Hafnarfjörður in Iceland
Hafnarfjörður lies to the south of Reykjavík, at a distance of 10 km. An early written mention of the town appears in Landnámabók (the Book of Settlements), the medieval record of Iceland's settlement.
Things to do in Hafnarfjörður
Hafnarborg was established in 1983 to house the town's art collection and serves as its centre for culture and fine art. At Hafnarfjörður Museum, cultural objects and photographs document the town and the region around it.
Hafnarfjörður elves and Hellisgerði
In local folklore, Hellisgerði is a dwelling place of the huldufólk, or hidden people, the elves and supernatural spirits of Iceland. Planting in this Hafnarfjörður garden began in 1924, and its name refers to little caves within the contorted lava formations.
The Reykjavík elves and nature guided driving tour lasts 5 hours. It includes an English-speaking professional guide, vehicle transport, commentary at five stops, and stories about folklore and history throughout the tour.
Festivals and Christmas traditions
The Viking Festival in Hafnarfjörður takes place annually around 17 June, lasting five to six days. The group that organises it began in 1997 with seven members. Bjartir dagar is an annual arts and culture festival timed around the first day of summer.
The town's Christmas Village follows European Christmas market traditions.
The Icelandic Christmas guided tour during Advent lasts 5 hours. Included are vehicle transport throughout the tour, guided accounts of Icelandic Christmas folklore and customs, and visits to the Christmas market in Heiðmörk Nature Reserve, Jólaþorpið Christmas Village in Hafnarfjörður, and holiday attractions in central Reykjavík. Each guest also receives a hot drink and a small Christmas gift.
The port and its history
Hanseatic merchants traded from Hafnarfjörður from about 1470 and built the first Lutheran church in Iceland there; their trade ended after the Danish trade monopoly of 1602.
Lakes and volcanic landscapes
A 2 km footpath goes around Hvaleyrarvatn, a small lake with woodland and greenery around it. Mount Helgafell reaches a height of 338 m. Its formation dates to the late Ice Age, when a volcanic eruption occurred beneath a glacier. Mount Búrfell was formed in an eruption roughly 7,000 to 8,000 years ago.
Kleifarvatn covers roughly 8 to 9 km² and has a recorded maximum depth of 97 m. After the 2000 earthquakes, fissures in the lake bed drained part of the lake. Krýsuvík church, first built in 1857, burned down in 2010; an exact replica was consecrated in 2022.
Sulphur extraction at Seltún had largely ended by the 1880s. An old borehole exploded in 1999, leaving a crater. Reykjanes Geopark occupies major tectonic plate boundaries on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with the ridge exposed above sea level there.
Connections with Reykjavík
Route 1 buses link Reykjavík with central Hafnarfjörður and Skarðshlíð.
Climate figures for nearby Reykjavík
Frequently asked questions
Where is Hafnarfjörður?
Hafnarfjörður is 10 km to the south of Reykjavík.
What is the connection between Hafnarfjörður and elves?
Local folklore places the huldufólk, Iceland's hidden people, elves and supernatural spirits, in Hellisgerði.
What does Hafnarfjörður Museum cover?
Its cultural objects and photographs concern Hafnarfjörður and the surrounding region.
When is the Viking Festival?
It takes place each year around 17 June and lasts five to six days.
Is there a bus connection from Reykjavík?
Bus route 1 links Reykjavík, the centre of Hafnarfjörður and Skarðshlíð.
