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Gazing towards Grundarfjordur.

Grundarfjordur and Iceland’s Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Join Anne and her sister Vera, as they explore the magnificent natural wonders of Iceland’s Snaefellsnes Peninsula with Snaefellsnes Excursions at Grundarfjordur, the Second Port on their Oceania Insignia ‘Atlantic Glaciers and Harbors’ cruise.

Cruise ship in Iceland's fjords.
Image care of Bernd Dittrich via UnSplash.

In Reykjavik we boarded the deluxe Oceania Insignia cruise ship, to begin a 17-day voyage called ‘Atlantic Glaciers and Harbors’.

Discovering Iceland’s Snaefellsnes Peninsula

The next morning we arrived at the port of Grundarfjordur, located on Iceland’s Snaefellsnes Peninsula northwest of Reykjavik. We eagerly got ready for our first shore excursion, one of the longer ones of our trip.

The village of Grundarfjordur and Kirkjufell mountain, as seen from the harbour.
Grundarfjordur, as photographed by Mustang Joe via Flickr.

It was a 5-hour bus tour entitled ‘Highlights of Snaefellsnes’, a particularly appropriate title as we would find out. Each part of this tour was one highlight after another of this spectacular peninsula, considered to be like an ‘Iceland in Miniature’ because it has so many features of Iceland’s landscape all in this one area. 

As we rode around the peninsula and viewed stunning volcanos and glaciers, we could see why Iceland is known as the ‘land of fire and ice’. Our tour leader Elisa did a wonderful job of explaining the sights and telling us some of the history of Iceland. At each of the stops, we explored, marvelled, and took lots of pictures.

Malarrif

Vera and Anne, wind swept and rosy cheeked, hand in hand with the  Malarrif lighthouse in the background.
With my sister Vera at the Malarrif lighthouse.

First, at Malarrif we wandered down paths and gazed at the wonderful wide open vistas in every direction. Around us were lava fields, nearby was a lovely lighthouse and black pebble beach, and as a majestic backdrop was the beautiful Snaefellsjokull glacier in the distance. The most remarkable sight, however, and the focal point of this area, were the impressive Londrangar lava pillars and cliffs – two huge lava formations by the basalt sea cliffs. Elisa told us that depending on which version you believe, this natural geological wonder was either formed by thousands of years of ocean waves battering these lava cliffs, or they were two gigantic trolls who roamed this area and one day were turned into stone.

Lava fields at Malarrif.
lava fields
Londrangar lava pillars.
lava pillars
Trolls at Malarrif.
trolls?

Arnarstapi

The next stop was a lovely little fishing village called Arnarstapi. Here we climbed paths leading right to the edge of absolutely breath-taking lava cliffs. As we strolled along these incredible cliffs, marvelling at the stunning scenery and eating some food we’d brought, we thought this had to be the most fantastic spot we’d ever had lunch!

Arnarstapi cliffs.
Arnarstapi cliffs.
Rock Arch at Arnarstapi

Saxholl Volcano and Snaefellsjokull Glacier

Further along at our next stop, we had the thrill of climbing right into a volcano crater! As we ascended the almost 400 heart-pounding steps up the side of the volcano, we stopped periodically to catch our breath and admire the view. Reaching the top of the thousands year old Saxholl volcano, we were treated to the most magnificent 360 degree view of the peninsula, and the Snaefellsjokull glacier now seemed even closer to us. We took some time to gaze in awe at both the view and the lava rock we were walking on, before making our way back down.

Saxholl volcano.
Saxholl volcano
Snaefellsjokull glacier from the top of the Saxholl volcano.
Snaefellsjokull glacier from the top of the Saxholl volcano.
Stairway down the Saxholl volcano.
Stairway down the Saxholl volcano.

An interesting fact we learned from our guide, is that moss naturally grows on lava rock fields and helps to prevent soil erosion. Icelanders know not to disturb it, but apparently Justin Bieber did not, as he caused quite a controversy a few years ago by rolling on the moss while shooting a music video in Iceland.

Kirkjufell and Grundarfjordur

Then came our final stop – the iconic Kirkjufell mountain and waterfall. We could see this majestic mountain from our cruise ship and as we began our tour, but we were very excited to walk to the waterfall and get up closer to take some incredible pictures. Famous for its distinctive shape like a church steeple, Kirkjufell is considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. It was also famously featured on the ‘Game of Thrones’ TV series as ‘Arrowhead Mountain’. 

Kirkjufell mountain and waterfall.
Vera and Anne with Kirkjufell mountain in the background.

From our vantage point at the waterfall, there was also a lovely view of Grundarfjordur. A short while later we arrived back in the small town of only 900 people, where we had time to wander the few quiet streets and browse in shops. At one point we had a rather alarming incident when Vera became locked in a washroom in one of the shops, but afterwards it became a very amusing story to re-tell. 

Gazing towards Grundarfjordur.
Gazing towards Grundarfjordur.

Tips & Recommendations for Exploring Grundarfjordur and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula:

Bardur Snaefellsas at Mt. Stapafell.
  • I highly recommend our bus tour ‘Highlights of Snaefellsnes’, which I booked online with Snaefellsnes Excursions.
  • My contact, Elisa Maccagnoni, sent excellent detailed information, responded to all my emails promptly, and also happened to be our wonderful guide for the tour.
  • Bring your own lunch to eat at Arnarstapi, so as to avoid crowded cafes and maximize your time at the beautiful sea cliffs.
  • Beware of using washrooms in which you use a key to lock the door from the inside!

Snæfellsnes Peninsula Accommodations Map

Planning a stay on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula? Check out this interactive map to different accommodations available on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.


Tune In To Our Full Adventure With Oceania Insignia’s ‘Atlantic Glaciers and Harbors’ Cruise

  • Reykjavik, Our First Port
  • Icelandic Island of Heimaey, Our Third Port
  • Cruising from Iceland to Greenland with Oceania Insignia
  • Nanortalik, Exploring this South Greenland Port
  • Paamiut, Wandering Around this Southwest Greenland Port
  • Qaqortoq, Discovering a Taste of Greenland

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This commission contributes to paying our writers for their storytelling. We only post links to things that we ourselves have tried.

Written by:
Anne Webster
Published on:
October 31, 2023
Thoughts:
1 Comment

Categories: All Aboard!, Anne Webster, Around the World, Cruises, Destinations, Europe, Iceland, Itineraries, Nerding Out, Nordics, Our Travelers, Planes, Trains ..., Road Trips, Specialty, Travel TipsTags: cruise travel, glaciers, Grundarfjordur, Oceania Insignia, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, trolls, volcanoes

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Comments

  1. Jean Sims

    May 3, 2024 at 4:43 am

    Have not heard about this place , but it is so beautiful! would love to tread more about it! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

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