Golden Circle Platinum Tour: Secret Lagoon & Fridheimar Review

If you’re thinking about visiting Iceland, you might’ve heard whispers of the famed Golden Circle, a well-known route that packs in some of Iceland’s most stunning sights, so that’s absolutely worth checking out. But that’s the thing, very, like very often, the regular Golden Circle tours can get a bit crowded, that is to say packed with tourists, particularly during peak season. And so, for those searching for a more special experience, there are ‘platinum’ versions, just to get the gist. This review looks at the 2025 Golden Circle Platinum Edition, specifically focusing on tours that add visits to the Secret Lagoon and a lunch stop at the Fridheimar Greenhouse; let’s just examine that.

So, does this upgrade offer genuine added value, actually taking you beyond the usual tourist trail, almost? I want to talk about just what this tour involves, a few of the pros and cons I noticed, that is to say some considerations for prospective adventurers. Is that so? So, come along as I unpack the Golden Circle Platinum experience, offering what I really feel are some helpful insights so that you, too, can plan an amazing Icelandic adventure. So you get the gist!

What is the Golden Circle Platinum Edition?

The Golden Circle is famous, quite famous, that is, for good reason. It includes three heavy-hitting landmarks: Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss waterfall, to that end. That’s to say it offers you a taste of Iceland’s nature. Still, the ‘Platinum’ edition then seeks to enrich that core experience, which seems a little bit fair, actually.

What separates it? It often features smaller group sizes for, basically, a feel that is more personal, also the trips are a little slower paced for checking the places a bit more. In this case, that particular Platinum tour sprinkles in two really neat additions: the Secret Lagoon, which is a naturally heated hot spring, just so you get what you see; and lunch at Fridheimar Greenhouse, that means there will be tomatoes. The appeal is quite clear, you see – soak in Iceland’s geothermal waters and you savor a meal amidst tomato plants. Is that right?

Read our full review: Golden Circle Platinum Tour Full Review and Details

Highlights of the Tour

Þingvellir National Park: A Walk Through History and Tectonics

The opening stop is, almost always, Þingvellir National Park, really a spot steeped in Icelandic history and, you know, gorgeous geology. It’s, like, this is that place where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, too it’s almost like they’re slowly drifting apart, that, in itself, is impressive, and makes for incredible scenery. More or less, the park was the home of Iceland’s parliament from 930 AD, right until 1798. So it really gives visitors a chance to walk through a slice of time, actually where monumental decisions that impacted Iceland actually took place. You’ll notice deep fissures in the earth, expanses of volcanic rock and the serene Lake Þingvallavatn. Anyway, I really advise allowing a fair bit of time here so that you can actually soak it all in, just to make sure, you see? In some respects, that would be advisable.

Geysir Geothermal Area: Waiting for Strokkur to Erupt

Just a short drive from Þingvellir is the Geysir Geothermal Area, in this area lies, perhaps, one of the most active geysers in Iceland, Strokkur, or some other active geyser, of course. Unlike the Great Geysir, it may be dormant now, but Strokkur goes off roughly every 5-10 minutes, shooting a column of boiling water way up into the air, just that’s a view, literally! Actually, visitors can walk all around the area. So it makes certain they get really good vantage points. However, very like very closely marked paths keep folks away from the hot, very boiling water, obviously providing an extra degree of safety for all tourists on this particular tour, to be very honest. It makes that experience very special.

Gullfoss Waterfall: The Golden Waterfall

It is the mighty Gullfoss Waterfall next! Gullfoss means “Golden Falls”. It is also one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls, typically delivering an amazing showcase of natural force. The water thunders down in two stages in total, straight into a rugged canyon, creating scenes that many photographers dream to catch in their photos. There are multiple viewing platforms offering varying views, that, by the way, enable people to appreciate the power of the falls, literally providing unique and impressive photo opportunities. In that case you should prepare to get wet, slightly soaked is more like, especially if one ventures very close. Arguably, anyway!

Secret Lagoon: Relax and Soak

It sets itself apart from the famous Blue Lagoon and offers something distinct, like that’s something completely different. This is that Secret Lagoon, just this natural hot spring feels quite smaller and quite less touristy, actually delivering a more intimate and quite peaceful bathing experience, generally. The water holds, like it has a constant temperature of 38-40°C (100-104°F), naturally just great for warming those bones up, just so, you get what I’m saying! Still, the surrounding area is really kept natural. It offers visitors, like, you, scenic views of the Icelandic landscape. More or less, the lagoon’s atmosphere is great. So it could be quite beneficial for anybody hoping to, sort of, experience Iceland’s geothermal waters without having the madness of larger crowds of tourists around, literally just like an exclusive.

