Golden Circle Hidden Gems – 14 Sights You Should Not Miss

Golden Circle Hidden Gems

When initially researching the Golden Circle, I came across so many other waterfalls, restaurants, hikes, and hot springs, I couldn’t stop adding them to our itinerary. We ended up spending almost three full days going off the beaten path. While Gullfoss, Geysir, and Thingvellir are fantastic and not to be missed, these Golden Circle hidden gems ended up being some of my favorite activities.

These are marked in red on the map below, and down at the bottom I’ll list the order in which we did them, to give you an idea of how we fit it all in!

Golden Circle Hidden Gems Map

Popular Golden Circle Stops

There are three popular and well known stops on the Golden Circle’s traditional route. Thingvellir National Park, Geysir and Gullfoss are the most visited by tourists visiting Iceland. You can read about these here to start planning your trip, and then add these Golden Circle hidden gems to your itinerary to take full advantage off the beaten path.

The Best, Lesser Known Iceland Golden Circle Stops

1. Þórufoss (Thorufoss)

You may not recognize this waterfall at first, but if you’re a Game of Thrones fan, this is where Drogon eats some local goats in season four. This only requires a five-minute detour off the main drag leading to Thingvellir and there’s a small parking lot you can pull off into and park for free.

You can take a rustic (meaning barely marked) trail (try to stay on it and not step off onto the fragile landscape) and walk closer up to the waterfall. It did require this little stream crossing, but nothing you can’t handle! This is a great Golden Circle hidden gem that doesn’t take too much time and doubles as a free thing to do on the Golden Circle.

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2. Silfra Snorkeling

I love being anywhere near, in, or on the water but I’ll be honest, snorkeling in freezing cold water made me nervous. This Golden Circle hidden gem made me think twice. I wondered how on earth we wouldn’t freeze to death or at the very least, be uncomfortable and unable to enjoy ourselves. I am happy to report that we were snug as little bugs in our dry and wet suits, and the small portion of our faces which touched the icy water quickly became numb. Not to mention, it was impossible to let any cold get to us when this was our view! ^^

We booked our snorkeling excursion through Troll Expeditions and I cannot recommend them enough!

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3. Bruarfoss

Once I saw these blue waters on the interwebs, I knew I had to go! A few quick tips though – try to go early! The parking lot was definitely packed and I had to get creative parking our campervan. I would have been devastated if we hadn’t found a parking spot so I was so grateful.

We went in September and the weather was perfect for hiking but it was SO muddy – I was not ready. And ahead of us on the trail was a mom with two little kids and bless them but they were slow. So combined with the mud and stops to take photos, it took us ~2.5 hours to complete this round trip which was more than I planned for. So instead of 2 hours, I would allow for more just to save yourself the stress. It’s mostly flat and 4 miles out and back, so you can definitely do it faster if that’s more your speed!

Update for 2023 – There appears to be a newer parking lot which is a much shorter walk to Bruarfoss, so if you can’t or don’t want to hike this is an option. But if you don’t want to pay 750 ISK (~$5) or you have the time, I would suggest the full hike.

If you do the full hike, you’ll be treated to two additional waterfalls along the way – Hlauptungufoss and Midfoss. Despite the mud, this was one of my favorite hikes. You have to see the glacial water for yourself! This is one of the Golden Circle hidden gems you really can’t miss!

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4. Faxi (Faxafoss or Vatnsleysufoss)

This waterfall probably won’t be winning any Top 10 Waterfall awards, but it’s still worth a stop along The Golden Circle, especially if you’re playing my favorite game of “How many waterfalls can we see in one day?” It’s not terribly tall, only 30 or so meters (98 feet) high but she is still pretty massive at roughly 100 meters (328 feet) wide.

One of her best features though, is how quiet and peaceful and not full of people she was, at least when we went. We saw only one other human, which is pretty spectacular given the crowds at Gullfoss and other popular waterfalls.

There’s a parking fee/entrance fee here which ran us around ~$5. You can park up top or drive down closer to the falls. Some people may say to skip this one, but we also saw a rainbow (in the photo above) which also earns this Golden Circle hidden gem an extra star.

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5. Friðheimar – Golden Circle Hidden Gems

We didn’t go to Iceland expecting the food to blow our socks off or anything. I had heard many a whinge from other bloggers or travelers who moaned on about “everything being expensive” and “everything being imported”. All I can say is, they definitely did not have a meal at Friðheimar. This ended up being one of the least expected Golden Circle hidden gems.

Not only did we get to see a very unique and sustainable agricultural setup, but the food was downright delicious. This is a family-run farm that the current owners purchased in the 90s. In order to grow tomatoes and vegetables year-round, they harness geothermal energy and use artificial lights and a climate control system.

Our server gave us an overview of the operation and let us know that the farm produces the majority of the tomatoes sold and served throughout the country, which was pretty amazing.

Everyone is different but we truly loved our meal here. As an American I have never loved tomatoes because I usually find them to be very bland and tasteless unless you get local farm fresh ones (and sadly in New England that season lasts what, two months?)

Friðheimar – What to Order

We went full send on this menu though and tried so many different things. Not everything was a 10/10 for me, but everything tasted real and fresh which is extra points in my book.

