6 Best Sights in Akranes, West Iceland and Snæfellsnes Peninsula

On Langisandur Beach, you'll be greeted by the Guðlaug Baths. The man-made springs are located in a natural rock garden and have a stunning view of Reykjavík across the bay. There's a small fee to enjoy these public hot springs, and they can get quite crowded on especially sunny days (the pool itself isn't very large).

Perhaps Iceland's most picturesque geothermal spa, Hvammsvík is located on a peninsula just off the scenic Hvalfjörður road, once a major thoroughfare to northern Iceland. Skip the crowds of the Blue Lagoon and grab a cold beverage in one of the heated pools right by the waterline or brave a polar bear plunge in the adjacent sea. The restaurant serves up classic Scandinavian soups and open-faced sandwiches.

For a history lesson on Akranes and the surrounding region, make a visit to this museum, where you'll learn about the working life of the locals and the living conditions of the first settlers. The museum has exhibits on fishing, farming, social life, and housekeeping—you'll even find a rowboat with a full fishing rig that dates back to 1874. Three of the museum's buildings are fully furnished homes kept as they would have been when the area's first settlers called Akranes home. If you're lucky, you'll catch the forge in action; the museum staff get it up and running for visitors on occasion.

The best thing about Glymur Waterfall is that you have to take a nice, long hike to see it. Along the way, you'll walk through a cave, cross a river, and head into a stunning mountain valley. The south side of the waterfall is said to have better views, so keep that in mind as you get closer. Expect to spend between 3–3½ hours round-trip.

There are actually two lighthouses in Akranes situated right next to each other. The much larger and picturesque lighthouse joined its smaller neighbor in 1947, and is still in operation and open to the public. Many visitors get their photographs of the northern lights here. Along the harbor, you can see the wreck of the old herring ship Höfrungur (meaning \"Dolphin\"), built in 1955 and abandoned after sinking at an unknown point in time.

This area next to a farm of the same name is well-known for its nearby \"Seal Beach,\" where harbor seals and gray seals spend the summer months basking in the near-constant sunlight on rocks just offshore. You're likely to see them in the area year-round, but you're more likely to catch the eye of a friendly seal swimming by in the warmer months.