The Upper Árnessýsla Region boasts numerous fascinating destinations, from natural wonders and historical sites to little-known hidden gems. Iconic locations such as Þingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall, and the Geysir hot spring area are must-visit attractions for many travelers. Other popular destinations include the Kerið volcanic crater, Lake Úlfljótsvatn, Brúarhlöð canyon, Haukadalur woods, Lake Laugarvatn, and the historic site of …
Ósvör Maritime Museum
On the seaside of Bolungarvík is the Ósvör Maritime Museum, a fascinating exhibit built on the ruins of old fishing huts from the 19th century. Lovingly restored, its highlight is a replica of a six-man rowing boat, Ölver, among the oldest of its kind in the country. The museum also features a salt house, fish sheds, a fish drying area …
Litlibær in Skötufjörður
The story of the two families who together created Litlibær farm in Skötufjordur fjord in 1895 is typical of poor people who made a start empty-handed but succeeded by efficiency and hard work to rise to self-sufficiency and provide for large families. They lived off the land but also harvested much more from the sea and its rich fishing grounds. …
Bessastaðir
Besides being the residence of the President of Iceland, Bessastaðir is also an important historical site that has played a prominent role in the history of the country. The property of Bessastaðir on Álftanes, near Reykjavík, has a history that runs from the Age of Settlement. In its present form, Bessastaðir consists of a group of buildings including Bessastaðastofa, a …
The Fishermen’s Garden
Hellissandur is one of the oldest fishing villages in Iceland. In the olden times, there was a big fishing centre there, with some 60 seasonal fishermen’s huts back in the year 1700. The Fishermen’s Garden was established by local fishermen in 1977-78 and depicts the way fishermen lived and worked. There is both a Maritime Museum and a Fishermen’s Garden …
Keldur Medieval Turf Farm
Keldur is a historic settlement where Jón Loftsson (1124-1197), the chief of the Oddaverjar clan, lived during the last years of his life. There is a medieval-type turf farm at the site, the only large turf farm that has been preserved in South Iceland. There is an underground tunnel leading from the hall, thought to date from the 12th or 13th …
Caves of Hella
Twelve man-made caves have been discovered on the land of Ægissíða by Hella on the South coast of Iceland. Four of them have been open to the public (guided tours only). The historical site is Iceland’s oldest still standing archaeological remains. Some believe the caves to date even further back than the settlement of the Nordic Vikings. The wonders …
Oddi in Rangárvellir
Oddi in Rangárvellir is one of the main historical sites in Iceland, and there has been a church there since in the 11th century. The most famous of the Oddi clan was Sæmundur ‘the wise’ Sigfússon (1056-1133), who studied in Paris. Various legends have been created about Sæmundur. Then he was probably the first Icelandic historian that wrote a book …
Hólar in Hjaltadalur
Hólar in Hjaltadalur is a historic place, surrounded by majestic mountains. The site is one of the main centers of culture and education in Iceland for nearly a thousand years. There was a bishop’s seat from 1106 to 1798. There you can find both the University of Hólar and the Hólar Cathedral, which is the oldest stone church in Iceland …
Bustarfell Museum
In the beautiful valley, Hofsárdalur, stands the old family seat of Bustarfell. This sod farm, with its red poles and grassy roof, is one of the oldest and best preserved turf house of its kind in Iceland. In 1532, Árni Brandsson and his wife Úlfheiður bought Bustarfell. Since then, the same family has lived there all along. Emphasis is placed …
Jón Sigurðsson Museum
Located in the stunning Arnarfjörður in the West Fjords, Hrafnseyri celebrates the life and work of Jón Sigurðsson (1811-1879), the leader of the 19th century Icelandic Independence movement, who was born and raised at the farm. In 2011, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Jon’s birth, a new exhibition, “For the Good of the Nation – Jón Sigurðsson …
Hofsstaðir Historic Park
An impressive Viking-Age longhouse stood at Hofsstaðir from the Settlement period (AD 870-930) until the twelfth century. The historic park aims to give an impression of Hofsstaðir at that time: turf walls show the outer limit of the longhouse during its final phase, and remains of a large enclosure have been left untouched. Excavations were carried out at Hofsstaðir in …
The Settlement Exhibition & Reykjavík… the story continues
