Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Sparkling fjords, dramatic volcanic peaks, sheer sea cliffs, sweeping golden beaches and crunchy lava flows make up the diverse and fascinating landscape of the 100km-long Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The area is crowned by the glistening ice cap Snæfellsjökull, immortalised in Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Good roads and regular buses mean that it’s an easy trip from Reykjavík, offering a cross-section of the best Iceland has to offer in a very compact region.

Stykkishólmur, on the populated northern coast, is the region’s largest town and a logical base. Moving west along the northern coast, you'll pass smaller townships. On the western part of the peninsula, Snæfellsjökull National Park encompasses not only its glacier but also bird sanctuaries and lava fields. The quiet southern coast has several good horse farms beneath towering crags.

Explore Snæfellsnes Peninsula

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

  • National Park

    Snæfellsjökull National Park

    Snæfellsjökull National Park encompasses much of the western tip of Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and wraps around the rugged slopes of the glacier…

  • Beach

    Djúpalón Beach

    On the southwest coast, Rte 572 leads off Rte 574 to wild black-sand beach Djúpalónssandur. It’s a dramatic place to walk, with rock formations (an elf…

  • Glacier

    Snæfellsjökull

    It’s easy to see why Jules Verne selected Snæfell for his adventure Journey to the Centre of the Earth: the peak was torn apart when the volcano beneath…

  • Museum

    Norska Húsið

    Stykkishólmur’s quaint maritime charm comes from the cluster of wooden warehouses, shops and homes around the town’s harbour. Most date back about 150…

  • Mountain

    Kirkjufell

    Kirkjufell (463m), guardian of Grundarfjörður’s northwestern vista, is said to be one of the most photographed spots in Iceland, appearing in Game of…

  • Island

    Súgandisey

    The basalt island Súgandisey features a scenic lighthouse and grand views across Breiðafjörður. Reach it via the causeway at Stykkishólmur harbour.

  • Museum

    Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum

    The farmstead at Bjarnarhöfn is the region’s leading producer of hákarl (fermented shark meat), a traditional Icelandic dish. The museum has exhibits on…

  • Mountain

    Helgafell

    About 5km south of Stykkishólmur, the holy mountain Helgafell (73m) was once venerated by worshippers of the god Þór. Although quite small, the mountain…

  • Lighthouse

    Malarrif

    About 2km south of Djúpalónssandur, a paved road leads down to the rocket-shaped lighthouse at Malarrif, from where you can walk 1km east along the cliffs…

  • Canyon

    Rauðfeldsgjá

    Just north of Arnarstapi and Stapafell, on Rte 574, a small track branches off to the stunning Rauðfeldsgjá (pronounced roith-felds-gyow), a steep, narrow…

  • Volcano

    Saxhöll Crater

    Southeast of the Öndverðarnes area, on Rte 574, follow the marked turn-off to the roadside scoria crater Saxhöll, which was responsible for some of the…

  • Gallery

    Library of Water

    For relaxing views of town and bay, head up the hill to the Library of Water. This window-lined space showcases an installation by American artist Roni…

  • Museum

    Saga Centre

    The Saga Centre is a tourist information centre, cafe, library, internet point and small museum rolled into one. The museum displays an old fishing boat…

  • Natural Feature

    Berserkjahraun

    About 15km west of the intersection of Rte 54 and Rte 56 lies the dramatic, spiky lava field at Berserkjahraun (Berserkers’ lava field). Crowned by…

  • Museum

    Sjóminjasafnið

    This small maritime museum houses Bliki, the oldest fishing boat in Iceland, and a cool replica of a fisher's turf house, plus loads of old photos and…

  • Museum

    Volcano Museum

    The Volcano Museum, housed in Stykkishólmur's old cinema, is the brainchild of vulcanologist Haraldur Sigurðsson, and features art depicting volcanoes,…

  • Natural Feature

    Vatnshellir

    This 8000-year-old lava tube with multiple caverns lies 32m below the earth’s surface, 1km north of Malarrif. The pull-out is visible from Rte 574, and…

  • Church

    Stykkishólmskirkja

    Stykkishólmur's futuristic church, designed by Jón Haraldsson, has a sweeping bell tower that looks like a whale vertebra. The interior features hundreds…

  • Landmark

    Gerðuberg

    Just where Rte 54 curves between the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and the mainland, you'll find the dramatic basalt towers of Gerðuberg rising from the plain.

  • Museum

    Pakkhúsið

    Mildly interesting display telling the story of the town’s development as a trading centre, and has an on-site handicraft shop and cafe (coffee included…