back in Iceland! the Snæfellsnes Peninsula
I’ve been saying it so much recently - that ONE DAY I’ll go back to Iceland. And here I am, 10 years have passed since my first visit and I finally got a chance to do it again.
I’ve organised this quick weekend getaway to surprise Thomas for his upcoming 30th birthday. Iceland was always on top of his wish list and clearly, I didn’t need more encouragement. But, since we had only a weekend this time, I was looking for something closer to Reykjavik rather than my initial plan of doing the ring road again. Luckily, I’ve found a perfect secluded cabin just next to Borgarnes (an hour drive from the Reykjavik) and found it to be a perfect base to discover the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, which I’ve never had a chance to see myself before. Win, win, win.
It was also the first time I was to visit Iceland in winter and I couldn’t have been more excited about this. I fell in love with this country thanks to its magical green landscapes and the white horizon turned out to be as breathtaking.
Accommodation
After landing in Keflavik airport on Friday evening (EasyJet has perfect and very affordable flights from London), we picked up our rental 4x4 (I wouldn’t recommend renting anything else in Iceland any time of the year, especially winter) and headed straight to the cabin. As a side note - I would highly recommend this Airbnb to absolutely anyone! It was beautifully and very comfortably located and we couldn’t wish for anything else.
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
A region in western Iceland located between Reykjanes Peninsula (home to Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik) and the beautiful Westfjords region. it is home to Snæfellsjökull National Park and the Snæfellsjökull Volcano, which is topped by a glacier. It is also home to Kirkjufell - the most photographed mountain in Iceland, and plenty of charming fishing villages. It is a perfect destination for a 1-day trip if you’re in the western part of the island and is completely accessible in winter too.
Grundarfjörður & Kirkjufell
Our first stop on Saturday was Grundarfjörður - a small fishing village located just under the famous Kirkjufell. From there, it’s just a 5-minute drive (or a short walk if you travel in summer) to see the famous mountain and the waterfall underneath.
Svörtuloft Lighthouse
It takes a little detour from the main road to get here (don’t try it without a 4x4!) and the very raw landscape makes it feel like you just landed on Mars, but it’s just so worth it. The bright orange lighthouse is absolutely charming standing alone on the top of the cliff. If the weather is nice, it is also worth checking the nearby Skardsvik Beach (we were not lucky enough to see anything in the snow).
Snæfellsjökull National Park
It’s a very pleasant drive down south through the roads of the national park - I can imagine is as beautiful in summertime. Even though you’ve most probably seen mountains covered in snow before, there is just something so spectacular about this drive (or maybe I’m just majorly over-exaggerating…?).
Hellnar & Arnarstapi
Two other charming villages beautifully located on the southern cliffs of Snæfellsnes. Mostly closed at the time we visited in February but we managed to grab a bite in one of the open cafés and enjoy our walk on the shore afterwards.
Krauma
Not practically on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula but close enough, Krauma is a new hot spring resort and spa in Reykholt and we decided to end our Saturday roadtrip there. It’s a very pleasant place with modern baths built on Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring. The baths are obviously located outside so you can enjoy soaking in the hot water with the snowy landscape around and a drink in your hand! I recommend bringing your own swimsuit and towels as they’re charged extra.
Reykjavik
On Sunday, before catching our flight back to London in the evening, we decided to stop by and walk around Reykjavik. I was very excited to see how much the city has changed in the last decade and how much of it I’d still recognise. Verdict? It’s still as small and with the same how-is-this-a-capital-city vibe about it, but it definitely has a more international feeling to it. It’s also been majorly renovated, especially the area I had a chance to live in (including the very house being renovated to no recognition!).
In the afternoon, we grabbed a bite at the Sægreifinn and it made our trip complete with a bowl of lobster soup and fresh fish skewers straight from the barbecue.
