Snæfellsnes

What Is Snæfellsnes

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula extends roughly 90 kilometres west from Iceland's western coast into the Atlantic Ocean. It is often called "Iceland in Miniature" because it contains nearly every landscape type found across the country — glaciers, active volcanoes, lava fields, basalt cliffs, black sand beaches, golden beaches, seal colonies, bird cliffs, and charming fishing villages — all within a single driveable loop.

A spine of mountains runs down the centre of the peninsula, reaching its peak at the glacier-capped volcano Snæfellsjökull at the western tip. The north coast faces Breiðafjörður Bay, dotted with hundreds of small islands and excellent for whale watching. The south coast is more rugged and exposed, with dramatic basalt formations and lava fields dropping to the Atlantic.

The peninsula is approximately 150 kilometres from Reykjavík — about a 2 to 2.5-hour drive via Route 1 and Route 54. It can be done as a long day trip, but one or two nights on the peninsula is needed to see it properly. The full loop around the peninsula on Route 54 and Route 574 takes roughly 3 hours of driving without stops — more realistically a full day with sites.

Snæfellsjökull — Glacier, Volcano and National Park

Snæfellsjökull is the defining landmark of the peninsula. It is a stratovolcano — a cone-shaped volcano built from layers of lava and ash — standing 1,446 metres above sea level. The volcano is approximately 700,000 years old and is crowned by a glacier of around 11 square kilometres.

The last confirmed eruption occurred around 200 AD, making it classified as an active volcano in geological terms. Geothermal activity — hot springs and fumaroles — continues beneath the glacier.

The ice cap can be seen from Reykjavík on clear days across Faxaflói Bay, 120 kilometres to the southeast.

Jules Verne and Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Snæfellsjökull earned worldwide literary fame through Jules Verne's 1864 novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth. In the story, the protagonists discover a runic inscription pointing to Snæfellsjökull as the entrance to a subterranean passage leading to the planet's core.

The novel made the glacier-volcano famous internationally long before Iceland became a tourist destination. Verne himself never visited Iceland.

The volcano also appears in Under the Glacier (1968) by Iceland's only Nobel laureate, Halldór Laxness, and in Icelandic folk tradition as the domain of Bárður Snæfellsás — a half-giant, half-troll guardian spirit from a 14th-century saga who is said to still watch over the mountain and the surrounding area.

Snæfellsjökull National Park

The national park was established in 2001 and covers 170 square kilometres around the tip of the peninsula. It is the smallest of Iceland's three national parks. Unlike the others, it is unique in extending from the glacier summit all the way to the coastline, encompassing both highland and coastal ecosystems.

Two visitor centres serve the park: one at Malarrif on the south coast and one in the village of Hellissandur on the north. Both have maps, information, and ranger staff in summer.

Glacier Tours on Snæfellsjökull

Guided snowcat and glacier hiking tours depart from the mountain's lower slopes throughout summer. Snowcat tours drive directly to the summit area and are accessible for most fitness levels.

Glacier hiking tours on foot take 5 to 7 hours and require crampons, ice axes, and helmets — all provided by operators. Walking the glacier independently without a guide is not permitted and is genuinely dangerous given the crevasse fields near the summit crater.

Kirkjufell — Iceland's Most Photographed Mountain

Kirkjufell — meaning "Church Mountain" — is a steep, isolated peak rising 463 metres from the sea near the village of Grundarfjörður on the peninsula's north coast.

Its distinctive symmetrical profile — narrow at the top, widening dramatically at the base — makes it one of the most immediately recognisable landforms in Iceland.

Kirkjufell gained international attention as the "Arrowhead Mountain" in the television series Game of Thrones. It appeared in multiple episodes and is now the single most-photographed mountain in Iceland.

The standard composition includes the mountain in the background with Kirkjufellsfoss — a three-tiered waterfall — in the foreground. A short 5-minute walk from the car park brings you to the waterfall viewpoint.

Climbing Kirkjufell itself is possible but not straightforward. The ascent requires scrambling over exposed rock on a route that involves some fixed ropes. The path is only recommended for those with scrambling experience and the right footwear.

