Tucked into a verdant valley winding southeast off Hvalfjörður (Rte 461), this welcoming roadside cafe overlooking glittering Meðalfellsvatn offers a welcome break with a menu of local fare, burgers, sandwiches and vegetarian options. They also have camping (2000/1000kr per adult/child) with showers, and a cottage (double 18,000kr) just up the road.
Kaffi Kjós
West Iceland
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
14.74 MILES
The world’s oldest parliament, Althingi (pronounced ál-thingk-ee; also called Alþing) was uniquely situated at this monumental site where two tectonic…
13.89 MILES
Near the dramatic Almannagjá fault and fronted by a boardwalk is the Lögberg (Law Rock), where the Alþingi (Parliament) convened annually. This was where…
14.08 MILES
The Þingvellir plain is situated on a tectonic-plate boundary where North America and Europe are tearing away from each other at a rate of 1mm to 18mm per…
16.01 MILES
Reykjavík’s immense white-concrete church (1945–86), star of a thousand postcards, dominates the skyline and is visible from up to 20km away. An elevator…
16.45 MILES
Artefacts from settlement to the modern age fill the creative display spaces of Iceland's superb National Museum. Exhibits give an excellent overview of…
18.79 MILES
Housed in an imaginatively restored warehouse by the harbour, the must-see Settlement Centre offers fascinating insights into the history of Icelandic…
16.06 MILES
This fascinating archaeological ruin-museum is based around a 10th-century Viking longhouse unearthed here from 2001 to 2002 and other Settlement-Era…
15.71 MILES
With its ever-changing facets glistening on the water's edge, Reykjavík’s sparkling Harpa concert hall and cultural centre is a beauty to behold. In…
Nearby West Iceland attractions
6.69 MILES
The church at the Saurbær farmstead is worth a look for its beautiful stained-glass work by Gerður Helgadóttir. It is named for Reverend Hallgrímur…
6.95 MILES
During WWII Hvalfjörður contained a submarine and warship station and over 20,000 American and British soldiers passed through. This museum houses…
3. Gljúfrasteinn Laxness Museum
9.07 MILES
Nobel Prize–winning author Halldór Laxness (1902–98) lived in Mosfellsbær all his life. His riverside home is now the Gljúfrasteinn Laxness Museum, which…
10.96 MILES
At the head of Hvalfjörður, and up Botnsdalur valley, lies Glymur, Iceland’s highest waterfall (198m). From the trailhead, it’ll take a couple of hours to…
13.21 MILES
The western end of Viðey Island is dotted with 18 pairs of massive basalt columns. The work of environmental artist Richard Serra, they're designed to…
13.45 MILES
The second-oldest wooden church in Iceland, Viðey Church dates from the 18th century. Look out for the original decor and the tomb of the former owner of…
13.45 MILES
Just up from Viðey's harbour sits Viðeyarstofa, Iceland's oldest stone house. Icelandic Treasurer Skúli Magnússon was given the island in 1751 and he…
13.52 MILES
Yoko Ono’s Imagine Peace Tower (2007) is a ‘wishing well’ that blasts a dazzling column of light into the sky every night between 9 October (John Lennon’s…