Eskifjörður: Maritime History, Nature and Active Days

Eskifjörður combines insights into maritime history with striking natural attractions and a variety of ways to spend active days. This makes the town appealing if you want to bring culture, landscapes and activity together on your holiday. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can consider which of these aspects interests you most and should take priority on your trip.

Maritime history in the old trading house

The East Iceland Maritime Museum in Eskifjörður opened to the public on 4 June 1983. It is housed in Gamla búð, an old trading house built in 1816. The building itself connects a museum visit with a glimpse into an earlier chapter of the town’s history. The museum focuses on seafaring and the processing of catches from the sea; it also displays evidence of trade, as well as objects from earlier industry and medicine.

The collection areas offer different ways to explore the town’s history: you can learn about working at sea, as well as trade, industry and medicine. For a stay where not every day has to be the same, the museum offers a cultural counterpoint to hikes and nature experiences. The age of the building and the museum’s opening date represent two different aspects: Gamla búð was built in 1816, while the museum opened its doors to the public in 1983.

Waterfall, mountains and protected nature

One of the striking natural attractions nearby is Bleiksárfoss. It is the highest waterfall in the series along the Bleiksá and catches the eye when you turn off the main road to Eskifjörður. On dark winter evenings, the waterfall is illuminated. It is then an impressive sight as it flows down the slope or is covered in ice. Its winter appearance is therefore quite different from that of the waterfall as it flows down the slope.

Opposite the town, on the east side of the fjord, rises 985-metre-high Hólmatindur. A challenging hiking trail leads to its summit, where hikers can leave an entry in the summit guestbook. Those who choose this hike will find not only a mountain destination but also a way to record their summit visit. Hiking trails wind between rock formations in the Hólmanes Nature Reserve. You can experience the landscape there on paths between the rocks, while Hólmatindur offers a challenging summit hike.

Helgustaðanáma has been protected as a natural monument since 1975 and is one of the world’s best-known Iceland spar deposits. Its protected status and importance as a mineral deposit make it a distinctive natural and geological feature of the area. Mjóeyri, with a lighthouse and a beach, lies outside Eskifjörður. If you are looking for different landscape experiences, you can consider these destinations separately when planning your trip, without treating them as a single route.

Swimming pool and golf course

For a different kind of activity, there is Eskifjörður Swimming Pool. The outdoor pool is heated by a geothermal spring and has two hot tubs, a sauna, three water slides and a children’s pool. The same facility brings together opportunities to swim, slide and relax. Its specific facilities offer several options for families with different interests, without dictating a particular day’s itinerary.

Byggðarholtsvöllur golf course has been in Eskifjörður since 1979 and has nine holes. Golf and the swimming pool represent two different ways to spend time in the area: one centres on playing golf, while the other offers a heated outdoor pool with hot tubs, a sauna and slides. Thinking about which experiences matter most to you can help when choosing your destination and holiday apartment.

Getting oriented and exploring other destinations

The rough Road 954 leads east from Eskifjörður to Vöðlavík and requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle. If you are considering this route, the vehicle requirement is an important part of your planning. Within the town, Eskifjörður Campsite is situated in a small grove by the Bleiksá River, right at the entrance to town. A tourist information centre, hiking trails, a swimming pool and a hot tub are located near the campsite. These points of reference relate to the area around the campsite and do not indicate the location of a holiday apartment.

You can also explore other destinations featured on this page: Laugarfell, Fljótsdalur, Reydarfjördur, Neskaupstadur, Berunes, Djúpivogur, Eiðar and Seyðisfjörður.

For the broader travel overview: Austurland.