Iceland’s Golden Circle: A Day Trip

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Iceland’s Golden Circle is probably high on your to-do list if you have a limited amount of time in the country.  For those of you who are visiting Iceland for an extended period of time, this is probably where you will see the most crowds, which is pretty comforting for the rest of your trip. The quiet North beckons the calmer travelers, but the Golden Circle is not to be missed.

If you want to see landscapes that look like Thor cracked the earth with his hammer, boiling cauldron-esque geysers, multi-tiered waterfalls, blue water craters, and more the Golden Circle is just the place for that. I am not a huge fan of super touristy areas, but the Golden Circle is worth bumping some shoulders. Only a short drive from Reykjavik, this easy, but full day trip will have your jaw dropping and your sense of adventure on overdrive.

You could spend days on the Golden Circle fully exploring each place, but for a single day, there are certain places that you need to hit in order to see the best of the best.

Þingvellir National Park

The first place you will find yourself on the Golden Circle is Þingvellir (or Thingvellir) National Park. This national park is not only picturesque, but it is also a historical location in Iceland. The Alþing general assembly was established here in the year 930 and continued meeting until 1798. This area is held in high esteem by Icelanders and is a protected area.

The Visitors’ Center is a great place to learn more about Þingvellir. You can use the restrooms, grab a snack, souvenirs, and information. From the Visitors’ Center, you can walk through a large fissure that is created by the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates moving together over the years. The park is full of such fissures and is unlike anything I have ever seen.

From the visitors center, you can walk all the way to several other points of interest. We chose to drive what with it being cold and all. Our next stop was Öxarárfoss. The path to the falls is featured in Game of Thrones as the path through the Vale. Walking through the thick misty air up to the water crashing on the rocks definitely gives a Game of Thrones vibe.

Continuing down the road, you will drive past Silfra, park and walk over to Þingvellirkirkja and the Prime Minister’s Summer residence. You can also walk over to Silfra, which is a place where you can dive between the tectonic plates if that is your cup of tea. We watched a group go out. The dark reflecting water swallowed the divers right up. You can look out over Flosagjá Fissure and contemplate the movement of the Earth beneath your feet. Or just look at the pretty view if you aren’t a nerd like I am.

Haukadalur

The next stop is Haukadalur, which is a geothermal valley along the Golden Circle. There are a resort and restaurant here as well as some gift shops.  Across the street from all of that is what you are here for. Impressive geysers await!

Geysir is one of the largest geysers in the world and has not erupted since 2000. It only spews after major earthquakes. Make sure that you read the signs, or remember this. Don’t stand around like an idiot. (We totally didn’t do that or anything).

Do go over and wait on Strokkur to burst. The reliable geyser spits up every 10 minutes or so (maybe less) and is very photogenic. You can also wander around some of the small geysers and watch them bubble. The smell is not as bad here as it is in some places. If you are like me and watch Supernatural, your demon senses will be tingling constantly in Iceland because the smell of sulfur could be anywhere. Though I think you are more likely to spot an elf.

Watching the geysers here is really fun. Be careful as the water flying up into the air is really stinking hot (see what I did there?). Stick to the marked paths and keep your wits about you and you should make it out unscathed. I warned you.

Gullfoss

Gullfoss, which means Golden Waterfall is a must see foss in Iceland. Apparently, it looks golden in the sun, but I only saw it in the clouds. You will have to let me know the legitimacy of that claim. I do believe that the Golden Circle got its name from Gullfoss.

Make sure that you check it out from all angles, because each one is stunning. My personal favorite view is the one from above the falls. The water rushes through a (sort of) green valley towards its inevitable descent. I say sort of green because I was there in March, it probably is very green in Summer.

There is yet another gift shop and restroom at this stop. You can park at the top or bottom (we missed the turn for the bottom parking area). You will have to dodge some big tour buses over here and it can be challenging to get a photo without people in it. Again, I am glad we were here in March, the Summer crowds would have killed my quiet soul.

Friðheimar

This stop was one that we weren’t sure about because it wasn’t quite time to eat yet, and it is a restaurant. I am glad we stopped, though. Friðheimar is a greenhouse/restaurant. You eat amongst the tomatoes. They allowed us to come inside just to look around, and it is so interesting inside.

As you walk in the smell of green tomatoes hits you and you can see why. Rows upon rows of tomatoes sit to the side of the dining area. The humidity and warmth are welcome after being out in the cold all day. I almost gave in and got a tomato-y cocktail. Instead, we tasted some of the different tomato sauces. Try the dessert sauce, it is tangy and sweet. You won’t be sorry.

There is some information posted about greenhouses in Iceland, which is a fascinating topic. They pollinate with bees, and we saw some flying around the tomato plants. How cool is that?

If you choose to dine here, expect to eat tomatoes. There is a tomato soup and grilled cheese bar, which is a dream come true. Why weren’t we hungry?! Also, as you walk to the restaurant from the parking lot, you will pass some sweet Icelandic horses. This is a farm after all. I will be making a point of eating here next time I find myself in Iceland.

Kerið Crater

Okay, so I didn’t actually see this crater. This is a popular stop along the Golden Circle, so I don’t want to leave it out. By the time we got to the crater the snow was coming down. We pulled over, looked at each other, and decided that we could live without seeing Kerið this time around. There is always next time, right? We also saw Hverfjall, which is a massive crater near Mývatn. So we had seen a crater in Iceland.

If you look at photos of this volcanic lake crater, you will see red and green earth surrounding a crater filled with beautiful blue water. It probably would have been icy and full of snow for us, though snow does add a certain beauty to things. This was our last stop on our Golden Circle day trip.

Keep it Golden

On our way home, we decided to stop for food, mostly because driving was stressing me out and it was taking forever to get back to Reykjavik. When in doubt, stop for food. We ended up in Hveragerði and ate a meal at Skyrgerðin Cafe and Bistro. The lamb stew that my mother ordered was warm and flavorful, and the bread to die for. I had a pulled pork sandwich (this was the end of our trip and I was wanting food that reminded me of home). It was actually really good and I am a BBQ snob.

Rumor has it, you can find some excellent spas and hot springs along Iceland’s Golden Circle. You could also take some amazing hikes if you are so inclined. The possibilities are endless. I hope that this itinerary gets you started and you can take it and make it your own perfect adventure.

Make sure that you check out the Golden Circle on your next trip to Iceland! If you have been, are there any parts that we didn’t see that we need to visit next time? Let me know!