On our first full day in Iceland, we chose to tour the Golden Circle, which is one of the most popular tours. Icelandic landscape is fascinating, so the senses are constantly entertained. We used Extreme Iceland for two days.
Admiring the landscape.
Walking along the fault line where tectonic plates of North America and Eurasia meet in Thingvellir National Park.
Standing in awe of the view.
Witnessing the fury of Gullfoss, a spectacular and very large waterfall.
Notice the people on the left side
Patiently waiting for Strokkur Geysir to do its thing.
Relaxing to Faxi’s roar.
Enjoying a dip in a thermal pool known as Fludir: the Secret Lagoon.
Find the lifeguard
Hiking up to and around Kerid’s rim, an extinct volcano.
Seeing more wonderful landscape.
All in one day … so our first full day in Iceland was wonderful. Here’s a 2-minute video featuring some of the Golden Circle sights.
A Frank Angle 
How amazing. We had to cancel a September here due to family member illness, but have rescheduled for this year. Love the photos and info!
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Cindy,
You’ll love it … FYI: I have 3 more posts about Iceland … the last one is about important tips.
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Beautiful photos, Frank. I’m guessing the lifeguard is the person in the day glow green outfit.
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John,
Thanks … and yes, the one in the green parka.
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😀
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Frank, these photos are beautiful and truly amazing.
Hope one day my wife and I, get to visit Iceland for a great vacation. 🙂
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Charlie,
Glad you enjoyed these images. Iceland is a visual wonderland. I will have a few more posts about it to keep tempting you.
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Indeed very much so. 🙂 Please post more pictures of Iceland. I will show them to my wife. 🙂
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Probably another set Tuesday (after 9-930 pm US Eastern).
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Excellent. I’ll keep an eye out for your post. 🙂
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Wow, what a gorgeous landscape. I’d love to visit there someday. Hopefully it won’t be too cold. I’m tired of the cold. 😁
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Carrie,
Glad you enjoyed the quick tour – and to think that was all in one day! I have two more posts about Iceland, plus one on tips. BTW – I think Icelandair starts service in your city in May!
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Great photos, Frank. I shall get to Iceland one day – it is calling me! It has been for a number of years now.
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Tom,
If it is calling, glad this little journey is helping the call. This is our first full day – and the next full day will probably be the next post. … then there will be 2 more posts to complete the series.
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I look forward to seeing them all!
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BTW – You have access to both Icelandair and Wow (a discounter) for nonstop flights to Iceland.
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It’s just a short jump from here… so one day! 😀
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Wow, your photos and writings are breathtakingly beautiful! I must add this destination to my bucket list, post haste. Many thanks😊
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Cliff,
If you like landscapes, Iceland is a visual wonderland. … and to think Day 2 took us to an area that looks very different that the area in this post! FYI: My Iceland series will be 4 posts.
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Beautiful pics!Made me want to go again!Such a shame I didn’t get to see the extinct volcano..
I have posted about Iceland too, have a look if you fancy 😀
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Valentina,
Welcome first-time commenter. The volcano was our last stop of the day. I recall to other cones covered with grass adjacent to this one. Thanks for your post as it was good to see another perspective.
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Wow–now I want to go to Iceland! It looks fabulous!
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Kerry,
Iceland is a fantastic place to visit. I describe it as a visual wonderland – and we actually saw very little. Taking to friends who have seen more, they speak very highly about it.
Get this – it’s about the size of Ohio with much fewer people – about a third of a million …. and one third of them are in Reykjavik.
I will have 4 posts about Iceland, the last featuring tips about visiting.
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Happy you and Mrs. Angle are taking retirement seriously! RRR
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Raye,
Now that is a good one! We are taking retirement so seriously that 2018 vacations are booked, we have strong inklings for 2019, and are now looking at 2020.
