Hellissandur is a village dating back to the 16th century, set on the northwesternmost tip of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in West Iceland. Sitting at the edge of Snaefellsjokull National Park, it makes a scenic and convenient base for exploring the western reaches of the peninsula.
Explore this area while on self-drive tours in Iceland. Just outside the village stands the Church at Ingjaldsholl, one of the oldest concrete churches in the country.
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Like many other places on the Snaefellsnes, Hellissandur was once a center of fishing and trade. Today, it is a center of tourism, boasting 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, 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, letting you admire the different artworks along the way.
As Hellissandur is conveniently located near the tip of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, you can book accommodation in Hellissandur while exploring this area's iconic sights. The village is only a 30-minute drive 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.
Photo above from Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by Chensiyuan. No edits made.
