Iceland Golden Circle Self-Driving Itinerary (with Map)

In this article, we’ll share a complete itinerary for the Golden Circle, including must-see stops, a map, and other essential information to help you plan your trip.

The Golden Circle is one of the most popular road trip routes near Reykjavik. It features beautiful, unique, and incredible stops like Thingvellir National Park, stunning waterfalls, geothermal areas, and more. This route can typically be completed in one day.

---

Table of Contents

In this guide, we’ll cover the following topics:

---

Iceland Golden Circle One Day Itinerary with Map

Here’s a map with our suggested Golden Circle Itinerary for one day. You can click on the image to open the map in Google My Maps.

Main places to visit in the Golden Circle

Here are the places to include in the Golden Circle road trip in order, starting in Reykjavik.

• Thingvellir National Park
• Öxarárfoss
• Laugarvatn Fontana Spa
• Efstidalur II
• Geysir Geothermal Area
• Gullfoss
• Faxafoss
• Secret Lagoon
• Fridhermar Greenhouse
• Kerid Crater

What is the Golden Circle in Iceland?

The Golden Circle in Iceland is a circular route of approximately 300km near Reykjavik. It can be done in just one day and features many interesting and unique places with diverse geological features, such as volcanic craters, waterfalls, geysers, and geothermal waters.

This route is quite popular because you can see a lot in just one day, and it is relatively close to Reykjavik, which is great for those who just have a few days in the country.

This can also be added to a longer Iceland road trip. Even though this is where you’ll find more tourists, the places are unique and definitely worth seeing. We added the Golden Circle to the end of our South Iceland Road Trip.

How to Explore the Golden Circle?

To explore the Golden Circle, I recommend renting a car. The roads are in good condition and not difficult to drive on. However, you must be aware that you may be driving in harsh weather conditions. You must always check the weather before venturing out driving.

Recommended reading: Renting and Driving a Car In Iceland: 13 Essential Tips

The best seasons for a road trip in Iceland are late spring, early autumn, or summer. In winter the probability of bad weather increases. We recommend reading our guide about renting and driving a car in Iceland for more information about this topic.

If you’re not comfortable driving a car in a foreign country or if you’re not used to driving in difficult weather conditions like in Iceland, you may also consider going on an organized tour to the Golden Circle. There are several options available—check some of the options below.

Best Time to Visit the Golden Circle

For a self-drive visit to the Golden Circle, the best times are autumn, spring, or summer. We visited in April and were fortunate to enjoy pleasant weather. At that time of year, some landscapes were still covered in snow, and the waterfalls were quite powerful.

However, spring and autumn can have unpredictable weather. If you’re looking for a higher chance of favorable conditions, summer is the ideal choice, though prices will be at their highest during this season.

This can also be done in winter, but the roads can be icy or closed during heavy snowfall. Additionally, you’ll have limited daylight hours, which means less time for exploring. If you’re visiting during this time of the year, it’s highly recommended to rent a 4×4 vehicle or book a guided tour of the Golden Circle.

Where to Stay to Explore the Golden Circle

Two of the most popular places to base yourself to explore the Golden Circle are Reykjavik and Selfoss. You can do the Golden Circle clockwise or counterclockwise and finish at the same place or in different places. For example, if the Golden Circle is part of a bigger road trip, it may be more practical to start in Reykjavik and end at Selfoss or the other way around.

We did it counterclockwise starting and ending at Selfoss, but another great option is to end it in Reykjavik.

Main places to visit in the Golden Circle

We’ll show you the main places you may want to include in your Golden Circle road trip.

• Thingvellir National Park
• Öxarárfoss
• Laugarvatn Fontana Spa
• Efstidalur II
• Geysir Geothermal Area
• Gullfoss
• Faxafoss
• Secret Lagoon
• Fridhermar Greenhouse
• Kerid Crater

Thingvellir National Park

If you’re starting in Reykjavik, your first stop will be at Thingvellir National Park. What can you do at the Thingvellir National Park? You can walk between two tectonic plates: the North American and Eurasian plates. The park is located in a rift valley, where the plates are slowly drifting apart.

One of the most unique activities here is diving or snorkeling in Silfra, a unique underwater fissure between the plates— this is one of the few places on Earth where you can swim between continents.

