Höfn í Hornafirði: Nature, Art and Harbour

Höfn í Hornafirði brings together several themes that may be important when choosing a travel destination: nature by the harbour, art, regional exhibitions and an outdoor swimming pool. The Ósland nature reserve offers walking paths and a diverse birdlife; Svavarssafn and Gamlabúð add cultural highlights. There is also the Pakkhús restaurant by the harbour and the facilities at Sundlaug Hafnar.

Nature and walking paths on Ósland

Ósland is a nature reserve by the harbour, connected to the mainland by a man-made causeway. Walking paths run around the Óslandstjörn pond and along the shore. The nature area, pond and coastline provide specific places to visit for anyone who would like to explore Höfn on foot.

Ósland is home to a diverse birdlife. During the breeding season, Arctic terns are predominant; this seasonal feature distinguishes the breeding season from other times to visit. A nature trail also leads from Ósland through a scale model of the solar system. Sizes and distances are shown proportionally, taking account of both aspects of the model—the celestial bodies and the distances between them.

Geological traces are also part of the area’s character: impressions of trees that were covered by lava long ago are visible in the basalt. Óslandshæð is home to a monument to fishermen and an information board about the surrounding nature area. On Ósland, nature watching, landscape features and the memory of fishing come together.

Art and regional culture

Svavarssafn is an art museum dedicated to the abstract painter and Cobra artist Svavar Guðnason. The collection comprises around 1,000 works of art. The museum regularly exhibits works by Guðnason as well as by other artists from Austur-Skaftafellssýsla. Its dedication focuses on one artist, while the recurring exhibitions also feature other art from the region.

Gamlabúð serves as a tourist information centre, museum and cultural centre. An exhibition explores the region’s geology, glaciers and culture. Gamlabúð also has a small souvenir shop. If the exhibition or shop is important to your plans, check what is currently available before your visit.

The harbour and other local attractions

The Pakkhús restaurant is in the heart of Höfn, right by the harbour and next to the information centre. It is housed in an old warehouse, with old, original product stamps preserved on the walls. The stamps make the building’s former use as a warehouse visible inside, giving visitors a tangible connection to the history of the building.

Sundlaug Hafnar is a 25-metre outdoor swimming pool with hot and cold pools, a paddling pool and a steam bath. Alongside walking paths and exhibitions, it offers another, distinct aspect of the town. Nature, art and culture, as well as the harbour and pool, offer different points of interest to help you decide whether Höfn is the right destination for you.

Discover more destinations: Neskaupstadur, Egilsstadhir, Laugarfell, Stöðvarfjörður, Eskifjorður, Fáskrúðsfjörður, þÓrshöfn, Fljótsdalur.

For the regional travel overview: Austurland.