Matkaopas: Hellissandur

Hellissandur is a village dating back to the 16th Century, found on the northwesternmost point of the Snaefellsnes peninsula in West Iceland.

Explore this area while on a self-drive tour in Iceland.

Photo above from Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by Chensiyuan. No edits made.

Like many other places on the Snaefellsnes peninsula, Hellissandur was once a center of fishing and trade; now, it is a center of tourism. The village boasts a maritime museum, as well as several houses built in the turf style that Icelanders lived in for centuries.

Hellissandur is located directly beside the Snaefellsjokull National Park and is thus within view of the famous volcano and glacier, Snaefellsjokull itself. It is also within sight of the Hellissandur Longwave Radio Mast, which is one of the tallest structures in Europe.

Locals like to call Hellissandur "the Street Art Capital of Iceland," as you'll find many colorful and interesting murals painted on the walls of various buildings. This makes a stroll through the village especially charming, as you can admire the different artworks on the way.

As Hellissandur is conveniently located near the tip of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, you can include a stay in an accommodation in Hellissandur during your exploration of this area's iconic sights. The village is only a 30-minute drive away from the iconic Mt. Kirkjufell and the dramatic black cliffs of Arnarstapi. The peninsula's largest town, Stykkisholmur, is also about an hour's drive away.