Reykjavík Grapevine - 09.05.2008, Síða 25

This charming community in East Iceland is re-
nowned for its natural beauty and artistic creativ-
ity. The tiny village of 700 inhabitants is located by
the end of the Seyðisfjörður fjord and surrounded
by steep mountains on three sides. Small and
colourful wooden houses and an old harbour
characterise the town, which is an extremely at-
tractive and lively holiday spot. During the sum-
mer months, artists from all around the country
flock to town to throw exhibitions or take part in
culture festivals. The summer highlight is the an-
nual L.ung.A art and music festival, taking place
on July 15 to 22 this year.
Seyðisfjörður
Located on the northern part of the Reykjanes
peninsula, the small community Garður is only a
ten-minute drive from the Keflavík international
airport. The town’s trademark is the two old light-
houses down by the coast which offers a great
panoramic view over the Faxaflói bay. The coast-
line also happens to be an excellent bird-watching
spot. As Garður is an old fishing village, a museum
dedicated to fish processing, The Garður Folk Mu-
seum, was established in 1995 and features a col-
lection of old boat engines, fishing gear and other
historical items.
Garður
A trip to the capital of the Westfjords, Ísafjörður,
is a worthwhile journey as the town and its sur-
roundings offer plenty of activities for travellers.
The town is renowned for being a mix of a thriving
fishing and music community and is for example
home to the annual music festival Aldrei fór ég
suður, growing in size and popularity every year.
The nearby mountains and valleys boast many
scenic hiking trips, after which you can relax at
a downtown café with a drink in hand and chat
with friendly locals.
Ísafjörður
The small coastal village Vík í Mýrdal is the south-
ernmost town in the country and contains many
interesting sights to explore. The town’s natural
surroundings offer attractions such as green mead-
ows, expansive sand deserts, glaciers and glacial
rivers and only minutes away from town is Dyrhó-
laey, a long preserved promontory stretching from
the coast and out into the ocean. The area is rich
with birdlife and picturesque views and while hik-
ing down to the town’s beautiful black sand beach
you can view the large Reynisdrangar rock pillars
in the near distance.
Vík
Located on the shore of the majestic Eyjafjörður
fjord on the north coast, Akureyri is the second
largest town in the country and a popular week-
end getaway. Activities for travellers are multiple
as the town is rich with culture, history and a
diverse music scene. The town centre boasts
numerous bars, restaurants, cafés, art museums,
galleries and fashion shops and during weekends
the whole area turns into a vibrant nightlife des-
tination for those in the mood to party. Options
for visitors looking for a more relaxed recreation
are multiple as well, and a stroll around the Kjar-
naskógur wood, an 800-hectare preserved out-
door area south of Akureyri, comes highly rec-
ommended. Another possibility is a ferry trip to
Hrísey, the second largest island off the coast of
Iceland, which will only take about 15 minutes.
With a population of only 200 people, the island
is extremely beautiful and rich with birdlife. Af-
terwards it’s ideal to go for a swim in the Akureyri
swimming pool.
Akureyri
1
2
3
4
9
8
7
6
5
*distance from Reykjavík in kilometres.
A town of 6,000 people, Akranes is only a 35-min-
ute drive from the capital.
Two Irish brothers settled the town in 880 and
today the townspeople celebrate the settlement
annually with a family festival called the Irish
Days, taking place on July 6 to 8 this year. Activi-
ties for visitors are varied and range from explor-
ing interesting museum exhibitions in the Garðar
area, sunbathing on the town’s famous sand
beach Langisandur or relaxing in the public park
Garðalundur, a spacious area with lakes, trees
and a large playground for the children.
Akranes
The small village of Stykkishólmur is consid-
ered one of the more magical municipalities in
the country. Surrounded by historical sites and
natural beauty, the town is located on the north
shore of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. The small and
colourful houses are built around the harbour
where fishing boats are docked alongside cruise
ships and ferries. The town is the gateway to the
Breiðarfjörður islands and several companies
organise daily sight-seeing trips among the thou-
sands of small islands where one can spot wild
birds flying around the boat while tasting freshly
caught scallops.
Stykkishólmur
The fishing town Húsavík, which sits at the shore
of Skjálfandi bay, has been experiencing a great
increase in tourism in recent years. The biggest
draw for travellers is the fact that the Skjálfandi
bay is known for being an excellent whale-watch-
ing spot and many companies offer daily whale-
watching excursions from the harbour. Visitors
should also check out the Whale Museum, locat-
ed by the harbour. The museum was founded in
1997 and provides information on cetaceans and
Iceland’s whaling history. The Húsavík church,
which is one of the oldest wooden churches in
Iceland, is also worth a look.
Húsavík
The small coastal tow Höfn in southeast Iceland
is surrounded by natural beauty. Various fascinat-
ing trips can be organized from Höfn, including
sailing around the ice blocks on the Jökulsárlón
lagoon, taking a bus trip to the Nature Reserve
of Lónsöræfi and drive up the giant Vatnajökull
glacier in a superjeep. For those fascinated with
the nearby ice cap, a new museum featuring an
impressive glacier exhibition focusing on glaci-
ology, nature conservation, national parks and
researches done in Vatnajökull is open daily all
year round.
Höfn í Hornafirði
Photos by Thorsten Henn and others.
Destinatons | Reykjavík Grapevine | Issue 05 2008 | 25
1 *ca. 390 km
2 ca. 50 km 3 ca. 170 km 4 ca. 480 km 5 ca. 460 km
6 ca. 680 km 7 ca. 50 km 8 ca. 450 km 9 ca. 190 km