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Snæfellsnes
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The snaefellsnes
peninsula is a rugged yet beautiful arm of the Icelandic West Coast that
juts out into the Atlantic between Faxafloi bay and Breidafjordur.
The north and south coasts are divided one from the other by a string
of majestic mountains which runs down the spine of the peninsula nd culminate
in the magnificent Snaefellsjokull, a glacier at the lands Westernmost
point. Towns here are mostly confined to the north coast, where harbours
are good and plentiful, and it's from the picturesque town of Stykkisholmur,
far and away the best place to base yourself on the peninsula. Stykkisholmur
boasts brightly coloured harbourside buildings and is well known for its
delicious halibut and scallops. Just outside of Sykkisholmur, a small
track leads to the old parliament site of Pingvollur. Here some of the
ruins can still be seen as well as the sacrificial site that served as
the altar to the god Por. On the north western corner in the town of Olafsvik
a number of whale watching tours depart each day during the summer season.
This coast is where you are likely to see the largest whales in the World,
the Blue Whales. You are also likely to see Killer Whales, Bottlenose
dolphins and Humpback Whales. Olafsvik is the most productive fishing
town on Snaefellsnes.
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