Welcome to Iceland’s captivating western coast, where Reykjavík and the Reykjanes Peninsula form the gateway to adventure along Faxaflói Bay. This sweeping coastal region offers travelers embarking on Iceland’s legendary Ring Road their first taste of authentic Icelandic charm. While the landscape here may be gentler than the country’s dramatic highlands, it captivates with its storybook beauty: think sun-dappled flower meadows, family farms nestled beneath misty mountains, and fishing villages clinging to rugged coasts.
Summer transforms these shores into a photographer’s playground, with lupine carpets stretching toward the sea and endless daylight revealing hidden coastal treasures. Though often overshadowed by Iceland’s more famous attractions, this region rewards explorers with cultural gems, fascinating history, and scenery that embodies Iceland’s quieter magic.
Arnarstapi and around
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Borgarnes
Reykholt
Journeying north from Reykjavík, the road reveals Iceland’s cultural treasures. While Akranes wears its industrial heritage proudly, its museum quarter offers fascinating insights for history buffs. The true magic unfolds in Borgarnes, your launchpad to Iceland’s natural wonders. From here, adventure seekers can explore the icy depths of Langjökull (Iceland’s second-largest glacier) or witness the raw power of Deildartunguhver – Europe’s most powerful hot spring near Húsafell.
History comes alive in Reykholt, home to medieval scholar Snorri Sturluson. Walk where saga heroes once stood and feel the echoes of ancient tales in this beautifully preserved historical site. Every bend reveals another layer of Iceland’s rich tapestry: from the dramatic Snæfellsnes Peninsula crowned with mystical Snæfellsjökull glacier (immortalized in Jules Verne’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth”) to the kaleidoscope-colored houses of Stykkishólmur, one of Iceland’s most picturesque fishing towns.
Don’t miss these western coast highlights:
Snæfellsjökull National Park: Snowmobile across glacier fields with panoramic ocean views that’ll leave you breathless
Búðir’s Black Church: Experience serene isolation at this iconic seaside chapel surrounded by lava fields
Flatey Island: Step back in time on this car-free island paradise accessible by ferry from Stykkishólmur
Laugar in Sælingsdalur: Recharge in natural hot springs before continuing to Iceland’s wild Westfjords
While the scenery here may seem gentler than Iceland’s famous highlands, the west coast pulses with historical significance. Near Búðardalur, the Haukadalur valley marks where Viking explorer Eirík the Red launched expeditions to Greenland and North America – adventures chronicled in Iceland’s beloved sagas. Stand where history unfolded, then warm up with fresh seafood in a cozy fishing village as the midnight sun paints the sky pink. This is west Iceland – where every mile tells a story.
Western Iceland: Your Gateway to Sagas and Spectacular Scenery
Imagine walking where Viking legends once roamed. Western Iceland offers thrills beyond its epic landscapes – this is where Norse sagas leap off the page and into reality. From reconstructed Viking farms to valleys echoing with ancient feuds, every twist in the road reveals new layers of Icelandic heritage mixed with unforgettable natural beauty.
Western Iceland’s Essential Stops
Let the west coast work its magic starting with Borgarnes and Reykholt – anchor points steeped in saga history. But the real showstopper? The Snæfellsnes Peninsula, where glacier-crowned peaks meet volcanic coastline. Hikers flock here for good reason: trails reward you with some of Iceland’s most accessible wilderness vistas.
Venture further northwest to discover Iceland’s wild heart in the Westfjords. Tiny fishing villages cling to cliffs beneath dramatic table-top mountains. Base yourself in Ísafjörður, the region’s lively hub, before trekking the untamed Hornstrandir Peninsula where Arctic foxes roam free.
Navigating Western Iceland Like a Local
Road Trip Essentials
Route 1 (the Ring Road) is your main artery through the region – served year-round by buses between Reykjavík and Akureyri. From Borgarnes, hop on Route 54 buses towards Snæfellsnes’ wonders. Exploring Búðardalur’s saga country? Catch the northbound Route 60 bus at Bifröst, connecting to Hólmavík in the Westfjords.
