The Snaefellsnes Peninsula (pronounced like snī-fells-nes) is in West Iceland, a few two-hour drive from the capital metropolis of Reykjavik. Since many vacationers head within the different route — both southeast alongside the coast or by means of the Golden Circle — you gained’t discover fairly the crowds in Snaefellsnes that you would be able to see in different elements of the nation.
The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is simply 90 kilometers lengthy, so technically you could possibly drive your complete factor in a few hours. However, you’ll want to give your self at the least a full day to scratch the floor of all of the issues to do one the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Snaefellsnes is considered one of my favourite areas in Iceland and it actually has every thing you would possibly wish to see…glaciers, lava fields, waterfalls, fishing villages, black and golden sand seashores, dramatic cliffs, spectacular rock formations, you identify it!
There is sufficient to do on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula to spend a number of days, however since many individuals go to as a day journey from Reykjavik, I’ve put collectively a one-day Snaefellsnes Peninsula itinerary.
Getting to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Note: This put up might comprise affiliate hyperlinks. If you click on a hyperlink and make a purchase order, I could obtain a small fee. All opinions are my very own.
I not too long ago took a ladies’ journey to Iceland and we spent at some point on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and stayed in a single day within the city of Stykkishólmur earlier than heading north to the West Fjords. If you may have already visited the south coast of Iceland like me, visiting West Iceland makes an ideal second or third journey to Iceland.
If you might be driving to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula from Reykjavik, it’s possible you’ll wish to make a pit cease for restrooms and snacks on the N1 in Borgarnes. The roads round Snaefellsnes are in good situation (though look ahead to deep potholes in parking heaps that may strand your automobile and destroy the undercarriage so a 4WD could be preferable.)
However, if you’re visiting after August, I’d extremely suggest following my suggestions for Iceland within the winter and test the Safetravel.is app for street circumstances and closures earlier than you head out.
While it’s straightforward to self-drive on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, we determined to e-book a personal tour with Hidden Iceland of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and the West Fjords. It was nice to tour these areas with a neighborhood and we bought a lot nice data about volcanic exercise, Icelandic folklore, and geology — plus we didn’t want to fret about driving or discovering our method round.
Receive 10% off scheduled group excursions from Hidden Iceland with promo code We3TRAVEL.
Most Snaefellsnes day excursions will journey counterclockwise, beginning in Stykkishólmur. However, since we had been staying there in a single day after which heading north the next day, it made extra sense for us to go to the southern facet of the peninsula first and finish in Stykkishólmur.
Map supply: Google My Maps
This timing labored out properly as a result of it meant we bought to Kirkjufell earlier than sundown, which is a extremely popular time for photographers to collect to seize an iconic picture. Of course, it was fairly overcast once we had been there so we weren’t going to get superb sundown footage anyway.
Things to do on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula
If you comply with this itinerary and take this route alongside street 54, the primary “must-visit” cease is in Búdir. If you may have extra time, you possibly can cease on the Bjarnarfoss waterfall or the Ytri Tunga seashore, however to provide your self extra time to benefit from the stops on this Snaefellnes itinerary, I’d say to skip them if you’re taking a day journey.
If you might be spending a few days on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, I’d additionally suggest spending an evening at Hotel Búdir and taking your time exploring the various trails and pure sights close by.
Budakirkja / Black Church
As troublesome because the Icelandic language is to pronounce (can I let you know the variety of instances I jokingly referred to Snaefellsnes as Snuffaluffagus?), it will get simpler to decode when you study a number of fundamentals. For instance:
- Kirkja = church
- Vik = bay
- Foss = waterfall
- Kull = glacier
Get it? That’s why so most of the names sound alike. So Budakirkja is a church in Búdir. A reasonably well-known one too due to its black shade. Many of the church buildings in Iceland are white with crimson roofs, however there are a number of of those black church buildings scattered all through the nation.
While the church and the hooked up graveyard make for a fairly picture alternative, the actual shock at this cease is the climbing trails that go right down to the seashore and throughout the dunes. You may spend hours right here in case you have the time, however make sure you at the least depart your self an hour to soak within the views.
