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Hólmavík

WestfjordsTownEntry fee (museum)Open all year
Written by locals at Iceland Travel Guide · Checked by Heiða · Updated October 2026
Hólmavík
Hólmavík
HÓLMAVÍK IN SHORT

Hólmavík is a small fishing town on the east side of the Westfjords, at the start of the Strandir coast road. Its main draw is the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft, open year-round, with 17th-century witch-trial history and folklore. It is about 220 km, or around 3 hours, from Reykjavík.

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About Hólmavík

Hólmavík is the largest settlement in Strandir, a quiet stretch of the Westfjords known for isolated farms, hot springs and a strong tradition of Icelandic folklore. The town itself is small, with a harbour, a few shops and services, and the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft, which tells the story of the witch trials that took place in this part of Iceland in the 17th century.

For most visitors, Hólmavík is either a stop on the way into or out of the Westfjords, or a base for exploring Strandir further north, where the coast road becomes quieter and more remote the further you go.

The town is the commercial centre of Strandir, living on fishing, services and a growing number of visitors. Where most places in Iceland are known for their landscape, Hólmavík is known for its link to witchcraft and witch-hunts, and that is what brings most people through the door.

Quick facts

RegionWestfjords, on the Strandir coast
PopulationA few hundred (375 at the 2011 census), the largest settlement in Strandir
From ReykjavíkAbout 220 km, around 3 hours by car
Main sightMuseum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft
Museum entryPaid
Museum hoursSummer (15 May–30 Sep) 10:00–18:00; winter 12:00–18:00, daily
Opening hours (town)Open all year

Witches of the Westfjords

Strandir has a strong association with Icelandic folk magic. In the 17th century, more people were executed for sorcery here relative to the population than almost anywhere else in Iceland, mostly men accused of using runes and spells for protection, luck or harm.

The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft in Hólmavík covers this history along with the folklore that grew up around it, including the well-known and unsettling nábrók, or necropants, said to bring wealth to whoever wore them.

Icelanders call the period Brennuöldin, the Age of Fire, after the burnings that went on for roughly fifty years of the 17th century. Magic and sorcery are a persistent theme in Icelandic folklore, and the museum is the best place in the country to see where the stories come from.

How to get to Hólmavík

By carFrom Reykjavík, take Route 1 north past Borgarnes, turn onto Route 60 (Vestfjarðavegur) into the Westfjords, then Route 61 over the Þröskuldar pass to Hólmavík. The road is paved all the way.
By public transportSeasonal buses run between Reykjavík and the Westfjords with stops that can include Hólmavík; check current timetables before relying on this option.
Onwards along StrandirRoute 61 continues north-west towards Ísafjörður. For Drangsnes take Route 645, and for Bjarnarfjörður, Djúpavík and Krossneslaug take Route 643, which turns to gravel and gets slower the further north you go.

Things to see in Hólmavík: museums and exhibitions

Hólmavík's history is its main attraction, and three small museums tell it.

Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and WitchcraftThe exhibition takes you through the witch craze of 17th-century Iceland: the trials, the staves and spells, and a set of necropants on display. Written guides are available in several languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Czech, Russian and Hebrew. A small restaurant in the museum serves mainly seafood, blue mussels included. Both are open all year.
The Sorcerer's CottageIf the museum catches your interest, drive on to the Sorcerer's Cottage in Bjarnarfjörður, 28 km north of Hólmavík. The turf-roofed cottage shows how a poor tenant farmer lived in the time of the witch trials.
Sheep Farming MuseumAbout 12 km south of Hólmavík on Road 68, this museum covers sheep farming in the countryside around the town. There are themed exhibitions on history and nature, a café with local bread, cakes and ice cream, handicrafts for sale, and lambs that children can help feed.

More to see and do in town

Hólmavíkurkirkja churchThe modern church on the hill above the village is Hólmavík's landmark. It took eleven years to build, from 1957 to 1968. The interior is lined with pine, which makes it warm and welcoming, and the windows look out over the town. An older church stands at Staður, further into the fjord.
The oldest houseThe village's oldest house dates from the 19th century and has been turned into a café, bar and restaurant, known for seafood and pizza.
Sports centre and swimming poolThe Hólmavík sports centre has a warm swimming pool, hot pots and a gym. The water here is not geothermal: cold water is heated with green electricity. A good stop after a long drive.
Whale watchingIn season, whale watching boats go out from the harbour onto Steingrímsfjörður.

Best time to visit Hólmavík

SummerThe easiest time to drive in and combine Hólmavík with the rest of the Westfjords, with all services open.
WinterThe town and museum stay open, but mountain roads further into the Westfjords can close in bad weather, so check conditions before setting out.

Safety and practical tips

  • Check the museum's winter hours before visiting outside the summer season.
  • Fill up on fuel in Hólmavík if you are heading further along the quiet Strandir coast.
  • Ask locally about hot springs further north along Strandir, several of which have little or no signage.
  • The Sorcerer's Cottage and the Sheep Farming Museum are mainly summer sights; ask at the sorcery museum before driving out.
  • Allow about an hour for the sorcery museum, more if you eat there.

Facilities and accessibility

Hólmavík has a petrol station, a supermarket, a sports centre with a swimming pool, hot pots and gym, guesthouses and a few places to eat, making it the main service town for the Strandir area.

On the map

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Nearby places worth a stop

DrangsnesFree seaside hot tubs, a short drive northGvendarlaugGvendarlaugHot spring in Bjarnarfjörður, by the Sorcerer's CottageDjúpavíkDjúpavíkOld herring station further up the Strandir coastKrossneslaugKrossneslaugGeothermal pool by the sea at the end of Route 643

Where to stay near Hólmavík

Hólmavík has guesthouses and a hotel, making it a practical overnight stop for exploring Strandir or breaking up the drive into the Westfjords.

Hólmavík FAQ

What is there to do in Hólmavík?

The main attraction is the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft. The town is also a good base for exploring the quiet Strandir coast to the north.

How far is Hólmavík from Reykjavík?

About 220 km, or around 3 hours by car.

Is the museum open all year?

Yes, with shorter hours in winter than in summer.

Why is Hólmavík known for witchcraft?

Strandir was the centre of Iceland's 17th-century witch trials, a period known as Brennuöldin, the Age of Fire. The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft in Hólmavík tells that story.

Is there a swimming pool in Hólmavík?

Yes, the sports centre has a warm pool, hot pots and a gym.

Where is the Sorcerer's Cottage?

In Bjarnarfjörður, 28 km north of Hólmavík. It is the second part of the sorcery museum.

See Hólmavík with a local

Tours and trips that include Hólmavík, booked directly with a local travel agency in Iceland.

Hólmavík Whale WatchingDAY TOURHólmavík Whale WatchingFrom 13,500 ISK per person
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