Iceland - 2025 - Reykjavik and Golden Circle Tour
We have a strong recommendation for you if you're planning to visit Iceland, get proper waterproof gear, boots, pants, gloves and jacket, thermal underwear, top and bottom, and a beany, please trust me, forget about jeans or any other clothes that take a long time to dry, be prepared and you’ll be fine. Also, don’t forget to pack your lip balm, really.
Summer is almost over, so it's time to create some new travel memories. We walk to the Verride train station, catch a Rede Expressos bus to Lisbon airport and then take a 4 and a half hour Play Airlines flight to Reykjavik, Iceland, our 81st country. Play is the Icelandic low cost airline and it’s very decent, lots of leg room and friendly staff. We’ve read a lot about Iceland and we're very excited about this trip. It’s mid September and still a balmy 30 degrees in Portugal but when we land at the airport it’s 5 degrees and we’re hit by very strong arctic winds and rain. From the airport we take a Flybus to BSI Reykjavik City Bus Terminal (28 euros for a 45 minute ride, yes, you heard me right) and check in at Hostel B47, 115 euros a night for a tiny, spartan, private room with two bunk beds, shared bathroom and communal kitchen (yes, right again, that’s the price). Luckily we were smart enough to buy a litre of whisky for our 3 night stay and after a shot or two we crash at 4am. At 6 we’re woken up by some idiots next door having a very loud conversation, of course, I become my grizzly bear self and knock on their door, saying "sorry but we would like to sleep, thank you very much", after 14 hours on the road. It’s not really their fault as the walls are paper thin and there’s no soundproofing whatsoever. The hostel is the biggest we've ever seen, an entire block, and we have seen a few, it's also a perfect location to explore the city on foot.
We know Iceland is a very expensive country, apparently the most or second most expensive in the world (depending on your source) and have read and talked to friends who have been here before, about people bringing their food as the cost of eating out is prohibitive. So we bring some stuff like instant noodles, crackers, cheeses and cold cuts, peanuts, some croissants for breakfast and chocolate, just leaving us to grab a loaf of bread from the local Bonus Supermarket and we’re sorted. It's also interesting that guests leave their left-over food on the shelves and fridge in the hostel kitchen for the other guests to use. Next morning we wake up, after 2 hours of sleep and go for a short hike to the Observation Deck of Perlan and the Öskjuhlíð Hill to catch the stunning views of Reykjavik from up high. After that we visit the incredible, very unique Hallgrímskirkja cathedral, see the gorgeous and colourful Old Town and finish with a long walk along the waterfront (Old Harbour). We also see the magnificent Solfar (Sun Voyagers) Sculpture, check out Downtown Reykjavik and finish the day at lovely and quaint Lake Tjörnin, for some bird and people watching. We’ve heard it freezes in the winter and people ice-skate there.
About the weather... It was 30 degrees when we left Lisbon and 5 degrees and very windy when we arrived in Reykjavik and by the time we arrive downtown it's raining but then it turns into a gorgeous sunny day. Apparently they say you get 4 seasons in one day here and I suppose they're right, they even have over a hundred words to describe the weather. The wind is relentless but the blue sky and the gorgeous scenery easily make up for it. It's important to say we're travelling in mid-September, so I don't even want to think how it is outside summertime. The locals are dry to the point of being unfriendly and even the tourists seem to be extremely up-themselves. It might just be the weather or maybe the locals are just jaded from suddenly being invaded by mobs of rude, loud tourists from all over the world on massive group tours. The hostel kitchen comes alive at meal times with people cooking everything, from pasta to stir-fries and everything in between, we’ve never seen anything on this sort of scale.
Iceland is a young country with lots of young people and immigrants. The Icelandic language is at risk of being lost and kids have to learn 3-4 languages at school. It’s the safest country in the world with only around 100 people in jail. It has no trains, has high taxes to subsidise free health care, free education and very affordable energy and heating due to their geothermal natural energy production. They do grow most of their food though and raise cattle, sheep and goats. Everything else is very expensive.