– Tomato Soup & Bread: Olive Garden could never! I wish I had been able to go back up for seconds but I was pretty full. The bread was also so so good and they had different crusty additions like cheese and olives. Especially on a chillier fall day after hiking, this hit the spot.
– Ravioli with Pasta Sauce & Pesto: Maybe not the best ravioli I’ve ever had in my life (I mean hi, Italy exists) but still very yummy!
– Handmade Icelandic Mozzarella Burrata and Heirloom Tomatoes – THIS! I did not expect to come to Iceland and have burrata be one of my most memorable dishes but honestly no notes. The basil olive oil too, plus the pesto and the sea salt to garnish was just perfection.
– For Dessert…Green Tomato and Apple Pie and Homemade Tomato Ice Cream – I was intrigued by both and I’m glad I ordered both because the pie comes with whipped cream but honestly it should come with ice cream! The tomato and apple pie was a really cool different combo but it needed something else and the tomato ice cream took it up just the weird notch it needed. Maybe if you go, ask if they can serve it a la mode from the jump?

– From the Bar…We kicked our meal off with a Bloody Mary (tomato juice, vodka, you know, you’ve been to brunch) and a Happy Mary (they take their Healthy Mary, which is green tomato, lime, honey and ginger, and add Hendrik’s Gin and Bitter Lemon). It was delightful! I also had a Mary Poppins (cucumber, mint, lime sorbet and sparkling wine) which was very refreshing as well. Not only was I eating my vegetables but I was very much drinking them too!

So, we more or less ordered most of the menu (not really, they have a flatbread-esque pizza and mussels, plus the tomato beer which I was very tempted by since it comes in red and green tomato varieties)! After packing up what we couldn’t finish, we took a little stroll through the greenhouse to see some more veggies up close before heading back towards the car – not without a stop to say hello to the farm’s horses. You can visit their stables or see a horse show in the summer too. More information is on their site here.

One final tip – MAKE A RESERVATION
I will never understand the attitude and entitlement of people writing bad reviews because they couldn’t get in or had to wait for a table, just book in advance! You can book online, it could not be easier. I booked two months in advance to get the date and time I wanted (another good example of why you can and should let me book your travel for you hehe)!

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6. Secret Lagoon (Gamla Laugin)

Last on this list, but certainly not least, we have Iceland’s oldest natural pool. This isn’t the luxury spa experience of the Sky Lagoon, but more like the local pool at the YMCA. We loved experiencing different types of hot springs, and I always strive to do as the locals do to get the most authentic experiences.

We made a reservation for “golden hour” so we could soak after our big tomato lunch and watch the sun go down. You can very easily make a reservation online. Adults cost 3300 ISK (~$24). You’ll want to bring your own towel, but they can be rented for 900 ISK (~$6).

Once you check in at the front desk, you’ll go into the changing room and take a shower before changing into your suit and getting into the steamy, inviting waters outside. Here, unlike Sky Lagoon, you will need to take your shower naked in a big open shower.

The normal female body shame washed over me but I disrobed and went for it, and after a moment I had the realization that the women around me had no interest in comparing bodies and keeping score. They were all there to relax and enjoy themselves. Do not worry about this when you go!

After changing, bring your towel outside and find a place to hang it up or store it on one of the tables. If you’d like a drink, bring your wallet with you and go back inside to the front desk where you can purchase beverages, and then store your wallet away. They have a decent variety of local beers which you can purchase.

Upon entering the water, make sure you grab a noodle to float on. You’ll find as you make your way around the pool that there are super hot spots and the bottom of the pool since it is natural, is more like rocky sand with the occasional slimy bit near the edges and walls. All perfectly fine, just unlike most “pools” you’d visit elsewhere.

Gamla Laugin History

This is one of the Golden Circle hidden gems that has been around for quite a while. Known locally as Gamla Laugin, it was built in 1891 at Hverahólmi and it’s been a tradition to bathe here ever since. In 1909, the first swimming lessons in Iceland were even held here. Sadly after 1947, the pool stopped being used and maintained but was brought back to its former glory and reopened in 2014! The local hot springs around the lagoon: Vaðmálahver, Básahver, and Litli Geysir provide 100% of the water supply. There’s even a walking path built around the pool so that you can safely watch the boiling springs and see litli geysir spout off.

And finally, a huge cheers to this absolute legend pictured below, who used approximately 20 noodles to fashion himself a little raft with his buddies.

More Golden Circle Hidden Gems – Waterfalls

7. Helgufoss

8. Trollafoss (Troll’s Falls)

This local spot seems to be largely unknown to tourists and does require a 3.5 km roundtrip hike. For a detailed description of the hike, check out this blog.

9. Hjálparfoss

Photo by Freysteinn G. Jonsson

More Golden Circle Hidden Gems – Hot Springs

10. Laugarvatn Fontana

11. Hrunalaug Hot Spring

12. Reykjadalur Hot Springs

More Golden Circle Hidden Gems

13. Efstidalur Farm

14. Brúarhlöð Canyon

Golden Circle Hidden Gems: Our Itinerary

And now for my jam-packed itinerary to fit in all of these Golden Circle hidden gems. I fully expect you to think I am nuts after this, but here’s how you could fit in the big three tourist sites of The Golden Circle, plus these lesser-known gems.

Day 1

• Drove from the Snaefellsnes down to The Golden Circle
• Þórufoss
• Snorkeling at Silfra / Thingvellir National Park
• Gullfoss for sunset

Day 2

• Gullfoss (to see if we had better weather/rainbow luck for photographing)
• Hike to Bruarfoss
• Lunch at Friðheimar
• Faxi
• Geysir
• Secret Lagoon

Day 3

• Hrunalaug Hot Spring
• Kerid Crater
• Olverk Brewery & Pizza
• Viking Dinner at Ingolfskali
• from here, we continued east along the Ring Road.