West-land

Unique Experience

Winter break West Iceland

Winter in Iceland is unpredictable. Iceland is located just south of the Arctic Circle, but thanks to the Gulf Stream, temperatures are cool in summer and remarkably mild in winter. (New York’s winter lows are normally lower than Reykjavík’s).
Top 10 West Iceland
Winter opening hours
Activities
Best in Travel
Visit the locals

Recommendations from the locals

Video from West Iceland

Have a look at the videos from West Iceland and see what it has to offer.music,culture, food and its nature you name it!

View more videos
Interesting towns and villages
Circles in West Iceland
Take a hike!
Knitting circle
Top 10 attractions for kids

Local news

Upcoming events

PURGATORIO at The Freezer Hostel Theatre

5. June - 14. August

PURGATORIO is a formidable work of drama penned by a theatrical master of the modern age, Chilean playwright and human rights advocate, Ariel Dorfman. Inspired by the tale of Jason and Medea, Purgatorio is about a lover scorned; about murder, and suicide, and irrational behaviors. These are explored after the fact – or, more specifically, after life itself. The unnamed main characters find themselves in purgatory, having their souls absolved and purged by auditors
Rams - Movie Night at The Freezer Theatre in Rif

7. June - 30. August

Winner of the Un Certain Regard prize at Cannes Film Festival and Best Narrative Feature at the Hampton's Film Festival, this charming, stunningly shot drama focuses on two Icelandic sheep farmers whose decades-long feud comes to a head when disaster strikes their flocks. Length: 2 hours Price: 1500 isk

View event calendar

WEST ICELAND-Sagaland

Frontpage

The beautiful town Stykkishólmur

Stykkisholmur is beautifully-situated on the northern side of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. With beautiful and well-preserved old houses in the town centre.
Stykkisholmur is also known as the gateway to the innumerable islands of Breidafjordur bay, which is renowned for its natural beauty and remarkable wildlife.

Akranes museum Area

The Museum Area at Gardar is without a doubt the cultural centre of Akranes and a popular destination for tourists.

Eiríksstaðir - Living Museum

Step back to the Viking Era and immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and scents of Eriks the Red's farm which is also the birthplace of Leif the Lucky who is said to have discovered America. Modern day vikings demonstrate the lifestyle of 1000 years ago, sharing their crafts and knowledge

Akranes - Hvalfjörður Circle

Hvalfjörður tunnel was built 1998 and now it is really short drive to Akranes. With the tunnel you can drive circle and go Hvalfjörð on good road and enjoy the beautiful landscape. The fishing town of Akranes offers a beach, a beautiful Park and a nice museum, as well as being home to the nation´s famous football team ÍA. Settled by the Celtic in the year 880, it is now a blossoming industrial town with a focus on fishing and fish production. In Hvalfjörður the visitor will have the opportunity to enjoy Iceland’s highest waterfall, Glymur. The mountains in Hvalfjörður for example Þyrill, Botnssúlur, Vatnaleið, Síldarmannagötur and more are trails particularly challenging to hikers.

Akranes

Akranes is the largest town in the west of Iceland. Grate outdoor area is the small forest at Garðalundur and facilities improved for outdoor activities. There is a playground for kids, a beach volleyball court and a grill area. Thermal Pool, Golf Course and the two kinds of beaches, black sand beach and white. Langisandur is white sand beaches which is rare in Iceland. Langisandur is a nice place to take a walk and if you are brave you can go for a swim. Akranes Lighthouse is open for people in summer and you can go up to the top and enjoy the view. Akranes museum area exhibits from former times, bearing witness to farming, housekeeping and social conditions in and around Akranes. Akranes offers good restaurants and accommodation.

Hvalfjörður

In Hvaljörður or "Whale Fjord” you will find spectacular nature and historic sites. The main attraction is in the end of the fjord the highest waterfall in Iceland Glymur. It takes about 4 hours to get to Glymur and back down. Hallgrímskirkja church at Saurbær іs dedicated to Hallgrímur Pétursson most famous poet of Iceland which lived in Hvalfjörður. During World War II, a naval base of the British and American navies could be found in this fjord. One of the piers built by the United States Navy is used today by Hvalur whaling company.

