Planning a trip to Snaefellsnes

Getting There & Around -- Snæfellsnes could be done in a day trip from Reykjavík, but staying 2 days or longer is more agreeable and less hectic. The peninsula has relatively good roads, and -- with so many widely dispersed attractions -- coming by car really pays off.

The bus service is somewhat limited. Straeto (tel. 553-3737; www.bus.is) has a daily route from mid-June until August between Reykjavík and Stykkishólmur, where transfers to Hellissandur can be found, plus almost daily during the off-season (3–3 1/4 hr.; 3,600kr one-way) stopping at Akranes and Borgarnes.

On the north coast, local information offices are in Ólafsvík, at Pakkhúsi, Route 574 (tel. 433-9930; May–Sept daily 11am–5pm) and Stykkisholmur, at the Sports Center, Borgarbraut 4 (tel. 433-8120; daily 10am–6pm). For Snæfellsjökull National Park, which includes the entire western tip of the peninsula, there’s the Snæfellsjökull National Park Visitor Center in Hellnar (tel. 436-6888; mid-May–mid-Sept daily 10am–6pm) on the main road through the village. A good resource outside Snæfellsnes is in Borgarnes, Brúartorg 1 (tel. 437-2214; www.west.is; Jun–Aug Mon–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat–Sun 10am–3pm; Sept–May Mon–Fri 9am–4pm).

A detailed map, Snæfellsnes, published by Mal og Menning, is available at bookstores, service stations, and tourist information offices. Online, www.snaefellsnes.com has thorough service listings.