Waterfalls, Vikings and Volcanoes: Touring Iceland’s Wondrous Golden Circle

Iceland: nowhere else packs nature’s beauty and Earth’s raw power into such a small space. Fancy a restorative soak in a natural hot spring before gazing up at a thunderous waterfall? Or taking in volcanic landscapes steeped in Viking history by day then watching skies flickering to the magical green­ dance of the Northern Lights by night? Sample all this and more in just 24 hours by touring around Iceland’s enchanting Golden Circle, which lies within easy reach of Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital.

Reykjavik itself is compact and chic, filled with modern museums, great shopping and fine dining. Base yourself at The Reykjavik EDITION, whose luxurious Nordic-style rooms are within easy walking distance of Laugavegur shopping district, Harpa Concert Hall, and harbour views aplenty – the hotel is a welcoming sanctuary after a day spent exploring Iceland's thrilling wilds. Also well-located in the downtown are ION City Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels™ and 101 Hotel, Reykjavik, a Member of Design Hotels™.

Catch echoes of Iceland's Viking past at Þingvellir

A millennium of Icelandic history is palpable at Iceland's 'Assembly Plains' (Photo: Getty Images)

Þingvellir – The Assembly Plains – is a spectacular 4km-wide rift valley where the North American and European tectonic plates are slowly tearing apart. Absorb the rift’s vast scale from clifftops above, looking down to where the Althing, Iceland’s Viking-age parliament, first convened over a thousand years ago. Follow paths down to the Law Rock, around which the country’s entire population gathered to hear their laws recited, and then along the rift to Öxaráfoss waterfall, where the Vikings diverted a river to supply their assemblies with water. Duels were once fought on the mid-river island here. Immediately to the south, Þingvallavatn is Iceland‘s largest lake; you can fish for arctic char (permits required) or brave the chill for a snorkel or scuba dive at Silfra nderwater canyon. Stay amongst lichen-covered lavafields on Þingvallavatn’s southern shore at the ION Adventure Hotel, Nesjavellir, a Member of Design Hotels™.

Indulge yourself the Iceland way at Fontana Geothermal Baths

Enjoy a naturally heated sauna at Fontana Geothermal Baths, situated in the tiny lakeside village of Laugarvatn, where you'll be cleansed by clouds of steam which billow up into the pine-panelled rooms from a bubbling hot spring underneath. Cool down afterwards with a quick dip in the lake – there’s even a small beach – or simply round things off with a drink as you soak in the pleasantly warm outdoor spa, taking in the views from Fontana’s lakeside pools and hot tubs.

Brave exploding springs at Geysir

A stunning blue dome forms before Strokkur erupts 30m into the air (Photo: Getty Images)

A bubbling geothermal area in the Haukadalur valley, Geysir (the Gusher) has given its name to all other geysers worldwide. You’ll get your hair misted in vapour when Strokkur – the Churn – erupts every few minutes, explosively firing a hot waterspout 30m skywards – keep an eye out for the way the pool’s surface forms a beautiful blue dome immediately before each eruption. Geysir itself is twice as powerful but performs with far less regularity. All the same, with countless boiling, gurgling mud pits and curiously coloured pools all over the valley floor, there’s plenty to keep you entertained.

Experience the full force of nature at Gullfoss

Gullfoss waterfall shows nature at its most magnificently powerful (Photo: Getty Images)

Whatever time of year you visit, two-tier Gullfoss waterfall never fails to impress. In the winter, it's atmospherically silent and frozen; in early summer, when melting snows upstream swell the Hvíta river and force it thundering through this narrow canyon, you’ll be half-deafened and stunned by its sheer elemental power. Follow boardwalks to a rocky projection right on top of the falls, where you will, of course, get soaked; rainbows in the spray are what gave Gullfoss – the Golden Falls – its name. Viewing platforms on the plateau above let you take in the waterfall’s wider setting, right on the edge of Iceland’s barren, icy interior.

Take a truly social dip at the Secret Lagoon

Indulge in al fresco bathing in natural hot springs – an intrinsically Icelandic experience – at Flúðir‘s Secret Lagoon (Gamla Laugin). Built in the 1890s to take advantage of outflows from a small geyser, this was Iceland’s first public pool (and large too, at around 40m by 20m), with water kept at a pleasant 38ºC year-round. Fully restored in 2016, it’s especially welcome in winter, when you can soak up to your neck in hot water as snow falls all around; with luck, the Northern Lights might put on a show for you.

Soak up the history at Skálholt cathedral

An austere rural cathedral standing alone on a hillside, Skálholt sits amongst a landscape of lush meadows and wetlands, backed by distant icy mountains. Iceland’s Vikings converted to Christianity in 1000 and built a cathedral here soon afterwards, which by the middle ages had grown into a religious community of 200 people – making it Iceland’s largest settlement at that time. Walk around the site, stepping inside a cosy reconstruction of Skálholt’s original turf-roofed wooden cathedral, and exploring excavations of the original bishop’s residence, where the thirteenth-century stone sarcophagus of Bishop Páll Jónsson was uncovered.

Walk the rim of colourful Kerið crater

The stunningly colourful – and easily accessible – Kerið crater (Photo: Getty Images)

At just 200m across and 50m deep, Kerið crater is small but spectacular: expect mossy green surrounds, vivid red scoria gravel slopes, and a little lake at the bottom reflecting a sapphire sky. Walking tracks circuit the rim, with good views all around – and the crater is situated handily just off the roadside. Fun fact: although Kerið looks as if it formed during an eruption, geologists believe that the crater is in fact a collapsed and flooded magma chamber.

Beyond the Golden Circle: the Blue Lagoon and south coast attractions

Time spent at the legendary Blue Lagoon is time well spent (Photo: Getty Images)

A network of misty, milky-blue ponds set amongst a lunar landscape of black lava gravel, the Blue Lagoon is Iceland’s premier outdoor spa, where you can soak away your cares in luxuriously warm water, all heated by a spring welling up from deep in the Earth. An essential Iceland experience, you can visit from Reykjavik, stop off on your way to the airport, or stay nearby at Courtyard Reykjavik Keflavik Airport hotel.

With an extra day, take in more extraordinary sights in a drive along Iceland’s south coast. There’s steaming lava at Geldingadalur, site of Iceland’s most recent volcanic eruption; seabirds and volcanoes on the Westman Islands; the Sólheimasandur plane wreck, gleaming silver against black sand; stunning waterfalls at Seljalandsfoss and Skógarfoss; Þórsmörk‘s glaciers and hiking trails; more outdoor swimming at Seljavallalaug pool; and long, black sand beaches around Vík.

And for dinner...

There’s no need to go far for fine Icelandic dining: Reykjavik EDITION’s Tides restaurant is headed by Gunnar Karl Gíslason, Iceland's first Michelin-star chef, and uses only the freshest, most sustainable produce from local suppliers. Alternatively, head out for Japanese-influenced seafood at Fiskmarkardurinn, Michelin-rated Icelandic cooking with Matur Og Drykkur’s seasonal six-course set menu, or simply feast on steak at Grillmarkardurinn. If you can’t decide, head to Hlemmur Foodhall, whose eight informal venues offer everything from a pizza to experimental Icelandic cuisine

Published: November 03, 2022

Article Tags:  Reykjavik , Iceland