The Snæfellsnes peninsula is situated to the west of Borgarfjörður in the west of Iceland. It has been named Iceland in Miniature, as many national sights can be found in the area, including the Snæfellsjökull volcano, regarded as one of the symbols of Iceland. With its height of 1446m, it is the highest mountain on the peninsula and has a glacier at its peak. "jökull" means "glacier" in the Icelandic language. The volcano can be seen on clear days from Reykjavík, a distance of about 120 km away. The mountain is also known as the setting of the novel Journey to the Center of the Earth by the French author Jules Verne. It is one of the main settings in the Laxdœla saga, and was according to this saga the birthplace of the first West Norse member of the Varangian Guard, Bolli Bollasson. Other historical people who lived in the area according to the saga include Guðrún Ósvífursdóttir, Bolli Þorleiksson and Snorri the Goði.
(from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)