The Golden Circle

The Golden Circle is one of Iceland’s most popular tourist routes, located primarily in the southwest part of the country.

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The Golden Circle forms a loop that includes Iceland’s major attractions, each offering unique insights into Iceland’s natural beauty and geological phenomena. It is within a relatively short distance from Reykjavík and served by well maintained roads.
While the Golden Circle is beautiful year-round, summer offers longer daylight hours and better weather, while winter provides unique experiences like seeing the falls partially frozen or the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights.
This route can get very crowded during peak tourist seasons. Early morning or late afternoon visits might offer a quieter experience.

The Golden Circle

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The first national park in Iceland established in 1928. It is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. The name Þingvellir means “Assembly Plains” and it was here where Iceland parliament was founded as early as 930.

A chance to snorkel between the tectonic plates of North America and Europe.
Silfra: Fissure Snorkeling Tour

These caves are man-made, carved into the soft tuff rock, likely by humans long before the 20th century, with some theories suggesting they might date back to the time of the Irish monks before Iceland’s settlement in 874. Two families lived in these caves for brief periods. Indriði Guðmundsson and Guðrún Kolbeinsdóttir resided there from 1910 to 1911, and later, Jón Þorvarðsson and Vigdís Helgadóttir from 1918 to 1922.

Often referred to as “Iceland’s Bluest Waterfall” has a striking blue color, attributed to the glacial water from the Langjökull glacier that feeds the Brúará River.

The word “geyser” originates from the name “Geysir,” which means “to gush” in Icelandic. The Great Geysir, from which the area gets its name, was the first geyser known to modern Europeans, having erupted since the settlement of Iceland in the 9th century. Geysir has given its name to all geysers worldwide and is an icon of Iceland’s geological marvels, symbolizing the country’s nickname, “The Land of Fire and Ice.” Nearby, Strokkur has become the star attraction. It erupts frequently, about every 4-10 minutes, sending boiling water up to 15-40 meters into the air. Strokkur’s reliability and visibility make it a must-see for visitors.

Gullfoss, named “Golden Falls”, is located in the canyon of the Hvítá river and consists of two separate waterfalls. The upper one has a drop of 11 meters, and the lower one is 21 meters. The water plunges into a rugged canyon that is 32 meters deep, 20 meters wide, and 2.5 kilometers long. The average water flow is about 141 cubic meters per second in summer, reducing to 80 cubic meters in winter. During floods, it can reach up to 2,000 cubic meters per second.

The canyon was formed by the erosive forces of the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, which is fed by the Vatnajökull glacier. Over millennia, the river has carved through the basalt rock, creating a series of dramatic canyons, cliffs, and waterfalls along its course. Brúarhlöð is notable for its steep walls and the chaotic, boulder-strewn landscape.

Faxi is a wide, short waterfall, about 80 meters wide and 7 meters tall. Its broad expanse makes it visually appealing, and unlike many other waterfalls, it’s equipped with a fish ladder to help salmon navigate upstream.

Friðheimar Restaurant is nestled within a greenhouse where tomatoes are grown year-round, offering a farm-to-table experience. Everything on the menu features tomatoes. The signature dish is their renowned tomato soup, served with freshly baked bread and cheesecake topped with tomato jam made from green tomatoes, cinnamon and lime.

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