Is Snæfellsnes worth a day trip from Reykjavík?+
Yes, if you have already done the Golden Circle and South Coast. It is an eleven-hour day (/experience/150532/, /experience/624443/) with about two hours' drive each way, covering Kirkjufell, the Arnarstapi to Hellnar cliffs, Djúpalónssandur beach, the Snæfellsjökull glacier and fishing villages. It is quieter than the south and more varied. The downside is the driving; a two-day version (/experience/9884/) with a night in Grundarfjörður is better if you can spare it.
Where is Kirkjufell?+
Just west of Grundarfjörður on the north side of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, about two and a half hours from Reykjavík. The photograph everyone takes is from the small waterfall, Kirkjufellsfoss, across the road, with the mountain behind. Every tour stops there for twenty to thirty minutes. Climbing the mountain itself is a steep scramble with fixed ropes and fatalities; do not attempt it without a guide.
Is Snæfellsnes good in winter?+
Good, with short days. The peninsula is at the same latitude as Reykjavík, so December gives five hours of light, and tours run tight. Kirkjufell in snow is the version on the postcards. The coast road can close in storms, and the tunnel under the fjord at Kolgrafafjörður is not affected but the mountain pass sometimes is. Northern lights over Kirkjufell are possible on the two-day tour if the sky clears.
What is the difference between Snæfellsnes and the Westfjords?+
Distance and roads. Snæfellsnes is a two-hour drive on tarmac and works as a day trip. The Westfjords start north of it across Breiðafjörður, need a day just to reach and have long gravel sections. Snæfellsnes has the glacier, Kirkjufell and dramatic coast in a compact package. The Westfjords have Dynjandi, Látrabjarg and far fewer people, but need three days minimum. If you have one day, Snæfellsnes.
