16 Must Stop Attractions Along the Golden Circle in Iceland

Iceland is one of the most incredible places in the world. It’s an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean known for its waterfalls, mountains, and black sand beaches.

The Golden Circle is one of the most popular things to do on the island. It’s a 190-mile loop that takes you to all the most scenic spots on the island, like Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, and Gullfoss Falls.

A normal Golden Circle tour you book online will only stop at 3-5 places and skip some of the best places that few people have been to. Here are the 15 must-stop attractions along the Golden Circle in Iceland that make your vacation one of the most memorable ones of your life.

1. Kerid Crater

The first stop out of Reykjavík is Kerid Crater. This three-thousand-year-old volcano is one of the youngest on the island. Because of its youth, it has a red coloring that not many other volcanoes in Iceland have. In the center of the volcano’s crater is an aqua-colored lake that looks incredible against the red rocks.

You can hike up to the volcano’s rim and get a fantastic view of the lake along with the colorful slopes of the volcano and the surrounding area. The best time to visit the volcano is during the summer when the fauna is growing, which gives the volcano’s slope green and red coloring that looks incredible in photos.

2. Sólheimar

The next stop on your tour is the Sólheimar Ecovillage. This tiny village of just 100 people is famous for its organic farming, greenhouses, and renewable energy. It is a great place to visit to see what we could live like if we surrounded ourselves with a community that cares about the environment and worked together to lessen our carbon footprint.

This village is also known for its art. Many villagers are artists, making it a great place to buy souvenirs to take home.

3. Skálholt

This tiny town used to be one of the most important places in Iceland. It was founded in 1056 when a bishopric was established, making it one of the major political and religious powers of Iceland.

The church is the focal point of the village and is one of the largest churches in Iceland. The original church that once stood here was built in 1056 but had to be rebuilt in the 1950s. Today, you can tour the church and see the ancient relics and burial sites of some of Iceland’s most famous bishops.

4. Slakki Petting Zoo

Here, you’ll find farm animals, domestic animals, and even some wild ones! You can get up close and personal with the farm animals, such as pigs, cows, goats, and even turkeys. This is also one of the few places where you can see an Arctic fox, one of Iceland’s only native mammals.

This is the perfect place for your kids to learn about local wildlife and pet some of their favorite animals, such as dogs, cats, and guinea pigs. Your kids can also help with chores around the zoo, like feeding and grooming the animals.

5. Friðheimar

Friðheimar is a locally owned restaurant that grows all of its ingredients and is most famous for its tomatoes, which are grown year-round. Now, this might not sound that impressive, but when you consider that Iceland only gets about 5 hours of sun during the winter and the highest temperature during the summer is only 50 degrees, it makes it a little more special.

This restaurant has country-style seating and is run by a local Icelandic family. Before you come here, reserve a seat online and order their world-famous tomato soup!

6. Secret Lagoon

If the Blue Lagoon is too crowded, come to Secret Lagoon! It’s the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, built in 1891 in the Flúðir area. The hot water from this lagoon is brought in from nearby hot springs, which you can walk to and see for yourself.

In many parts of this area, the water is boiling, but it stays at a perfect 100 degrees in the Secret Lagoon. If you are looking for a warm place to escape the cold and be immersed in nature, this is the place for you!

7. Faxafoss

Faxafoss is the first waterfall you will see as you go along the Golden Circle. It is not a very tall waterfall, but the beauty that surrounds it is incredible. It’s about 23 feet tall and 260 feet wide and is just a 5-minute detour from the Golden Circle.

Because it’s a little off the main road, not many people go here, so you could have the whole thing to yourself if you get here early enough. It’s only a few minutes’ walk from the parking lot, and there is a campground right next to it. You can spend the night there and fall asleep to the sound of a rushing waterfall.

8. Geysir

This is one of the most famous stops along the Golden Circle. There are only about 1,000 geysers in the world, and 50 of them are in Iceland. The sad part about this geyser is that it has become inactive in the last few years.

