How to survive alive
in the Westfjords in Iceland?
The HILDUR crime book series takes place in the Westfjords, in Iceland. In real life The Westfjords is an extremely calm and quiet place, a perfect nature travel destination. The murders are fiction but Hildur’s landscapes are real! The impressive mountain ranges, abundant hot springs and the peace and quiet make for a meditative travel experience. I recommend you plan for at least five days for exploring this lesser known but absolutely stunning part of the country. If you want to stay in hotels or hostels, make sure to book in advance. There are some hostels (Korpuladulur HI Hostel is a gem!!) and also Airbnb flats in the area. There are designated camping areas in every village and if you are in a more remote part with no campsites nearby, you can pitch your tent anywhere for the night (unless specifically prohibited.) Enjoy!
Dynjandi
Napakettukeskus
Látrabjargin lintukalliot
Hólmavíkin Noitamuseo
Punainen hiekkaranta
Holtsbryggjan ranta
Merihirviömuseo
Flateyrin kirjakauppa
Beffa Toursin valassafari
Hornstrandirin luonnonsuojelualue
Päivävaellus rotkoon ja vesiputoukselle
Seikkailu Noidan Tuolille
Vohvelikahvit hiljaisella rannalla
Pienen tilan ihanat vohvelit
Cafe Riis
Hamraborgin grilliravintola, Kaffihús Bakarans, Heimabyggð kahvila, Tjöruhúsiðn kalaravintola, Islanninhevostalli Länsivuonoilla
A Few Facts about Iceland
Iceland is…
…volcanic Island in the North Atlantic. Settled in the late ninth century, proclaimed an independent republic in 1944. 380 000 inhabitants.
Official language
Icelandic but everybody speaks really good English.
Currency & price level
Icelandic Krona ISK Price level is one of the hightest in the world, but most of the natural sights are free of charge. Tipping is included in the prices but 10 % is appreciated
Emergency number
112
Go by
Rental car, bus or domestic flights (Icelandair).
When to travel?
Always pretty cold weather, but the swimming pools are always hot. The weather in Iceland is highly variable.
Winter is dark and cozy. The dark hits around 2pm. Due to the Golf stream the south coast has a rather mild winter: temperature varies from +8 to –5 degrees and there is a little snow. In the Northern Iceland, West Fjords and East Fjords the temperature is usually below 0 and the winters can be really magical after the landscape gets covered by layers of snow. Winter is and excellent time to spot some Northern Lights. New Years Eve in Reykjavik is a blast! The Reykjavikians collectively do an amazing job with the pyrotechnics and celebrations.
Summer is very bright, also in the night time. The temperature varies from +10 to +18 degrees and even up to +20 degrees on a good summer day. In the summer time Icelanders go hiking, stay at their summer cabins, enjoy long riding tours and barbeque outdoors.
Spring it the time when the Icelanders wake up from hibernation. Easter is a great time to visit Iceland. The dark winter is almost finished and you can feel the spring in the air.
Autumn. Icelandic nature is beautiful and colourful at this time of year: red, yellow and gold leaves look amazing against a dazzling blue sky and wild and tasty berries sweeten up the daily lives. In November the long polar night begin.
Eat & Drink
Fish, lamb, hot dogs, root vegetables, ice-cream and Icelandic chocolate licorice. Excellent tap water, lots of coffee, Brennvín, expensive local beer and even more expensive import wine
Words you might want to use:
Viltu glíma? (Do you want to wrestle?)
Eyjafjallajökull. (The famous volcano.)
Eina með öllu. (One with everything when you order a hot dog.)
Jæja. (A filler word, similar to alright.)
