Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Reyðarfjörður is a town of about 1,400 people at the head of the longest fjord on the east coast of Iceland. It is on the Ring Road, about 34 km from Egilsstaðir, and is the site of the Icelandic Wartime Museum and the Alcoa aluminium smelter. Most visitors stop for a few hours to see the museum, walk in the hills and stock up.
Reyðarfjörður lies at the bottom of a fjord that stretches about 30 km inland, the longest and widest in the Eastfjords, with good natural harbour conditions. Steep mountains surround the town, which takes its name from the fjord and was known as Búðareyri in its early days. It grew as a trading and fishing port in the early 20th century, and in the Second World War it became one of the biggest Allied bases in Iceland.
Today the town is best known for the Icelandic Wartime Museum, which tells the story of the British and American occupation and what it meant for a country with no army. The town is also the most industrial in the east, because of the Alcoa Fjarðaál aluminium smelter, built between 2004 and 2007 and now the main employer in the area.
It is a practical stop with shops, a bakery, a petrol station and a swimming pool, and a good base for short walks. The Búðará waterfall and canyon are close to the centre, and paths lead up into the mountains around the town.
The Eastfjords are among the oldest parts of Iceland, and the mountains here are layered basalt with a wide range of rocks and minerals. That makes the area interesting for anyone who likes geology, and the peaks around the fjord, Kistufell, Grænafell, Hádegisfjall and Hólmatindur, give hikers plenty to choose from.
During the Second World War, Reyðarfjörður’s deep harbour made it one of the main Allied bases in Iceland. British and later American troops were stationed here, and the town grew fast. Remains of barracks and gun positions can still be seen.
The Wartime Museum shows daily life in the occupation years, and every year on 1 July a festival marks the period. More recently the town was on screen: much of the British TV series Fortitude was filmed in and around Reyðarfjörður, with the fjord and mountains standing in for an Arctic settlement.
Fagridalur, the mountain pass between Egilsstaðir and the fjord, can close in winter storms. Check umferdin.is before you drive. Reyðarfjörður is a long way from Reykjavík, so we recommend at least 6–7 days for the full Ring Road, with time for the sights along the way.
You do not need to go far from the town centre to get outside. These are the local favourites.
Weather changes fast in the mountains of the east, and fog can come in from the sea with little warning. Take a map, warm clothes and a waterproof layer.
The town has shops, a service station, a bakery and café, restaurants, a swimming pool and a campsite by the Andapollur pond with showers, toilets, a washing machine and electricity. Campers and motorhomes can empty waste at the Olís service station. There are EV charging stations and free parking.
There are guesthouses, a hotel and a campsite in Reyðarfjörður, and more choice in Egilsstaðir, Eskifjörður and Neskaupstaður. Book ahead in July and August.
The Icelandic Wartime Museum, its role as an Allied base in the Second World War and the Alcoa aluminium smelter.
About 34 km by road over the Fagridalur pass.
Yes. Visit the Wartime Museum, walk to the Búðará waterfall, hike at Grænafell or along the Geithúsaá ravine, swim in the town pool or fish in Andapollur pond.
About 1,400 people.
For history and a break from the road, yes. It is also a handy place for food, fuel and a swim.
It is on the Ring Road (Route 1), about 34 km from Egilsstaðir over the Fagridalur pass. From Reykjavík it is roughly 670 km, so most people come as part of a Ring Road trip of at least 6–7 days.
Yes. Much of the British TV series was filmed in and around the town.