There are also several hiking trails and scenic walks. The most popular include the Öxarárfoss waterfall (more about the waterfall below) and panoramic views of the Thingvellir Church.

Another interesting fact is that Thingvellir National Park is home to Iceland’s first parliament, one of the oldest in the world. One of the landmarks is the Lögberg (Law Rock)—you’ll see Iceland’s flag right next to it.

Reserve approximately two hours to visit this place, or more if you want to dive in Silfra.

Öxarárfoss

Still at Thingvellir National Park, you cannot miss the Öxarárfoss waterfall. It’s quite unique due to its black basalt rocks in cube shapes.

Laugarvatn Fontana

Laugarvatn Fontana is a geothermal spa located by the Laugarvatn Lake built on natural hot springs. You can relax in its natural pool, experience steam rooms, and sauna, and take a dip in the refreshing lake.

Something unique in this place is that you can try their rye bread baked underground with the geothermal heat.

Efstidalur II

While exploring the Golden Circle, we made a quick stop at Efstidalur II to enjoy some homemade ice cream made from milk sourced from their own cows. You can even see the cows from the ice cream shop.

Geysir Geothermal Area

This is one of the most popular places in the Golden Circle because you can witness the eruption of a geyser. There are several geysers in the area, including the famous Geysir, which gave name to the area and all geysirs, but it’s mostly dormant now.

Only Strokkur erupts periodically—approximately every 5 to 12 minutes—shooting water up to 20–40 meters high. This area is still quite active and you can also see bubbling hot springs, boiling mud pits, and fumaroles—there is a strong smell of sulfur in this area.

Gullfoss

On the Golden Circle, you cannot miss the Gullfoss waterfall. This is one of the most powerful waterfalls I’ve seen. It has two main drops that go into a deep canyon.

There are several walking paths to see the waterfalls from different perspectives and you can get quite close. If you’re lucky to visit on a sunny day, you may see rainbows created from the mist’s waterfall.

Faxafoss

Another waterfall on the Golden Circle you cannot miss is the Faxafoss waterfall. This is a wide waterfall with a width of approximately 80 meters. There are viewpoint platforms from above, but you can also get quite close to the waterfall down there.

Next to the waterfall, there is a small man-made ladder, that I later learned was to help the salmon in migrating upstream.

Secret Lagoon

The Secret Lagoon is a great alternative for those who want to experience Iceland’s hot mineral waters but don’t want to go to the touristy and expensive Blue Lagoon. Or maybe you want to experience both.

Secret Lagoon is the oldest natural pool in Iceland with warm water coming from hot springs. Additionally, there is a walking path built around the pool so that you can safely watch the several hot springs around the Lagoon.

If you intend to visit, it is advised to book in advance. And if you want a day full of relaxation, you can stay in a guesthouse right next to it (Garður Stay Inn).

Friðheimar Restaurant

Another popular spot highly recommended along the Golden Circle is Friðheimar Farm/Restaurant. This unique restaurant is set inside a tomato greenhouse and specializes in a variety of tomato-based dishes, including soups, drinks, and even desserts. We wanted to visit, but it was fully booked for the day. If you plan to go, be sure to make a reservation in advance.

Kerid Crater

At last, make a quick stop at the Kerid Crater. This is a volcanic crater with a beautiful blue lake that contrasts with the surrounding red volcanic rock. This rock is quite different from other volcanic rocks we’ve seen in other places in Iceland.

There is a walking path around the crater to see it from different perspectives. When we visited, the lake was still frozen. The landscape around the crater is also worth seeing for its different shades of red and brown.

End up your Golden Circle trip in Selfoss to continue your road trip to the South of Iceland or return to Reykjavik.

More Iceland Travel Guides

We hope you found this guide for the Golden Circle useful. If you’re planning a trip to Iceland, make sure to check our other Iceland Travel Guides:

• Iceland 7-Day Road Trip Itinerary
• Iceland: Glacier and Ice Cave Tour—What to Expect
• Renting and Driving a Car In Iceland: 13 Essential Tips
• Planning a Trip To Iceland: 25 Things You Should Know
• >> All our Iceland Travel Guides <<

Finally, you can use our links to book your accommodation, and activities and find cheap flights. You won’t pay more for it and you’ll be supporting our work.