Discovering the Wonders of Iceland: Golden Circle Tour

When you go to Iceland, the first thing to do, both culturally and geographically, is definitely the Golden Circle Tour, located in the south of the country. This was the tour we arranged for the very next day after we arrived in the city. The one we purchased from www.guidetoiceland.is took approximately 8 hours, starting with being picked up from the hotel at 8 in the morning and being dropped off at the hotel again.

Let's also point out this; especially on these types of tours, you need to dress in layers, your clothes must be water resistant and you must have good walking shoes. If you wish, you can also take your hand warmer with you. This came in handy at times, especially on tours with very strong winds like this one.

Now let's talk about where we stopped throughout the day.

1-Faxi

It is a smaller and quieter place compared to the first waterfall flowing in the Tungufljót River on the road and Gullfoss.

2-Geysir

It is a famous hot spring located in the geothermal area of the Haukadalur Valley in southwestern Iceland. Although the Geysir itself is rarely active these days, this valley boasts numerous hot springs and geysers, including the mighty Strokkur, Smiður and Litli-Strokkur.

Strokkur is probably the most famous hot spring in the country, which erupts every 5-10 minutes and can shoot large jets of boiling water up to 20-40 meters. In the North of Geysir there are numerous fumaroles that emit steam and gas into the cool Icelandic air. Especially when traveling here, it is necessary to wait a little for this moment of gush. At that time, when the strong wind and cold weather combine, your hands holding the camera may feel a little cold. :)

3-Gullfoss (Golden Falls): One of Iceland's most iconic waterfalls, located in the Hvítá river canyon. It is very difficult to even stand in the canyon here because the wind is very strong.

It was noon when we arrived at this 3rd point of our tour. We first had our hot soup at the cafe/restaurant there, then wandered around the souvenir section for a while, then went down to the waterfall side.

4-Thingvellir National Park: This is the only UNESCO World Heritage site in Iceland. After going on a pleasant walk to explore the surroundings, you can take photos under country flags. Just south of the park is Iceland's largest natural lake, Thingvallavatn. The 'Althing' located in the region is also the oldest surviving parliament building in the world.

On the way back, we stopped at a place with a small farm in an area called Myrkholt. There were horses, goats and sheep inside.

Right next to it, handmade and 100% original Icelandic wool cardigans, hats and socks were sold. Iceland's woolen materials are already famous.

By the way, when we came here, Meriç, who was affected by the strong smell of the barn, could not enter. Some smells can be strong, but the rest of the group was unaffected.

Speaking of farms, there is a very interesting fact about the number of animals here. We will share it in detail in another article.