The Dramatic Coastline of Snæfellsjökull National Park
Snæfellsjökull National Park is found on the tip of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and is one of three National Parks in Iceland. It is named after its crowning glacier and volcano.
Snæfellsjökull National Park is adjacent to four historic fishing villages that have managed to preserve the old culture of the peninsula when it was Iceland’s trading hub. You can find accommodation in Arnarstapi and Hellnar to the south or stay in a hotel in Hellissandur and Rif to the north.
Throughout history, the beauty of Snæfellsjökull has affected people spiritually, and it has been an inspiration for novelists, painters, and other artists. The best-known artwork is Jule Verne's sci-fi novel, The Journey to the Center of the Earth, which he wrote under the volcano's influence.
The lonely Kirkjufell “church mountain” rising from the sea as a backdrop for the Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall is probably the No. 1. photographed location in Iceland. The Búðir black church and the columnar basalt cliffs of Arnarstapi and Gerðuberg are close rivals.
Nature-lovers shouldn’t leave Snæfellsnes out of their visit to Iceland. Almost every birding tour in Iceland will include the peninsula where 60 out of 77 of Iceland’s bird species nest and additional passage migrants stop on their route between Europe and Greenland or Canada. You will find large flocks of seabirds, like the arctic tern, northern gannets and auks, various waterfowl & waders, and the best chances of seeing the rare white-tailed eagle in Iceland.
It takes about 3 hours to drive from Reykjavik to the tip of the peninsula, and you will need a whole day to visit just the highlights. Two to three days is recommended to do it properly.