Snæfellsnes has a lot to offer, including natural beauty, speciality coffee and a wide range of available activities to name a few options. There are three small towns there, Stykkishólmur, Grundarfjörður and Ólafsvík in addition to smaller villages such as Hellnar, Hellissandur and Arnarstapi. The black church at Búðir has been caught on countless photos and has become a popular place for couples to get married and for wedding photos in recent years. It is located on the opposite side (south) of the peninsula from Ólafsvík, around a 20 minute drive. Slightly further towards the tip of the peninsula, Arnarstapi is another popular attraction on its south side. The main attraction of Grundarfjörður is Mt. Kirkjufell, which has in some ways overshadowed other parts of the peninsula due to its vastly rising popularity and Instagram fame in recent years.
- See also: Day tours of Snæfellsnes
Stykkishólmur
Some might recognize Stykkishólmur from the Hollywood film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It is a fishing village and many people consider it one of the most beautiful towns in Iceland, located in the bay of Breiðafjörður. The old houses in the city center are heavily influenced by old Danish architecture and Danish merchants that used to live there back in the day. Danish days to commemorate the ties to Denmark will be held for the 30th time late in August this year.
Stykkishólmur is renowned for its natural beauty, birdlife and history. The oldest house in town is the Norwegian House, built in 1832, which is home to the regional museum of Snæfellsnes.
Hotel Egilsen
By the harbor in Stykkishólmur, Hotel Egilsen is located in an old red house with an exterior of wooden panel. A prominent businessman built the house as a private residence in 1867. In 2012, it was renovated and opened as a family run boutique hotel in 2012. It is the second oldest house in Stykkishólmur after the Norwegian House.
The video from Hótel Egilsen below shows the house inside and outside, aerial views over the harbor and the bay with its islands, the church and the whole town.
Swimming Pool
The swimming pool is 25 x 12 meters and has two hot tubs, which have so called health water from a nearby borehole, which is supposed to be good for various skin issues, such as eczema and psoriasis. The pool also has a cold tub.
Grundarfjörður
Midway between Stykkishólmur and Ólafsvík, on the north of Snæfellsnes, you will find Grundarfjörður. The natural surroundings include Mt. Kirkjufell, vibrant birdlife, picturesque waterfalls and hiking trails. Seals and whales are not uncommon sights in the fjord. In summer, visitors can go on boat tours to see puffins and other birds. Grundarfjörður also has a golf course, family restaurants, a specialty coffee shop and horse rentals.
Most visitors to Grundarfjörður arrive by car or bus, but in recent years, the number of visitors by sea has vastly increased, from 2 in 2001 to around 50 in 2019 and remaining close to that upper level since.
Kirkjufell Mountain (known from Game of Thrones)
The name Kirkjufell literally means Church Mountain, located by Grundarfjörður and known for its dramatic formation. Its popularity has exploded in recent years, ever since it was featured in the TV series Game of Thrones. It has become the main tourist magnet for Grundarfjörður as well and is the main reason why the number of cruise ships docking by Grundarfjörður has multiplied in recent years.
It is 463 meters high and has been used as a visual landmark for seafarers as well as travelers on land.
Kaffi Valeria
Since summer 2022, you can get speciality Columbian coffee in this small Icelandic fishing village after the couple Jan Van Hass and Marta Magnúsdóttir. Jan is a Columbian son of a coffee farmer and his brother has been helping with importing the coffee to Iceland. Marta is an Icelander born and raised in Grundarfjörður. The coffee is sourced from small producers in Colombia and roasted in Grundarfjörður. They emphasize talking to customers about their experience in order to learn what can be improved at the café. Growing up, Jan used to pick coffee beans from the trees of the farm.
Located in a small and humble looking house by the main street in Grundarfjörður with a blue roof, the café also has a terrasse with tables and chairs where guests can sit outside when weather permits.
Earlier this year, Iceland Review covered Kaffi Valeria and Icelandic coffee culture in an episode of their podcast, Deep North.
Ólafsvík
Ólafsvík is a fishing village with a good harbor, with an old depot from 1844 in its center, currently protected and home to a museum of working techniques for past times. The waterfall Bæjarfoss is nearby and so are Snæfellsjökull National Park and the glacier as well as Djúpalónssandur beach and Lóndrangar lava rocks.
Bikers Paradise
Bikers Paradise is a popular guesthouse in Ólafsvík, located uphill and close to the ocean and the beach with a spectacular view. It has a shared lounge, access to a patio, free private parking and wifi.
The campsite
The campsite is in the east of Ólafsvík, with facilities including hot and cold running water, toilets and a shower. Electricity and wifi are available at the campsite and the playground.
Summing up
Snæfellsnes has a lot more to offer than the most famous spots, Mt. Kirkjufell and the black church at Búðir. The towns are worth visiting, like Djúpalónssandur beach, Arnarstapi and Lóndrangar basalt cliffs to name a few attractions. On the way to Snæfellsnes from the capital area, you will also find Borgarfjörður which we labeled a hidden gem in a recent article.
