About This Experience

Snæfellsnes Peninsula juts out from western Iceland like a crooked finger, and somehow packs almost every Icelandic landscape into 90 kilometres. Glacier-topped volcano at one end, dramatic sea cliffs in the middle, black-sand beaches and lava fields scattered throughout. Jules Verne set the entrance to his Journey to the Centre of the Earth at the Snæfellsjökull glacier here, which gives you an idea of the atmosphere.

We drove the peninsula as a long day trip from Reykjavik — about two hours each way, with stops filling the day in between. It felt like a condensed version of the entire Ring Road. Every 15 minutes we'd round a corner and the landscape would shift entirely: from a moss-covered lava field to a white-sand beach to a harbour village surrounded by basalt columns.

The highlight for us was Kirkjufell, the arrowhead-shaped mountain that became famous as the "mountain shaped like an arrowhead" in Game of Thrones. Photographing it with the small waterfall in the foreground at golden hour was one of our favourite moments of the whole trip.

What to Expect

The peninsula is best driven as a loop, starting from Borgarnes and heading west along the north coast. Major stops along the way include Kirkjufell mountain near Grundarfjörður, the black church at Búðir, the sea cliffs and basalt formations at Arnarstapi and Hellnar, the black pebble beach at Djúpalónssandur, and the fishing village of Stykkishólmur at the eastern end.

The driving is straightforward on paved roads, though some side roads to specific viewpoints can be gravel. Most stops require short walks of 10-30 minutes. The coastal walk between Arnarstapi and Hellnar is the longest at about 2.5 kilometres one way, following clifftop paths past blowholes and bird nesting sites.

On a clear day, Snæfellsjökull glacier dominates the western horizon from almost every angle. On the overcast day we visited, it played hide-and-seek in the clouds, which honestly added to the drama.

Practical Tips

• Allow a full day — the drive from Reykjavik is about 2 hours each way, plus stops
• Drive the peninsula counterclockwise (north coast first) for the best light on Kirkjufell in the afternoon
• Kirkjufell is most photogenic from the small waterfall viewpoint across the road
• The Arnarstapi-to-Hellnar coastal walk is an easy highlight — allow 45 minutes one way
• Búðakirkja (the black church) is tiny but incredibly photogenic against the lava fields
• Pack food — restaurants are sparse and close early outside summer
• Djúpalónssandur beach has lifting stones that fishermen historically used as strength tests — give them a try
• Stykkishólmur has the best food options on the peninsula if you need a proper meal
• The peninsula is doable year-round, but winter daylight limits your stops to the essentials
• Fill up on fuel in Borgarnes before heading out; petrol stations are few on the peninsula