Iceland Winter Break, Winter in West Iceland, is a cooperative project in West Iceland, spearheaded by the West Iceland Marketing Office, that aims to show travelers everything the area has to offer during winter.

Snæfellsnes Circle

WONDERLAND CLOSE UP

ITINERARY
DAY 1

Drive from Reykjavík on Highway 1 through Borgarnes and when your reach the roundabout, take the last exit, the left one. Follow Highway 54 to the Snaefellsnes peninsula. After about 45 minutes you can see the crater, Eldborg, on left hand. If the weather is fine and you want to stretch out your legs, turn left to the farm Snorrastadir – from there you will have a nice view of Eldborg. If there is not too much snow you can walk up to it, which will take about 2 hours. After this stop you should get back on Highway 54 and drive on. After around 30 minutes you’ll arrive at Vegamót/Hotel Rjúkandi. Are you hungry – now is the time to eat something at the small restaurant. When you get back into your car and drive on, you can see the majestic glacier Snaefellsnjökull in front of you. A few kilometers from there you will see on the right side the sign Ölkelda – at this farm you have the possibility to taste the mineral water directly from the earth. Don t´be shy - come and try. Your next stop on the peninsula could be at the farm Ytri – Tunga, which is near the beach. Just walk a few steps on the red sand and feel the fresh sea air and if you are lucky you can feel some eyes following you from the ocean side – seals are often in this area. On you way to your next accomodation you have the chance to experience the wonderful area by horse or by quadbike at the farm Lýsuhóll, also for those who just want to get a little bit closer to the Icelandic horse are always welcome at the farm. There is a restaurant too where you can get something to drink or eat. Leaving this wonderful experience, you can get back to your trip.

For the night you have a nice choice between these accomodations on the south side of the peninsula

Alll these accomodations are offering also dinner & lunch.

DAY 2

Today we will send you to the center of the Earth but before you do that, there are some worthwhile places to visit on the way. Take a short drive to the cliffs from the small villages Arnastapi and Hellnar. The birdcliffs are fantastic natural formations and you can really feel how rough the sea can be here in the North. After that you just follow the road west and see you are coming more closer to the glacier. After about 20 min you can see on the right side a small sign for „Vatnshellir Cave“ – this is your next adventure. A guide will show you the way down to the middle of the earth. The entrance to the cave is at the foot of the glacier. The cave is about 200 meters long and 35 meters under the surface. Just bring good shoes and a jacket with you. Your lunchpack was prepared before from Hotel Búdir, just remember to ask for it. After this activity ist is short to the next point. Just a few meters drive, then turn to the left towards the sea. There is Djupalónsandur, a wonderful beach with black stones. Here you will see old parts of a shipwreck and also have an amazing view to the glacier itself. The Highway 54 goes around the glacier along the coast through the villages Hellissandur (if you want to stay more than 4 days the Hotel Hellissandur is a nice oppurtiunity for the night). The next towns are Ríf, Ólafsvík and Grundarfjordur on foot of the beautiful mountain Kirkjufell. Hotel Framnes is your next stay for the night. If there is still time left you can go with Láki Tours on a whale watching trip to see the killer whales. Enjoy your dinner at the hotel restaurant or after a short walk aorund the fishing village at the Restaurant Rúben in the middle of the town.

DAY 3

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel, and drive on for about 30 minutes then you will arrive at the next town, Stykkishólmur. On the way is a must-see destination for everyone, so take be sure to sneak a peak at the Shark Museum at Bjarnarhöfn – the farmers will show you around and you can taste the traditional Icelandic shark. Stykkishólmur is a nice fishing village with all the services you should need. It is famous for its old houses, that have been newly renovated at the heart of the town. If you are here at Tuesday or Sunday you will get the chance to join a boattour with Seatours („VikingSushi tour“) to sail around the thousand of the small islands of the Breidafjordur Bay and taste the freshest scallops and sea urchin roe. (please check for other departures directly in our office). Other must-see destinations in Stykkishólmur are the nice museums - the Library of Water, The Norwegian house or the Volcano Museum.

A few possiblities of accommodation in Stykkisholmur

Accommodation in double rooms with bathroom or at the Harbour Hostel without private bathroom.

DAY 4

After having breakfast at your accommodation,or at the bakery Nesbrauð on the main road, you can drive back to Reykjavík or Keflavík airport.

