Vesturland
Travel Guide
The Snæfellsnes peninsula crowns a glacier over lava fields, black beaches and Kirkjufell — Iceland's most photographed mountain — all within easy reach of Reykjavík.
From Reykjavík
1–2.5 h
Main towns
Borgarnes, Stykkishólmur
Best time
May–Sep
Nearest airport
Keflavík (KEF)
01Introduction
West Iceland: The Whole Country in One Peninsula
West Iceland packs an astonishing variety into a short drive from the capital. The Snæfellsnes peninsula alone — often called 'Iceland in miniature' — offers a glacier-capped volcano, lava fields, waterfalls, black-pebble beaches, fishing villages and birdlife, all circling in a single day's loop.
Inland, Borgarfjörður holds the steaming Deildartunguhver (Europe's most powerful hot spring), the twin waterfalls of Hraunfossar and Barnafoss, and the Krauma baths. This was the land of the sagas — Egill Skallagrímsson farmed here, and Snorri Sturluson wrote at Reykholt.
Crowned by Snæfellsjökull — the glacier Jules Verne chose as the gateway in Journey to the Center of the Earth — the west feels like a distilled version of everything that makes Iceland extraordinary, minus the long drives.
02Quick Facts
Vesturland at a Glance
The essentials every visitor should know before arriving.
From Reykjavík
1–2.5 h
Main towns
Borgarnes, Stykkishólmur
Best time
