Geysir refers to the entire area of hot springs in the Haukadalsvegur valley area. Geysir itself is relatively famous as these things go. It's the first geyser that received some widespread publicity through the use of the printed word, and is therefore pretty famous. Yes, the word geyser comes from Geysir, although they are not pronounced the same.
When Geysir does erupt, water can go 70 meters in the air. But it doesn't go off that often. In fact, Geysir has been busy only once in the past 100 years. So don't count on seeing it.
Much more reliable in that sense is Strokkur, located nearby. It will erupt every few minutes. My camera was ready when it blew on one such occasion. There are other little cauldrons in the area, and the area does indeed smell.
There is a hotel across the street for those who want to take a longer look and also explore the area. There's also a big complex of services for tourists - the biggest we saw in a week of touring. There are all sorts of souvenirs for sale, and a couple of restaurants are on the grounds for a nice lunch.
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