Ferry Adventures
For a fresh perspective, sail from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur – your scenic gateway to the Westfjords. Summer travelers can continue by bus to Ísafjörður, though self-drivers get ultimate flexibility beyond Hólmavík.
Pro tip: Pair your west coast journey with our guide to reaching Iceland smoothly.
Hvalfjörður: More Than Just a Shortcut
Leaving Reykjavík’s outskirts, Route 1 hugs Mount Esja’s slopes before revealing Hvalfjörður (Whale Fjord). This deep-water haven held strategic WWII importance – imagine Allied ships sheltering in these very waters. Today, its 6km submarine tunnel (toll: 1000kr/car) saves hours versus the 108km coastal route. Locals feared it would sap Akranes’ vitality, but this resilient town proved them wrong!
Akranes: Iceland’s Unsung Hero Town
Don’t let Akranes’ industrial facade fool you. Beyond its fishing fleet and championship soccer pride, this town delivers unexpected gems. Soak in geothermal pools, watch seabirds swirl around Mount Akrafjall, or stroll Langisandur’s golden sands. When the harbor winds bite, dive into the Museum Centre’s Cod War exhibits and tributes to Icelandic sports legends.
Conquer Mount Akrafjall
Dominating Akranes’ skyline, this 643m giant serves up Iceland’s finest west coast panorama. Aim for the south peak (Háihnúkur) via well-marked trails – on clear days, you’ll spot Reykjavík glittering in the distance. Summer transforms the mountainside into a seabird nursery, with kittiwakes nesting in the crags.
Glymur: Iceland’s Tallest Waterfall
Follow Route 47 around Hvalfjörður’s northern shore towards a natural marvel: 200m-high Glymur waterfall. The adventurous one-hour hike through Botnsdalur valley pays off with thunderous views. Local legend whispers of a half-whale creature once terrorizing the fjord – lured upstream to its doom in Hvalvatn lake’s depths.
Borg á Mýrum: Where Literary Giants Walked
This saga-steeped farm near Snæfellsnesbus routes birthed Icelandic legends. Though Skallagrímur Kveldúlfsson’s original homestead vanished, history buffs feel the echoes. Visit the namesake borg (rock), admire Ásmundur Sveinsson’s Sonatorrek sculpture, and ponder Egill Skallagrímsson’s poetry. This hallowed ground shaped Snorri Sturluson, Iceland’s literary mastermind whose influence still ripples through the nation’s culture.
Borg á Mýrum: Where Saga Meets Stone
Picture this: a fiery Viking patriarch nicknamed “Evening Wolf” for his supernatural strength at dusk. When Kveldúlfur clashed with King Harald, he set sail toward Iceland’s unknown shores. During a stormy voyage, fate took hold – the ailing chieftain commanded his coffin be cast overboard. Where it washed ashore, his son Skallagrímur would build their future.
That landing spot? A land veined with salmon rivers and cloaked in misty bogs: Borg á Mýrum (“Rock in the Bogs”). Here, Skallagrímur forged his legacy, shaping the very name of the region – Borgarfjörður (Rocky Fjord) – as indelibly as he shaped Iceland’s earliest chapters.
Centuries later, another giant walked these lands. Snorri Sturluson – historian, chieftain, literary mastermind – came to Borg through marriage at just 19. Though his union soured (he famously abandoned Borg for Reykholt around 1206), his time here echoes through the sagas he later penned.
Húsafell: Iceland’s Glacier Gateway Blossoms
Today, a 25-km drive east from Snorri’s Reykholt along Route 518 leads to Húsafell – once a sleepy hamlet, now buzzing with possibility. Nestled beneath Langjökull, Iceland’s second-largest glacier, this holiday haven for locals is fast becoming an international hotspot. Why?
