Iceland is home to the Golden circle - a trio of must-see natural wonders - Þingvellir National Park, Geysir (geothermal area) and Gullfoss waterfall:
Þingvellir National Park
Þingvellir (Thingvellir) is a national park, home to Iceland's parliament from 10th to 18th century with a number of old ruins.
Þingvellir has a rift valley caused by the separation of 2 tectonic plates, with cliffs, fissures and the Almannagjá fault.
Read more here.
Geysir geothermal area
A fascinating natural phenomenon and another must see, the Strokkur geysir erupts every 6-10 minutes and typically reaches 15-20 metres in height, with occasional eruptions reaching 40 metres (and has the odd misfire too!) There's a cafe and facilities nearby so good for a lunchtime stopover.
Gullfoss waterfall
Situated in the canyon of the Hvítá river in southwest Iceland, Gullfoss translates as 'golden falls' and is a must see. If you don't fancy navigating the staircase, there is a lower car park making Gullfoss more accessible.
Expect this to be a 140-mile round trip from Rekjavik (or shorter journey from the Selfoss area in south Iceland, which is within an hour of the golden circle with Kerid crater also en-route (see below).
In addition, there are two additional potential visits within reasonable proximity depending on how much time (and daylight you have):
The secret lagoon - a geothermal experience that is very different to the Blue Lagoon and a lot less commercial (and therefore costs a lot less too).
Additional time - up to 25 minutes away from the golden circle route
Kerið volcano crater - around an hour from the golden circle route and a better option if driving from Selfoss.
A small entrance fee of a few pounds is payable - look out for the helpful information board that shares how Kerið was formed.
And if you are feeling super adventurous, South Iceland could be the next stage of your adventure...
You may wish to keep heading south-east and find somewhere to stay for a night or two so you can add up to another handful of spectacular experiences that you will never forget:
Skógafoss waterfall - Skógafoss is a waterfall on the Skógá River in the south of Iceland at the cliff marking the former coastline. Easily accessible via the route 1 ring road, it's a powerful waterfall that you can either climb the staircase to see from an elevated position, or you can stand close and experience the power or falling water. Expect to get wet...
Seljalandsfoss waterfall - also just off the main route 1 ring road, Seljalandsfoss is easily accessible and you can even walk in behind the waterfall and experience the power of the water. Again, expect to get wet! It was lit up at night on the journey back to our accommodation, which provides a very difference experience.
Sólheimasandur plane wreck - A US navy plane ran out of fuel and crashed on the black sand beach at Sólheimasandur, thankfully with no loss of life.
50 years on, the shell of the plane remains on the beach, which is up to an hour walk or an overpriced but time saving off-road bus ride away if you have a busy schedule.
It's also an incredible story, with details of what happened and a photo of the plane on the morning after it crashed here.
Eyjafjallajökull - remember the ice-capped volcano that erupted in 2010 and downed all flights in Europe due to the ash cloud? (You can call it E15 whilst you work on your pronunciation - AY-yah-fyah-lah-YOH-kuul).
There's a small roadside visitor centre with a short film about the family farm at the foot of the volcano. It's a compelling watch about the realities of life on a volcanic island.
Reynisfjara beach - the most stunning black sand beach with basalt columns, caves and a wonderful place to be at sunrise or sunset.
Caution is required through - you'll be greeted with a stark message of 'recent tourist death' due to frequent sneaker waves and strong rip tides. However tempting it is to get close to the tide line for a great photo, it's just not worth the risk.
Vik - a good stop for food, fuel (there's also a liquor store if you need supplies) and there's a beautiful and picturesque church in an elevated position for which some wonderful photos have been taken...
Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon - whilst this incredible place will take a while to get to, it's spectacular! The drive along the south coast is pretty special too,
The glacier meets the sea, so expect to see ice calving in the lagoon and enjoy the diamond beach, where ice glistens on the black sand beach and is thrashed around in the rough waves. Rumour has it that Jökulsárlón may sadly not exist in years to come due to climate change, so it's a must see if you can manage the journey.
It's worth noting - Jökulsárlón is 2.5 hours from Vik, 4.5 hours from Selfoss and 5.25 hours from Reykjavik. It's a beautiful drive but after a long day exploring, it's a tiring journey back over a long distance, especially in the dark. So best to plan ahead.
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