Our final destination in Iceland was the Snæfellsnes Peninsula (which, like most things in Iceland, I am not entirely sure how to pronounce). This peninsula on Iceland’s western coast is well known for famous sites such as Kirkjufell, and as a “mini Iceland” in which you can see everything the rest of the country has to offer in one small area. Waterfalls, volcanos, black-sand beaches, glaciers. All these can be found on the Snæfellsness Peninsula, making it an incredible daytrip from Reykjavik or a destination in itself.
We visited the Snæfellsnes Peninsula on our last full day in Iceland. After completing the Ring Road, we hopped back in the car to spend our final day exploring this magical part of the island. While it would be easy to spend more than one day here, we hit most of the highlights in a single day. It was, however, a very busy day, and this is an itinerary that is doable, but not necessarily recommended. If you can spend two days or even three in the Snæfellsnes area, you will certainly not run out of things to do, and you can take things at a slightly less hectic pace. There were a couple of beaches we didn’t quite make it to that were on my list. But we’ll save them for next time!
So without further ado, here is a guide to the best things to see and do on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
Búðakirkja
One of the most famous things to see on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula is Búðakirkja, known in English as the Black Church. This church is, well, black, and very Instagram famous because of it. There is no denying that this church is photogenic, but I was pleasantly surprised by how scenic the area around the church is as well. There is a pretty beach just a short walk behind the church, and beautiful landscapes on all sides.
Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge
This gorge is an awesome experience for travelers feeling a bit more adventurous. You are able to climb up inside the gorge and hike along a small stream into the side of a mountain! It is very cool, but be warned, your feet will definitely get wet, and how far up the gorge you make it will depend on how confident you feel scrambling over slippery, wet rocks and climbing up small waterfalls.
Arnastapi
The stretch of coast around Arnastapi is one of the prettiest areas of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. There is an easy, well-maintained walk along the coast, from which you can catch glimpses of waterfalls plunging into the sea and incredible rock formations. The rock bridge makes for a great photo-op. We parked in Arnastapi, then walked along the coast to a cute little café called Fjöruhúsið. We enjoyed a warm drink and a yummy piece of cake overlooking the water, which was the perfect reward at the end of our walk. I highly recommend it!
Lóndrangar
Moving right along, our next stop was at Lóndrangar, another scenic stretch of coast with amazing rock formations. The view from the cliff top is incredible, but if you have time, definitely walk down along the path to Malarrif Lighthouse. You can enjoy amazing views the whole way and soak up Iceland’s natural beauty.
Saxhóll Crater
Iceland is covered in volcanos, and while Saxhóll Crater wasn’t necessarily the most impressive volcanic crater we visited, it is definitely worth a stop. The walk up to the crater is pretty easy, and the views are very nice.
Svörtuloft Lighthouse
Okay, I’ll admit that this lighthouse got put on the itinerary purely for photographic reasons, but come on, it looks like it came straight out of a Wes Anderson film! Getting to Svörtuloft Lighthouse did involve driving on some rather iffy roads, but I think it was totally worth it! By the time we made it to this lighthouse, it was getting rather late in the afternoon, but if you have more time, you pass lots of pretty-looking beaches on the way that looked well-worth stopping at.
Kirkjufell
And, of course, saving best for last (although I think I should say saving most famous for last) we have Kirkjufell. Kirkjufell has become one of Iceland’s most iconic sights, appearing in Game of Thrones along with pretty much every travel advertisement enticing visitors to Iceland. There is no denying that this mountain is incredibly scenic, but if I’m being perfectly honest, we did not have the best experience here. It was very crowded, and some of the people were blatantly ignoring the rules and climbing out where they weren’t supposed to go. This made it difficult to take pictures, and difficult to appreciate the majestic beauty of the place. It’s still a cool stop. Just maybe come with the right expectations and don’t go climbing out on top of the waterfall like an idiot!
Side note: We stayed at an Airbnb right next to Kirkjufell, which I highly recommend! (Link here.) It was much more pleasant to admire the mountain from the view of our porch than from the official parking area.
Well, I think that’s it for the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, at least for this trip. I definitely recommend checking out this area if you are visiting Iceland! It is beautiful with so many things to see and do. From volcanos to glaciers and everything in between, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula is definitely one of the prettiest regions of Iceland.
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