Djúpalónssandur — The Black Pebble Beach

Djúpalónssandur translates roughly as "Deep Lagoon Sand." It is a black pebble beach on the southwestern edge of the peninsula, inside Snæfellsjökull National Park. The beach is formed from smooth volcanic rock — small, oval, jet-black pebbles polished by centuries of Atlantic surf. Removing even a single pebble is forbidden and taken seriously.

From the car park, a short path leads through lava formations to the beach. A small freshwater lagoon called Djúpalón sits just above the beach, reflecting the surrounding cliffs and glacier on calm days.

The arch rock Gatklettur — a basalt formation with a hole worn through it by wave action — frames the glacier behind it and is one of the most photographed rock formations on the peninsula.

The Lifting Stones

Four large basalt stones lie on the path above the beach — the Aflraunasteinar (lifting stones). In the days when Djúpalónssandur was an active fishing station, these were used to test the strength of fishermen applying for work on boats. The four stones are:

Fullsterkur (Full Strength) — 154 kg. Required for a full share of the catch.

Hálfsterkur (Half Strength) — 100 kg. Qualified for half a share.

Hálfdrættingur (Weakling) — 54 kg. The minimum to qualify for any work.

Amlóði (Useless) — 23 kg. Failed to qualify. Fishermen who could not lift the 54 kg stone were not hired.

Visitors are welcome to attempt to lift them. Return them to their original positions after trying. Most people struggle with the 54 kg stone.

The Epine GY7 Shipwreck

Scattered across the beach are rusted iron fragments from a British trawler, the Epine GY7, which ran aground near Dritvík Cove during a winter blizzard on 13 March 1948. Fourteen of the nineteen crew members died. Five survived. The wreck has never been cleared — the remains are preserved as a memorial to the crew. Walking among them gives a stark sense of how violent this coastline can be in winter.

A short walk west of Djúpalónssandur leads to the ruins of Dritvík Cove, once one of the busiest fishing stations on the peninsula. At its peak, up to 60 boats operated from the cove. Today only stone foundations and walls remain, slowly being reclaimed by the lava field.

Arnarstapi and the Coastal Walk

Arnarstapi is a small village on the south coast with a harbour carved into dramatic basalt sea cliffs. The cliffs here have been shaped by centuries of Atlantic wave action into arches, caves, natural columns, and blowholes.

Arctic terns, fulmars, and kittiwakes nest in the cliff faces in summer and dive aggressively at visitors who pass too close to their nests — keep moving and do not linger directly beneath nesting sites.

A coastal walking path connects Arnarstapi to the neighbouring village of Hellnar, running for about 2.5 kilometres along the top of the lava cliffs above the sea.

The path passes through one of the most geologically dramatic sections of the peninsula's south coast, with constant views of offshore sea stacks and the glacier above. The walk takes around 45 minutes one way and can be returned the same way or via the inland road.

Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge

A few kilometres east of Arnarstapi, a narrow gorge called Rauðfeldsgjá cuts into the mountainside above the road. A small stream runs through it. The gorge narrows to just a few metres wide as it ascends, with mossy walls rising on both sides. You can walk into it for about 10 to 15 minutes before it becomes too narrow and steep to continue without climbing equipment.

The gorge is connected to a local folk story about Bárður Snæfellsás — the guardian troll-man of the glacier — who supposedly threw his nephew into the sea here after a dispute. A statue of Bárður stands near Arnarstapi. Entry to the gorge is free. Park at the car park on Route 574 and walk a few minutes up the slope.

Lóndrangar — The Basalt Plugs

Lóndrangar is a pair of basalt sea stacks on the south coast, near Malarrif. They are the eroded cores of ancient volcanoes — the softer material around them has been worn away by the sea over thousands of years, leaving these two hard basalt pillars standing isolated above the shoreline. The taller pillar reaches about 75 metres.

The stacks are visible from the road and from a short walking path near the Malarrif lighthouse. Arctic fulmars nest on the cliff ledges. The Malarrif lighthouse was built in 1917 and is still operational.

The surrounding coastal landscape here — flat lava benches dropping to the sea, the glacier behind, the stacks rising from the water — is one of the most complete views of the peninsula's character in a single frame.

