The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is easily accessed by driving, and it's possible to tour the entire area in a full day—however, it's wise to allow for more time to really explore the expansive beauty.
Snæfellsnes is known as "Little Iceland" for its diverse and dramatic landscape all within one area. Perhaps most well-known for the resident iconic Kirkjufell mountain with Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall, the peninsula has much to offer by way of fishing villages, coastal landscape, hot springs, glaciers, and the famous Snæfellsjökull National Park. Coastal arches and the famous Budir black church of Arnarstapi, the Gerðuberg cliffs, and the Eldborg Crater are other main attractions as well.
Discover the peninsula on your own with this seven-day itinerary through the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Westfjords, and Golden Circle.
From Keflavík
Duration: 2.5 - 3 hours
Driving from the international airport in Keflavík is fairly straightforward. After picking up a rental car, travelers will get on Route 41 toward Reykjavík in order to reach the Ring Road going north. Once reaching the seaside village of Borgarnes, you'll head onto Route 54 into the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
Find out more about how to travel from Keflavík to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Reykjavík, and the South Coast.
From Reykjavík
Duration: 2 - 2.5 hours
Driving from the capital city of Reykjavík to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula is a relatively quick journey north on the Ring Road (Route 1) until veering onto Route 54, which serves as the main road on the peninsula. Many tours also depart from downtown for half, full, or multi-day itineraries that hit highlights of the peninsula.
Find out more about how to travel from Reykjavík to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and Borgarnes.
From the Golden Circle
Duration: 2 - 3.5 hours
Depending on which main attraction on the Golden Circle you depart from, the Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss, or Þingvellir National Park, self-driving would take approximately 2-3 hours. It would make sense logistically to visit Gullfoss and Geysir first before exploring Þingvellir National Park as it's in closer proximity to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Going this route will have you driving on Route 36 to the Ring Road, where you'll head north until the village of Borgarnes, veering onto the main road through the peninsula, Route 54.
In order to do this route on a tour, you'll need to book an itinerary that includes both the Golden Circle and the peninsula or return to Reykjavík and depart from there.
Find out more about how to travel from the Golden Circle to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, the South Coast, and Vík.