Raudfeldsgja Gorge
Raudfeldsgja is just not included in most excursions of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, however it’s properly well worth the cease if you’re self-driving or taking a personal tour. It is a slim canyon within the cliff wall, which jogs my memory lots of the Gljúfrabúi waterfall simply down the trail from Seljalandsfoss waterfall on the south coast.
It is a little bit of an uphill climb from the car parking zone to the gorge, however you’ll be rewarded with beautiful views on the return hike. In the summer time it’s attainable to enter this slim ravine, however you will want to stroll by means of a shallow stream so it’s best to plan on sporting waterproof climbing boots.
Once inside, you possibly can climb over some rocks to get to a small waterfall, however you will want actually good climbing footwear and a few waterproof gear. Gloves are additionally helpful for gripping rocks. You can go so far as you are feeling snug earlier than turning again. You will in all probability want at the least an hour at this cease as properly, relying on how far you wish to climb.
Arnarstapi Cliffs
By this time, you’ll seemingly be getting hungry and there are a few meals choices at Arnarstapi. There is a fish and chips meals truck, the place you possibly can eat exterior (or in your automobile), or the Snjófell Restaurant on the Arnarstapi Center. We opted for the restaurant for an opportunity to take a seat and chill out for a couple of minutes and in addition use their restrooms. The meals was good and the environment was pretty.
After lunch, it’s good to take a stroll alongside the cliffs. You can comply with the trail out to the stone big. It appears to be like historic however is comparatively new, and put there in honor of a neighborhood man who was very tall. I’d suggest heading left alongside the cliffs. Just be ready to cease each few toes and marvel on the views.
There are attention-grabbing cave formations inside the basalt cliffs and the view jogs my memory of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. As you stroll across the cliffs to the left, additionally, you will come to a land bridge. I’d use warning strolling throughout this in case you select, but it surely does make for a enjoyable picture alternative.
Keep in thoughts that in Iceland, issues are usually not fenced off and also you gained’t discover any railings. You will wish to look out for cliff edges, free gravel, and rogue waves.
If you proceed alongside, you’ll come to a cute harbor, which is an effective spot to show again. You may also stroll within the different route to Hellnar, or drive to Hellnar and stroll alongside the cliffs there. But if you’re brief on time, they’re comparable experiences and you’ll simply choose one.
If you do wish to prolong your time in Snafellsnes, you may also in a single day in Hellnar on the Fosshotel Hellnar. Fosshotel is an Icelandic resort chain that may be very dependable and never overpriced.
Lóndranga
The subsequent cease alongside the street will likely be Lóndranga, which is a volcanic plug that juts up from the shoreline. You may also see the place the lava has flowed into the see. The panorama is kind of dramatic.
It generally is a fast 30-minute cease if all you wish to do is stroll as much as the overlook and take some photographs. However, give yourselves at the least an hour if you wish to comply with the trail alongside the cliff. If you stroll alongside the cliffs, keep away from strolling on the sting as it’s topic to erosion and is fragile.
After Lóndranga, you could possibly cease and take a tour of the Vatnshellir lava cave. However, if time is restricted, there’s a higher cave expertise nearer to Reykjavik at The Lava Tunnel.
Djúpalónssandur
There are many black sand seashores throughout Iceland, attributable to the volcanic ash from over 130 volcanoes. One of essentially the most well-known is Reynisfjara, alongside the south coast. However, you possibly can go to a black sand seashore on the Snaefellsnes peninsula at Djúpalónssandur.
Just take into account that once you go to seashores in Iceland, there will be giant rogue waves and a powerful undertow that may sweep you out to see. Stay alert and don’t get too near the sting, particularly together with your again turned for a selfie. If you see a warning signal, it’s there for good motive!
At Djúpalónssandur, there are a lot of areas to discover however positively comply with the trail right down to the seashore. Watch your step among the many rusted stays of an outdated shipwreck. You will discover this seashore largely product of volcanic pebbles. While they appear gray, in case you polish them sufficient to take away that layer of volcanic ash, they shine up a deep black.