Just below ground in Aðalstræti 16 in downtown Reykjavík, this open excavation uncovers the city’s Viking Age history. Discovered during building work in 2001, these archaeological remains turned out to be the earliest evidence of human settlement in the city, with some dating to before AD 871±2. Careful excavation revealed a 10th-century hall or longhouse, which is now preserved in …
Árbær Open Air Museum
Árbær Open Air Museum in Reykjavík is a museum with about 20 houses from different periods, including the old turf farm Árbær. Together, they form a village and countryside. Visitors learn how Reykjavík developed from a few scattered farms into the capital of Iceland. They can walk around the village and enter the old houses for an insight into the …
Grenjaðarstaður Turf Farm
It’s a unique experience for people of all ages to walk around one of the largest turf farms in the country, Grenjaðarstaður in Aðaldalur. Here, visitors can observe old objects and imagine what life on a traditional Icelandic farm life was like. Grenjaðarstaður is an ancient manor, church site and pastorage. It even served as a post office. The oldest …
Skriðuklaustur Cultural Center
The drive along Fljótsdalur (“river valley”) is a bit like travelling back in time. Skriðuklaustur in Fljótsdalur valley is a historical site with the ruins of a 16th century monastery which was revealed in an archaeological excavation in the years 2002-2012. It was an Augustinian cloister, established around 1493 and in function until the reformation in 1550. The cloister was …
Eldheimar – Volcano Museum
Imagine what it was like waking up in the middle of the night to a volcanic eruption in your town! Eldheimar, a volcano museum of remembrance in Westman-Islands, traces the story of the 1973 eruption with a powerful and moving interactive exhibition. Almost all the inhabitants of Heimaey, over 5.000 people, had to leave their homes in the middle of …
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
In 1186 a nunnery was founded by the Benedictine Order in Kirkjubær, now called Kirkjubæjarklaustur, and it was active until 1554. German legend tells of disobedient nuns who were supposed to have been burned at the top of Systrastapi. Lake Systravatn and the Systrafoss waterfall above the building are also named after these sisters. In 1995-2006, archaeological excavations were carried …
The Commonwealth Farm
The stately farm Stöng used to stand in the fertile Þjórsárdalur valley, until a disastrous eruption from volcano Hekla in 1104 destroyed it. However, the longhouse was preserved under layers of ash. When it was excavated and studied by archaeologists, it provided valuable historical information about life during the Icelandic Commonwealth in 11th–century Iceland. The Commonwealth Farm which is located …
Skálholt
Experience Skálholt’s 1000-year history. Skálholt is Iceland’s first episcopal established in 1056. Skálholt served as the country’s capital for 750 years. It was a centre of administrative power, higher education and culture. Around the year 1200, over 100 people lived in Skálholt, making it the country’s first population centre. In the cathedral basement is an exhibition on Skálholt’s history by …
Þingvellir National Park
Visit Þingvellir National Park for stunning nature, geological wonders, history and culture. Iceland’s parliament, Alþingi, was established there in 930 AD. Þingvellir became a national park in 1930 and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 for its cultural significance. The Þingvellir area is part of a fissure zone running through Iceland, situated on the Eurasian and …
Eiríksstaðir
Warm yourself up by the long fire in the reconstructed longhouse in Eiríksstaðir and listen to a storyteller in Viking clothing tell about the inhabitants. The place can be called the „cradle of new worlds“ because it was here that Eirik The Red built a farm and started a family with his wife Þjóðhildur. Eirik was later the first Norseman to settle …
Glaumbær Museum
According to sources, a farm has existed on the land of Glaumbær since the Age of Settlement around 900 AD. One of its most famous residents was Snorri Þorfinnsson, the first European to be born in North America, around 1000. The present buildings vary in age; the most recent addition was built 1876-79 and the oldest in the mid-18th century. …
Snorrastofa in Reykholt
Snorrastofa is an independent research centre established in 1995. The centre is located in Reykholt in western Iceland, the main residence of Iceland’s greatest medieval writer, poet, scholar and statesman, Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241). Its main task is to instigate and conduct research on the medieval period in general, and Snorri and his works in particular. It is one of Iceland’s …