# Snæfellsnes: Iceland in miniature

> 3-day road trip of about 282 km (175 mi) with 8 stops, from Reykjavík to Stykkishólmur. About 3 h 53 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b5-snaefellsnes/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 282 km (175 mi) with 8 stops, from Reykjavík to Stykkishólmur. About 3 h 53 min of driving in total. A glacier-topped volcano, a black church, basalt columns and the most photographed mountain in Iceland, all within a few hours of Reykjavík.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 282 km (175 mi) |
| Driving | 3 h 53 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Reykjavík → Stykkishólmur |
| Countries | Iceland |
| Updated | July 8, 2026 |

## Route description

From Reykjavík take route 1 north through the tunnel under Hvalfjörður to Borgarnes, where the Settlement Center tells the story of the Viking sagas. Then turn onto route 54 towards the Snæfellsnes peninsula, stopping at the basalt columns of Gerðuberg.

The south coast of the peninsula runs along long beaches and lava fields to Búðir, where the black church stands alone. At Arnarstapi a coastal path leads over sea arches and cliffs full of nesting birds to Hellnar, about an hour away on foot.

Round the tip of the peninsula through Snæfellsjökull National Park, stopping at Djúpalónssandur and, if the weather is clear, looking up at the glacier. Then follow the north coast to Kirkjufell near Grundarfjörður.

End in Stykkishólmur, a harbour town of old wooden houses and the port for the ferry to the Westfjords. The main roads are paved, but the weather changes fast; check road.is and vedur.is before setting off, especially outside summer.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Reykjavík** (Iceland)
2. **Borgarnes** (Iceland)
3. **Gerðuberg** (Borgarnes, Iceland): A long wall of regular basalt columns rising from the moor just off route 54. A two-minute detour on a gravel track.
4. **Búðir Church** (Búðir, Iceland): A small black wooden church alone in a lava field by the sea, with Snæfellsjökull behind. One of the most photographed buildings in Iceland.
5. **Arnarstapi** (Iceland)
6. **Djúpalónssandur** (Snæfellsjökull National Park, Iceland): A black pebble beach with rusted pieces of a trawler wrecked in 1948 and four lifting stones once used to test fishermen’s strength. Stay well back from the waves.
7. **Kirkjufell** (Grundarfjörður, Iceland): A steep cone-shaped mountain by the sea, usually photographed from the small Kirkjufellsfoss falls across the road. Park at the signed car park, not on the verge.
8. **Stykkishólmur** (Iceland)