Iceland is filled with all sorts of stunning landscapes, from mountains and volcanoes to waterfalls and dramatic cliffs. You can spend weeks exploring this beautiful country, looking for these sights, or…you can go to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula!
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is often called “miniature Iceland” or “Iceland in a nutshell” because this one area has so many of the different landscapes found around the country! It’s no wonder this easy road trip loop is one of the most popular journeys in Iceland. And if you’re short on time or just want to pack in the views during your visit, it should be at the top of your list.
Speaking from personal experience, our one-day adventure on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula was near the top of my favorite excursions. Now, I’m sure it helped that it was literally our first trip out of Reykjavik. But I also immediately fell in love with the snow-capped mountains, the rugged black cliffs, and the lava fields sporting a mesmerizing blend of green moss and snow. It was an incredible introduction to the country as a whole, and I would have loved to spend more than one day there.
In truth, you should carve out 2-3 days to explore all the Snæfellsnes Peninsula has to offer. But if you are short on time and can only afford one day on this beautiful peninsula, this is the guide for you. I’m going to introduce you to the top stops in this gorgeous area and share how you can take a one-day road trip here.
Practical Info About the Snæfellsnes Peninsula
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is located in Western Iceland and is a long, narrow strip that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean.
It’s about 2 hours from Reykjavik or 45 minutes from Borgarnes, so I recommend starting from Borgarnes if you can.
There’s so much to explore here year-round, and the roads are kept clear for easy winter driving. However, your views will vary drastically by the seasons, so keep that in mind while planning your trip.
60 out of Iceland’s 77 bird species nest around the peninsula, so you’ll often find large flocks of these fascinating creatures along the cliffs and beaches.
Blue whales, sperm whales, and seals are also common around the peninsula, so keep your eyes out on the ocean as well! You never know who might swim by to say hello! (For the best chance of seeing some of these animals, add on a day trip to Flatey Island or Breiðafjörður Bay.)
The easiest way to explore the Snæfellsnes Peninsula is by taking a large loop around Road No. 54, which is easily accessed from Ring Road No. 1. If you’re planning a larger trip around Iceland’s famous Ring Road, it’s super easy to dart off to the peninsula for a day or two and then resume your journey. You don’t need a 4×4 unless you plan to drive road F570, and that’s only open during the summer months.
The Best Places to Visit on Snæfellsnes Peninsula
If you want to spend more time on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, there are a ton of lengthy guides out there that cover every little thing to do. But if you only have a day to hit the highlights, here’s what I suggest doing.
Búðakirkja Black Church
On the southern side of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, you’ll find a simple black church that dates back to 1703! It’s away from the road in a quiet field, surrounded by rugged lava rock and a small cemetery. In the background, you can see the Snæfellsjökull glacier to the east or lava fields and ocean to the west. It’s one of just three black churches in Iceland and, due to its beautiful and rather isolated location, is a popular photography spot.
Anarstapi & The Cliff Walk
About 20 minutes down the road, you’ll find the charming town of Anarstapi. This small fishing village lies right along the coast between Mt. Stapefell and a stunning stretch of black cliffs.
While the town is small, it is a popular tourist stop thanks to its proximity to these gorgeous cliffs and a quirky statue dedicated to Bárður Snæfellsás, a half-troll featured in the Saga of Bárður Snæfellsás. There’s also a small Jules Vernes monument here if you’re a fan of Journey to the Center of the Earth because the book’s main journey begins at the nearby Snæfellsjökull glacier! I recommend a quick photo op with the Bárður Snæfellsás statue, but most of your time should be spent at the cliff walk.
This beautiful pathway along the coast has numerous scenic outlook points and epic views at every turn. Look for nesting sea birds, basalt columns, a stone bridge, and the famous Gatklettur Arch Rock. You can spend quite a while exploring here, and I encourage you to take your time. These were my favorite views from the day, and I couldn’t get over the blue hues and mountains stretching off into the distance.
Keep in mind that this area is very steep and can be slippery in the winter months. DO NOT WEAR TENNIS SHOES HERE. I cannot stress that enough. At the bare minimum, you need boots with good grip in winter, but they actually recommend crampons when the snow and ice are particularly bad.
