Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Grótta is a small nature reserve with a white lighthouse at the western tip of the Seltjarnarnes peninsula, on the edge of Reykjavík. It is free to visit, but the island is closed for bird nesting from 1 May to 15 July, and you can only cross the causeway at low tide. Allow 1–2 hours.
Grótta is a small, low island joined to the mainland by a narrow strip of land that floods at high tide. Beyond it stands a bright white lighthouse, a beach with dark sand, and open views over Faxaflói bay. On a clear day you can see the Reykjanes peninsula to the south and Snæfellsnes, with Snæfellsjökull glacier, to the north.
The area became a nature reserve in 1974. It is an important spot for birds, especially Arctic terns, eiders and gulls, and the pond next to it, Bakkatjörn, attracts tufted ducks and other waterfowl. Seals sometimes rest on the rocks along the shore.
It is also one of the easiest places near Reykjavík to see the Northern Lights, thanks to dark skies and a clear view to the north. The lighthouse itself is closed to the public, so you enjoy it from outside.
A lighthouse has guided ships into Faxaflói bay since 1897. The first tower was replaced by the present one, built in 1947. The lighthouse still works, so keep to the paths around it.
The island exists because of the tide. Twice a day, the sea covers the causeway and Grótta becomes a real island. People have been caught out here before, so always check the tide table before you cross.
Check tide times before you cross the causeway, and do not go out onto the island during the closure from 1 May to 15 July.
Grótta is a place for a slow walk more than a list of sights, but there is more here than the lighthouse.
The breeding closure runs from 1 May to 15 July. Keep to the walking paths at all times; disturbing the birds can bring a fine.
May to mid-July, the island is closed to protect nesting birds.
There is a car park near the entrance and paths along the coast. There are no shops or cafés on the island. The Kvika footbath and a swimming pool are nearby in Seltjarnarnes.
Stay in central Reykjavík, only a short drive or bus ride away. Seltjarnarnes itself has few places to stay.
No. The lighthouse is not open to visitors, but you can walk right up to it when the island is open.
From 1 May to 15 July every year, to protect nesting birds.
The causeway floods at high tide. Cross only at low tide and check the tide table.
Yes. It has little light pollution and a clear view to the north, so it is a popular spot near the city in winter.
Yes, there is no entry fee.
Take Strætó route 11 to Seltjarnarnes, get off north of Lindarbraut and walk about 15 minutes. Check the current timetable first.
Yes. The Kvika footbath on the shore near Grótta is fed with geothermal water. It is a footbath only, not a pool.
