West Iceland and Snæfellsnes
West Iceland stretches from Hvalfjörður north to Gilsfjörður. The region is rich in history and natural beauty: the saga hero Egill Skallagrímsson and the historian Snorri Sturluson lived here, and here lies Snæfellsnes, often called "Iceland in miniature" because of its varied nature in a small area.
Hvalfjörður and Akranes
Hvalfjörður is a fjord about 30 km long north of Reykjavík. Since 1998 the Hvalfjörður tunnel has shortened the route, but the old road around the fjord is beautiful and leads to the hiking trail to Glymur, one of the highest waterfalls in Iceland. During the Second World War the fjord was an important Allied naval base. Akranes is the largest town in West Iceland, known for football and fishing. Mount Akrafjall towers over the town, and Akranes lighthouse is a popular stop.
Borgarfjörður and Reykholt
Borgarnes lies at the mouth of Borgarfjörður and is home to the Settlement Centre, which tells the story of the settlement and Egil's Saga. Egill Skallagrímsson, poet and Viking, lived at Borg á Mýrum. Snorri Sturluson, author of the Prose Edda and Heimskringla, lived at Reykholt, where Snorralaug, one of the oldest preserved structures in Iceland, can still be seen. Snorrastofa in Reykholt is a cultural and medieval centre.
Borgarfjörður is also home to Hraunfossar, where clear spring water emerges from beneath the Hallmundarhraun lava and cascades into the Hvítá river, and Barnafoss nearby. Deildartunguhver is the highest-flow hot spring in Europe, and Krauma is a spa that uses its water. At Húsafell there is woodland, a swimming pool and access to the ice tunnel in Langjökull.
Snæfellsnes
| Place | What to see |
|---|---|
| Kirkjufell | One of Iceland's most photographed mountains, 463 m, near Grundarfjörður |
| Snæfellsjökull | A 1,446 m glacier-capped stratovolcano, the setting for Jules Verne's novel |
| Arnarstapi and Hellnar | Basalt columns, arches and birdlife along the coast |
| Djúpalónssandur | A black beach with the fishermen's lifting stones |
| Búðir | The black church and the Búðahraun lava field |
| Stykkishólmur | The old town, the Breiðafjörður islands and the Baldur ferry |
| Ytri Tunga | Seals often lie on the rocks |
| Lóndrangar | Two lava pinnacles by the shore |
Snæfellsjökull National Park was founded in 2001. In Jules Verne's novel *Journey to the Centre of the Earth* (1864), the journey to the centre of the Earth begins in the glacier's crater. Snæfellsjökull is also the setting of Halldór Laxness's *Under the Glacier*.
Breiðafjörður and Dalir
Breiðafjörður is known for its countless islands, islets and skerries, its rich birdlife and the strongest tides in Iceland. Flatey in Breiðafjörður is a beautiful island with an old settlement; Flateyjarbók, one of Iceland's most important medieval manuscripts, is named after it. Much of Laxdæla Saga takes place in Dalir, where Erik the Red lived before he left for Greenland. At Eiríksstaðir in Haukadalur a settlement-era longhouse has been reconstructed.
Frequently asked questions
What is Snæfellsnes called?
Snæfellsnes is often called "Iceland in miniature" because it has mountains, a glacier, lava, beaches, waterfalls and bird cliffs in a small area.
Where did Snorri Sturluson live?
Snorri lived at Reykholt in Borgarfjörður and was killed there in 1241.