Iceland is a world of vast geothermal activity with around 130 active volcanos, 16 geysers, and an endless amounts of streams and waterfalls - the country provides visitors an ample amount of places to explore. Iceland has developed a highway loop that allows visitors to travels along (mostly) paved highway loops to experience a taste of what the country has to offer. The most popular of these are the Ring Road and the Golden Circle. The Ring Road spans nearly the entire exterior of the country and is a whopping 826mi (1,330km) long. The Golden Circle is a bit smaller at 186mi (300km). With both routes you can use the highway system as your main route and venture off to smaller side roads, tourist sites, etc. along the route.
Here's a good visual of the scope differences. Photo Credit: Back-Packer
For a 3 of 4 day trip, it's easier to cover more ground with the Golden Circle. The Golden Circle has 3 main attractions on the loop - Þingvellir National Park, the Haukadalur geothermal field, and the Gullfoss waterfall. These three stops are some of the most popular in Iceland.
A few other *very* important notes about Iceland.
There's a rich culture to Iceland to explore with settlers arriving as early as the 9th century.
Iceland has been a trailblazer in the renewable energy sector. They have an expansive system that allows the geothermal heat to be captured and transferred into energy. About 85% of all houses in Iceland operate from geothermal energy.
Iceland is home to the twee puffin! These cute little guys and girls can be found throughout the coastline. The best time to see them is between April and September due to their hibernation patterns
Whale watching is huge - you can find numerous tours online along the coasts. The best place to whale watch is in a town called Húsavík.
HOW TO GET THERE
Fly into the Keflavik International Airport. From there you'll want to rent a car - there is a bus network that operates May-Sept, but even so you'll be highly restricted in your itinerary. A *free* shuttle can take you directly from the airport to the rental car company. The lines at the rental car company can be so long, be sure to fill out your paperwork in advance for a quick pick up.
A rental car is a must! Opt for 4WD or AWD.
(Nissan, this could be your next ad pic...)
WHERE TO STAY
There's really 2 options - you pick a city and do day trips there and back, or you stay at various places along your way. We opted to stay in an AirBnB in the suburbs of Reykjavik. For us, it was the right call - we had our own kitchenette to prepare snacks and breakfast, and it wasn't so costly. But, we did always dread the ride back after a long day of both driving, hiking, and walking.
TIPS FOR VISITING
Don't touch the geyser (hot pot) water unless told it's safe! It can get to 200 °F (93 °C)... aka way too hot to touch.
The wind gets intense as you near some of the waterfalls, pack for all ranges of weather.
The roads can be paved, but they can also get quite sandy and rocky. Check out the road conditions here, but also be sure to check your rental car agreement details about their damage liability clauses.
ITINERARY
During my time in Iceland we didn't exactly follow the Golden Circle, but something pretty close. Our group essentially just wandered the eastern shoreline and found beauty around every corner.
Day 1: Arrive & explore Reykjavik
Sun Voyager
Harpa Concert Hall
For the first day we arrived in Reykjavik via the Keflavik International Airport. At the time we were able to get a direct flight through WOW! Air (out of business) that was under $400. We picked up our car and immediately headed for our AirBnB which was in the suburban-like area of Reykjavik. From there, we set off to explore downtown.
We started by driving to Hallgrimskirkja . Hallgrimskirkja is an active Lutheran Church in the city. The building is large (the largest in Iceland) and beautiful. Visitors are able to attend mass, but also to tour the church. You can buy tickets to go to the top of the tower of the church. It offers view panoramic views from the city center. After leaving the church, we wandered the city and ended up making our way to Sun Voyager. It's a large sculpture that resembles a Viking ship on the shoreline with views overlooking the water onto the mountain side. We spent a fair amount of time in this area enjoying the view and walking along the coastline.
Top Row: Hallgrimskirkja views from the outside, at the top of the tower, and inside.
Bottom Row: Views from the Sun Voyager overlooking the water onto the mountainside.