The Classic Circle - Ice and Lava

The Classical Circle has all of the best Icelandic nature has to offer; lava fields, glaciers, hot springs, volcanoes, waterfalls, rivers and much more. In a single trip you can enjoy the beauty of Þingvellir National Park, have a taste of the barren expanses of the Icelandic interior on Kaldidalur road, get up close and personal with a glacier on Langjökull Glacier and see some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country like Glymur in Hvalfjörður an Hraunfossar in Borgarfjörður. Two of the biggest lava caves in Iceland, Surtshellir and Víðgelmir are in the area and so is the most powerful hot spring in Europe, Deildartunguhver. The area is also the setting of many of the best known Icelandic Sagas, like Egils Saga, and the great poet and scholar Snorri Sturluson wrote his most famous work in Reykholt.

The Classical Circle can be travelled all year round except for Kaldidalur road which is closed during winter. An alternative to Kaldidalur is the Uxarhryggir road.

Nature Highlights

Borgarfjörður

Borgarnes

Akranes

Hvalfjörður

Glymur
Staupasteinn
Geirshólmi
Botnssúlur mountain
Hvalvatn

The itinerary

Þingvellir national park

Drive from Reykjavík on road nr.36 to Þingvellir national park. The ,,Althing“ at Þingvellir was Iceland's supreme legislative and judicial authority from its establishment in 930 until 1262. Major events in the history of Iceland have taken place at Þingvellir and therefore the place is held in high esteem by all Icelanders. At Þingvellir you will find the waterfall Öxarárfoss. After you stop at Þingvellir you take rode 52 to road Uxahryggir if open.

Borgarfjörður

Some of Iceland´s most beautiful nature wonders can be found in Borgarfjörður, Hraunfossar waterfalls “lava falls”, are unique and picturesque waterfalls that come from underneath the edge of a lava field and spill into the glacial river Hvítá. Deildartunguhver is Europe's most powerful hot spring. It provides at the moment 200 l/sec of 100°C hot water. There are two famous caves in Borgarfjörður Víðgelmir and Surtshellir. Much has been written about Surtshellir and it is told that in earlier centuries a group of outlaws lived in the lava tube. Viðgelmir lava tube is the largest of all lava tubes in Iceland. If you are looking for hikes It is nice to take a short hike to the Glanni waterfall and explore the Grábrók Volcanic Crater. Hafnarfjall Mountain is 804 meters and it takes 4 hours to hike up and down. From Hafnarfjall Mountain you have great view over Borgarnes and Borgarfjörð.

Borgarnes

Borgarnes is the centre for trade and services in the Borgarfjörður area and has been so since the late 19th century when the town began to be built. In Borgarnes are tree museums Edduveröld, Settlement center and Borgarfjörður museum. Borgarnes thermal pool is nice place to visit all year. In Borgarnes is an old style playground “Bjössaróló” bult by man that lived in Borgarnes. Bjössaróló is great place to visit for kids. Borgarnes has good accommodation and great places to grab a bite.

Hvalfjörður

In Hvaljörður or ,,whale fjord” you will find spectacular nature and history sites. The main attraction is in the end of the fjord the highest waterfall in Iceland Glymur. It takes about 4 hours to get to Glymur and back down. Hallgrímskirkja church at Saurbær іs dedicated to Hallgrímur Pétursson most famous poet of Iceland which lived in Hvalfjörður. He is even on the 10.000 krona bill. During World War II, a naval base of the British and American navies could be found in this fjord. One of the piers built by the United States Navy was later used by the Hvalur whaling company.

Akranes

Akranes is the largest town in the west of Iceland. Grate outdoor area is the small forest at Garðalundur and facilities improved for outdoor activities. There is a playground for kids, a beach volleyball court and a grill area. Thermal Pool, Golf Course and the two kinds of beaches, black sand beach and white. Langisandur is white sand beaches which is rear in Iceland. Langisandur is a nice place to take a walk and if you are brave you can go for a swim. Akranes Lighthouse is open for people in summer and you can go up to the top and enjoy the view. Akranes Museum area exhibits from former times, bearing witness to farming, housekeeping and social conditions in and around Akranes. Akranes offers good resturants and accommodation.