Four Days in Ísafjörður: A Practical Base for the Westfjords

Getting There and the First Afternoon

Most visitors reach Ísafjörður by air from Reykjavík Domestic Airport to Ísafjörður Airport at Hnífsdalur, a flight of roughly 40 minutes, or by road on Route 61 from the south through Hólmavík, which is a long day of driving with gravel sections. A third option in summer is the Baldur ferry across Breiðafjörður from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur, then the drive north. Whichever you choose, plan the first afternoon for the town itself: the old harbour, the wooden houses on Nesgata and Kirkjuból, and the Westfjords Heritage Museum at Neðstikaupstaður.

Ísafjörður is the largest settlement in the Westfjords, and the flat spit of Eyrartún and Suðurtún holds most of the guesthouses and small hotels. Book a room with a harbour view if you can; the evening light over Skutulsfjörður is the reason many people come. Fuel up at the N1 station before heading anywhere, because distances here are longer than they look on a map. Eat dinner in town rather than at your hotel — the small restaurants around Aðalstræti are where the local catch shows up on the plate.

Day Two: Valleys, Waterfalls and the Scenic Route

Spend the second day on Route 60 north and west. Drive out to Hnífsdalur, then on to Bolungarvík, 15 minutes away, where the Ósvör Maritime Museum is a reconstructed fishing hut on the shore. Continue to the end of the road at Bolafjall, a mountain plateau with a viewing platform over the Arctic; the climb is steep but short, and the view across to the Hornstrandir peninsula is the best in the area on a clear day. Allow three to four hours for the loop with stops.

In the afternoon head east along Route 63 to Súðavík, where the Arctic Fox Centre explains the animal's history in the region. The road continues to the abandoned farm at Hesteyri, reached by boat rather than car, but the drive to the valley of Engidalur and the falls above it is an easy hour. If the weather closes in — and it does, often — swap this for the swimming pool and hot tubs at Ísafjörður's sports centre, which stays open late and costs far less than the spa at your hotel.

Day Three: Strandir, or a Boat to Hornstrandir

The third day is where you choose the shape of the trip. The boat from Ísafjörður across to Hornstrandir, the uninhabited nature reserve to the north, runs in summer with local operators and drops hikers at Aðalvík or Veiðileysufjörður. This is serious walking country with no services, so only take it if you are properly equipped and the forecast is settled. Most visitors are better served by a shorter guided boat trip to the cliffs to see puffins and arctic terns in June and July.

For a land-based day, drive Route 61 south towards Þingeyri, about 45 minutes, a village of turf-roofed houses set under the mountain. The road along Dýrafjörður is one of the finest drives in Iceland. Stop at the sand flats at Sandafell if the weather allows the climb. I would book a hotel in Ísafjörður for the whole stay and drive out each day rather than moving between villages; the roads are good enough in summer and you avoid repacking. Winter driving here is for the experienced only.

Day Four: Beaches, Hot Pots and the Road Out

On the last day, head west to the beach at Rauðasandur, reached by Route 614 off Route 612 from Vestfjarðavegur. The sand is red-gold rather than black, and the walk along the shore at low tide takes an hour. The detour from Ísafjörður is about an hour and a half each way, so start early. On the way back, the hot pot at Krossneslaug sits at the end of a long gravel road north of Árneshreppur; it is remote, basic and unforgettable, and the drive there is half the point.

If you are flying out, leave a buffer of two hours before your flight for the drive to the airport at Hnífsdalur, longer in winter. For a final meal, the bakery on Aðalstræti opens early and sells good bread for the journey. Book your room in Ísafjörður well ahead for June, July and August, when the town fills with hikers and the summer festivals; May and September are quieter and cheaper, and the light is still long. Skip the Frægðarfossar detour if time is short — the roadside stops are just as good.