Finally, it was time for lunch. We ended up at a restaurant called Cafe Paris. It's now closed, but the area was great. I'd recommend a restaurant called Messinn which is in the same area and offers fresh, local seafood. We then made our way to Harpa which is a massive concert hall. The outside is full of mirrors which resemble honeycomb-like shapes. In the sun the light glistens from the building and it's beautiful.
Harpa Concert Hall glistening in the sunshine.
From there, we spent wandering around the city hopping in and out of restaurants to grab a beer and a quick bite to eat. The city is walkable or can be traveled by bus. We wrapped up the day stopping at a grocery store and preparing with good foods for the road trip ahead.
Day 2: Drive the Golden Circle (North Eastern Route)
Öxarárfoss Waterfall
Haukadalur Geothermal Field
Gullfoss (Blaskogabyggo) Falls
Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park
Our second day in Iceland meant starting our road trip. We started by heading north east of the city, on part of the Golden Circle Route, with our key stops being Öxarárfoss Waterfall, Geysir (apart of Haukadalur Geothermal Field), and Gulfloss Falls.
Day 2's mapped out route
First up, Öxarárfoss Waterfall is a popular waterfall located in Þingvellir National Park. It's a relatively easy ~1mile walk to get to the waterfall. The waterfall is 44 feet (13 meters) tall and at the base it is extremely rocky. It's a beautiful stop. Up next, was Haukadalur Geothermal Field with an emphasis on seeing the famous Geysir. The geyser erupts every 10 minutes and attracts a large crowd. Walking to Geysir you walk along a bridge-like walkway over the hot pots. As mentioned, this is a geothermal field with many pools of hot water boiling up from the Earth's surface. These geysers can get to 200 °F (93 °C)... aka way too hot to touch. Near Geysir is another geyser called Strokkur. Both are breathtaking with eruptions recording up to 230 ft (70 m) high. From there we headed to Gullfoss (Blaskogabyggo) Falls. This was my favorite spot of the day! Upon arrival, you'll walk along a walkway/bridge-like structure to reach the top of the falls. You're able to overlook the Gullfoss waterfalls. They are massive - at 105 ft (32 m) high, these are the tallest waterfalls in Europe. When we went, it got very windy and cold. Be prepared with a rain jacket and the proper warm attire for a pleasant viewing experience!
Views of Haukadalur Geothermal Field and Gullfoss Waterfall
Wrapping up our day, was the absolute, most epic thing I have ever done in my life. We snorkeled between the American and Eurasian tectonic plate. CRAZY. If you head to Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park, there are snorkeling tours of Silfra Fissure. The water is icy cold, so do your due diligence finding a tour that will prepare you with the proper equipment. From there your group can head out on a guided tour of Silfra and swim between the tectonic plates. It is an out of this world experience, that I would highly recommend.
Snorkeling Silfra in Þingvellir National Park
Day 3: Drive the Golden Cirlce (Southern Route)
Rekjanesbaer Peninsula
Grindavik
On the next day of our Icelandic roundtrip, we headed south. In hindsight, many of the stops we hit were near the airport, so it could have made a lot of sense to hit these stops right after we flew into town. Nevertheless, we set off for the Rekjanesbaer Peninsula. This is not considered on the Golden Circle, but it is apart of the Ring Road. The Rekjanesbaer Peninsula is home to many hidden gems.
Day 3's mapped out route.
We started at the Bridge Between the Continents. This is a 50ft (15m) bridge that connects North America to Europe. No tickets or purchases are necessary, when you pull off the road you're able to see the walkway. You can walk across the bridge and walk down to the black sandy beach below. The sand was dark black - its color comes from the debris left behind from volcanic ash. Being in the southern area, I noticed it wasn't uncommon to see black sand, but this first stop was so cool to see it for the first time. From there, we headed to Gunnhuver. It is a vast geothermal field full of hot spots and beautiful colors. Walking through the fields you'll see steam all around you and little circular pools of bubbling water below. Unlike Haukadalur Geothermal Field, we didn't see any geysers erupting, but here you saw arrays or oranges and greens that were not previously able to be seen. There's also a myth that the geothermal fields are haunted by an angry ghost, Gundrun, who's spirit was trapped within and is now causing the steam. There's signs where you can learn more about it at the start of the trailhead. Highly recommend learning a bit more while there!
