Hellisgerði Lava Park
Enchanting city park nestled in mossy volcanic lava caves, ponds and weeping willows, famed as a royal dwelling for elves
Follow peaceful stone pathways between lava boulders and discover secret garden nooks.
Hellisgerði
Hafnarfjörður, Iceland
Ideal: 1–2 daysBest: Jun–Aug for outdoor festivals, Dec for Christmas VillagePrice: Expensive
In 60 seconds
Hafnarfjörður in 60 seconds
Built directly on the rugged 7,000-year-old Búrfell lava flow just ten kilometres south of Reykjavík, Hafnarfjörður is Iceland's third-largest municipality and legendary capital of the Huldufólk (Hidden Folk). Famed for its picturesque natural harbour, atmospheric Viking village, geothermal pools, and scenic Hellisgerði lava sculpture park.
Sauna
Best for
- Culture
- History
- Coast
- Folklore
Known for
- Hellisgerði Lava Park
- Viking Village (Fjörukráin)
- Hafnarborg Centre of Culture and Fine Art
- Hafnarfjörður Museum
- Suðurbæjarlaug geothermal pool
Skip if
You are only in Iceland for a 24-hour stopover and are focusing exclusively on central Reykjavík.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Hafnarfjörður fits them. Choose interests
See
Must experience
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Viking Village (Fjörukráin)
Themed timber longhouse complex hosting the annual international Viking Festival with craft workshops and feast halls
Dine under carved wooden totems while listening to live folk sea shanties.
Vesturgata
Hafnarborg Centre of Culture and Fine Art
Renowned contemporary municipal art gallery exhibiting modern Icelandic painters, sculptors and design
Browse rotating exhibitions highlighting regional artists in sleek minimalist galleries.
Strandgata
Eat
Where to eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Casual
No booking, no ceremony, reliably good.
Tilveran Restaurant
ExpensiveWarm, inviting family-run seafood house overlooking the marina serving classic Icelandic fish dishes
Taste pan-seared arctic char with almond butter and baby potatoes.
Linnetsstígur
Fjörukráin Viking Restaurant
ExpensiveAtmospheric Viking feast hall serving hearty smoked lamb, fish stews and traditional caraway spirits
Experience a communal feast served in rustic horn vessels and wooden trenchers.
Vesturgata
More places to eat
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Von Mathús & Bar
Very expensiveCelebrated harbourfront restaurant in a historic building emphasizing fresh local seafood and Icelandic lamb
Feast on pan-fried Atlantic cod, langoustine soup and dark rye bread by the boat docks.
Strandgata
Pallett Kaffikompaní
InexpensiveHip specialty coffee bar and vintage British-style tearoom serving third-wave espresso and warm fruit scones
Enjoy artisanal filter brews and homemade lemon curd tarts.
Strandgata
Beyond the obvious
Hidden gems
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Hamarinn Cliff & Viewpoint
High basalt sea cliff towering above the old town offering panoramic vistas across the harbour to Faxaflói bay
Climb the gentle wooden stairs at sunset for views stretching to Snæfellsjökull glacier.
Hamarinn
Sultuhraun Historic Timber Quarter
Cluster of colorful 19th-century corrugated iron and timber sea captains' cottages along Strandgata
Wander quiet cobbled alleys away from traffic and view historic boatbuilder houses.
Strandgata
Krýsuvík Geothermal Area
Active volcanic thermal field fifteen minutes south on the Reykjanes peninsula with boiling sulphur mud pots
Walk timber boardwalks through steaming turquoise pools and crimson mineral vents.
Krýsuvík
After dark
Bars & nightlife
Brikk Bar
ModerateLively harbour gathering place offering Icelandic microbrews, natural wines and fresh sourdough pizzas
Sip craft IPA while watching fishing boats unload fresh catches.
Strandgata
Orientation
Neighbourhoods
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
The Harbour Front (Strandgata)
Bustling coastal avenue lined with galleries, artisan workshops, cafes and working fishing piers
Stroll along the quayside watching coastal trawlers and visiting yachts.
Strandgata
Old Town Lava Quarters
Charming residential streets built organically into and around prehistoric basalt lava formations
Explore quiet streets where garden fences navigate around preserved elven rocks.
Keskusta
Stay
Where to stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Harbourfront Hotels & Guesthouses
Boutique waterfront inns located along Strandgata within easy walking distance of restaurants
Ideal for maritime views and peaceful evenings outside Reykjavík.
Hellisgerði Residential Quarter
Quiet guesthouses nestled near the lava park and town museum
Peaceful green surroundings steeped in local folklore.
Practical
Know before you go
- Getting There
- Strætó city bus line 1 connects central Reykjavík (Hlemmur) to Hafnarfjörður in just 25 minutes.
- Elf Walks
- Guided Hidden Folk walking tours depart from Hellisgerði park throughout the summer months.
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
History in 5 minutes
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
- 1400s
English and Hanseatic merchants establish competing seasonal trading posts in the sheltered natural fjord.
- 1908
Officially chartered as a town; evolves into one of Iceland's foremost fishing and trawler ports.
Further out
Nearby escapes
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Blue Lagoon & Reykjanes Geopark
World-famous mineral-rich silica geothermal spa and lunar volcanic landscapes
Soak in opaque turquoise geothermal waters surrounded by black basalt lava.
25 min southwest
Kleifarvatn Lake & Seltún
Eerie volcanic fissure lake surrounded by black sand beaches and steaming sulphur fumaroles
Walk solitary black volcanic shores flanked by steep volcanic scree slopes.
20 min south