Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
Hafnarborg
Strandgata 34 • Mon & Wed-Sun 11am-5pm, Thurs 11am-9pm • Free
From the harbour, it's a five-minute walk south along Fjarðargata to the roundabout to
the arts centre of
Hafnarborg
. In a fit of generosity the building was donated to the
town by a local chemist and his wife in 1983 and today exhibits work by local Icelandic
artists as well as doubling as a concert venue - it's worth a quick look, but you're more
likely to satisfy your artistic appetite in Reykjavík.
Along Strandgata
Walking south from Hafnarborg and crossing the roundabout into what is now
Strandgata
will take you towards the curious steeply roofed wooden structure called
Fjörukráin
, set back from the seafront at no. 55. Although a bit of a tourist trap, this
hotel and restaurant is a good place to sample some pretty authentic
Viking
food
(see p.36).
From
Fjörukráin
, retrace your steps to the roundabout and follow Strandgata back
towards the town centre. This is Hafnarfjörður's diminutive main shopping street,
though don't expect the stores here to come close to the selection in Reykjavík
- although the capital is only just down the road, this is provincial Iceland.
Hafnarfjörður museum
Vesturgata 8 • June-Aug daily 11am-5pm; Sept-May Sat & Sun 11-5pm • Free
A stone's throw from the northern end of Strandgata, one block to the north of the
harbour, is
Hafnarfjörður museum
, housed in a wooden warehouse dating from the late
1800s and also known as Pakkhúsið. Inside is a passable if somewhat dull portrayal of
Hafnarfjörður's life and times.
Sívertsens-Hús
Vesturgata 8 • June-Aug daily 11am-5pm; Sept-May Sat & Sun 11-5pm • Free
Next door to the Hafnarfjörður museum stands
Sívertsens-Hús
, the town's oldest
building, dating from 1803 and once the residence of local trader, boat builder and
man-about-town Bjarni Sívertsen. It's now home to a folk museum, stuffed with dreary
how-we-used-to-live paraphernalia from the nineteenth century.
Hamarinn cliffs
The views from
Hamarinn
cliffs are far more rewarding than Hafnarfjörður's slight
attempt at culture. To get there, turn left into Lækjargata from the roundabout just
before
Fjörukráin
, then head east along Lækjargata and take the footpath up the hill
to the wall of lava; this leads to the viewpoint. The protected wooded natural area
up here offers good
views
out over the harbour and the surrounding countryside
and is a pleasant place to have a picnic when the weather's good. Incidentally, the
THE HIDDEN PEOPLE
The street of Strandgata and neighbouring Austurgata in Hafnarfjörður are, according to
Icelandic folklore, home to the town's population of
hidden people
- elves, dwarves and
other spirits who live in entire families between the rocks that are dotted around the town
centre. Apparently elves are only visible to those with second sight, though a majority of
Icelanders are quite prepared to admit they believe in them. In fact, an alarming number of
new roads constructed across the country have been subject to minor detours around large
rocks after workers attempted to move the boulders only to find that their diggers and earth
movers broke down time and again in the process. Should you be keen to try out your second
sight,
tours
(Tues & Fri 2.30pm; 3900kr;
T
694 2785,
W
alfar.is) lasting a couple of hours and led
by guide and storyteller Sigurbjörg Karlsdóttir weave their way through Hafnarfjörður visiting
the homes of the
huldufólk
.
