Superior guesthouse embraced by nature in Rif, Snaefellsbaer, Snaefellsnes Penninsula, Iceland
Washitsu.Casa
Washitsu.Casa is a home and a guesthouse with traditional and tatami style private, semi private and shared rooms in Iceland! Our Alp.Casa is a similar offering in Switzerland
A tatami style room is called washitsu in Japan, hence the name of our place Washitsu Casa. A small guesthouse in Japan is called a Ryokan. Like our place such places are informal and welcoming. However we do not provide meals like they do so we choose to name our place Washitsu Casa rather than Ryokan. Here are the different categories we offer
Telephone / WhatsApp +41 76 812 00 00
Things to check out nearby
Snæfellsjökull National Park
We are right next to the Snaefellsjokull National Park. It is simply a nice natural area around the mystical, magical, powerful, magestic, Snaefellsjokull glacier and volcano. Featured in the 1864 science fiction novel by Jules Verne "The Journey to the Centre of the Earth" Besides the glacier there are various places to visit in the park, including bird cliffs, drive in crator, black sand and rocky beaches, rock formations, trolls, caves and lighthouses. But most of all it may be nice to go somewhere of the beaten track and just spend time with your self and the pure nature
Snaefellsjökull
The Icelandic Horse
Klakkur
If you take road 576 you might be able to find some tranquility on this little peninsula. With the mountains Klakkur, Eyrarthyrna, and Eyrarfjall
Kolgrafafjörður
Kolgrafafjordur became famous due to an engineering accident. The bridge across the fjord is perhaps too short which means that Oxygen can be depleted if swarms of fish head into the fjord perhaps trying to avoid the hunting Orcas (Killer Whales). When this happens the fish dye which results in an abundance of organic material which in turn becomes food for star fish which in turn become food for Northern Garnets a beautiful big bird. The old road gives you access to this tranquil fjord.
Road 570
Yet another mountain pass worth going if it is open and no snow. Sometimes the clouds hang about in creating a mystical magic experience.
Rif höfn
Seeing a local fishing village harbor is a must. Despite the small size of the town the harbor has lots of activity.
The various light houses
The local church
The neraby beaches
Waterfalls
There are many waterfalls in the area and you can see several waterfalls right from the house. It may be nice to walk to them.
Svöðufoss
Not very big but beautiful waterfall you can see right from Washitsu.Casa but might be worth taking a closer look
Kerlingarfoss
Another waterfall you can see right from Washitsu.Casa you might want to visit
Búlandshöfði
If you go a bit further than Bulandshofdi in the direction towards Grundarfjordur you come to a very nice black beach. Across the road is a nice waterfall with Fullmars (at least in the summer) soaring above.
Kirkjufell
The most photographed mountain in Iceland these days with a little waterfall in the foreground that adds to the magic
Súgandisey Cliff
It is nice to visit Stykkisholmur and its restaurants, the Volcano Museum and perhaps take the Ferry Baldur to the Island Flatey, the only Island that is really inhabited in Breidafjordur. If you are in the area we recommend climbing the stairs on top of the Sugandisey Cliff right by the harbour. You will be rewarded with a view over the multitude of Breidafjordur Islands.
Hólahólar
Visiting some crater in Iceland is a must. This is the most easiest to visit as you can drive right in. If you would like to get a bit of an exercise clim up the rim and or the highest point
Ólafsvík
In Ólafsvík (within walkin distance) you can find a grocery store and restaurants.
Sundlaug Ólafsvíkur
Swimming pool with hot tubs. Visiting some of the pools and the accompanying hot tubs in Iceland is a must. Great place to get to know people.
Lýsuhóll
Another geothermal pool
Sundlaug Grundarfjarðar
Swimmingpool with Hot Tubs
Sundlaug Stykkishólms
Geothermal Swimming Pool with Hot Tubs
The Freezer Bar & Culture Centre
Especially if you are traveling on your own it is nice to go to a place where there may be people around including locals. It may not be your cup of tea but it is worth a visit to check it out just in case. It has its own improvised decorations and comfort, old sofas and often some musical or artistic events. It is great that such a small village as Rif has such a place. You might find very interesting fellow travelers right at our place but you can expand your options of getting to know new people by visiting the Freezer also. Other great place to get to know people are the swimming pools.
Midnight Sun in summer and beautiful winters
The midnight sun. Around the clock daylight is there from mid May until early August, opposite to when there is a chance to see the Northern Lights. So no matter when you travel you will either have the chance to see the Northern Lights or experience the 24 hour daylight. The Northern Lights and the high summer sunsets can be experienced right from the house and also the mid winter sunsets and sunrises. Although you experience 24 daylight in summer, in winter you still get many hours of sun and twilight; about 9 hours on a flat area. We have still to calculate the daylight here
Northern Lights
Northern Lights can be seen anytime when you do not have a complete cloud cover and if it gets dark, which means from late August to early May. The Northern Lights are the result of charged particles discharged by solar winds that hit the earths magnetosphere. So ultimately how much northern light activity there is depends on the solar storms. West Iceland is particularly well suited to observe the Northern Lights as it is relatively close to the magnetic North. It is much closer than North Norway which is closer to the actual North Pole but not the Magnetic North Pole
Short walk to the Ocean
Walk the street in the opposite direction from the main road. Where it bends 90 degrees keep on going straight past the tank and you are at the ocean front. Nice to observe the ocean, birds, the midnight sun and the northern lights. This is where the Artic Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean and the Breidafjordur Sea. A rich fishing ground. Be careful walking on the rocks.
Arnarstapi
Hellnar
Swimming Pools
The way Icelandair's use hot water to heat their houses (actually not in Rif) and generate electricity along with hydro electricity (used in Rif) for an entire nation is quite unique. It is also unique how the Icelandair's use this water for swimming pools around the country in all towns and most villages. You will find a geothermally heated pool belonging to our municipality in Lysuholl. In Olafsvik you will find an indoor swimming pool with hot tubs outside. Another one in Grundarfjordur and an outside pool in Stykkisholmur. The hot tubs are a great place to get to know people.
Path to Hellisandur
The Pure Nature
Dagvarðará
Arrive on foot or longboard, by bus, private plane or car
Djúplónssandur
