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Hveragerði’s famous Geothermal Park offers steaming hot pots, geyser (erupting every 5-15 minutes) and bubbling pools where you can dip your feet in warm clay mud baths or even boil an egg in a hole in the ground! The town’s unique geology is put to good use here, and you can taste rye bread that’s been baked in the earth overnight by the intense heat that lies just underneath your feet. Walk amongst the spouting fumaroles and mud pots, but don’t touch them!

There’s a Botanical Garden in the center of Hveragerði, a peaceful and relaxing place to stroll around, with the river Varmá running through it. You’ll also discover a wide waterfall called Reykjafoss among the paths leading you through the gardens. In addition, hiking trails extend further into the town’s hot spring areas. Finally, you can pose for fun pictures on the Giant’s Benches, enormous painted chairs scattered around the park for you to sit on.

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge runs through Hveragerði, meaning the town is split between the North American and the Eurasian tectonic plates. When work began building the Sunnumörk shopping center, the developers discovered a giant crack in the surface. So they decided to make it a design feature, which means you can simultaneously put one foot in Europe and another in America when you visit here! You can also visit the “Earthquake House” in the shopping center, simulating the experience of an earth tremor.

Hveragerði has several fine restaurants and cafés, and some offer unique dishes that use the underground heat! For example, Ölverk Pizza & Brewery specialize in wood-fired pizzas while using geothermal heat to brew their high-quality craft ales. You can also have a snack inside the greenhouse at Rósa Kaffi. Nearby, The Greenhouse Hotel is also home to a food hall with several options, including tacos, burgers, fried chicken and Asian cuisine. More options are available here, so you’re guaranteed a great meal, whatever you’re in the mood for. 

Tucked away into the cliffs, you can explore Hlíðartúnshúsin, several turf houses that were first built more than a hundred years ago. These houses were typical of those constructed here by farmers who had moved to Borgarnes from the surrounding countryside. In addition, you’ll see a sheep barn, a cowshed, and even a hut used to store potatoes! Recently restored, you’ll be impressed by the beauty of these turf-roofed buildings in their original setting, which tells the tale of Icelandic farming life over the centuries.

Most Icelandic towns are decorated with beautiful churches, and Borgarnes is no exception. As you explore its streets, you’ll see an impressive church rising high into the sky on a hill. This is Borgarneskirkja, the most prominent building in Borgarnes, a white-walled concrete church with a dark-green roof and a single spire. It was built in the 1950s, seats as many as 200 people, and was consecrated in 1959. If you have time to explore inside, you’ll discover a 13-pipe organ and a grand piano!

Take a dip at Sundlaug Borgarnesi, the town’s stunning leisure complex, featuring a 25-meter outdoor pool which enjoys fabulous views across Borgarfjörður. With an indoor pool, several hot pots, steam saunas, a children’s pool and three water slides, there’s something for all the family to enjoy! So relax and enjoy the warming waters, with different temperature options, all fed by Europe’s most powerful hot spring at Deildartunguhver. The admission charge is around 1000 ISK (adult), and there are accessible changing rooms.

The “local hero” in Borgarnes is a larger-than-life Viking warrior-poet called Egill Skallagrímsson. His fascinating story is told in the excellent Settlement Center museum, which includes exhibitions on Iceland’s first settlers from medieval times. Skallagrímsgarður is a tree-filled park that pays tribute to his father, Skallagrímur Kveldúlfsson, whose burial mound can be found here. You can enjoy a peaceful stroll around the park and the uninterrupted views across the fjord.

After exploring the park, take a walk along the rocky shoreline of Borgarnes, with fantastic views of the second-longest bridge in Iceland. On the other side of Borgarfjörður, the majestic Hafnarfjall (Harbor Mountain) rises high into the sky. Look out for a stack of rocks tied together with chains, which is a tribute to Egill’s nanny, who was drowned here by Egill’s father when she intervened in a family argument. The little island of Brakarey is named in her memory.

Many visitors to Borgarnes stock up on roadhouse burgers, pizzas and snacks at the big N1 and Olis gas stations. The “old town” has much more to offer if you’re looking for a fine meal or a cool café to relax in. The Settlement Center has an excellent restaurant with fish stews, meat soups and vegetarian options. Kaffi Kyrrd offers a beautiful sundeck, comfortable armchairs and delicious cakes. Geirabakari is another popular spot after being featured in the Ben Stiller film, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”.

Learn more about the fascinating history of the Westfjords inside the traditional timber buildings of the Westfjords Heritage Museum. Originally a warehouse, the museum is filled to the rafters with intriguing exhibits that tell the story of the town’s centuries of fishing and maritime heritage. Look out for the restored fishing boats and other unusual memorabilia, including old diving suits and dozens of accordions!

Originally built as a local hospital in 1925, the Culture House was renovated in 2003 as a historical and cultural center. Set in one of the most beautiful buildings in Ísafjörður, you can enjoy its remarkable art and photographic collections and a few alarming medical specimens too! Just outside, you’ll find the impressive Seamen’s Monument, a tribute to the fishermen who have lost their lives at sea.

Ísafjörður enjoys a superb natural setting, surrounded by towering mountains on three sides. A short walk from the town center brings you to a raised observation deck, which offers a clear view of the town and the fjord. Looking up, you’ll notice a massive bowl-shaped gap in the mountains. This is Naustahvilft or ‘the Troll’s Seat’, where folk tales say that a giant female troll sat down for a rest after hurrying home before sunrise.

