Golden Circle Tour

To Iceland | Golden Circle Tour | Trip to Landmannalaugar | Southern Coast | Eastern Side | North and West | Full Circle

Þingvellir

Waking up this first morning in Iceland, we enjoy breakfast at the hotel before setting out. The route takes us around Þingvallavatn, a rift valley formed between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. We join the crowds at Þingvellir, hiking to the rock outcropping where the earliest parliament of the world gathered since AD 930. Our kids didn’t enjoy the winds at all.

Geysir

We drive further up the road and have lunch in the massive complex by Geysir. Daphney discovers fish chips and loves the crunchy fishy taste. The trail to the geyser isn’t difficult except for the crowds and the winds. After having seen Old Faithful, we were a bit underwhelmed by this namesake geyser.

Gullfoss

From there, we come to Gullfoss. The upper parking lot has pretty good views, but the bottom one is much closer to the water. We relocate, don our rain jackets, and make it down the trail. It gets slippery at times. The sun is behind us, and the rainbows flittingly appear in the windblown mist.

Kerið

Along the loop, Kerið Crater is right off the road. This would be the first of many places where I find that Apple Pay works everywhere in the country, even in small off-the-track booths far away from the nearest town.

Dinner in Selfoss

A little detour from the Golden Circle brings us to the town of Selfoss. We decide to get dinner here. Tryggvaskáli is a charming restaurant right by the waterfront, directly next to the bridge leading in and out of the city. The wait is over a half hour. Tired of driving around, we wait. When the time comes, the waitress brings us upstairs to a little room. It looks like a bedroom from yesteryear. The highlight of the meal is their slow-cooked salmon with roasted barley, broccoli, sunflower seeds, and blueberry noisette.

Back at ION, I bring Daphney for another soak in the thermal pool. I take in this special dad-and-daughter moment while Yan puts Jayden to sleep.

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