Top Row: The Bridge Between the Continents and a local black sand beach.
Bottom Row: Walking around the geothermal fields leading to Gunnhuver.
To cap off our day, we headed to Grindavik. The town was cute, but the drive was amazing. Anywhere we drove there was something to see from glaciers, to streams, to waterfalls, to fields, the southern route was filled of beauty. We ran into local farms of horses and locals houses. Driving around in itself was a treat. Then, we ended up at the world famous Blue Lagoon. From the moment you drove up it felt like a spa (and yes like a huge tourist attraction, but OK fair). The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal heated pool that boasts a bright teal color amongst the black, volcanic rocks. You can buy a day pass, or there's a retreat and hotel center that you can stay at. There are lockers in the bathrooms that you can rent for the day to store your belongings for a low price. Also, for an additional fee you can get mineral face masks to apply while enjoying the waters. Last tip, there's a bar so you can get a drink while you sit back and relax. Although touristy, it was a really great experience that I'd recommend.
Enjoying a drink at the Blue Lagoon!
Day 4: Drive the Golden Circle (Northwestern Route- Snæfellsnes Peninsula)
Snæfellbær Peninsula
Kirkjufell & Kirkjufellsfoss
Snæfellsjökull National Park
Saxhóle Crater
Budirkirkja Church
Longrangar
The last and final day took us north east of Reykjavik to the Snæfellbær Peninsula and ultimately into Snæfellsjökull National Park.
Day 4's mapped out route.
The first stop of the day was to Grundarfjörður - it was a nearly 2.5 hour drive to reach (and I'm sure we grazed through some beauty). Grundarfjörður is a small coastal town on the north side of the Snæfellbær. We headed there to see two main attractions - Mount Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss. Right off the highway there's a parking lot you can park at to visit both. Across the road you'll see Mount Kirkjufell - also called hurch Mountain" it is a 1,513ft (463m) high peak with a distinct cylindrical shape. It is known to be one of the most photographed spots in Iceland, and one of the famous sites where Game of Thrones as filmed. From the parking lot you can take a walkway up to Kirkjufellsfoss - an in and out 0.6mile walk to a waterfall. This spot is very scenic, but is also typically quite crowded with tourists.
Kirkjufell & Kirkjufellsfoss
We then headed further west on the peninsula to reach Snæfellsjökull National Park. We stopped at Saxhóll Crater. Starting at the parking lot it is 385 steps (metal stairs) to reach the top of the massive crater. At the top of the steps visitors look down into the massive crater and are able to hike around the rim. From the top there are also 360 views of Snæfellsjökull National Park which is an added bonus. After Saxhóll Crater, we drove around the park, and stumbled on some great scenery. We stumbled across Budirkirkja which is a deep black, tiny wooden church located in a vast area surronded only by natu The church's stark contrast against the green background creates for a unique visual. One other noable stop was the basalat cliffs of Londrangar. This spot is known to be home to puffins, but unfortunately we did not see any while we were there. Longdrangar offers views looking out to the water atop the steep cliffs. It's easy for visitors to reach as it is a quick walk from the parking lot and there are fenced guardrails to prevent any accidents from occurring.
Budirkrkja - this church can turn anyone into a professional photographer.
To close our day, we headed home and at nightfall set out to see the Northern Lights. And lucky for us, the sky was out dancing for us that night with elaborate wisps of green and white twinkling in the night sky. There are plenty of apps to track the strength of the norther lights if you're interested in viewing them. Just be sure to go to a dark area with little to no light pollution for the best odds of viewing. Also, tours leave nearly every night and set off to chase the Northern Lights. This Get Your Guide Northern Lights Bus Tour from Reykjaviks a great example of one you can take.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Iceland was the best! It is so high on my recommendations of where to visit due to the nature of Iceland. The southern route is close to the airport. If you arrive early at a good time, you can easily explore that area before heading to downtown Reykjavik.
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