Planning a trip to Stykkisholmur and Breidafjordur

Getting There & Around -- Stykkishólmur is 172km (107 miles) from Reykjavík, with good roads the entire way. Straeto buses (tel. 540-2700; www.straeto.is) connect Reykjavík and Stykkishólmur (2 1/2 hours; 3,600kr one-way), with one or two departures almost daily (not always on Wednesdays) in each direction year-round. Another route -- also with one or two departures daily -- covers the north coast of Snæfellsnes from Stykkishólmur to Hellissandur (65 min.; 1,600kr one-way), with stops at Grundarfjörður, Ólafsvík, and Arnarstapi.

The car ferry Baldur (tel. 433-2254; www.seatours.is/ferrybaldur) makes a scenic crossing of Breiðafjörður, linking Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur in the Westfjords, with a stop at Flatey Island.

Visitor Information -- Stykkishólmur's travel information center, Borgarbraut 4 (tel. 438-1750; www.stykkisholmur.is; June-Aug Mon-Fri 9am-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-7pm), marked from the main road into town, is in the sports/swimming center. The office of the tour operator Seatours, Smiðjustígur 3 (tel. 433-2254; June-Aug 8am-8pm, Sep-May 8am-5pm) is also helpful with planning.