Efstidalur

Few stops on the Golden Circle combine a working farm, a proper restaurant, and world-class ice cream under one roof quite like Efstidalur II. Sitting in the rolling countryside northeast of Laugarvatn, this family dairy farm has been in the same family since the 1750s and is now run by a seventh-generation set of siblings — a rarity even in Iceland.

A Farm That Has Been Here for Centuries

The name "Efstidalur" refers to the upper valley in which the farm sits, and its history stretches back through generations of Icelandic dairy farming. What visitors find today is not a preserved relic but a fully operational farm, with a dairy herd, grazing pastures, and the kind of deep-rooted agricultural identity that shapes everything on the menu.

The Ice Cream Barn and the Restaurant

The farm's two biggest draws are its ice cream barn and its loft restaurant:

• Íshlaðan (the ice cream parlour) occupies the ground level of the barn, with large windows that look directly into the dairy herd's stalls. You can watch the cows while eating ice cream made from their milk — one of the more memorable combinations on any Iceland road trip.
• The loft restaurant sits above the barn, giving diners a bird's-eye view of the herd below through glass panels in the floor. The menu leans on farm-produced beef and dairy, local lamb, and seasonal ingredients: true farm-to-table without the buzzword excess.

What Else to Do

• Horseback riding — the farm offers guided rides through the surrounding lava fields and farmland, with routes that can take in the nearby Brúarfoss waterfall area.
• Overnight stays — Efstidalur operates a small farm hotel; rooms book up well in advance, especially in summer.
• Brúarfoss waterfall — one of Iceland's most vividly blue waterfalls is within reach from the farm on foot or horseback.

Fitting It Into Your Golden Circle Day

Efstidalur sits naturally between Geysir and Thingvellir on the classic clockwise Golden Circle loop, making it an ideal lunch or afternoon stop. Most visitors spend between 45 minutes and an hour and a half here, depending on whether they eat a full meal or simply stop for ice cream. If you are joining a Golden Circle tour from Reykjavik, look for itineraries that include a farm stop — the combination of a working dairy and a genuinely good kitchen makes this one of the most grounded, locally flavoured experiences the route has to offer.