If you want to relax after the day’s travels, why not pop into Ísafjörður’s swimming pool for a soothing dip? You’ll find a 16-meter indoor pool with a hot tub and sauna.
Ísafjörður might be a small town, but it’s full of character and charm and the most exciting overnight stop on our Westfjords tour.

Welcome to the largest town in the Westfjords, where you’ll find plenty of excellent options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between! Several splendid restaurants offer a wide range of seafood dishes in traditional settings in the town center. There are also many cafes in the harbor area, and you can enjoy some local ales made with filtered mountain water.

High up on the hills overlooking Akureyri are the city’s Botanical Gardens. Benefiting from the warmer and more stable weather in North Iceland, this is the oldest public park in the country. It was first opened in 1912 after local women founded a Park Society in 1910. As well as three hectares of glorious gardens, you’ll discover an excellent café on the grounds and many of Akureyri’s oldest buildings. There’s even a statute to the poet Matthias Jochumsson, who wrote Iceland’s national anthem.

Looming over the city is Akureyrarkirkja, an impressive Lutheran church built in 1940 by the same architect who designed Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík. Akureyrarkirkja has a more traditional style,  but it still echoes the basalt columns found everywhere in Iceland! It’s the most distinctive landmark in the city and can be seen from far away. Its interior is equally impressive, featuring a 3200-pipe organ and spectacular stained windows. Tributes to those serving at sea make Akureyrarkirkja well worth a visit!

Catching the eye as you explore Akureyri’s harbor, Hof Cultural and Conference Center is a stunning circular building designed to be the hub for the arts in the area. Opened in 2010, Hof is now a popular venue for live music events, theatre and other performing arts. It also offers first-class conference facilities and a fine restaurant with unbeatable views of the harbor and Eyjafjörður, making it an ideal place to visit while you’re in Akureyri.

There are not many places in the world (and in Iceland) where you can both relax and enjoy both extreme and moderate water attractions all powered by healthy, geothermal waters.  You will find the two 25m long pools, five hot tubs and three water slides (including one turbo with funel!)

Akureyri’s early days centered on fishing, with the outstanding natural harbor and fertile Arctic waters making it a prime place for the industry. The town quickly grew up around the port, even more so when it became a military base in World War 2. Walking paths along the shoreline tell the story of Akureyri’s connections with the sea, including a sculpture paying tribute to lost seamen by the Hof Cultural Center. However, you’ll need to look carefully for it – it’s not the biggest statue in the country!

Akureyri’s “Harbor Street” is the main thoroughfare in the city, lined with bars, restaurants, cafés and ice cream stands. Enjoy a coffee and a cake at the famous Blaa Kannan (the Blue Teapot café), or try the brilliant burgers at Akureyri Backpackers. If you’re looking for something sweet, just wander down Hafnarstræti to the ice cream parlor at Turninn, or grab a pastry from Kristjánsbakarí. Akureyri has many other great dining options, including Hamborgarafabrikkan, Rub23 and Strikið.

Egilsstaðir’s swimming pool is the best place to mix with the locals, so why not take the plunge at Sundlaug og íþróttahús, the Sports Center, while you’re there? There’s a 25-meter outdoor pool, two hot tubs and a cold pool too. In addition, there’s a children’s pool, a water slide, and a fully-equipped gym in the sports hall, so there’s something for all the family. The entrance fee is around 1000 ISK per adult.

Egilsstaðir sits on the shores of Lagarfljót, one of Iceland’s deepest and longest lakes, stretching for more than 25 kilometers. Its glacial waters are said to conceal a poison-spitting Loch Ness-type monster called the Lagarfljótsormurinn, which was first reported in 1345! However, it’s been a long time since anyone saw it, so there’s no need to worry! Instead, enjoy the peaceful shoreline walks and look for the “Lonely House”, sitting elegantly on a peninsula close to town.

Get some exercise on this fun hike through the forests above the town, walking marked trails with a selection of routes for all abilities. The longest track is a three-kilometer loop, and there are some inclines, but there are shorter routes as well. Follow the beautiful Eyvindará river through the woods and enjoy a picnic in one of Iceland’s prettiest forests. There aren’t many left after the Vikings chopped most of the trees down a thousand years ago, so make the most of the opportunity!

As the largest town in East Iceland, Egilsstaðir enjoys a wide range of splendid restaurants, including Nielsen. Located in the oldest house in town, you’ll enjoy fresh fish dishes with organic vegetables, amongst other choices. In addition, you can try the burgers, steaks and pizzas on offer at Salt Café & Bistro or the elegant restaurant at Icelandair Hotel Hérað. Finally, for a touch of Americana, you can visit The Skálinn Diner, which recreates a 50s-style diner right here in East Iceland!

Around 15-20 minutes long hike from the town centre will take you to the top of rocky cliffs. There you will not only find a solar clock, but will also be able to soak in one of the most impressive views over Lagarfljót Lake! 

Relaxing in a geothermal spa is part of Icelandic culture, and Vök Baths are one of the most beautiful pools in the country. Hot springs bubble up by Lake Urriðavatn’s shores, which melt holes in the frozen ice each winter. The springs now heat a series of floating pools set in the lake’s waters, enjoying fabulous views of the rest of the lake. The spring water is so pure that you can even drink it if you want! So treat yourself to a memorable experience just a few kilometers away from Egilsstaðir. If you wish to visit this place, make sure to pre-book tickets with us in advance!