Long before this Snæfellsnes was mentioned in the Bárðar Saga, which tells the story of Bárðar, who according to legend was half ogre and half man. There is a sculpture commemorating Bárðar on the hillside at Arnarstapi, a picturesque fishing village.
Snæfellsjökull, Iceland´s most iconic glacier, dominates the landscape – you must not miss the opportunity to hike to the top. You meet your guide at Arnarstapi, take a short journey to the Jökulháls pass, strap on those crampons and off you go! Hiking to the summit of the most impressive volcano in Iceland is the most stupendous experience!
There is so much to see and do on Snaefellsnes peninsula, which has often been described ‘Iceland in Nutshell´ because of its diverse nature and scenery. The small towns and fishing communities include Arnarstapi, Hellnar, Rif, Grundafjörður, Stykkishólmur, Ólafsvík and Búðardalur, each place has a different character. The people of Snaefellsness care deeply about protecting nature. In 2008 this was the first community in Europe to receive the EarthCheck Certificate for sustainable tourism. New Age visitors from around the world have declared Snæfellsnes to be one of the world´s most important energy centers. Most certainly, it is very hard to forget the forces of nature and creation here.
There are picturesque coves with dramatic black beaches, waterfalls, an interesting Volcano Museum at Skykkishólmur, the Shark Museum at Bjarnahöfn where you can learn all about and even taste the famous hákarl, or rotten fermented shark! The scenery here is spectacular but particular highlights include the area around Dritvík and Djúpalónssander, coves which are framed by dramatic cliffs. Exploring these black pebble beaches as the white tipped surf flows over them is wonderful and walking the headland which connects them is highly recommended. You will be rewarded with views to die for – who knows? You may even decide to walk the labyrinth which can be found high on the headland!
Where is The Snaefellsnes peninsula?
Snæfellsnes is a peninsula in West Iceland so there are various places to mention. Stykkishólmur is 165 km from Reykjavík and 96.1 km from Borgarnes. Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall is 172 km from Reykjavík and 41.2 km from Stykkishólmur. Arnarstapi is 186 km from Reykjavík, 87.3 km from Stykkishólmur and around 16 km from Dritvík and Djúpalónssander. Hellnar is 4.3 km from Arnarstapi and 188 km from Reykjavík.
Interesting places near Snæfellsnes Peninsula
- Kirkjufell
- Kirkjufellsfoss
- Grundarfjörður village
- Lýsuhóls swimming pool
- Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum
- Arnarstapi
- Hellnar
- Hraunfossar
- Djúpalónssandur
- Barnafoss
- Stykkishólmur village
- Ólafsvík village