Luckily, another geyser just down the road from Geysir, Strokkur, erupts every 4-10 minutes. The pool at Geysir is still worth seeing, but when it comes to seeing it shoot boiling water 230 feet into the air, those days might be over. Fun fact: back in the 1800s, Geysir would erupt 560 feet in the air!

9. Langjökull

If you head further up the road, you’ll hit the Langjökull Glacier. At 361 square miles, it is the second-largest glacier in Iceland. You can book a tour online with a guide to explore its vastness and see the many ice caves that dot it.

The most famous of these ice caves is the “Into the Glacier” experience. It’s the longest artificial ice cave in the world, and it takes about an hour to walk all the way through. To get to this cave, you must take snowmobiles or ride in a modified glacier vehicle.

10. Brúarfoss

Brúarfoss is a series of waterfalls that flow from the glacier, giving the water a neon blue color. The contrast of the water on the black rocks that it flows across is incredible, and the greenery that surrounds the waterfall just adds to its beauty.

This is a pretty remote location, so getting here can be difficult. However, it is definitely worth the trip! The hike to the waterfall is about 4 miles in, and then another 4 miles back on the same trail. The entire route is along a river, so there will always be things to see.

11. Laugarvatn Fontana

This luxury spa is right on a lake and is another one of the main stops along the Golden Circle. If you are looking for a place to relax and enjoy the scenery at a lake, you will love it here.

There’s a restaurant on site here where you can enjoy local cuisine and even eat bread that was baked in the ground! Most people start their day here with a tour and then spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the mineral water while getting to know the rest of their tour group.

12. Thingvellir National Park

If there’s one spot you can’t miss on the Golden Circle tour, it’s Thingvellir National Park. There’s so much to do and see in this national park, but here are the main things you can’t miss. First, you can walk between tectonic plates!

With just one step, you can cross from the North American tectonic plate to the Eurasian tectonic plate. There are not many places in the world where you can do this. After this, you can head to Lake Thingvallavatn and see the many plants and fish in the area. If you like to fish, then you have to visit this lake. It’s the largest natural lake in Iceland, so there is plenty to do in this area.

13. Silfra Fissure

Maybe you thought snorkeling was only for beach vacations. Well, think again! You can snorkel the Silfra Fissure in Thingvellir National Park. If walking between two tectonic plates wasn’t enough, then try swimming between them!

This is the only place on earth that you can do this, so make sure to book your tour before you go! These tours will take you into this crack in the world and let you swim in its crystal-clear spring water. Make sure that your tour provides wetsuits because the water is freezing cold!

14. Öxarárfoss

This is the most famous waterfall and hike in Thingvellir National Park. The hike is easy and about 3 miles long on a looped trail. The path to get there is gravel, and when you arrive at Öxarárfoss, prepare to be amazed!

This waterfall is 44 feet tall and is 20 feet wide. The trail ends when you reach the bottom of the falls, where you can take in its beauty from below. The river that flows from these falls goes all the way to Lake Thingvallavatn, which is about a mile away.

15. Thingvellir Church

Inside this National Park is also a church in the spot where there’s been a church for over 1,000 years. The church currently on this site is from 1859, as you can tell from the beauty of the architecture.

You can come here any time of year, and the church will be equally stunning. The simplicity of the architecture and very minimal coloring make it look like it belongs here and has always been here.

16. Þórufoss

If you’re a Game of Thrones nerd, this waterfall is for you. It’s located just outside the National Park, so the number of tourists who come to these falls is much fewer. In S4 E06 of GOT, a dragon flies down and lands next to a sheepherder and this incredible waterfall.

I’ve been to quite a few GOT filming locations, and this one is up there with the best of them! It’s just off the main road and has a place where you can park and walk right up to it. The falls are about 60 feet tall and surrounded by the classic black rock and green moss that Iceland is famous for.