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What to do and see on a day trip along the highlights of the Golden Circle? The Golden Circle is one of the most popular travel routes in Iceland. A trip of some 300 kilometers that takes you past some extraordinary highlights. Vast landscapes, high spouting geysers and impressive waterfalls are not to be missed. From Reykjavík a day trip to the Golden Circle is easy to do, but if you have more time we definitely recommend taking more time. These highlights of the Golden Circle should not be missed!
The highlights of the Golden Circle in Iceland
For many, a trip to the Golden Circle will start from Iceland's capital, Reykjavík. You can do this with an organized tour but a much more enjoyable way is to drive the 300-kilometer route yourself by rental car. This allows you to decide how much time you will take for this adventure, where you will stop and how long you will linger at places of interest. These are great advantages over an organized tour where you are stuck with an itinerary.
The three eye-catchers of the Golden Circle are Þingvellir, Gullfoss and Geysir. What makes this route so special is that you will discover multiple natural landscapes on a 300-kilometer route. You can drive the whole route in about 3 hours, but since you will want to stop everywhere, it is best to take the whole day for this.
1. Þingvellir
Þingvellir National Park is one of three national parks you can visit in Iceland. Thingvellir is a special park where the geological boundary between the European continent and North American continent lies. This place is not only impressive for travelers to see, but for local history, Thingvellir is also an important historical site. From Reykjavík it takes 50 minutes to drive to Þingvellir, the first stop on the route. At the parking lot you have a viewpoint from where you can see the cute little church Þingvallakirkja and overlook Iceland's largest natural freshwater lake: Þingvallavatn. From here you can take beautiful walks through this area.
Because the American and Eurasian tectonic plates here are slowly drifting apart, kilometers of subsidence have developed. Every year this subsidence increases by about one centimeter. A well-known and very cool activity you can do here is diving or snorkeling in the Silfra Gorge. This is the snorkeling tour in Silfra that we can recommend to you.
Want to know more about Thingvellir and what you can do and experience there? Then take a look at Vleugje IJsland's travel account, here you will find lots of tips for Thingvellir National Park.
2. Geysir
The Geysir area is based on Iceland's eponymous and largest geyser. In the geothermal area of Haukadalur you will find several hot springs including the two most famous: Geysir and Strokkur. This area is about 6 square meters in size and particularly beautiful to take a walk through. For us, seeing both geysers was the highlight of the Golden Circle.
The hot spring Geysir has unfortunately not been active for years, but you can still visit the source of the geyser. So you can see the water of the geyser bubbling, but it does not come to an eruption like Strokkur. Previously, an eruption of this geyser could reach a height of up to 60 meters. This must have been very impressive. It is said that the eruption of the geyser was stopped by people throwing stones and pieces of soap into the water when it did not erupt. This is said to have caused the geyser to stop erupting altogether.
The geyser Strokkur erupts every 5 to 7 minutes and can reach a height of about 25 meters. It is insane to stand here and see the eruption of this geyser with your own eyes. The water from the source forms a kind of sphere that then sprays water into the air with an explosion.
3. Gullfoss
The Gullfoss waterfall is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland. It is a spectacle to see the water thundering down into the gorge. Through a cascade of small waterfalls, the water falls cascading into the gorge to continue flowing toward the sea. The waterfall can be viewed from two levels, with the lowest level offering a good view of the gorge into which the water falls. During winter days it can be quite chilly here!
4. Langjökull Glacier
A fun addition to the Golden Circle is making A snowmobile tour of the Langjökull Glacier. This glacier is the second largest in Iceland with an area of 1,021 square kilometers. During the snowmobile tour you will tear yourself across the vast snow landscapes as you can see in the picture. Driving the snowmobile yourself is very cool to do and not difficult at all. After tearing across the ice landscapes for a bit you will enter the ice cave of the Langjökull glacier, how insanely cool to walk there!
You can take a day trip from Reykjavík or gather at the Gullfoss. Should you do so, it is wise to contact us in advance and make arrangements for this.
5. Have lunch at Friðheimar
A nice place on the Golden Circle to have lunch is at tomato farm Friðheimar. The location consists of several greenhouses for growing their delicious tomatoes, among other things, but there is also a section especially for the Icelandic horses. When visiting this unique location you can take a guided tour of the greenhouses, where they passionately explain how they grow their tomatoes. Among other things, they use hot springs from the ground. After a guided tour, you can take a seat in the restaurant and enjoy their homemade tomato soup, cheese bread and have your choice of fish sticks, cheese sticks and chicken sticks.
Address: Reykholti, Bláskógabyggð, IS-806, Selfoss (between Thingvellir and Geysir) // Price range: €€ - €€€€
Nice accommodations in the Golden Circle
The Golden Circle in Iceland is an insanely beautiful area to explore. So why rush to discover the various highlights? Instead of exploring everything in one day, book an overnight stay and take two days. After all, there are wonderful accommodations around the Golden Circle. Our personal favorite is Hotel Geysir with a beautiful location opposite the Geysir geothermal area. You can see Strokkur erupting yourself from your hotel room.
Another beautiful accommodation is Guesthouse Fludir - Grund, about a 20-minute drive from Geysir. The accommodation is simpler than Hotel Geysir, but that also makes it more cozy. In the area you can do some wonderful hiking.
Take a tour of Iceland
The Golden Circle is one of the popular travel itineraries in Iceland, but as you know, the country offers many more insane places to explore. Reykjavik, the capital, is also an absolute must-visit. As is the nearby Blue Lagoon for many travelers is a highlight of their visit to Iceland.
But do you want to see more of Iceland, traveling around in your own 4×4? We totally get that. The landscapes are rugged and incredibly diverse. But where to start, what budget do you need and what should not be missed? If we can help you, please let us know. As travel specialists we are happy to make you a customized offer. Are you curious about the possibilities? Then schedule a video meeting with us!
Lois Weeterings
A dreamer and adventure seeker, always on the lookout for new experiences. But also a hard worker with a thousand ideas racing through my mind. As a personal travel consultant and travel blogger, I share my passion for faraway destinations, thrilling adventures, and winter sports. With deep knowledge of places like Namibia, Colombia, the ABC Islands, and the Middle East, I’m here to help you craft a trip you’ll never forget. Through my personal stories and expert tips, I aim to inspire you to explore the world your way. Always with my camera in hand, I’m determined to capture every magical moment and share it with you.
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