern Iceland and we were looking for an excuse to make the drive over there on our last holiday to Iceland. After a bit of research, I came across a relatively new attraction the Icelandic Lava Show. It is located really close to the black beach and has views of the beautiful church in Vik. Plus it’s located really near to our favourite stop for doughnuts at the Icewear shop. They have also recently opened an Icelandic Lava Show in Reykjavik and the experience is pretty much the same.

What we didn’t realise is that the Lava Show is located inside a building which is actually a licensed cafe that serves some delicious-looking food. If you are looking for something more than doughnuts then this place could be worth a try. In the cafe is the reception area for the Icelandic Lava show and just to the left of this is the small room where the experience takes place. There are three shows a day.

BOOK the Icelandic Lava Show in Vik – Don’t Miss Out

Inside the room, there are two rows of seats around what you see in the photo above. There is no lava when you enter the room. The show was hosted by a lady who knew an incredible amount about lava and volcanos. We all learnt so much in the 45-minute experience. This experience regularly sells out so booking in advance is recommended. She introduced herself and there was then a brief and very interesting introduction to lava and volcanos.

We then watched a film which lasted a few minutes. This told the history of the last eruption of the volcano near Vik. The Katla volcano erupted over 100 years ago and is well overdue for another eruption. Because of this, we were given a briefing on where we as tourists should congratulate should it erupt during our visit. Now that was something a bit different to normal.

After the film, we had to all wear our provided security goggles. This is to protect your eyes as it gets incredibly hot in there. Luckily we had already taken our coats off! What enters the room is real molten lava. It has been collected as ‘black sand’ from a nearby beach and it is ash that once fell from the volcano that erupted next to Vik in 1918. They then reheat it back into lava and reuse it after each show.

Icelandic Lava Show in Vik Iceland Review

This is the only live lava show in the world and it has received awards and recognition for its educational and cultural value. As the lava flowed down the channel we could not only feel the heat but smell the lava and hear popping sounds as it ran down.

The guide had a rod that she used to show us what the lava looked like if it was picked up out of the flow. Almost as soon as it hit oxygen it turned into glass. It was fascinating to see.

She also cooled a section of it down a little with a lump of ice. This caused lots of steam and formed a black layer over the lava. We were later shown how hot the lava was still underneath this layer and how air bubbles formed. It was incredibly interesting. I still can’t get over how much we learnt.

As it was cooling she was able to pick up the channel of lava and now quite large chunks of it were turning into glass. It was fascinating to see. It was even more interesting when she started showing us the different temperatures in different parts of the lava. Towards the end of the show, we were able to ask questions.

Tickets cost around £33 for an adult and around £20 for children. It was on the expensive side but I am really glad we went. It’s something we will always remember and it’s such a unique opportunity to see real lava.

After your visit why not head up to the church in Vik. You can see this church from just about everywhere in the town. It is incredibly picturesque, especially looking down over the town and towards the black sand beach.

Just around the corner from the Icelandic Lava Show is this black sand beach. The cliffs were teaming with wildlife and the sea was crashing onto the beach. The waves are very unpredictable here, especially in autumn and winter so keep your distance.