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On our second day we take the Golden Circle Classic Tour (72 euros per person, totally worth it). The Golden Circle route is the perfect introduction to the spectacular scenery that the “Land of Fire and Ice” offers you. A typical Golden Circle tour lasts between 6 to 8 hours depending on the itinerary and the number of stops. The tour includes comfortable transportation, a knowledgeable guide, and admission fees to all the main attractions. Given that the tour takes place outdoors, it’s essential to dress according to the weather. Layer up with waterproof clothing, wear comfortable shoes, and don’t forget your camera to capture the stunning sights. The Golden Circle is a renowned tourist route in Iceland that showcases three of the country’s most spectacular attractions: Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area, and Gullfoss Waterfall. This scenic route is a must-visit for anyone eager to explore Iceland’s natural wonders and historical landmarks. Whether you’re marvelling at the geological rift, caused by two tectonic plates, at Þingvellir, witnessing the explosive geysers, or standing in awe of majestic Gullfoss, the Golden Circle is an unforgettable adventure. Here’s a brief outline of the tour:
Viking History & Colliding Continents at Iceland´s Þingvellir National Park
Your first stop on Iceland’s famous Golden Circle is Thingvellir (Þingvellir) National Park, one of the main Golden Circle attractions. This place of outstanding natural beauty is the birthplace of the Icelandic Parliament. The Vikings made their laws here for a thousand years and celebrated summer festivals in this stunning location. You can walk between the towering North American and Eurasian tectonic plates here, which are splitting apart at the rate of a few millimeters a year. Iceland declared it’s independence here in 1944, and in 2004, Thingvellir was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Imagine yourself walking with Vikings in this magical place!
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Bubbling with Excitement at Geysir Geothermal Area
The next adventure on your Golden Circle tour is the world-famous Geysir Geothermal Area in the Haukadalur Valley. The world’s geysers take their name from this place – Geysir means “to gush” in Icelandic. Geysir itself erupts very rarely now, but don’t worry! Nearby, Strokkur (it’s little brother) is very active, with eruptions of boiling hot water soaring high into the air every 10 minutes or so. It truly is one of Iceland´s must see attractions. Feel the earth tremble beneath your feet as it prepares to explode, and smell the sulfur in the air! This is where you can really experience Iceland’s powerful underground geothermal energy at close quarters. Just watch which way the wind is blowing, one of the times it went off we were drenched in smelly warm water!!!
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Majestic Gullfoss Falls, the Golden Falls of Hvita River
The best is saved for last with a stop at Gullfoss Waterfall, which translates as the “Gold Falls” is a short drive from Geysir. Fed by glacial meltwater from Langjökull Glacier (the Long Glacier), you'll be amazed by this roaring two-tiered waterfall, plunging more than 70 meters and then crashing deep into a rocky canyon. If you visit on a sunny day, you'll see spectacular rainbows rising above the waters, or if you're here in the winter, the falls will be a frozen wonderland instead! Clouds of spray hang in the air, making Gullfoss Waterfall a sensational sight, and there are several viewing platforms so you can experience it at different levels.
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On our way back to Reykjavik, after seeing a double rainbow I say to Paul, oh come on, now they’re just showing off, it can’t be that beautiful, but it is. As I said before, we’ve read a lot about Iceland and have seen photos and videos but nothing prepares you for how wild, rugged, stunning and unique this country really is. If you’re ever in this region, don’t miss the opportunity to go on this tour, seriously. Our guide is very nice, knowledgeable and funny. He tells us that the Icelanders eat all their cute animals, from Puffins to Elks and it becomes a running joke. He tells us about an animal, and then he says they’re cute, and then what do we do with cute animals?, we eat them of course… yes, he was funny.
On our last day we go for a sunrise walk along the waterfront and have the sunbathed, gorgeous Solfar (Sun Voyagers) Sculpture just to ourselves. What an amazing trip that was, strongly recommended even if Iceland is fast becoming another victim of over-tourism and its own success. We then go back to our hostel, grab our backpacks, take another FlyBus to the airport, a Play flight back to Lisbon, a Rede Expressos bus back to Coimbra, where we´re picked up by our local taxi driver to take us back home. We hope you’ve enjoyed this trip as much as we did and we’ll be with you again for the next one very soon.
P.S. Play Airlines went bankrupt, literally a week after our return, leaving lots of people stranded in both Portugal and Iceland.
This featured blog entry was written by Pauluiza from the blog Paul and Luiza's World Adventures.
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