Svortuloft Lighthouse is a bright orange lighthouse at the western tip of the Snaefellsnes peninsula in West Iceland, about 215 kilometres from Reykjavik. It stands on black coastal cliffs and is about 10 metres tall.
What and where Svortuloft lighthouse is
Svortuloft is a bright orange lighthouse at the western tip of the Snaefellsnes peninsula in West Iceland. It stands on black coastal cliffs.
The two names of the lighthouse
On land, the lighthouse is known as Skalasnagaviti. The name Svortuloft refers to the dark cliffs it stands on.
When it was built and rebuilt
The first lighthouse here was built in 1914. It was rebuilt in concrete in 1931 after coastal erosion.
A working beacon between two bays
Svortuloft is a working navigation light, guiding ships where the bays of Faxafloi and Breidafjordur meet. It shows a white light that flashes every 10 seconds and is powered by solar energy.
Seabirds on the black cliffs
The Svortuloft cliffs are a long stretch of black sea cliffs where seabirds nest, including puffins. Nesting happens between roughly May and August.
Reaching Svortuloft on a Snaefellsnes trip
The final approach is on a rough gravel track, so a suitable vehicle is needed. For live conditions, check safetravel.is and road.is. To compare options for the area, see Snaefellsnes tours.
Build a sensible route
Before setting off, use the Driving Distance Calculator to compare Svortuloft Lighthouse on Snaefellsnes with the other places you plan to visit.