Picture a chic new hotel, whispers of a spa transformation, and a bistro serving steaming lamb soup after glacier adventures. The catalyst? Groundbreaking tours like nothing Iceland
Varmaland & Beyond: Where Icelandic Wilderness Meets Viking Lore
Picture this: you’re rumbling up a glacier in a converted NATO rocket launcher with tires the size of boulders. This isn’t some sci-fi fantasy – it’s the thrilling start to exploring Langjökull’s mesmerizing ice tunnels. Your two-hour adventure takes you 200 meters deep into the glacial heart, where 30 meters of ancient ice press overhead while 300 meters lie beneath your boots. Though carved just recently, these tunnels already pulse with raw natural drama – their shimmering blue walls shifting as the glacier inches forward year by year. For an equally epic (but free) view, cruise Iceland’s Kjölur or Kaldidalur routes skirting Langjökull’s mighty foothills.
Varmaland: Gateway to Iceland’s Wild Side
Between Borgarnes and Brú lies a landscape that rewards explorers. Just beyond the sleepy village of Varmaland – famous among Icelanders for its geothermal pool and iconic mushroom farm – unfolds a hiker’s paradise. This is your launchpad for adventures through steaming lavafields and river valleys straight from Norse mythology.
The Bifröst Connection: Where Fire Met Earth
Thirty kilometers northeast, tiny Bifröst guards nature’s spectacular secrets. Here you can ascend the ashy slopes of Grábrók crater, its volcanic heart silenced three millennia ago. The forest-fringed shores of Hreðavatn Lake nearby whisper ancient stories – keep your eyes peeled for plant fossils embedded in the rocks. For the bold, the rhyolite slopes of Mount Baula (934m) promise panoramas stretching to the Arctic Circle from its summit shelter.
Hiking Through Living History
Lace up your boots for Iceland’s most captivating day hike – the 13km trek from Varmaland to Bifröst alongside the Norðurá salmon river. This liquid ribbon carries you past abandoned farms through ever-changing scenery: draped waterfalls like Laxfoss, the thundering drama of Glanni falls, and finally across the moon-like Grábrókarhraun lava field. Each step connects you to Iceland’s pulse – where geology and history collide in breathtaking fashion.
Búðardalur: More than Meets the Eye
Don’t let Búðardalur’s modest streets fool you – this quiet coastal town is a portal to Iceland’s most dramatic Viking sagas. While the Leifsbúð museum’s modest displays might leave you wanting, the real treasures lie in the surrounding valleys where history comes alive.
Eiríksstaðir: Crucible of Exploration
Twenty kilometers southeast, hallowed ground awaits at Eiríksstaðir. This unassuming hillside birthed Europe’s greatest explorers – Eirík the Red, who colonized Greenland, and his son Leifur Eiríksson, the first European to set foot in North America. Walking between the reconstructed turf longhouse and original 10th-century foundations (find them behind Leifur’s statue), guides in Viking attire transport you through time. Feel the weight of history where daring voyages to unknown worlds began.
Laugar: Waters of Legend
Further along Route 60, Laugar beckons with steamy secrets. For over a millennium, travelers have soaked in its geothermal springs – the same waters where saga heroine Guðrún Ósvifsdóttir hatched legendary plots. Today, you can bathe in living history at Laugar’s geothermal pool, its steamy embrace connecting you to centuries of wayfarers. Nearby, Sælingsdalur valley’s dramatic cliffs still echo with the violent ambush that sealed Bolli’s fate in the Laxdæla Saga.
Saga Country Comes Alive
The Laxdæla Saga’s blood-soaked romance permeates this landscape. From the sheltered fjords where Viking longships once harbored to valleys whispering of forbidden loves and violent vendettas, every hillside tells a story. Pack your sense of adventure – you’re walking through Iceland’s living history book, where nature and Norse legend intertwine at every turn.