Once you’re done exploring here, I recommend grabbing an early lunch in town. Samkomuhúsið Arnarstapa has absolutely delicious fresh bread and traditional soup!
Lóndrangar
The western tip of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula is encompassed by the Snæfellsjökull National Park. There is so much to explore here, and if you do have the time, you can make a day of visiting black pebble beaches, the Þúfubjarg bird cliff, Saxhóll crater, and Skarðsvík Golden Beach, and the Vatnshellir Cave.
But if you don’t have that time, visit Lóndrangar. These fascinating sea stacks and the nearby hill are remnants of a crater that’s been eroded by the ocean. The area is surrounded by lava fields, and you can find sea birds nesting on the cliffs, including puffins! (We sadly visited outside of puffin season.)
From far away, the sea stacks look more like a castle than separate rock columns, which makes them even more unique. The view is absolutely magical, and local rumor has it that elves live in the area.
The walk to the cliffs isn’t long, but it can be pretty steep, so once again, wear appropriate footwear in the winter. You can walk along the hill near the stacks and see them from two different viewpoints. Or, weather permitting, you can take a trail from the parking lot right down to the pebble beach and see Lóndrangarclose up.
Djúpalónssandur (Optional)
If you’re interested in exploring another giant black sand and pebble beach, Djúpalónssandur is a fantastic choice. While it may be inaccessible at times due to weather, it’s just a short detour from the Londrangar sea stacks. The beach is the result of more volcanic activity (shocker), so you’ll see lots of volcanic elements in the rocky cliffs, volcanic rocks, and basalt.
It’s a pretty easy trek down to the beach, and it only takes about 20 minutes.
Hellissandur, Rif, Ólafsvík, & Grundarfjörður (Optional)
While you may not have a ton of time to explore them, the northern side of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula has a number of small fishing villages, some of which date back to Iceland’s first settlers! There are only about 5,000 people living on the peninsula, but most of them live around here.
If you didn’t do as much hiking earlier, these are great places to stop in and check out the local culture, try some new food, or see what a typical grocery store looks like outside of Reykjavik!
Kirkjufellsfossar & Mt. Kirkjufell
Last but certainly not least on this epic loop are the famous Kirkjufellsfossar Waterfall and Mt. Kirkjufell( AKA Arrowhead Mountain). Located just outside of Grundarfjörður, a parking lot with a short trail leads over a bridge and down the side of Kirkjufellsfossar.
This waterfall is one of the most photographed spots in Iceland, and it’s no surprise. It is fed by the glacier and has multiple waterfalls cascading down into a pool. It actually has multiple levels, too, so don’t stop at the first section–walk all the way down to see it in its full glory! We actually visited while the waterfall was mostly frozen, which was an incredible experience. I would have loved to see the waters streaming over the edge, but even our guide said that this was very unique, and it was fascinating to see the icy shell created from the spray.
But this view is iconic largely because of the profile of Mt. Kirkjufell in the background. This stunning mountain is particularly notable because it juts out into the ocean along the peninsula, and the tip is over 1500 feet above sea level–that’s a stark contrast! It’s also gained popularity in recent years because it appeared in the Game of Thrones TV show.
But while the most popular view of this mountain features it in full summer, covered in green, I have to say I loved our view of it coated in snow.
If you have time and energy after you visit the waterfall, head across the road and take the walking trail around Mt. Kirkjufell. The path provides multiple views of the mountain, and since it’s so close to the beach, you might also find some interesting marine life!
Closing Thoughts on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula
We spent our very first day outside of Reykjavik exploring the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and it got me so hyped up for the rest of the week! I probably could have stayed in Anarstapi the whole day just staring out at the mountains and ocean, but sadly, we had to keep moving. We also lost quite a bit of time driving from Reykjavik, so I definitely recommend doing that drive the day before, if possible.
Feel free to drop questions or comments below, and I will get back to you shortly! I’d also like to invite you to check out my latest YouTube video, where you’ll see lots of stunning footage of these places as I share more about them.
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