Geysir

Geysir is the original spouting hot spring; all the others around the world are named after it. The great geyser debuted in the 14th century, blasting a jet of superheated water up to 80m (262ft) into the air, but has been mostly inactive since the 1960s. Luckily for visitors, Strokkur (the Churn), spouts up to 35m (115ft) and erupts every 10 minutes or so.

The great geyser ceased erupting after thousands of tourists tried to set it off by pouring in loads of rocks and dirt. When water levels inside the geyser were artificially lowered, it resumed activity. However, after earthquakes in June 2000, the geyser erupts to no specific timetable.