Hafnarfjörður (pop. 20,000) is Iceland’s third-largest town. Nestled in rolling lava formations over 7,000 years old, just 10 km south of Reykjavík or 30 minutes’ drive from Keflavík Airport’s Leifur Eiríksson Terminal, it has a fine natural harbour from which the town name, meaning “harbour fjord,” derives. The port is Iceland’s second-largest and has been used for organized commerce since the 1300s, longer than any other in the country.

Rich history is still alive in the charming old houses close to the harbour, where the community’s roots lie. But the town is also known for the off-beat humour of its inhabitants, its colonies of elves and its Vikings, and its wealth of cultural and leisure activities. A number of excellent restaurants and cafés are found there too, making it the perfect place to take a quick break for people staying in the capital. The latest addition to the restaurant scene is the veteran Coast Guard vessel Thor, now moored at the harbourside with an on-board theme exhibition on the Cod Wars in which it played an active part.

More than houses snuggle among the lava of Hafnarfjörður. The town is said to be home to some of the largest elf colonies in Iceland, and the rocks they live in are carefully marked on a map available from the Tourist Information Centre.
Vikings have a special place in people’s hearts in Hafnarfjörður too. Fjörukráin restaurant arranges Viking feasts with traditional food and merry-making, and waiters and waitresses dressed for the part. Hafnarfjörður hosts a regular international Viking festival, attended by latter-day Vikings from various countries who make camp in the park and show ancient arts, crafts and traditions, and a specially impressive festival is being held from June 22-25 2000 as part of the celebrations of the Viking discovery of North America.