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Exploring West Iceland Through the Eyes of Walter Mitty

Inspired by James Thurber’s beloved short story, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty follows Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller), a quiet employee at Life Magazine, as he leaves behind his ordinary routine and sets off on an unforgettable journey across the globe in search of a missing photograph by legendary photojournalist Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn). While Walter’s adventure takes him to places portrayed as Greenland and the Himalayas, Iceland becomes one of the film’s true highlights. Its dramatic scenery and breathtaking landscapes play a major role throughout the movie, making it one of the first major Hollywood productions to showcase Iceland so prominently. Filming took place in seven different locations across the country, from Seyðisfjörður in the East Fjords to Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in West Iceland.
12.05.2026

In the film, Walter drives his red rental car to a town depicted as being in “Greenland,” though the real filming location is Stykkishólmur. One of the town’s buildings was transformed into the bar where Walter meets the owner of “the thumb.” The same location appears in the memorable scene where Cheryl sings David Bowie’s Space Oddity, inspiring Walter to leap into the helicopter waiting outside on the street.

Another iconic filming location is Grundarfjörður, where the striking Kirkjufell mountain towers in the background as Walter’s boat arrives at the harbor. After stepping ashore, Walter spots a bicycle leaning against a wall, jumps on it, and cycles off through the stunning Icelandic landscape.

Later in the film, after Walter is “rescued from the volcanic eruption,” he stops outside what appears to be a Papa John’s restaurant. In reality, the location is Geirabakarí café in Borgarnes, which was redesigned for the movie to resemble the pizza chain. Walter steps outside to take a phone call from Cheryl, and as the conversation ends, his text message appears across the mountainside before a plane passes overhead, transitioning the story back to New York City.

Visitors to Borgarnes can still see references to the film today, as Geirabakarí café continues to display photos and memorabilia from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty in its windows.