The Snaefellsnes Peninsula

The 90-kilometer long Snaefellsnes Peninsula sits just to the northwest of Reykjavik. Often called “Iceland in miniature,” the peninsula is home to many of the beautiful landscapes found elsewhere in the country. If you don’t have time to drive around the entire island, a visit to the  Snaefellsnes Peninsula will give you an idea of what you would have seen if you had: moss-covered lava rocks, craggy seaside cliffs, strange rock formations made by the sea, a giant glacier, majestic fjords, windswept beaches, tiny fishing villages and even some rolling farmlands dotted with sheet and horses to boot.

What to do:

In terms of attractions, there’s not a whole lot to do here other than just take it all in and enjoy the area’s natural beauty. You can go cave exploring, go ride horses at Lysuholl, climb on the Snaefellsnes glacier, go snowmobiling or hiking, golf, go fly-fishing, take a boat from Stykkisholmur into the bay to see the islands and the bird life, or go whale watching from Olafsvik with Láki Tours, which runs trips from February to September. Seatours runs its Viking Sushi boat trips among the Breiðafjörður islands from Stykkisholmur.

Depending on how many activities you’ll want to participate in, plan to stay at least one night or up to two or three nights. If you’re just coming for a day trip, you can drive around the peninsula in 1-3 hours, depending on how many stops you make, but you won’t have time to do many activities. My suggested itinerary: one day to arrive, drive around and get settled in; one day to go horseback riding in the morning and hiking or glacier walking in the afternoon, and (in summer  only) one more day to go whale watching or hop on the ferry.

Getting there and around:
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Getting from Reykjavik to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is pretty straightforward and will take about three hours. Most small towns on the peninsula have a petrol station, but it’s a good idea to keep your gas tank full at all times; many of the stations aren’t manned and if you don’t have a pre-paid gas card, you’ll be out of luck. Your best best for stocking up for self-catering is to head to the grocery store in Grundarfjordur or Stykkisholmur, two of the larger towns.

Buses from Reykjavik run to Borgarnes, where Strætó route 58 continues to Stykkisholmur. Route 82 links Stykkisholmur with Grundarfjordur, Olafsvik, Rif and Hellissandur, and the two routes meet at the Vatnaleid junction. Under the countryside timetable that started in January 2026, both routes run only on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with two buses in each direction and no service on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays. If you are traveling without a car, you’ll need to time your journey carefully; hitch-hiking can help you supplement the bus schedule, as can booking tours and activities that include transportation.

Where to stay:

In addition to offering riding tours, Lysuholl also offers accommodation. There’s a new hotel with private bathrooms, twin cottages, small studio and old-style cottages with kitchens that sleep two to four people, and larger bungalows, open year-round, with four rooms each that share two bathrooms, a kitchen and a big veranda. Each cottage provides spectacular views of the Snaefellsnes glacier. On Lysuholl’s booking page, a twin room was 30,000 ISK a night for mid-October 2026 and 33,990 ISK for mid-June 2027, and a studio cottage was 35,000 ISK in October.

Hotel Hellnar is now Fosshotel Hellnar, part of the Íslandshótel chain. It is open from May through October and has 39 rooms with private bathrooms, plus a restaurant with ocean views. The hotel is located in the countryside near Arnarstapi. On the hotel’s booking page, an economy double started at 38,245 ISK a night, room only, for a mid-September 2026 stay, plus an 800 ISK lodging tax per room per night.

Hotel Framnes, in Grundarfjordur, is now called Kirkjufell Hotel. It’s still down by the water and has a restaurant on site, outdoor hot tubs and free wi-fi, and all rooms have private bathrooms, with triple and family rooms also available.

Those hoping for the perfect romantic luxury escape on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula can do no better than Hotel Budir, if they’re prepared to pay a steep fee. Its 28 individually designed rooms look out over the glacier, the mountains, the lava field or the sea, and there is a restaurant and bar on site. On the hotel’s booking page, the smallest rooms, the loft doubles, were 39,900 ISK a night with free cancellation for a mid-October 2026 stay (35,910 ISK non-refundable), and standard doubles were 45,900 ISK. If the price is too high for you, consider stopping by just for a drink and the view.

Grundarfjordur HI Hostel is the best bet for travelers on a smaller budget. The hostel is spread across several colorful houses, with a guest kitchen, a TV room and laundry, and wi-fi, linen and towels are included. The hostel is also the best place to stay if you want to be able to easily walk around town, to the grocery store and to the pub or restaurant.

Where to eat:

Aside from the hotel restaurants at Budir, Hellnar and Kirkjufell Hotel, there are only a handful of options on the peninsula. In Stykkisholmur, Sjávarpakkhúsið by the harbor serves local, seasonal food and Narfeyrarstofa does fine dining, or try Kaffi 59 for more moderately-priced pizza and burgers in Grundarfjordur. Other than that, your best option is to dine at your hotel, snack on some hot dogs from the local N1 gas station, or book a self-catering stay and cook your own meals.

Other practicalities:

There are three Vinbudin stores on the peninsula, in Stykkisholmur, Grundarfjordur and Olafsvik, so if you plan on drinking, stock up or plan ahead. As of September 2026, the Grundarfjordur store opens only from 4pm to 6pm Monday through Thursday and 2pm to 6pm on Friday, and it is closed on weekends. The stores in Stykkisholmur and Olafsvik have longer hours (opening at 1pm or 2pm on weekdays and from 11am to 2pm on Saturdays).