We will be in Iceland for four nights in September. However, since our plane arrives late the first afternoon, our first partial day will be spent looking around Reykjavik on foot. In the three remaining full days, we are planning a Golden Circle Tour for one full day and a South Coast tour for the second full day. With only one full day left for touring, we are torn between the Snaefellsness Peninsula vs. a tour of the Reykjanes Peninsula with Blue lagoon in the afternoon. Now I realize the Blue Lagoon tops everyone's list. However, I am thinking we will get a look at the real Iceland if we see Snaefellsness. Should we drop Golden Circle, South Coast or Reykjanes/Blue Lagoon to do this? I wish we had more time, but the air has been booked for months. We have chosen to take tours, so we will not have a car. We really need some input, please, from Icelanders and from previous travelers who may be familiar with Snaefellsness.

meggies - I wonder if you would find more info on the tripadvisor Iceland forum - I think it's more active.

I was just in Icleland and spent a few days on the Snaefellsness peninsula and it was gorgeous. But also I loved the Blue Lagoon, and while man-made and a bit of a tourist destination I was so glad to have had half a day to enjoy it. I'm wondering if you'll see a lot on your other tours that would be similar enough to Snaefellsness to make that drive there possibly not worth it for one day.

But again, maybe on TA you'd get opinions from Icelanders who would know best.

Enjoy your trip - it's beautiful - I'd love to go back!

Thank you, Leslie. I will look on tripadvisor. However your comment about Snaefellsness makes me want to visit it even more!

personally I thought that the Blue Lagoon was over-hyped and a tourist trap, but that's just me. most people seemed to like it a lot. I would go for the Snaefellnesses peninsular instead.

IMO, assuming you mean the area around Vik when you talk about the south coast, it would make more sense to go to the golden circle en route to or on the way back from there; it's not exactly on the way but you will cover some of the same ground.

snaefellnesses really needs two days - it takes quite a long time to get to the main towns of Stykkisholmur and Grundarfjordur and even longer to get to the glacier at the end of the peninsular. [though in september there's not likely to be much to do on the glacier itself ].

what does the tour of the peninsular take you to ?

As Ann said the distance there and back is part of the concern about being able to fit it in. I think you said you only have one day to accomplish all that.

But it is beautiful...might mean a second trip another time

Thanks, Ann and Leslie.
I am grateful for your input.