Western Iceland is a beautiful maze of fjords, mountains, and farms.
Western Iceland is one of the quieter parts of the country, but there’s still plenty to do. The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is beautiful, as are the coast, the mountains, and the fjords. Borgarnes offers good food and a neat museum. There’s history in Reykholt, and Krauma is one of our favorite hot springs in the country.
Itineraries
Eat & Drink
Englendingavík
A cozy restaurant on Iceland’s west coast situated in an old building (1885) with wood-paneled walls and beautiful views of the coast around Borgarnes. They serve delicious locally-sourced food.
Steðji
Steðji is a neat brewery in an old western Iceland farmhouse. It’s a working brewery so expect long wooden tables in and a dark, stark environment with great music overhead from the owner’s iPhone. It features some unique and truly odd beers.
See
Snorrastofa
About a 40 minute drive from Borgarnes, the hamlet of Reykholt was where Snorri Sturluson, Iceland’s most famous thirteenth century Icelandic chieftain, scholar, and saga writer lived. If you’re in Iceland, you’ll hear about Snorri. It features Snorralaug, a hot spring where Snorri once bathed, and Snorrastofa, a cultural center with exhibits regarding Snorri.
Hraunfossar and Barnafoss
Two waterfalls in western Iceland near Reykholt. Hraunfossar is a beautiful series of falls streaming over the side of a long ridge. Barnafoss gushes down a gully and has an interesting history of association with Icelandic folktales.
The Settlement Center
This museum in Borgarnes is split into two parts. The first uses multimedia to explore the Settlement period of Iceland. The second explores Egill’s Saga. There is an attached restaurant with good reviews.
Do
Krauma
Krauma is a relatively new hot spring in western Iceland. It’s got a series of several springs at different temperatures. The facilities and the setting are beautiful, and, though not a bargain, it’s not insanely expensive either.
F550 (Kaldidalsvegur)
The F550 is a 40 km scenic drive through some of western Iceland’s beautiful mountains. While it a four-wheel-drive vehicle is not legally required to drive it, many rental companies won’t allow a two-wheel-drive vehicle on this route, so check ahead of time.