Geysir
Geysir, Iceland
★★★★★
Price
Free
Worth a detour
No
Best for
Watching Iceland’s geothermal power in action
Visited
October 2019, November 2023, October 2024
The Geysir geothermal area reminds you that the ground beneath your feet is very much alive. Steam, bubbling water and Strokkur erupting every few minutes make this one of the most entertaining stops on the Golden Circle.
Why I recommend it
This is touristy, yes but watching a geyser erupt right in front of you is still incredibly fun. The original Great Geysir is mostly dormant now, but it is the geyser that gave the phenomenon its name around the world. Nearby Strokkur is the real show today, regularly shooting boiling water up to around 30 metres into the air. What I especially like is the anticipation. Everyone stands around staring at this bubbling pool, trying to predict which movement is going to be the one and then suddenly the entire thing explodes upwards.
What to do
Do not leave after seeing Strokkur erupt once. Watch it a few times from different angles, then walk around the rest of the geothermal area. There are hot springs, steaming ground and colourful mineral deposits that are easy to overlook when everyone is focused on the geyser.
Good to know
It is one of the main Golden Circle stops, so expect crowds. Also, stay on the marked paths. The calm-looking pools around you are genuinely extremely hot, and geothermal ground is not somewhere to improvise your own route.
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