Reykjavík Grapevine - 16.07.2018, Blaðsíða 50

Travel
The best of Icelandic produce
with a nod to Japan and South
America. Modern Icelandic
flavours, share plates and award
winning cocktails.
Sushi Social
Þingholtsstræti 5 • 101 Reykjavík
Tel. 568 6600 • sushisocial.is
Our kitchen is open
17.00–23.00 sun.–thu.
17.00–24.00 fri.–sat.
SOCIALIZE
WITH THE
LOCALS
ICELANDIC
SEAFOOD
makes world’s best sushi
A small town in the northern
Westfjords, Suðureyri prides it-
self on its flourishing fishing in-
dustry, as well as its sustainable
ways of handling fish. With a
tunnel road leading from nearby
Ísafjörður and Flateyri, the town
is easier to reach than ever. The
local inhabitants number 290,
with a little over 70 making up the
younger population—a relatively
large demographic for a small, Ice-
landic town. While Suðureyri does
not offer an array of activities, the
town provides everything you
need, from a small grocery store
to an outdoor swimming pool. In
any case, perhaps the charm of
this remote location is precisely
the fact that the beautiful nature
of the Westfjords is at the fore-
front here.
Eat:
Fisherman Kitchen
Just across from the hotel, you’ll
find the Fisherman Kitchen where
the menu offers dishes made from
local ingredients. The kitchen
specialises in fish caught by the
town’s fishermen, but you can also
opt for lamb or plant-based dishes
sourced from nearby farms. It’s
delicious, but expensive.
Stay:
Fisherman Hótel
With a Fisherman Hótel, a Fish-
erman restaurant, and Fisher-
man guided tours, it is safe to say
that the Fisherman brand has a
strong hold on this small town.
The Fisherman Hótel offers up
a cosy reception area where you
can enjoy complimentary tea or
coffee and peruse Fisherman
seafood products, which in-
clude sauces, Omega 3 fish oil,
and fresh fish meals. The hotel
rooms are spacious and true to
the clean and minimal Scandi-
navian style.
Tour: Fisherman
Seafood Trail
If you’d like to know more about
Suðureyri’s fishing industry, and
the surrounding culture, you can
go on an hour-long tour of the city
with an experienced guide. The
tour takes you through the har-
bour of the city, shows you the fa-
cilities where the fish is handled,
and lets you taste the results in
homemade dishes prepared right
before your eyes. You also learn
how Íslandssaga, the factory that
catches and processes the fish,
keeps its fishing practices sus-
tainable.
Swim: Suðureyri
Swimming Pool
This outdoor swimming pool
is the hot spot in town for lo-
cals and visitors looking for a
refreshing dive on a summer
day, or to warm up in the win-
ter. It’s is one of the most pop-
ular pools in the area, and one
of the only outdoor pools, so it
can get crowded. The pool also
offers hot tubs and a sauna.
Hike:
Vatnadalur Valley
Outside the town lies a 45-minute
hiking trail that takes you along
the coastline, through the Vatnad-
alur Valley, and to a beautiful lake.
On the way, you’ll also get to see an
old turf house and an accompa-
nying drying rack for fish heads.
If you feel more adventurous, you
can extend the hike to a day trip
by continuing the trail to the next
town, Flateyri.
TOWN GUIDE
Suðureyri
Fish, Local Food & Coastal Nature In Suðureyri
Words: Christine Engel Snitkjær Photos: Art Bicnick
Distance from Reykjavík: 408km
Car provided by: hertz.is
Acommodation provided by: fishermanhotel.com