Days Four, Five, & Six - Iceland - 2025

A day in Iceland’s capital city before heading to arguably the country’s crown jewel - the Golden Circle.

1. Íslenski Barinn #1

Sliced whale with a pastry on a plate at Íslenski Barinn, Reykjavík, Iceland.

Íslenski Barinn in Reykjavík is known for selling tourist-oriented traditional food such as whale …

The next morning was a bit messy logistically as I had to pick up our fifth traveler at Keflavík Airport early in the morning while simultaneously coordinating a second rental car. From here on, the trip would certainly become more “choose your own adventure.” While some in the group choose to explore the Sky Lagoon, the rest of us decided to head to downtown Reykjavík to sample some, uh, “local” cuisine. Look, I’m under no misapprehension that Icelandic people regularly consume things like whale and shark, and I know full well that such menu options exist pretty much strictly for tourists. However, when in Rome, I mean Reykjavík….

2. Íslenski Barinn #2

A jar of fermented shark, dried fish, and butter on a plate at Íslenski Barinn, Reykjavík, Iceland.

… And fermented shark.

3. Skólavörðustígur

A photograph of a road with a rainbow painted on the roadbed, called Skólavörðustígur, Reykjavík, Iceland.

First painted in 2015, the rainbow along Skólavörðustígur -commonly called “Rainbow Street”- was made permanent in 2023.

The plan was to meet up with our co-travelers at the Lebowski Bar sometime in the early afternoon before making our way to a local grocery store and heading to our homestay. This gave Team Adventurous Eater a chance to explore the capital a bit, and I suggested we walk down to the Hallgrímskirkja a few blocks away.

4. A Beautiful Day in Europe’s Quietest Capital

Several cars are parked along a street with several brightly colored houses on it, Reykjavík, Iceland.

As of 2025, the Reykjavík metro area had a population of 249,000, over 60% of the country’s total population.

5. Hallgrímskirkja #1

The grey, slender exterior tower of Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland.

Hallgrímskirkja was built in 1986 and stands 74.5 meters / 244 feet tall; its exterior harkens the columnar basalt of Svartifoss.

Last time I visited Iceland, I certainly recall seeing Hallgrímskirkja but have no recollection of having ever gone inside. Why? Who knows!

6. Hallgrímskirkja #2

Sunlight strikes the pipes of a pipe organ inside Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland.

Ah, so this is what it looks like! A very pretty but simple interior, what I’d expect from a Lutheran Church.

7. Sunrise Over Reykholt

Sunrise pieces grey clouds over the village of Reykholt, Iceland.

After some drinks at the Lebowski Bar and stop at the grocery store for supplies for the next few days, it was time to make for our homestay, the positively amazing GreenKey Ranch - Fell in Reykholt. After a painless check-in, we made dinner and enjoyed the hot spring-fed jacuzzi tub on the property. Nothing better than a hot tub in the snow! For better or worse, it was far too cloudy for the aurora, so we had to wait another night for that.

The following day we decided to do the so-called Golden Circle tour, which consists of a route connecting the waterfall Gullfoss, the geysers at Haukadalur, and Þingvellir, the location of Iceland’s first parliament along the geologic rift between Europe and North America.

8. Gullfoss #1

A waterfall, Gullfoss, features dark blue water passing over several tiers of falls surrounded by snow-covered rock cliffs, Iceland.

Now a popular tourist attraction, Gullfoss was almost repurposed to generate hydroelectricity; after a prolonged legal battle, the property was transferred to the Icelandic government, becoming a protected site in 1979.

First we headed to nearby Gullfoss, a location I fondly remember visiting the previous time I was in Iceland. It was great to see it again! Thankfully, it was not nearly as icy as it was the last time I was here which made for a much more pleasant experience.

Six photographs from Gullfoss follow.

9. Gullfoss #2

10. Gullfoss #3

Dark blue water passes over several tiers of falls surrounded by snow-covered rock cliffs, Iceland.

11. Gullfoss #4

12. Gullfoss #5

13. Gullfoss #6

14. Gullfoss #7

A warning sign denotes a sharp drop-off to a large waterfall, Gullfoss, in Iceland.

Hate A.I generated content? So do we!
Support our mission to show the real world with a follow on Instagram.

Thanks for your support!

15. Haukadalur #1

Steam rises from a geothermal vent in the ground at Haukadalur, Iceland.

Haukadalur is a geothermally active area in Bláskógabyggð; the two primary attractions are the geysers of Strokkur -which erupts every five to ten minutes- and the now dormant Geysir - after which all geysers are named.

A very short distance away from Gullfoss is the Haukadalur, an area known primarily for geysers. The main attraction here is Strokkur, which erupts somewhat frequently to the delight of visitors; the area also features Geysir, the first geyser, although it is now considered dormant.

We stuck around here for a bit, but -realistically- there are only so many times you can watch water spray into the air….

16. Haukadalur #2

Steam rises from geothermal vents in the ground at Haukadalur, Iceland.

17. Haukadalur #3

18. Haukadalur #4

Visitors await the eruption of the geyser Strokkur at Haukadalur, Iceland.

19. Haukadalur #5

A column of steam rises from the Strokkur geyser at Haukadalur, Iceland.

20. Kerið Crater

Snowed-over water sits in the bowl of Kerið Crater, Iceland.

Kerið is a small caldera crater lake that was formed between 6,000 and 9,000 years ago. I promise.