Love, Betrayal, and Fate: The Epic Drama of Laxdæla Saga
Picture this: golden-haired hero Kjartan swimming alongside his brooding cousin Bolli, while the fiercely intelligent beauty Guðrún Ósvífsdóttir watches nearby. This powerful love triangle from Iceland’s legendary Laxdæla Saga will grip you from the first page to the last. What unfolds isn’t just a Viking-era romance – it’s a breathtaking dance with destiny that begins with chilling prophecies.
Before our heroes even meet, a mystical foreseer drops truth bombs that set the story’s course. Guðrún, he declares, will marry four times. Seeing the cousins together, he predicts Bolli will one day stand over Kjartan’s lifeless body – and pay the ultimate price himself. These aren’t spoilers; they’re the first threads in a tapestry of fate that makes Game of Thrones look tame.
Guðrún’s journey begins with an unwanted marriage she courageously escapes. Her second husband Þord meets a watery grave after crossing sorcerers – because magical vendettas were basically medieval cancel culture. When sparks fly with noble Kjartan, hope flickers… until he sails to Norway for adventure. His request? “Wait three years.” Her refusal echoes across the fjords.
In Norway, royal intrigue ensues. Kjartan’s hostage situation doesn’t stop a steamy affair with Princess Ingibjörg, who gives him a dazzling headdress meant for Guðrún – a priceless ticking time bomb. Meanwhile, Bolli returns to Iceland with false news of Kjartan’s permanent Norwegian residency. Heartbroken, Guðrún marries Bolli… just as Kjartan returns to wed another, presenting that fateful headdress to his new bride.
The stage is set for tragedy. When the royal headpiece disappears, Kjartan attacks with the ultimate medieval power move – besieging Bolli’s household until nobody can use the bathroom for three days. Humiliated and furious, Guðrún manipulates Bolli into attacking. What follows? An iconic saga moment: Bolli dealing the final blow as Kjartan collapses in his arms – not from wounds, but exhausted surrender.
Guðrún’s victory dance over Kjartan’s corpse contrasts painfully with Bolli’s soul-crushing guilt. The cycle continues when Kjartan’s brothers exact brutal revenge, slaughtering Bolli in front of his pregnant wife. In her final act of defiance, Guðrún engineers her fourth marriage through cunning promises, outliving all her husbands to become Iceland’s most famous nun. Her dying confession to son Bolli? “I was worst to him I loved the most.” Centuries later, this line still pierces hearts.
Seafaring Legends: The Vikings Who Discovered America
From explosive family drama to earth-shattering exploration, Iceland’s sagas give us Eirík the Red – the hot-headed Norwegian exile who literally invented destination marketing. After being booted from Norway to Iceland’s West Fjords, his temper earned him another eviction. But this outcast’s misfortune birthed history’s greatest rebrand.
Setting sail in 985, Eirík stumbled upon an icy continent he cleverly dubbed “Greenland” because – as saga writers smirk – “a good name might attract settlers.” His settlement at Brattahlíð became the launchpad for history-changing voyages. His son Leifur “the Lucky” Erikson took the family ambition further west, reaching:
• Helluland (Baffin Island): Stone-slab wilderness where glaciers meet the sea
• Markland (Labrador): A lumberjack’s paradise of never-ending forests
• Vínland: The mysterious “Wineland” where saga writers claim grapes grew wild
Here’s the juicy historical debate: Medieval “vín” could mean wine or pasture. Since wild grapes don’t grow in Newfoundland (where Leifur probably landed), did Vikings discover New England centuries before Columbus? Or was “Vinland” just really great grazing land? The mystery keeps archaeologists and historians deliciously at odds.
Together, these sagas weave Iceland’s identity – tales of passion so intense they echo through centuries, and seafaring feats that rewrote world history. They’re not just old stories; they’re the original Nordic noir, packed with love, violence, and journeys into the complete unknown.
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