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Brilliant! I’m going “home” in September to hangout with Besties for two plus weeks in Newcastle/Leeds/London….but the week before will be in Meiringen, Suisse to visit relatives. Travelling with my brother-in-law (born in Meiringen and taking as many of our kids who want and can go! A reunion of Rieders!!!! Super fun. Yes….2019 is going to find me in Sienna for a couple of weeks….can’t wait! See?….GOALS ARE GOOD!!
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Your trip sounds wonderful …. and I’m sure a good time will be had by all! …. And Sienna in 2019 will be a tough assignment – so I hope you are up to the challenge.
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Gorgeous…happy trails!
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Folia,
Glad you enjoyed my offering of one day in Iceland. FYI: I will publish Day 2 in about 10 hours, Hope you return for more.
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Beautiful photos of an amazing destination….. makes me want to check out flights and tours.
x
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Melanie,
Glad you enjoyed the beauty of our first full day there. Day 2 should be posted by your morning. … then I have two more posts about Iceland – the last giving some tips.
BTW – We flew from Heathrow to Reykjavik on Icelandair. Thumbs up!
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I believe my aunt and uncle followed the same route as yourselves when they came over from Canada.
They absolutely loved Iceland and all it had to offer.
x
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The two tours we took are probably the most popular … the most commonly taken by tourists. But the tour groups offer many more!
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What a wonderful place to visit, Frank. Loved the waterfall and the ‘Old Faithful’ type geyser.
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Sylvia,
Thanks. Gullfoss waterfall is a spectacular site to see. It’s huge! Surprisingly, the geyser “erupts” ever 6 minutes or so. (I can’t recall, but the time is short). Meanwhile, I can’t imagine you haven’t been to Iceland!
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No we haven’t. Not sure if it’s on hubby’s Bucket List yet. 😀
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Wow … A fascinating place. This is the first of 4 posts about Iceland (the next published 9-930 tonight). Spectacular scenery, nice people, and safe.
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So much better than Disneyland or one of the theme parks!
Looks like a great trip
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Mouse,
The scenery is stunning … simply stunning … and never a dual moment as the eyes never get bored. Day 2 goes up in a bit more than an hour.
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I’m herding toddler for a bit more, so I’m so far behind with reading/commenting. Looking forward to your pictures!
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No problem …. posts like these are easy on the eyes and brain … thus meant to simply enjoy.
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Looks amazing, I am making plans to visit Iceland in 2019 and looking all these photos. I wish I was going there sooner. 🙂
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Lens,
Welcome first-time commenter. Iceland is wonderful, so I’m glad to see that you are planning a future trip there. Some info … another post goes up in about an hour … plus I have two more posts coming – but not immediately after these two. Probably sometime next week. The second of those gives some travel tips.
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Great. Im looking forward to them. Im also thinking of running this 50k in Iceland thats happening around July time frame but that is still up in the air. 🙂
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We were there during the Reykjavik Marathon in mid-August. The race is part of a big festival … so the city was active! I’ll be posting on Reykjavik tomorrow night (Eastern US).
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That is great. I would love to read about that . The 50k I’m thinking of running is the Laugavegur.
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My Reykjavik post will give an overview of the city … similar to what I did in this post and the Day 2 tour. Sometime next week I hope to have a post with some travel tips about Iceland.
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What a beautiful and fascinating landscape! The thermal pool must have been a very interesting experience, too. You had some unique experiences with this trip!
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Debra,
Beautiful and fascinating indeed … and to think all of this in one day! Definitely unique! … Hope you noticed the lifeguard in the heavy winter coat.
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The Gullfoss waterfall, the Kerid extinct volcano, and the Fludir Secret Lagoon thermal pool are reasons I should consider putting Iceland on my travel bucket list.
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Tim,
Gullfoss is spectacular! We saw a lot on this day, but the fact that you are considering Iceland for your bucket list means that it isn’t on it … and I think it should be.
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Wonder photos, Frank. M and I were supposed to go to Iceland several years ago, but due to family issues didn’t make it. Someday. 🙂
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Robin,
Because you considered Iceland several years ago, I encourage you and M to get it back on your list. Icelandair is at Dulles. Glad you enjoyed these …. and Day 2 is also up!
