Grundarfjordur is a charming fishing village located on the northern coast of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. It lies in a beautiful fjord surrounded by mountains, and its majestic landmark is one of Iceland’s most famous sights – Mount Kirkjufell.
The surrounding fjord is teeming with marine life, and in winter orcas sometimes swim near the shore, chasing delicious Icelandic herrings. The area has also become a sanctuary for the bald eagle, which is the largest bird of prey in Iceland.
Grundarfjordur – practical information
It’s a good idea to visit the town on the last weekend of July. At that time, residents hold a local festival, decorate houses, hold a festive parade, and the Local Viking Association builds a village in the center and holds various re-enactments there.
In addition to the famous mountain Kirkjufell, the very interesting lava field Berserkjahraun is also worth seeing in the immediate area. For more on Cape Snaefellsnes attractions, see this list: Cape Snaefellsnes attractions
If you want to stay in Grundarfjordur you can spend the night in a high-class hotel, hostel, guesthouse, farmhouse or at a campground by the pool – the choice is quite wide.
The town also has a swimming pool with hot tub (Sundlaug Grundarfjarðar; right next to the campground), a golf course, an extremely charming, intimate and atmospheric family restaurant with a cafe (Bjargarsteinn), an information center, a horse farm, a pharmacy, a liquor store, a laundry and a well-stocked grocery store.
Boat tours are also organized here, during which guests can go deep-sea fishing, bird watching and… whale watching.
How to get to Grundarfjordur
Grundarfjordur is located on the northern coast of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, on Highway 54. A direct car trip from Reykjavik would take about 2.5 hours.
Grundarfjörður can also be reached by sea, and from nearby Stykkisholmur you can take a ferry to the Cape West Fjords