Since we had a little bit of time before our lunch reservation (I’ll get to that shortly), we made a quick pop-in at Kerið Crater. Normally brilliant to look at, it … well, you can see it. I felt so bad about dragging everyone here I insisted on paying their entrance fee. Anyway, no time to pout - it was lunchtime and we had something special planned!

21. Friðheimar #1

Cherry tomatoes grow in two long rows inside a greenhouse at Friðheimar in Reykholt, Iceland.

While indoor growing has been conducted at the site of Friðheimar since 1946, it wasn’t until a significant greenhouse expansion occurred in the early 2000s that clients of the on-site horse stable took an interest in seeing the burgeoning tomato growing operation; this parlayed into a small restaurant side-operation in 2013 which now feeds tomatic-centric dishes to over 250,000 visitors a year.

Friðheimar is a restaurant specializing in all things tomato, and they offer a solid lunch offering with all the tomato soup and bread you can eat whilst enjoying their wonderful (and warm!) greenhouse. Both the soup and bread were incredibly delicious and I cannot recommend a visit enough!

22. Friðheimar #2

White bowls and plates, an assortment of bread, and two vats of tomato soup sit atop a table at Friðheimar, Reykholt, Iceland.

After lunch, we made the trek to our last stop of the afternoon, Þingvellir. Thankfully the cloudy weather from earlier in the day began to clear up a bit and I was hopeful we’d have a pleasant visit.

23. Þingvellir #1

Þingvallavatn lake and mountains are seen in the distance from Þingvellir, Iceland.

Þingvellir is the site of Iceland’s first parliament (known as the Alþing), held here at various points from 930 to 1798.

Despite being a little brisk, the weather at Þingvellir was amazing! The last time I did a Golden Circle tour it was incredibly hazy and I had no idea how beautiful this place is!

The area is divided into two parts, which I’ll call the upper and lower halves. We explored the upper (western) portion first, which was home to Iceland’s first parliament.

24. Þingvellir #2

A river carves through snow-covered lowlands at Þingvellir, Iceland.

To the south of Þingvellir is Þingvallavatn, Iceland’s largest lake.

25. Þingvellir #3

A snow-covered stone wall obscures views of a lake at Þingvellir, Iceland.

Þingvellir sits in the rift valley between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.

26. Þingvellir #4

Two visitors walk beside a river on the other side of which is found a yellow building at Þingvellir, Iceland.

The site was declared Iceland’s first national park in 1928.

27. Þingvellir #5

A series of pedestrian bridges cross streams at Þingvellir, Iceland.

The Alþing evolved into more than a government assembly and grew into an annual cultural exchange between groups, complete with merchants and entertainers …

28. Þingvellir #6

A pool of water called Drekkingarhylur is seen at Þingvellir, Iceland.

… And occasional corporal punishment - at least 18 women were sentenced to death in the Drekkingarhylur (Drowning Pool) for various crimes such as adultery and witchcraft (men were hanged.)

29. Þingvellir #7

An icy river flows between small islands of snow-covered land, Þingvellir, Iceland.

30. Þingvellir #8

A long wooden boardwalk between two tall rock walls runs far into the distance at Þingvellir, Iceland.

31. Þingvellir #9

A snow-covered field with mountains far in the background, as seen at Þingvellir, Iceland.

We then grabbed our rental car and made our way to the lower (eastern) half of the park to check out a small waterfall, Öxarárfoss.

32. Þingvellir #10

A river runs between two rocky cliff faces at Þingvellir, Iceland.

Rather unexpectedly given the overall passable conditions throughout the rest of the park, the staircase heading up to Öxarárfoss was a complete sheet of ice. We must’ve looked like complete clowns trying not to slide as we attempted an ascent whose difficulty felt on par with K2s. All the same, we made it and were treated to a neat little river view …

33. Þingvellir #11

A waterfall cascades over snow- and ice-covered black rock at Þingvellir, Iceland.

Random fact: Öxarárfoss waterfall features on the cover of the Nine Inch Nail’s album The Fragile.

… And, of course, a view of Öxarárfoss itself, dramatically covered in ice in its dark little valley.

34. Þingvellir #12

Snow covers dark colored rock with snow-covered pine trees in the background, Þingvellir, Iceland.

What goes up must come down, and -rather than risk my camera with a slip-and-fall- just decided I’d scoot my ass straight down that staircase. Made for a bit of a cold bum, but the heater in the car made quick work of that.

Not long after returning to our hotel, the weather quickly deteriorated and -again- we were unable to do any aurora borealis viewing. Another night where we’d get to enjoy the hot tub, however….

The following day was a complete and total mess weather-wise. The group split up, with half traveling to Silfa to go snorkeling, while myself and several others went snowmobiling on Langjökull glacier. The weather was a near white-out at both locations, and -while that doesn’t matter too much while you’re snorkeling- it does matter quite a bit when you want to go snowmobiling.

To underpin how awful the weather was: shortly after departing from the Gullfoss parking lot, our “super jeep” hit a gigantic patch of ice on a downhill stretch of the dirt track heading out to the glacier and ran straight off the road into a boulder field. Thankfully nobody was injured and the derimmed tire was soon repaired, but … yeah, it was pretty gnarly.

The snowmobiling was fun for what it was, but unfortunately it didn’t consist of much more than traveling in a gigantic circle in a complete white-out. A shame, honestly, because I know from my last trip that the views from the glacier are spectacular when it is clear.

We spent another evening at the homestay enjoying the hot tub, but -as you can imagine- no aurora yet again. I was seriously starting to get worried we’d not see them again….

Back to Iceland - 2025

Reykjavík & the Golden Circle