38 Best Sights in West Iceland and Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Iceland

This brightly colored oasis is for kids and adults alike looking to have a bit of fun. Getting here is an adventure in itself—intentionally so, as designed by the creator of this wonderland. Spend some time playing on the slides, teeter-totters, climbing dome, and swings. Everything in the playground was made from salvaged discarded materials, which somehow makes it all a little more delightful.

Located in one of the oldest fishing villages in Iceland, the Fishermen's Park and Maritime Museum has a number of traditional turf houses you can explore while learning all about the industry that has long supported this community. Part of the museum is the back garden (free), where you'll find large whalebones from the nearby shore. If you're feeling strong, you can try to lift one of the Steintök, or lifting stones, that local people used to showcase their strength years ago. There are four total that range in weight from 50 to 339 pounds.

On Langisandur Beach, you'll be greeted by the Guðlaug Baths. The manmade springs are located in a natural rock garden and have a stunning view of Reykjavík across the bay. There's a small fee to enjoy these public hot springs, and they can get quite crowded on especially sunny days (the pool itself isn't very large).

The main goal here is to give locals and visitors a peek at the lives of a farmer and farm animals. Háafell mainly cares for Icelandic goats, which are endangered, but they also keep sheep, chickens, horses, dogs, and cats. You can visit the farm on a tour or just browse the shop for products made on-site.

Iceland has no shortage of thought-provoking art exhibits and museums, but the Library of Water is one of its most unique. The main exhibit, Water, Selected, presents 24 glass columns filled with melted ice collected from glaciers around the country. When light hits the glass columns, beams are reflected onto a rubber floor embossed with both Icelandic and English words pertaining to the weather.

On a clear day, you can see this 700,000-year-old glacier from Reykjavík. Book with local tour outfitters to hike the glacier or even ride a special terrain-specific bike on it. This is the place that inspired Jules Verne's novel Journey to the Center of the Earth.

There are two main exhibits at the Settlement Center: a breakdown of the Saga of the Settlement of Iceland and a display of Egill Skallagrímsson, both Iceland´s most famous viking and the country's first poet. It's a fantastic place to stop early on in your trip, so you can bring the knowledge with you on the rest of your travels.

For a history lesson on Akranes and the surrounding region, make a visit to this museum, where you'll learn about the working life of the locals and the living conditions of the first settlers. The museum has exhibits on fishing, farming, social life, and housekeeping—you'll even find a rowboat with a full fishing rig that dates back to 1874. Three of the museum's buildings are homes fully furnished as they would have been when the area's first settlers called Akranes home. If you're lucky, you'll catch the forge in action; the museum staff get it up and running for visitors on occasion.

The real highlight of this spot is its history: Berserkjahraun is an area mentioned in the Eyrbyggja Saga telling the tale of two Swedish berserkers, Halli and Leiknir. A farmer named Styr the Slayer took the berserkers off of his brother's hands, and Halli quickly fell in love with Styr's daughter. He posed a challenge to the pair: before he would allow Halli to marry his daughter, the berserkers had to build a road through the seemingly impassable lava field. Halli and Leiknir succeeded, only to meet their demise in a special sauna designed by Styr to kill them, and their supposed burial site can still be visited today. It may be grim, but you can't say it's not an exciting tale. To get here, head west on Snæfellsnesvegur where it splits from Helgafellssveitarvegur, and follow the gravel road on the left before you hit a bridge taking you over the water.

Located in the town of Bjarnarhöfn right outside of Stykkishólmur, this museum is the place to go if you want to learn all about the wonderous shark. You can even give Iceland's traditional fermented shark dish a taste here.

It's no surprise Búðakirkja is one of the most photographed churches in Iceland given its stark color against the mountains and ocean. Originally built in 1703, the church was eventually torn down due to lack of use and reconstructed in 1987. The real draw may be how remote this church is—the only other thing in the village of Búðir is the adjacent hotel. Behind the church toward the ocean, there is a series of paths for hikers and walkers. After taking your photos of the church and its cemetery, escape the small crowd of tourists and walk along the water for a bit of solitude. If you're there during the summertime, it'll be just you and the roaming sheep.

The waterfall Bæjarfoss (pronounced “bye-yar-foss”) is within walking distance from town. It's an easy hike on a somewhat hidden path—walk toward the back of town from Hotel Ólafsvík. You can also pick up the trail at the edge of town, but you will have to scramble over some fenced areas. The waterfall is small but incredibly scenic, and you won't find the crowds that you will at some of Iceland's larger falls.

