In this VR tour you can see some of the major points of interest that can be found in the magical Snæfellsnes peninsula. Sparkling fjords, dramatic volcanic peaks, sheer sea cliffs, sweeping golden beaches and crunchy lava flows make up the diverse and fascinating landscape of the 100km-long Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The area is crowned by the glistening ice cap Snæfellsjökull, immortalised in Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Good roads and regular buses mean that it’s an easy trip from Reykjavík, offering a cross section of the best Iceland has to offer in a very compact region.
See a map of the locations in this VR tour below.
You can find various information about travelling to Snæfellsnes peninsula www.west.is, on the official travel guide website for West Iceland.
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is a region in western Iceland known for its dramatic landscapes. At its western tip, Snæfellsjökull National Park is dominated by Snæfellsjökull Volcano, which is topped by a glacier. The combination of breathtaking scenery, the glistening ice cap of the volcano, Snæfellsjökull, lava fields, caves, waterfalls, volcanic features, and fishing villages, make Snæfellsnes, Iceland’s smallest National Park, the most wonderful place to visit. The peninsula is a legendary area of magic and beauty, offering the best Iceland has to offer.
This 90- km long peninsula comprises a world of diversity. Friendly towns and villages, spectacular mountains, a multitude of bird species nesting on treacherous cliffs, beaches of sand and pebbles popular among horsemen and rock skimmers, remnants and relics scattered here and there of times and ways of life long past. Saga sites and hiking trails.
The Snaefellsjokull National Park is at the westernmost part of the peninsula, including the mystical glacier Snaefellsjokull, as well as other unique sites such as Djupalonssandur, Thufubjarg and more. In order to get to Snæfellsnes, you need to either drive around the entire fjord of Hvalfjörður, or go through Hvalfjardargöng, the road tunnel which will take you beneath the fjord. The journey takes about 2 hours from Reykjavik. Just follow Route 1 until you get to Borgarnes, and then turn onto Snæfellsvegur (Road 54) which will take you onto the peninsula.
In 2008, the communities of Snaefellsnes Peninsula were the first in Europe to receive certification from Green Globe, an international benchmarking system for sustainable travel and tourism.