They say that west is best and in Iceland this is no different. West Iceland is an area of great diversity, filled with natural beauty and history. Here you will find glaciers, waterfalls, mountains, rivers, lava fields, valleys, beaches and hot springs. The West is home to the vicious Viking Egill Skallagrímsson and is the setting for many of the Icelandic sagas.

Borgarfjörður is a rich agricultural area steeped in the bloody history of warring Vikings. This is where unique waterfalls such as Hraunfossar seep through lava into the mighty Hvítá river and where history is realized at Reykholt, home to Snorri Sturluson, renowned Icelandic historian. Húsafell is situated deep in the Borgarfjörður valley and is where famous musician and artist, Páll Guðmundsson lives. The magnificent Langjökull, the spouting hot spring, Deildartunguhver and the largest lava cave in Iceland, Viðgelmir are all found in West Iceland.

Dalir is the northernmost area of west Iceland where you can find the homestead Eiríksstaðir of the Viking Erik-the-Red, and birthplace of Leifur-the-Lucky, discoverer of America. If you love ice-cream, visit the dairy farm Erpsstaðir for some genuine home-made delights.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula is part of the west and adds to the wow-factor of this area. The Snæfellsjökull National Park is the only coastal park in Iceland. The Snæfellsjökull Glacier forms the main part of the Park which consists of basalt cliffs, lava caves, calderas and waterfalls. The lava caves of Vatnshellir are situated in the national park close to Djúpalónssandur, a magical stone beach with Mt. Kirkjufell, the iconic pyramidal mountain is situated in Grundarfjörður on the northern coast. Snæfellsnes is paradise for birdwatchers, whale watchers and seal lovers as well as for hikers. Boat trips are offered from Grundarfjörður, Ólafsvík and Stykkishólmur, which is the port for ferry crossings to the West fjords. Snæfellsnes is Iceland in a nutshell and should not be missed.

West Iceland is a natural wonderland only a short distance from the capital area so you can enjoy day trips to this beautiful area or choose to spend more time discovering the secrets of the west.