The Golden Circle is the most popular route in Iceland, and there is a good reason behind this. Driving the Golden Circle is very lovely, and it is easily accessible. Here is our guide to this beautiful area.
Taking a road trip through the Golden Circle to see all these spots in Iceland is unbelievable. Waterfalls, geysers, a national park, a crater lake, and two amazing relaxing hot springs are part of this guide. You can make this trip in 6 hours, or you can also decide to spend more time and do it on a 2-day journey completing 300km around the Golden Circle. You can make it a solo-driving trip, or pick one of the tours, but here are 7 stops we highly recommend:
Þingvellir has been a National Park since 1928. During the Viking settlement, this place served as a meeting point for the parliament. The position of the rocky formations made Þingvellir a natural amphitheater, and perfect for public speaking. In 2004, it was named a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.
In Þingvellir, you will find a unique geological trait. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a divergent tectonic plate that goes along the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, and this ridge crosses part of Iceland and divides it: the North-American tectonic plate from the Eurasian tectonic plate. Each year the rift valley pulls apart 2.5cm, and small earthquakes happen every day, but they are too small to be noticed.
Walking around this national park is fantastic, but it is not the only thing to do. You can follow the different hiking trails, horseback riding, angling, and camping are available. Diving is also a great option when in Þingvellir, and you can do it in two places: Silfra and Davíðsgjá. Silfra is one of the best spots for diving and snorkeling in Iceland, and it has been recognized as one of the unique rifts in the world due to the clarity of its water and magnificent surroundings. If you have the time to do this, don’t think about it twice. Here are some of our tours you can book for snorkeling and diving in Silfra. Click here to see our snorkeling and diving tours.
The Great Geysir has its name after the geological feature geyser. A geyser is a spring characterized by intermittent discharge of water that comes with a lot of pressure and pushes the water up to the air. These particular geological conditions are also found in Yellowstone National Park in the United States, in the Valley of Geysers Russia, and the Volcanic Zone in New Zealand.
The story behind the Geysir is that it was the first one identified by Europeans. And the attractive part of the Geysir is watching it throw boiling water in the air, but these eruptions don’t have a precise date or time. They can happen frequently or even stop for long periods. So, if it occurs when you are there, consider yourself very lucky. The Great Geysir has been silent for recent years. Most of our tours to the Golden Circle, include a stop in the Great Geysir, so check them out.
Coming from the Hvitá River, Gullfoss Waterfall is an iconic Icelandic feature with a height of 32 meters. Gullfoss, or the Golden Falls as it translates to English, is the largest volume waterfall in Europe due to that its water comes from rains and the glacial runoff.
On your visit to Gullfoss, you might experience a rainbow over it. Enjoy the views of this majestic waterfall, and remember this is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland, so you might need to get there early!
Kerið is a volcanic crater lake located in the Grímsnes area of Southern Iceland. This is considered an extra stop in the Golden Circle route, but for us, it is one of the best, and it has become a very popular one. Usually, you will find volcanic crater lakes in Iceland to be more than 7.000 years old, but Kerið is only 3.000. You can see how the iron deposits are still fresh because of the vivid colors you can experience.
With 55 meters deep and 170 meters wide, Kerið is thought to have been once a cone-shaped volcano that erupted and ended up causing the actual formation due to the drain of its own magma. It then got filled with water, and now it has transformed into a crater lake. The beauty of seeing this place are the colors produced by the rock’s minerals when fused with the water.
Strokkur is a geyser located in the Southwestern part of the country in Haukadalur Valley. They are really close to each other, so if you are taking the route of the Golden Circle, both stops are a must. Even though the Great Geysir is the most famous geyser in Iceland, Strokkur is not far behind. No history books mentioned Strokkur, and only until 1789 after the movement of an earthquake made Strokkur wake up, people began to recognize it. Its usual height goes up from 15-20 meters to 40 meters high, and it naturally erupts every 4-10 minutes. You will love Strokkur!
Once a secret, now not that much of a mystery. The Secret Lagoon is a human-made hot spring with natural resources of Hverahólmi, a geothermal area created in 1891. It is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland – its name says it “Gamla Laugin” – Old Pool. But the attractiveness of this hot spring is the mystical feeling around it: beautiful sceneries, green moss, active geysers, and a 38-40 degrees water.
The Secret Lagoon has continuously been compared to the Blue Lagoon, but they have their differences. Prices for the Secret Lagoon oscillate between 2.200 ISK and 3.000 ISK (15 and 22 euros). Almost a third part of what the Blue Lagoon costs. But it is all about what you prefer. You will find a bar and a dining area with snacks and drinks to purchase.
This stop to the Fontana Spa is for the lovers of relaxing. We change nature for a chic place as our last stop in this incredible natural pool. The spa includes steam rooms and outdoor mineral baths. In the steam rooms, you can hear the sound of the boiling water underneath. They incorporate natural items in the experience, and the good thing is that it is not as crowded as the others.
For some, this can be very similar to the Secret Lagoon, but we recommend you to choose between both if you want the relaxing time at the beginning or at the end of the Golden Circle route.
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