Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
double rooms all have shared amenities. The attached café-
bar offers grills and cream-laden
cakes, and
half the town
seems to gravitate here after 6pm.
10,900kr
Ì
Mjóeyri
Strandgata 120
T
477 1247,
W
mjoeyri.is.
East out of town along the seafront and on its own private
sandspit, this guesthouse and row of stylish wooden cabins
is pleasantly isolated. The guesthouse has a mix of self-
catering dorms and doubles with shared bathroo
ms, while
the ca
bin porche
s enjo
y beautiful
l views. Dorm
5100kr
;
double
13,300kr
; cabin
20,100kr
Neskaupstaður
At the end of Route 92,
NESKAUPSTAÐUR
curls around the northern side of
Norðjörður
- which is also another name for the town itself. It's Iceland's
easternmost town and the East Fjords' largest settlement, but again an insubstantial
one. Neskaupstaður's setting is splendid, however, backed by tall, avalanche-prone
fells all around, and facing across the fjord to
Rauðubjörg's
red cliffs; judging by the
number of antlers hung over front doors, there's also a healthy reindeer population
up in the hills.
7
The museums
Egilsbraut • June-August daily 1-5pm • 1000kr
Not to be outdone by its neighbours, Neskaupstaður sports two museums, housed
together in a large russet building. The
Museum of Natural History
includes a rock
collection and various stuffed and mounted fauna, while the
Maritime Museum
covers
the history of the town's seafaring traditions with fading black-and-white photographs
and assorted nautical bits and bobs - plus a reconstructed smithy and working
boatbuilding exhibition.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
NESKAUPSTAÐUR
By bus
The bus stop is on the main street, Egilsbraut.
Destinations
Egilsstaðir (11 weekly; 1hr 10min); Eskifjörður
(11 weekly; 25min); Reyðarfjörður (11 weekly; 35min).
By ferry
The Norðfjorður-Mjóifjörður ferry (
T
476 0011
or
T
849 4797) had been suspended at the time of
writing, and it's uncertain when - or if - services will
resume.
Tourist information
There's no functioning tourist
o
ce, but the
Nesbær
café (
T
477 1115,
E
nesbaer
@simnet.is) has brochures, wi-fi, maps, booklets and an
informative manager.
Services
The bank and ATM, Olís fuel station and Samkaup
supermarket (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 10am-2pm) are close
to each other on Egilsbraut and Miðstræti. Also on Miðstræti,
the pool (Mon-Fri 6am-8pm, Sat & Sun 10am-6pm) has a
small waterslide, a sauna, hot pots and a gym.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Campsite
T
470 9000. At the very edge of town, above
the
Edda
hotel and underneath the avalanche defences,
this site is pretty exposed, but there are toilet
s, show
ers,
hiking trails and a great view of Norðfjorður.
1000kr
Capitano
Hafnarbraut 50
T
477 1800 or
T
861 4747,
W
hotelcapitano.is.
Large corrugated iron hotel, painted
an unmissable deep blue and right in the town centre. The
century-old interior has been modernized, and the fairly
bland ro
oms perke
d up with bright artwork by Tryggvi
Ólafsson.
18,000kr
Edda
Nesgata 40
T
444 4860,
W
hoteledda.
Beautiful
views across the fjord from all but one room in this
summer-only hotel at the eastern end of town. The
functional en suite rooms are bright if institutional; a
generous breakfast buffet costs an extr
a 1500kr,
and they
can organize packed lunches for hikers.
18,800kr
Ì
Nesbær Café
Hafnarbraut 22.
Café and bakery with
check tablecloths and an unusual menu featuring mango
curry or chicken korma (1690kr) alongside fresh bagels or
panini with various fillings (500kr) and, of course, coffee
and cakes.
Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun
1-5pm.
NORÐFJÖRÐUR HIKES
Several hiking trails begin at Neskaupstaður's campsite; you can buy
maps
at the
Nesbær
café.
The easiest follows the coast for 1.5km to
Páskahellir
- Easter Cave - from where it's said you
can see the sun dancing on Easter morning. A much tougher proposition is the full-day hike
north over the mountains into Mjóifjörður (see p.285); or the 10km return hike up along the
ridgetop to
Flesjartangi
, right at the mouth of Mjóifjörður.
