Last Updated on January 18, 2026 by Adrienne
The day we spent driving around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula was one of the highlights of our week in Iceland. It’s an area that’s often overlooked by first-time visitors to the country, but I would encourage you to make time for it. If you’re driving up from and returning to the Reykjavik area, it will be a long day, but it’s very doable. To see the best highlights, you’ll want to drive the loop at the far west end of the peninsula, Highway 574 (also known as Utnesvegur Road) which takes you through Snaefellsjokull National Park.
The drive up from Reykjavik is very scenic, and (at least when we visited in July) the side of the road is filled with wildflowers like lupine.
Raudfeldsgja Gorge
Our first stop on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula was one of my favorites. Raudfeldsgja is a large ravine in the side of Botnsfjall mountain. The entrance to the gorge is just a short walk (a few tenths of a mile) from the parking lot right off the road, and from there you can walk around admiring the dramatic scenery, or hike inside the gorge if you’re prepared to get a little wet.
Arnarstapi Stone Bridge
The stone bridge near the village of Arnarstapi is one of the most iconic sites on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Even if you’re on a tight schedule, you’ll want to budget at least 30-45 minutes for a stop here, because there are lots of nice walking trails along the coast.
Londrangar Basalt Cliffs
This is another opportunity to walk along scenic coastline and see two distinctive tall rock formations made out of basalt (volcanic rock) that are all that remains of a volcanic crater. It’s incredibly windy here – hold on tightly to your cameras.
Djupalonssandur Black Sand Beach
Iceland is known for it’s black sand beaches created from crushed lava rock, and this is a nice one. There’s a short trail (~20 minutes roundtrip) out to an overlook with nice views of the beach, and if you have more time you can walk down and visit the beach itself.
There are also nice views from here looking back at Snaefellsjokull, the big mountain on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, which is snow-capped even in summer.
Kirkjufellsfoss
Kirkjufell Mountain (also known as “Witch’s Hat” due to its shape) and the triple waterfall in front of it (“Kirkjufellsfoss”) is a must-see when driving the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Although the mountain framed by the waterfalls makes for a stunning vista, you won’t need a ton of time here (unless of course you’re planning the difficult climb to the summit), because everything is quite close to the parking lot.
As of 2023, this is the only place on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula where you’ll have to pay for parking. It’s not much (~$5 US per car), but you’ll want to make sure you pay at one of the machines to avoid potentially getting a much bigger fine.
Although it’s not an “official” stop on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula tour, one of my favorite views from the day was right after we turned south on Route 54 (shortly after leaving Olafsvik) to head back to the Reykjavik area. The dramatic mountain views framed by moss-covered lava rocks are just gorgeous. There are also lots of sheep in this area, if you’re hoping to see one of Iceland’s most well-known animals.
If you have more time and are able to stay overnight near the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, there are lots of other stops worth visiting, including the black church in Budir, Ytri Tunga beach (a great place to spot seals), Songhellir cave and the fishing village of Stykkisholmur. But the above attractions provide a great one day introduction to this beautiful part of Iceland.