You will wish to allot for at the least an hour at this cease, particularly in case you love photographing the black sand seashore and rock formations!
Saxhóll Crater
Saxhóll is a volcanic crater left by a volcanic eruption 3,000 years in the past. Be cautious within the car parking zone because it has its personal craters and we noticed one automobile caught hanging because the undercarriage was caught on a rock and the tires had been off the bottom.
The crater rises 109 meters above sea degree, so the climb up the steps to look into the highest is a bit steep. The stairs are additionally an odd form, too broad to take two steps at a time however too brief for a pure climb. The views from the highest are neat, however if you’re getting drained and less than a climb, you could possibly skip this cease. Personally, I discovered the crater at Grábrókargigum in West Iceland extra attention-grabbing. If you do cease, it shouldn’t take greater than half-hour to discover.
Snaefellsjökull
Snaefellsjökull is the volcano with the glacier on high that dominates the panorama as you loop across the Snaefellsnes peninsula and the National Park. That is when it isn’t obscured by clouds, which is it a lot of the time.
We by no means bought a transparent view on our journey, which was disappointing, as I used to be trying ahead to seeing the place that so impressed Jules Verne that’s the place the characters in Journey to the Center of the Earth enter the earth’s core.
It is feasible to hike the volcano to the Snaefellsjökull Glacier on a guided tour, however that takes a full day.
Kirkjufell / Arrow Mountain & Kirkjufellsfoss
Kirkjufell, additionally referred to as Arrow Mountain attributable to its form, is that iconic picture that individuals affiliate with Snaefellsnes and essentially the most photographed mountain in Iceland. You will see photographers lining up with their tripods on the far facet of the waterfall (Kirkufellsfoss) an hour or two earlier than sundown to seize the picture of the solar happening behind the mountain.
You may also see this mountain in Game of Thrones in Season 7, episode 6 the place they head north of the wall, and in Season 6 the place they present the creation of the White Walkers. This after all has made an already widespread spot much more closely visited.
After an extended day, we wished to proceed on to Stykkishólmur and test into our Airbnb earlier than the eating places closed so we didn’t wait round for sundown. Even with out hanging out for sundown, you’ll seemingly wish to spend at the least half-hour right here.
Pro tip: Keep in thoughts that the car parking zone may be very small and in case you park on the road or within the subject throughout the road, you’ll be ticketed. If you’re going for sundown, I’d get there very early to be sure to can get into the car parking zone.
Stykkishólmur
I fully fell in love with the small city of Stykkishólmur. The colourful homes, charming harbor, nice eating places, and free city WiFi. It makes a terrific in a single day cease or residence base for exploring the Snaefellsnes peninsula.
Even if you’re simply stopping for dinner earlier than heading again to Reykjavik, plan a while in Stykkishólmur. There are only some eating places on the town so you’ll want to name forward for reservations. I’d extremely suggest Sjávarpakkhúsid for dinner. This small seafood restaurant options the freshest catch and the mussels and seafood stew are value each penny (and I don’t even like mussels!)
If you keep in a single day, Cafe Nú is an enthralling espresso store that gives espresso, tea, pastries, and different breakfast objects earlier than you head out within the morning.
You can keep in a single day within the Fosshotel Stykkishólmur, or do what we did and hire a flat. Our trip rental had three bedrooms and an enormous lounge and kitchen space — excellent for teams or households.
I actually beloved our time in Snaefellsnes with Ryan from Hidden Iceland. We discovered a lot about glaciers, volcanoes, and lava flows and the perfect half was not needing to navigate or drive — we may simply sit again and revel in (or nap!) If you want to do a day tour from Reykjavik, I extremely suggest the consultants at Hidden Iceland. As a reader, you may get 10% off a scheduled group tour from Hidden Iceland with promo code WE3TRAVEL.
Where to Stay in Snaefellsnes Peninsula
MORE ICELAND TRAVEL TIPS
PIN THIS FOR LATER
