The Golden Circle
The Golden Circle is the most popular day tour that people visiting Iceland do so you can expect a lot of people around. But that doesn’t mean that the area isn’t worth the visit. On the contrary it does pack a punch, especially if you add some the extra stops that aren’t done by all. From Bitra Guesthouse you can be at any of the attractions with in an hour so let’s go!
Gullfoss Waterfall
Gullfoss waterfall is one of the iconic waterfalls in Iceland standing at 32 meters. It divides into two sections that cascade into a beautiful canyon carved out by huge glacier floods throughout history. Make sure that you walk to the viewpoint right next to the edge to get a close view.
Geysir
The only place in Iceland where you can see an erupting geyser. The majestic Strokkur geyser erupts up to about 20 meters every 4-8 minutes. In the area we also have a geyser Geysir that every other geyser in the world are named after (I bet you didn’t know that the word Geyser comes from Icelandic!). Unfortunately Geysir doesn’t erupt anymore but it used to shoot up to about 60-80 meters.
Þingvellir National Park
This is where you can see two tectonic plates with a huge rift valley in-between. Take the opportunity and walk from the rift valley and up to the North-American tectonic plate. And on that walk you will walk through the historic grounds of Þingvellir (Parliament Fields). Þingvellir is where the Icelandic parliament Alþingi was founded in 930. It is also the site where Icelanders took up Christianity around the year 1000.
Kerið Volcanic Crater
A nice little stop where you can walk the rim of a 3000 year old crater. It is believed to have been a magma chamber that collapsed in on itself. You can also walk down into it where there is a beautiful green lake. Keep in mind that there is an admission fee of 450 ISK to gain entry into the area.
Faxi Waterfall
A quick stop at a nice looking waterfall if you aren’t bored of waterfalls yet. There is an admission fee to get into this area.
The Secret Lagoon
What better way of ending a day out on the Golden Circle than enjoying a soak in geothermal waters. Known locally as “Gamla Laugin” it has been a place for the locals to relax and swim since the early 1900’s. In the last few years it has been modernized while keeping true to it’s origins. Check it out here.