The Snæfellsnes Peninsula stretches west from Borgarfjörður like a finger pointing toward Greenland, crowned by the glacier that inspired Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth. Dramatic lava fields, basalt sea stacks, and a string of charming fishing villages make this one of Iceland’s most rewarding day trips — or better yet, a slow overnight stay along the coast.
The Glacier and the Lava Fields
Snæfellsjökull, the glacier at the tip of the peninsula, sits at 1,446 meters and is visible from Reykjavík on a clear day. The national park that surrounds it protects a landscape of extraordinary strangeness: lava tubes you can walk into, frozen lava fields blanketed in moss, sea arches battered by Atlantic surf, and basalt columns arranged by geology into formations that look designed. The Djúpalónssandur black pebble beach, with its old lifting stones used to test the strength of would-be fishermen, is one of the more haunting spots on the peninsula.
Fishing Villages and Quiet Roads
The villages along the coast of Snæfellsnes are small, old, and largely unbothered by the tourist traffic that passes through in summer. Arnarstapi and Hellnar, on the south coast, are connected by a coastal path of less than 3 kilometers that passes cliffs, sea arches, and nesting Arctic terns. Grundarfjörður, on the north coast, offers one of Iceland’s most photographed views: Kirkjufell mountain and the waterfall in front of it, particularly striking when there is still snow on the peak and the light is low.
Getting There
Snæfellsnes is about two hours from Reykjavík by road, making it feasible as a long day trip, though an overnight gives you the early morning light on the glacier and the chance to see the peninsula without the day-trippers who arrive mid-morning. The ring road around the peninsula is fully paved and manageable in a regular car. Conditions near the glacier summit change quickly, and the mountain road requires four-wheel drive if you intend to go higher than the base.