Saxhóll Crater

Saxhóll is a small volcanic crater on the western side of the peninsula, visible from Route 574. A staircase of around 100 steps leads to the crater rim, taking about 5 minutes to climb. From the top, the view covers the surrounding lava fields, the Snæfellsjökull glacier behind, and the coastline below.

The crater is one of the youngest geological features in the national park — it formed during an eruption thought to have occurred within the last few thousand years.

The lava field visible around the base of the glacier was produced by the same eruptive period. Entry is free. The car park is directly on Route 574.

Stykkishólmur — The Main Town

Stykkishólmur is the largest town on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, with a population of around 1,200. It sits on the north coast on a harbour sheltered by the island of Sugandisey, which has a lighthouse at its tip accessible by a short walk from the harbour.

The town's colourful historic timber houses and compact scale make it one of the most picturesque settlements in West Iceland.

The Norwegian House (Norska Húsið) is Iceland's oldest surviving two-storey building, constructed in 1832 from timber imported from Norway. It now operates as a museum documenting the town's history and local heritage.

The Library of Water (Vatnasafn) is an unusual art installation by American artist Roni Horn, opened in 2007 in a former public library. It contains 24 floor-to-ceiling glass columns filled with water samples taken from glaciers across Iceland.

The Baldur ferry departs from Stykkishólmur across Breiðafjörður Bay to the Westfjords, stopping at Flatey Island in summer. This is the only car ferry connection between the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and the Westfjords, and a useful route for those combining the two regions.

Whale Watching from Ólafsvík

Ólafsvík is a small fishing town on the north coast, about 15 kilometres west of Grundarfjörður. It is one of the best places in Iceland to see orca (killer whales), which appear in the waters off the north coast of Snæfellsnes primarily in winter and early spring — when fishing boats are active and orca follow the herring shoals inshore. Tours run from February to September.

Sperm whales are also spotted regularly. Later in the season, minke whales, humpbacks, and white-beaked dolphins are common.

The Breiðafjörður Bay is unusually productive marine habitat, supporting a high density of cetacean life year-round. Whale watching tours from Ólafsvík typically last 2 to 3 hours.

Ytri-Tunga Beach — The Seal Colony

Ytri-Tunga is a beach on the south coast, notable for two things: a resident seal colony and golden sand — unusual in Iceland, where most beaches are black. Harbour seals haul out on the rocks year-round and are typically visible from the beach without binoculars. The best viewing months are June and July when pups are present.

Keep a distance of at least 50 metres from the seals, doubling this if pups are visible. Do not position yourself between a seal and the water. The seals here are accustomed to visitors but can move quickly if startled, and a seal bite is serious. The beach is a short walk from a car park just off Route 54. Entry is free.

Búðakirkja — The Black Church

Búðakirkja is a small, isolated church painted entirely black, standing in a lava field near the coast on the south side of the peninsula. It is surrounded by the Búðahraun lava field on three sides, with the sea and the glacier visible in the distance. The stark contrast of the black church against the dark lava and pale glacier makes it one of the most photographed buildings in Iceland.

The original church at this site was built in the 18th century. The current building dates from 1987, rebuilt using some original materials. The church is small — just a few rows of pews — and is an active place of worship. It is usually unlocked during daylight hours. Entry is free.

The small hamlet of Búðir beside the church has a single hotel — Hotel Búðir — which is considered one of the most romantic and atmospherically located hotels in Iceland, set in an entirely isolated position between the lava field and the sea.

Gerðuberg Basalt Columns

Gerðuberg is a wall of hexagonal basalt columns running for about half a kilometre along a hillside near the eastern entrance to the peninsula, visible from Route 54. The columns formed as lava cooled and contracted — the same process that creates basalt columns worldwide, including at Svartifoss and Stuðlagil.

The Gerðuberg columns are unusually regular and symmetrical, rising to around 14 metres at their tallest. A short gravel track leads from Route 54 to a car park directly at the base of the cliff.

Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum

The Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum is a working shark farm on the north coast that produces and sells hákarl — fermented Greenland shark, Iceland's most notorious traditional food.

Greenland shark is poisonous when fresh due to high concentrations of uric acid and trimethylamine oxide. The traditional curing method — burying the shark underground and leaving it to ferment for months, then hanging it to dry for several more months — neutralises the toxins.