Fridheimar Greenhouse: Tomato Paradise

It would be your dining stop next! A stop at Fridheimar Greenhouse provides, say, something of a very special lunch experience. This tomato farm is actually open to visitors, just to be very transparent, this part is a working greenhouse in totality where all sorts of tasty tomatoes grow all through the year, that’s their product after all! People are seated among tomato plants. So it might seem fairly unique. You could expect all the meals there, that are really all tomato-themed. They go as far as tomato soup, of course, right to tomato schnapps! What’s more is that the atmosphere is comfortable, that might make the entire meal feel very relaxed, obviously. If you’re into sustainable food or are looking for something new, you could check that spot out.

Pros and Cons of the Platinum Edition

Before you rush to book your tour, consider these positives and negatives, just so you know:

• Pros:
  • Smaller Groups: Typically meaning it’s way more personalized experiences and more interactive with guides
  • Secret Lagoon: Offering, well, the less busy and really genuine alternative to The Blue Lagoon
  • Fridheimar: It offers, really, a unique, farm-to-table type of dining atmosphere, with lots of unique tastes on hand
  • More Time: Not really a ‘whistle-stop tour’, but allows for that really relaxed feel to see the attractions better.
• Cons:
  • Cost: Platinum options can be, I feel, that little bit pricier, in totality.
  • Time: Stopping off at more spots just can make this, well, a longer day than, say, a standard Golden Circle tour overall, typically if you add more activities.
  • Tomato Overload: Should you dislike tomatoes. Actually, Fridheimar may pose more of a challenge to eat anything there!

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Who is This Tour For?

This Platinum tour, quite fair in honesty, basically meets several different demands! Really? First, it seems very beneficial if the idea of large groups literally turns you off, like makes you shy away from interacting, say! Then, of course, if one thinks about experiencing natural, kind of off-beat hot springs is enticing. Next, maybe one hopes to sample what it tastes like in totality when fresh ingredients are locally-sourced. More or less, then it sounds that’s exactly who should definitely book up their place.

Then there are more reasons you might check it out. Should one wants more time available. If one is quite intent on actually experiencing things beyond just a brief moment or photo opportunity at several points; maybe that also becomes quite appealing to someone reading now! Just so we all know! Either way, then you are more aligned, seemingly, than most average tourist.

Just picture, then picture some travellers hoping it is a relaxing exploration of some beautiful landscapes around them – that, quite perfectly, makes that person totally and really fit who these sorts of excursions try catering towards – so make your pick carefully! More or less anyway!

Tips for Making the Most of Your Tour

To enhance one’s tour even more, let’s then think over several important suggestions below, right, if possible anyway?

• Pack Smart: Actually layer your clothes to remain comfy because of really changeable Icelandic weather, that would actually matter to lots of individuals and groups. Do you want something more than those bare essentials, perhaps then take with them waterproof outer garments (or windproof, at minimum anyway), comfortable hiking shoes and that swimsuit as a core, basically.
• Book in Advance: The smaller size really does mean availability, as it is then constrained with some options more booked far enough ahead; especially should your heart beat very greatly. Does it tickle the heart, then book much much faster for a few of them or at busy periods; otherwise your booking probably won’t go anywhere as most slots may possibly fill soon! Do you catch what I am saying?.
• Respect the Environment: Iceland´s ecosystem stays mostly untouched as possible but please always stick mostly upon the clearly marked walkways to minimise disturbances upon these sights where walking around gets usually much further from a disturbance! Otherwise just refrain with all your power, from just getting off pathway sections within such delicate or really preserved destinations there!
• Stay Hydrated: Please retain the proper levels of bodily fluids everywhere to have their whole touring time be thoroughly much pleasurable throughout whatever type you could enjoy that tour together and so one knows that water would certainly taste almost amazing coming direct mostly under arctic heavens’ open sky!. How about now!?
• Camera Ready: Charge fully the camera equipment beforehand by any measures possible; otherwise someone´ll have no device handy whenever spotting some exceptional or scenic beauty and landscapes from their exploration throughout many memorable tour highlights ever available and one would fully get something totally remarkable forever with a collection of a million things ever discovered too!.

Final Thoughts

Actually, it elevates that kind of experience into more personalized explorations, adding some stops such that both tastebuds and serenity might be properly and easily gotten! Should a potential traveller likes those limited scaled sets and does not fear tomato filled dishes along route through those places one absolutely should proceed with purchasing now and without more doubt for them anyway too so don’t leave any spare seconds until something amazing happen totally within short bursts along some Golden rings indeed or whatever the best might come by themselves too!. Did this ring nicely too by me, I suppose?

Read our full review: Golden Circle Platinum Edition Full Review and Details