Strandir & Hólmavík
The main town on the Strandir coast, on the east side of Iceland's Westfjords. It has a witchcraft museum, seaside hot pools, an abandoned herring factory and a beach pool at the end of the road. It is Iceland's quietest fjord road trip.
Strandir is a remote stretch of coastline on the east side of Iceland's Westfjords, facing Húnafjörður bay. It runs north from Hólmavík to Norðurfjörður, and only a few hundred people live there year-round. The main town, Hólmavík, lies on the south shore of Steingrímsfjörður fjord, with a population of about 300. It has a supermarket, a petrol station, a swimming pool and accommodation, and is the base for the area. Many of Iceland's witch trials took place here in the 17th century, and folk tales about witchcraft have become the region's most distinctive cultural hallmark.
Key activities: In Hólmavík, visit the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft, and in summer take a boat trip to watch whales. Across the bay in Drangsnes, soak in the free seaside hot pools, and take a boat to Grímsey island to see puffins. Head north to Bjarnarfjörður fjord to see the witch huts and bathe in the Krossnes hot spring pool. Then continue north along Route 643, a gravel road, past the abandoned herring factory in Djúpavík, to Norðurfjörður fjord and the Krossnes beach pool. This stretch is about 100 km one way. It is best to stay overnight in Djúpavík or in the northern part.
Getting there: a car is essential. Reykjavík to Hólmavík is about 230 km, roughly 3 hours. Ísafjörður is about 225 km away. The best season is June to August, when roads are open, whales and puffins are visible, and the sun barely sets. In winter, the northern section of Route 643 is often closed. Plan to stay 1–2 days, plus another day for the northern section.
Note: Petrol stations and shops are very scarce in the north, so fill up and bring food in advance. Mobile phone signal can be patchy.
Top sights
- Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft – A folk museum by the harbor in Hólmavík, telling the story of 17th-century Icelandic witch trials, magical runes and the legend of the 'Náb…
- Drangsnes Hot Tubs – Three free geothermal pools on the seashore of a fishing village, where you can soak while looking out toward Grímsey and the fjords.
- Djúpavík Herring Factory – A giant herring processing plant, built in 1935 and abandoned in the 1950s, standing deep in a fjord. It is the most striking sight in Stra…
- Krossneslaug – A geothermal pool on the black pebble beach at the northern tip of Strandir. Soaking in 38°C water with a view of the Arctic Ocean, it is c…
- Sorcerer's Cottage – A reconstructed turf house in the Bjarnarfjörður area that recreates the life of a poor 17th-century tenant farmer accused of witchcraft. I…
- Grímsey Island, Steingrímsfjörður – A small island off Drangsnes, at the mouth of Steingrímsfjörður. In summer, tens of thousands of puffins nest here, and short boat trips ta…
- Gvendarlaug, Laugarhóll – An outdoor geothermal swimming pool at Laugarhóll, next to an ancient natural hot spring pool said to have been blessed by a bishop.
- Sheep Farming Museum, Sævangur – A village museum 12 km south of Hólmavík that tells the story of sheep farming in Strandir. In summer you can feed lambs, then have coffee…
- Hólmavík Whale Watching – Small whale-watching boats leave from Hólmavík harbor to look for humpback whales in the quiet fjords. Far fewer visitors than at the busy…
- Hólmavík Church – A white modern church completed in 1968, its steeple rising from the hill above town. It is Hólmavík's skyline landmark.
- Norðurfjörður – A small village at the end of the Strandir coast road, with a shop, café and guesthouse. In summer it is the ferry port for the uninhabited…
Where to eat
- Café Riis – A long-standing restaurant in the town's oldest building, famous for its Strandir lamb tenderloin, cod and Norwegian lo…
- Witchcraft Museum Restaurant – A simple eatery inside the Icelandic Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, serving meat soup, seafood soup and grilled cod ma…
- Galdur Brewhouse – A community-owned craft brewery opened in 2023, themed on local witches and sorcery legends, which also runs a beer hal…