Gullni hringurinn from Selfoss, where roads form a loop
Published on 09/07/2026 at 13:51 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Gullni hringurinn, the Golden Circle of southwest Iceland, is a road-based circuit that passes through the Selfoss area and ties together three landmark stops. Its shape is part of the appeal: a loop rather than a single site.
The loop through south-west Iceland
The route is anchored by Routes 36, 365, 37, 35 and 1, which carry traffic between Reykjavík, Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss and the southbound return through Selfoss. That combination of numbered roads gives Gullni hringurinn its practical form.
The circuit is identified with three named places: Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss. Those names define the route as much as the roads do, and they place it squarely in Iceland’s southern touring landscape.
Three landmark stops on one circuit
Þingvellir is the historical centre of the route, linked with the first national assembly and the tectonic rift landscape of western Iceland. The name carries both political history and a visible geological setting, which gives the stop unusual weight within the loop.
The Geysir area is known for hot springs and eruptive activity, with Strokkur as the best-known active feature in the field. Gullfoss, by contrast, brings the route to a waterfall landscape on the Hvítá river, where water, rock and spray create a strong visual counterpoint to the geothermal ground.
The route is about 250 km in length, which explains why it is handled as a touring circuit rather than a single attraction. The loop gathers geology, water and historic settlement into one fixed sequence.
Selfoss as a southern gateway
Selfoss sits on Route 1 and marks the southern side of the circuit, where travellers join or leave the inland roads. In route terms, it is the point where the loop re-joins the main highway.
The town also gives the route a clear anchor in Suðurland, because the circuit bends back through the south after the inland section. That makes Gullni hringurinn as much a road geography as a list of sights.
Visiting Gullni hringurinn: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Gullni hringurinn is reached by road, with Reykjavík and Selfoss acting as the most useful orientation points. Route 1, Route 35 and the connecting inland roads carry most of the circuit.
- The route involves a long drive through open landscapes, and the stops include paved visitor areas as well as exposed outdoor ground. The terrain at Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss varies from fissured rock to geothermal fields and riverbanks.
- The official language is Icelandic and the currency is the Icelandic króna.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Gullni hringurinn
Where is Gullni hringurinn?
It is a sightseeing circuit in south-west Iceland, with Selfoss on the southern side of the route. The loop links Reykjavík, Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss.
What does a visit involve?
It involves a road journey between three principal stops, each with a different landscape character. One stop is historic and tectonic, one is geothermal, and one is a river waterfall.
What makes Gullni hringurinn distinctive?
It is a named loop rather than a single attraction, and its identity comes from the sequence of roads and places. Selfoss helps give that loop a clear southern reference point.
