I drove the Golden Circle in Iceland for one day. Here’s what to see & what to skip.

I just got back from a spur-of-the-moment trip to Iceland with my boyfriend. Despite our last-minute stress, we packed our 2-night trip with some of the best attractions and activities near Reykjavík. We spent a full day touring the Golden Circle.

The Golden Circle is a popular driving route that includes some of Iceland’s most notable sights. It’s one of the best things to do in southern Iceland. To save you some time, I created the perfect one-day itinerary just for you (click here to see it on Google Maps).

From roaring waterfalls to volcanic wonders, here’s what you can’t miss and what you can skip on your Golden Circle road trip. 

But first, you’ll need a car.

If you want to have any ounce of freedom, rent a car in Iceland. The city of Reykjavík is 45 minutes from the airport in Keflavík (KEF). From there, the Golden Circle takes about 3.5 hours (without stops). So yeah, you’re going to want to have your own wheels.

I recommend using the search engine Discover Cars to find great rental deals from Keflavík airport. You’ll be spending a lot of time in the car, so you want to make sure it’s a good one for you.

This itinerary starts and ends in Reykjavik, where you’ll likely be staying. However, you can hop on this circular route wherever you’d like. Grab a coffee and a slice of almond cake from a local cafe before hitting the road. You’ll need a pick-me-up for the long day ahead of you!

One Day Iceland Golden Circle Itinerary

Stop 1: The Phallus Museum in Downtown Reykjavik

Not many itineraries include a museum full of mammalian phalluses, but mine does. Start your day at the Phallus Museum in Reykjavík. This hidden gem is an absolute riot to visit, and totally unforgettable.

Peruse over 300 “specimens” on display from human anatomy to sperm whales and giraffes. I’ve never seen anything like this place. You might crave a snack from the hot dog stand strategically set up near the entrance. Or not…

💌Note: If you send a postcard from here, make sure to put it in an envelope. It’ll probably never make it to its recipient due to the foul nature of the image if you don’t conceal it.

Stop 2: Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park

Welcome to one of three Icelandic UNESCO World Heritage sites. This stunning national park includes several must-see attractions, many of which appear on this itinerary. There are also a few things you shouldn’t waste your time on, in my opinion. I’ll give you the lowdown later in the article.

Stop 3: Laugarvatn Fontana Geothermal Pools

This hot spring was my favorite part of our Golden Circle Drive. We got to soak in a natural volcanic wonder. This place had both natural and man-made pools, so you could switch back and forth and decide what you liked best. It was also right next to a frigid lake where we did a cold plunge between saunas and soaks.

Hot showers were included so we could freshen up before continuing our Golden Circle tour. The best part was the price. It was only $40 per person compared to almost a hundred dollars more per person at the more touristy Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon.

Don’t forget to bring a bathing suit and a towel on your drive. If you forget, you can rent them here for around $20. But nobody wants to wear a used swimsuit rental, so pack one in your day bag before you go!

You can also bake rye bread underground here. This unique experience was featured on Hollywood hunk Zac Efron’s Netflix series Down to Earth in 2020. I had no idea we were at one of the show’s highlighted locations when we visited (I watched the Iceland episode years ago), so I missed out on the bubbling brown bread. Next time!

📚 Related Reading: What to Pack for Iceland

Stop 4: Gullfoss Falls

Gullfoss Falls, meaning “Golden Falls,” is a prime example of the natural energy for which Iceland is so well-known. You can feel the power of the water as an average of 110 cubic meters per second rush by you. It’s a great mid-point for your Golden Circle tour as it’s just under two hours away from Reykjavík.

This massive waterfall was one of the prettiest things I’ve ever seen. You could see rainbows coming out of the falls from almost every angle. The viewing areas are so close to the falls that we felt like we were practically in the roaring river. Be careful, the rocks are slick and it’s very cold here! You might want to bring a rain slicker to keep dry.

Stop 5: Raufarhólshellir Lava Tunnels

Visit some of the largest lava tunnels in the world on the home stretch back to Reykjavík. Suit up with a helmet, headlamp, and walking stick and head underground. This guided tour takes you to the depths of tunnels formed by Iceland’s Leitahraun eruption over 5,000 years ago.

The colors and the history are fascinating, and you can’t do something like this really anywhere else. My boyfriend made this our “splurge excursion” (it was about $60 each), but it was worth it to try something so different and interesting. It was a memorable travel date for both of us!

Things You Can Skip if You’re Short on Time:

The Continental Divide

I only say you should skip the continental divide because of the sheer amount of people flooding this spot. It’s one of the first stops in Thingvellir Park, right next to the visitor’s center, so everybody is there. I am a bit of a crowd-phobe, so I wanted to get back on the road. The mass of people kind of took away from the natural beauty.

If you really want to hop back and forth between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, don’t let me tell you not to.

I do recommend visiting if you want to scuba dive in the Silfra Fissure. This site allows you to dive between the tectonic plates in crystal-clear water. Had I been up to date on my scuba certification, I wouldn’t have missed this. But if you’re just looking at the rocks? Not that worth it if you ask me!

Strokkur Geysir

If you’ve been to Yellowstone, Strokkur Geysir might be a little disappointing for you. I anticipated an Old Faithful-esque explosion, but I got a 1-second burst of steam instead. A hundred people gathered around a steamy hole in the ground? Pass.

Kerid Crater

Don’t get me wrong, the Kerid Crater was beautiful. But you have to pay to see it (about $10), and there’s nothing to do besides stare at it. You can knock this stop off in about 5-minutes. If it was free I’d say you should give it a look, but the fee makes it not worth it to me.

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Now you’re ready for a full day-long Icelandic adventure. I promise it’ll be one of the best road trips of your life. Remember to respect the beautiful land and brush up on unfamiliar driving laws. You’re in for the ride of a lifetime.

Make sure to check out my article on the do’s and don’ts of solo traveling through Europe if you plan to visit Iceland on your own. And leave me a comment if you think I need to add any spectacular sites to this itinerary. Drive safe!