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Such amazing pictures Frank. My husband has wanted to visit Iceland for years, hopefully one day it will happen.
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Catherine,
Glad you enjoyed my first full day in Iceland. Because it’s been on your list, you can get direct flights from Toronto … check Icelandair. A future post here will give some travel tips.
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Yes, we can get really cheap flights to Iceland, but my son says it’s the accommodation & food that is very expensive.
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Yep … See the Tips list.
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What a special trip Frank – your photographs of Iceland we gorgeous. Love seeing the different aspects of the countryside. I saw the lifeguard!!!
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Mary,
A special trip indeed. Iceland was the end of a wonderful 3-week journey. The landscape was awesome. … and this was all in ONE day. … Meanwhile, the lifeguard in a heavy coat is a hoot.
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All in one day? You guys were really moving. Not bad Frank, a 3-week journey is perfect medicine for exploring/enjoying the world around you. Very happy for you both ~
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Yep – one day …. about 8-9 hours – but being that someone was driving, we could just stare in wonder! We started with 4 days in London, then 12-days cruising around the British Isles … so this we stop in Iceland on the way home for 2 full days and 2 partial days. Just enough to get a taste of the wonderland.
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Sounds like a trip of a lifetime Frank – when someone else drives it is all the more enjoyable. Very happy that you guys were able to do this.
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It was a great trip … and all new places for us.
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Just watching that geyser erupt would be so thrilling. I would also love to hike the rim of that extinct volcano.
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Alok,
Absolutely. This one was extra special because it erupts so frequently … (I think) every 6-7 minutes! Now catching the picture at the right time is a key – Fortunately, my wife captured this one.
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A stark & lush place at the same time, Iceland has retained much prehistoric beauty. Bravo to you for going there. It’s a long way to Iceland’s shore, but there are obvious rewards and you have found them.
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Resa,
Well stated. My wife wants to return in the winter with hopes of seeing the Northern Lights!
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Thanks for pointing out the people by the waterfall – really does give a sense of the scale – impressive!
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ER,
Thanks … that’s one of those things that we didn’t initially noticed … but once we did, WOW! …. therefore why I had to add that perspective. Glad you enjoyed this little one day tour.
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Yes, awe and fury are excellent descriptions indeed. And that video is amazing!
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Marc,
Welcome from your other side. Iceland was wonderful. Just think – we saw all that in one day! …. See the next post for Day 2! More this weekend after OITS.
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I did! Awesome and beautiful and so many other words that really ain’t been invented yet, lol. I loved it Frank!
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Glad you saw it because the regions are different!
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It does have one thing in common, it’s all breathtaking.
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Yep … and to think Iceland is about the same area as Ohio!
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Yeah, but Iceland doesn’t have LeBron, so there’s that. 😉
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But they have many beautiful people!
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Many? You mean . . they’re not ALL beautiful?
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Nope … at all … sadly.
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To think, Icelandic people have no idea what a “fat day” is like. Or airbrushing. And they probably feel just a little bit sorry for Jennifer Aniston.
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Yes, Yes, … and they probably think Aniston is one of them.
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Well I do too. I think she is. And Brad Pitt ain’t helping matters any . . .
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An absolutely stunning country and so very different from what people might think with the name Iceland.
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Karen,
Stunning is a great descriptor … and so is “different” because it seems like a different world. Just think – this was just in one day – and Day 2 was also spectacular because it was very different. Hope you saw that post (immediately after this one).
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A stunning destination Frank, I’m not surprised tourism is booming!
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Heart,
Glad you followed by recommendation. Definitely no shortage of tour companies or sights to see.
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I hope to get there someday. Thanks for the great photos Frank.
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Pingback: On Travels Tips for Iceland – A Frank Angle
Looks like a great tour.
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LB,
A fabulous day with many unique places … And to think Day 2 offered more thrills.
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