The Lighthouses of Iceland
Öndverðarnes Lighthouse, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/25 s)
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With approximately 5,000 kilometers of coastline, Iceland needs a lot of lighthouses. About 104 to be exact. As a land settled by seafaring peoples, lighthouses have been crucial in Icelandic lore to guide sailors home after long expeditions and journeys. Modern technological improvements have since rendered these buildings defunct and most by and large are not needed, but they’re still awesome to look at and discover. You’ll be able to see quite a few of them while road tripping through the country, taking the Icelandic Ring Road (Route 1).
Side note: the word ‘Viti’ means lighthouse in Icelandic. So you’ll usually see the name of the lighthouse, followed by 'viti’.
If you find yourself in Iceland and have time for a (ring) road trip, try to incorporate some stops at a few lighthouses on the way. Have more time in Iceland? Rent a car and take a trip on the ring road. You can use my summary guide here to help you plan your road trip as well (Road Trip Posts - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6).
A Google map of the places that I visited during my most recent Iceland trip (lighthouses included), can be seen at the end of this post. Also, if you’re keen to find out what to see in Reykjavik and how to explore Iceland in the winter time, check out my posts.
If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including Iceland, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames and Wooden-Frames).
You can start off your lighthouse journey in the Icelandic capital. The Grótta Island Lighthouse lies just a few kilometers from the city center on a peninsula called Seltjarnarnes. It is a popular bird nesting area and therefore is protected, so best to stick with the indicated trails instead of veering off course. If the Northern Lights are strong enough to combat the light pollution of the city, this is a popular spot to go to to watch them.
Arkanes Lighthouse, Iceland (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/2500 s)
Heading North from Reykjavik towards the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, you will pass by the small town of Akranes. Luckily for you there are two lighthouses here: the Old Akranes and (new) Akranes Lighthouse (Also known as ‘Akranesviti’). You will most definitely be able to tell them apart. You can pay a small fee to climb to the top of Akranes Lighthouse which offers amazing panoramic views of the entire area. Luckily for me, the weather was absolutely gorgeous that day (as you can see from the above photo).
Malarrif Lighthouse, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/320 s)
Just South of Reykjavik in the town of Garður sits the Garður Old Lighthouse on the Gardskagi peninsula. As far as superlatives go, this lighthouse is the tallest in Iceland, standing at 28 meters. Currently, it is operated by the Icelandic Maritime Administration, used as a radar station and for weather surveillance.
Öndverðarnes Lighthouse, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/20 s)
The Malarrif Lighthouse is one of the few located in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, North of Reykjavik. The entire area is a combination of a lush meadow and volcanic rock. The high grasses from the parking lot to the lighthouse give it a nice country vibe. If you walk further and eventually make your way to the beach, the setting feels completely different. The silvery blue waters of the Atlantic are at your feet with the lighthouse protruding from the group in the distance. The viti is 20 meters tall and its light had a range of 18 miles, important for the Icelandic fisherman who relied on it when fishing these waters.
The gravel road that leads to these next two lighthouses (still in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula) is more or less NOT ideal. If you don’t have a 4x4, you can still drive it (legally) but: 1) go very slowly and 2) pull over for faster/more able vehicles. The trek is worth it! Both lighthouses are a brilliant orange and sit about 2 kilometers away from each other and different parts of the coastline.
Svörtuloft Lighthouse, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland (ISO 1000, 24 mm, f/4, 1/5000 s)
The Öndverðarnes Lighthouse is the smaller of the two but sits on a more expansive and open area to roam around and enjoy the scenery. These rich fishing grounds and bird nesting site was considered extremely isolated and since there was no cove nearby, this outlook was compounded. The fishing station was permanently closed many decades ago.
The Svörtuloft Lighthouse reminds me of a castle tower, colored in a brilliant orange. It is one of my most favorite places in all of Iceland. The cliffs nearby are gorgeous and there are even picnic tables here to enjoy the area. The way the orange stands out against the black lava environment is quite dramatic and makes for some excellent photographic landscapes (especially if you had a blue sky like myself). The area is home to many bird specials such as the Brünnich's guillemot (Thick-billed Murre), European Shag, Razorbill, Common Guillemot, Kittiwake and Northern Fulmar.
Dyrhólaey Lighthouse, Iceland (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/1250 s)
Sitting out on a promontory of the same name on the South Coast of Iceland lies the Dyrhólaey Lighthouse. [promontory (noun): a point of high land that juts out into the sea or a large lake; a headland.] It marks the southernmost point in Iceland and stands 13 meters tall, and is most recognized by its red trim. The drive up to this point relies on traversing a gravel road in TERRIBLE condition (in my opinion). However, slow and steady wins the race and once you get to the nearby parking area, there are trails that lead you all throughout this lookout. Come here for sunset!
Súgandisey Island Lighthouse, Iceland (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/8, 1/500 s)
The Dalatangi Lighthouse is the only lighthouse in the country built by a private citizen. It is also painted a bright orange and sits in the small village of Mjóifjörður. The site is currently managed by the National Museum of Iceland. You’re also in for a treat: getting to this lighthouse requires driving by one of my most favorite spots in the country, Klifbrekkufossar (Video here). This is a set of cascading waterfalls that I discovered and had all to myself during my trip (If you love waterfalls too, check out my post on them here).
Located in the small town of Stykkisholmur, is an adjacent island bearing a bright red lighthouse of the same name: The Súgandisey Island Lighthouse. There is a road leading to this island and a very short 1-2 minute hike to the top gives you stunning views of Breidafjordur Bay. Though the lighthouse is probably less impressive than the ones you have seen so far, the charm of the town is undeniable.
Hvalnes Lighthouse, South Coast, Iceland (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 s)