Known to locals as the Black Lava Pearl Beach, Djúpalónssandur makes for a breathtaking walk. Start down Nautastígur, or the Path of the Bull (you can see it from the parking lot), which winds around massive lava rock formations. Behind the path, you'll spot two freshwater lagoons, known collectively as Djúpulón. Head to the beach to find pieces of the Epine GY7 wreckage, a British trawler that met its end east of Dritvík cove in March 1948.

If you're looking for a more challenging hike, check out Eldborg Crater. After walking 2½ hours, you'll find a 196-foot crater sweeping up from the lava fields. You can walk around as well as up the crater.

People flock here for the award-winning ice cream, but it's the educational side of the visit that will keep you coming back. Located in a valley in the rolling mountain ranges of West Iceland, Erpsstaðir might just be the most scenic farm you'll ever see. Ask for a tour and, depending on when you're there, you may see calves being fed or get a quick lesson on how the couple who own the small farm make their delicious ice cream.

At the edge of the Hnappadalur Valley, north of Borgarnes, you'll find the Gerduberg Basalt Columns, which form an immense wall of striking geometric patterns. You won't be able to see the hundreds of columns from the road, which only adds to the sense of mystery.

You'll find the Glanni Waterfall after hiking from a parking lot near a golf course. At the end of your walk, you'll also see Paradise Hollow, the perfect place for a picnic breakfast or lunch.

The best thing about Glymur Waterfall is that you have to take a nice, long hike to see it. Along the way, you'll walk through a cave, cross a river, and head into a stunning mountain valley. The south side of the waterfall is said to have better views, so keep that in mind as you get closer. Expect to spend between 3–3½ hours round-trip.

Walk the 560 feet to the top of this volcanic crater to take in the sights of the Borgarfjörður region and the stunning Lake Hreðarvatn. Grábrók was formed by a fissure eruption 3,000 years ago.

"Holy Mountain" has surely earned its name. The church built here honors Þórólfr Mostrarskegg, the first settler of the area. This sacred location makes an appearance in the Icelandic Sagas, and local folklore says that if you hike to the top without looking back once or saying a word, you will have three wishes fulfilled.

As opposed to stronger, more intimidating waterfalls like Dettifoss, Hraunfossar (Lava Waterfalls) is a series of delicately flowing rivulets over the Hallmundarhraun lava field. Located about an hour's drive north of Reykjavík, this is a great (and less crowded) alternative to the waterfalls you'll find along the Golden Circle. Don't miss the nearby Barnafoss, another waterfall, which is located a quick walk down the Hvitá River.

One of the more historic sites in West Iceland, Ingjaldshóll was once home to important government officials, including the Sturlunga Clan, who ruled West Iceland throughout the 12th and 13th centuries. Today, you'll find the oldest concrete church in the world, as well as a fun split-rock illustration, carved by famed sculptor Páll Guðmundsson, depicting Eggert Ólafsson and Ingibjörg Guðmundsdóttir (his wife).

Iceland's Central Highlands are a tricky terrain reserved for experienced drivers, but most drivers could feel comfortable taking a drive on Kaldidalsvegur, also known as the Highlands for beginners. Take a drive along Route 550 and you'll get a taste of the valleys, massive rocks, rivers, and mountains that the Central Highlands have to offer. To get to this road, drive east out of Húsafell and turn right on Route 550. Driving south along Kaldidalsvegur will eventually bring you to a fork, where you can head east on Route 338 toward the Central Highlands (make sure you have the proper car for this trip) or hop on Route 52 to the west.

It's possible to climb "Church Mountain," but you might want to enlist the help of a local guide to get to the top. At the peak, you'll find fossils and other remnants from years past. Don't miss the nearby waterfall, Kirkjufellsfoss, which is especially striking early in the morning.

Compared to the other, brightly colored lighthouses you'll find around the coast, the Malarrif Lighthouse is a somewhat brutal-looking construction. It has great views of the Atlantic Ocean and Snæfellsjökull volcano though and sits just a short walk from the park's information center.

There are actually two lighthouses in Akranes situated right next to each other. The much larger and picturesque lighthouse joined its smaller neighbor in 1947, and is still in operation and open to the public. Many visitors get their photographs of the Northern Lights here. Along the harbor, you can see the wreck of the old herring ship Höfrungur (meaning "Dolphin"), built in 1955 and abandoned after sinking at an unknown point in time.

There's an interesting array of exhibits at this museum and visitor center. Inside the Saga Centre, you'll find a full-size fishing boat and tons of fishing gear, as well as a children's toy collection. You can also pick up local hiking maps, as well as use the on-site Wi-Fi and grab a snack at the café.