The lovely town of Höfn in Hornafjörður is dominated by Europe’s biggest glacier, Vatnajökull. It towers over this region and has immensely affected the landscape.
Höfn in Hornarfjörður is a lovely town in the southern most part of Iceland. Vatnajökull glacier looms over the fjord.
The most bewitching site in the area is the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon with immense floating icebergs that have broken off from the descending glacier tongue of Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. During the summer months, visitors can enjoy amphibian and Zodiac boat rides in the lagoon. All year round curious seals bask on the blue-tinted icebergs.
Things to do in Höfn
Hofn has interesting restaurants, cafés and art galleries. The Ósaland nature reserve is just a short walk from the town. The reserve has beautiful walking trails circling its pond and along the beach.
Höfn makes an excellent base for adventure activities such as ATV riding, SuperJeef safaris, snowmobiling and glacier hiking. In addition, Southeast Iceland is one of the few places to see wild reindeer roaming the countryside (during the winter months).
The area of Southeast Iceland near Höfn also has many services, including hotels, camping sites, restaurants, shops, swimming pools, and golf courses. You can enjoy hiking on marked hiking trails. You can also browse the exhibits at a maritime museum, a stone collection and a centre dedicated to beloved Icelandic writer Þorbergur Þórðarson. (The Þorbergur Centre’s exterior resembles a giant sheld of books and makes a great photo stop.)
The lobster festival
The region has always relied on the fishing industry to support the local economy, and Höfn’s nickname is the “Lobster Capital of Northern Europe.” Fresh langoustine lobster is the pride of menus in restaurants throughout the region. We defiinitely recommend you visit a Höfn restaurant and try the langoustine –it’s worth it.
Furthermore, an annual lobster festival takes place in the last weekend of June. It is a lively festival with various programmes for the whole family. Of course, langoustines take the star role.
How to get to Höfn?
Höfn is a 455 km distance east from Reykjavík. If you take the Ring Road straight to Höfn, the journey is approximately five and a half hours.
The airline Eagle Air also offers flights between Reykjavík domestic airport and Höfn.
GPS: 64.249703 N, -15.202008 W
