We start the day by heading north, through the main town of western Iceland,
Borgarnes. We continue our journey west onto the beautiful, multi coloured
terrain of the Snæfellsnes peninsula and Kirkjufell mountain. The western tip of
the peninsula is the newly designated national park, including the Snæfellsjökull
glacier and stunning coastal beaches and cliffs. We will visit a view point in the
foothills of the glacier, made famous in the novel Journey to the Center of the
Earth penned by French novelist, Jules Verne. Búðir, meaning “shops,” was the
old trading post of the area many years ago. What remains today are almost
invisible ruins of this formerly vibrant trading post. We’ll stop for coffee at the
Búðir Hotel, one of the most popular country hotels in Iceland. We’ll go down
to the tiny village at Arnarstapi to see the beautiful sea cliffs and views in this
area. There is a scenic 2.5 kilometre walk from Arnastapi to Hellnar, which you
are also free to enjoy. We’ll be visiting the small settlement of Hellnar, a town
practically sitting below the glacier at the ocean’s edge. Seabirds and cliffs
dominate the area. During summer, lunch stop at the Fjöruhúsið Café located
in a great warm spot near the beach. From here you’ll enjoy amazing views
and hear some intense birdsong! Then we’ll enjoy some time on the beach at
Djúpalónssandur. Our last stop is Ólafsvík, a weather-exposed fishing village.
Your busy day comes to a close back at your starting point!