The Golden Circle is probably the most popular route most tourists visit when in Iceland.

According to Google Maps the Golden Circle is about 237 kilometers and it will take you about 3 hours and 21 minutes to drive, non-stop.

So, if you only have a day in Iceland, make sure to include the Golden Circle on your itinerary to make the most out of your quick visit in this beautiful country!

Here are my top 5 must see places around the Golden Circle:
  1. Thingvellir National Park – most common stop for all tourists visiting Iceland. *Founded in 1930, the park was later expanded to protect the diverse and natural phenomena in the surrounding area, and was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2004. Thingvellir National Park became a national park as a result of legislation passed in 1928 to protect the remains of the parliament site, thus creating the first national park in Iceland. One of the top things to see when at Thingvellir National Park is Öxarárfoss, which is one of my favourite waterfalls!

    Öxarárfoss

  2. Geysir and Strokkur – another favourite stop amount the tourists is the very active Geysir area. *Strokkur is a fountain geyser located in a geothermal area beside the Hvítá River in Iceland in the southwest part of the country, east of Reykjavík. It is one of Iceland’s most famous geysers, erupting once every 6–10 minutes

    at the Geysir area.

  3. Reykjavik – *country’s capital and largest city. It’s home to the National and Saga museums, tracing Iceland’s Viking history. The striking concrete Hallgrimskirkja church and rotating Perlan glass dome offer sweeping views of the sea and nearby hills.

    Hallgrimmskirkja in Reykjavik after Sunset

  4. Gulfoss Waterfall – *Together with Þingvellir and the geysers of Haukadalur, Gullfoss forms part of the Golden Circle, a popular day excursion for tourists in Iceland. Total height is about 32m, located at the Southwest of Iceland

    Gulfoss Waterfall

  5. Kerid – *A volcanic crater lake located in the Grímsnes area in south Iceland, along the Golden Circle. It is one of several crater lakes in the area, known as Iceland’s Western Volcanic Zone.

    Kerid Crater lake

The best thing to do would be to rent a car for a day, and just go on a roadtrip around the Golden Circle. You will definitely enjoy your quick/short stay in Iceland!

 

Safe travels everyone!

*source: wikipedia