The museum explains the full process, and a drying house on site typically has rows of shark strips hanging to cure throughout the season. Visitors can taste hákarl at the museum — the flavour is strongly ammoniacal and the smell is intense.

It is almost always served with a shot of Brennivín, Iceland's signature schnapps, to cut through it. Entry costs around 1,000 ISK (approximately €7). Open from mid-May to mid-September, 10 AM to 5 PM.

How to Get to Snæfellsnes

By Car from Reykjavík

Drive north on Route 1 from Reykjavík. After passing through the Hvalfjörður tunnel — a shortcut under the fjord that saves about 30 minutes versus driving around — continue to Borgarnes and turn west onto Route 54.

From Borgarnes, the eastern end of the peninsula is about 1 hour. The western tip near Snæfellsjökull is about 2 hours. Total journey from Reykjavík: 2 to 2.5 hours.

Route 54 loops around the full peninsula and is paved throughout. A standard 2WD car handles all paved roads on Snæfellsnes without issue in summer. In winter, check road.is before driving and ensure the vehicle has winter tyres. The unpaved roads to Öndverðarnes lighthouse and Skarðsvík beach on the far western tip require a 4WD even in summer — they are rough gravel tracks with potholes.

By Bus

A bus service connects Reykjavík to Stykkishólmur via Borgarnes, but it does not stop at the main natural attractions on the peninsula. Public transport is not a practical way to explore Snæfellsnes beyond staying in Stykkishólmur. A rental car is necessary to see the peninsula properly.

Where to Stay

Stykkishólmur is the most practical base with the widest range of accommodation — hotels, guesthouses, and a campsite. Grundarfjörður is smaller but puts you directly beside Kirkjufell and has a hostel with great mountain views.

Ólafsvík has guesthouses and is the best base for whale watching and glacier tours. Hellnar and Arnarstapi on the south coast have guesthouses near the national park — good for early morning access to Djúpalónssandur and Snæfellsjökull before day-trippers arrive from Reykjavík.

Hotel Búðir at Búðir is the most luxurious option and one of the most atmospherically positioned hotels in Iceland. Book months in advance. Fosshotel Hellnar, at the national park's edge, has a restaurant and glacier views. Accommodation across the peninsula is limited — book well ahead in July and August.

Practical Travel Information

How Long to Spend

One very long day covers the highlights — Kirkjufell, Djúpalónssandur, Arnarstapi, and the coastal walk — if you start early from Reykjavík and push hard. Two days allows a relaxed circuit of the full peninsula including Stykkishólmur, whale watching, Búðakirkja, Ytri-Tunga, and time at Djúpalónssandur without rushing. Three days gives you time for a glacier tour, a hike, and exploration of smaller sites like Rauðfeldsgjá, Gerðuberg, and Bjarnarhöfn.

Currency and Costs

Iceland uses the Icelandic Króna (ISK). Card payment is accepted everywhere. Most natural sites on Snæfellsnes — Kirkjufell, Djúpalónssandur, Arnarstapi, Lóndrangar, Saxhóll, Ytri-Tunga, Gerðuberg, Rauðfeldsgjá — are free to visit. The main paid activities are glacier tours (15,000 to 25,000 ISK), whale watching from Ólafsvík (around 10,000 to 12,000 ISK), and Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum (1,000 ISK).

What to Pack

Weather on Snæfellsnes changes rapidly in every season. The western tip near the glacier is frequently cloudy, windy, and wet even when the rest of the peninsula is clear. Always bring a waterproof jacket and trousers regardless of the forecast. Sturdy walking shoes or boots are needed for the coastal paths and lava field trails. In winter, add warm layers and insulated gloves. Binoculars are useful for seals at Ytri-Tunga and birds at Arnarstapi.

Safety

Stay back from cliff edges on the south coast — they are undercut in places and the ground near the edge can be unstable. Do not swim at any of the peninsula's beaches — currents and surf are dangerous throughout. At Kirkjufell, only attempt the summit hike in dry conditions with appropriate footwear. Check road.is before driving in winter or early spring. Register any multi-day hiking plans at safetravel.is.