White house in hamlet of Arnastapi on Snaefellsness Peninsula.

David Noton

West Iceland

Geographically close to Reykjavík, yet far, far away in sentiment, West Iceland (known as Vesturland) is a splendid microcosm of what Iceland has to offer. Yet many tourists have missed the memo, and you’re likely to have remote parts of this wonderful region to yourself.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Snæfellsjökull National Park
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Snæfellsjökull National Park encompasses much of the western tip of Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and wraps around the rugged slopes of the glacier…
Settlement Centre
Borgarbyggð
Housed in an imaginatively restored warehouse by the harbour, the must-see Settlement Centre offers fascinating insights into the history of Icelandic…
Breiðafjörður
West Iceland
Stykkishólmur’s jagged peninsula pushes north into stunning Breiðafjörður, a broad waterway separating the Snæfellsnes from the looming cliffs of the…
Djúpalón Beach
Snæfellsjökull National Park
On the southwest coast, Rte 572 leads off Rte 574 to wild black-sand beach Djúpalónssandur. It’s a dramatic place to walk, with rock formations (an elf…
Snæfellsjökull
Snæfellsjökull National Park
It’s easy to see why Jules Verne selected Snæfell for his adventure Journey to the Centre of the Earth: the peak was torn apart when the volcano beneath…
Erpsstaðir
West Iceland
When the peanut gallery starts moaning, ‘Are we there yet?’, you know it’s time to head to Erpsstaðir, the perfect place to stretch your legs. Like a…
Into the Glacier
Borgarbyggð
This enormous (300m-long) human-made tunnel and series of caves head into Langjökull glacier at 1260m above sea level. The glistening, LED-lit tunnel and…
Glymur
West Iceland
At the head of Hvalfjörður, and up Botnsdalur valley, lies Glymur, Iceland’s highest waterfall (198m). From the trailhead, it’ll take a couple of hours to…