In 60 seconds
Jutting toward the Arctic Circle between Skagafjörður and Eyjafjörður, the rugged Tröllaskagi (Troll Peninsula) holds Iceland's highest mountain peaks outside the glacier caps. At its northern tip lies the fjord town of Siglufjörður, once the buzzing 'Klondike of the Atlantic' during the twentieth-century herring boom, now reborn with restored salting stations, microbreweries and spectacular coastal road tunnels.
Best for
Known for
Skip if
You are uneasy driving through long single-lane mountain road tunnels with passing bays.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Siglufjörður & Tröllaskagi fits them. Choose interests
See
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Iceland's largest maritime heritage museum
Spanning three preserved buildings including an authentic salting station, fish-meal factory and boat slipway from the silver boom.
Scenic drive between alpine fjords
A highway carved into vertical coastal sea cliffs and cutting through multiple mountain tunnels linking remote northern fishing ports.
Colourful timber dockside quarter
Vibrant yellow and red restored wooden warehouses right at the water's edge, housing restaurants, boutiques and sailing vessels.
Eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Where to eat the food this city is actually known for.
Yellow dockside tavern & Icelandic lamb
A rustic timber restaurant in the yellow marina warehouse serving pan-seared Arctic char, lamb chops and comforting fish soup.
Seaside dining in Hofsós overlooking the bay
A cosy coastal restaurant in Hofsós preparing freshly landed catch of the day, fish soup and home-baked bread beside the water.
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Red warehouse bistro & harbour pizza
A casual meeting place in the red harbour house serving thin-crust pizzas, burgers, fresh fish cakes and local beers.
Traditional village bakery & coffee
A classic community bakery on Aðalgata serving fresh sourdough, rye bread and cinnamon rolls to locals and hikers.
Beyond the obvious
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Architectural pool over Skagafjörður
A geothermal infinity swimming pool built directly into the hillside, giving swimmers the illusion of bathing in the fjord toward Drangey island.
Family brewery in a former fish factory
A craft microbrewery operating inside an old 1947 fish-freezing plant, offering brewery tours and seasonal subarctic ales.
Isolated fjord between the tunnels
An uninhabited, dramatic fjord once accessible only by treacherous mountain footpaths, now connected by tunnel with a peaceful lake shoreline.
After dark
Taproom in the former freezer plant
A social taproom where guests can taste fresh draft beers while overlooking the brewery fermenting tanks and harbour.
Orientation
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Herring boomtown harbour
The picturesque northernmost settlement nestled between vertical peaks and the fjord entrance.
Lake and ocean fjord community
The neighbouring fjord village famous for water-sports on Lake Ólafsfjarðarvatn and ski slopes.
Stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Waterfront historic base
Best choice for staying on the peninsula, with direct walking access to museums, restaurants and the brewery.
Quiet western coastal base
A restful seaside hamlet ideal for enjoying the infinity pool and views over Skagafjörður.
Practical
Context
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
Norwegian fishing entrepreneur Hans Ellefsen establishes the first modern herring operations in Siglufjörður.
Siglufjörður accounts for over 20% of Iceland's entire national export value during the height of the 'silver boom'.
The opening of the Héðinsfjörður tunnels ends centuries of winter isolation for the northern peninsula towns.
Further out
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Fortress rock of Grettir the Strong
A sheer-sided volcanic island rock steeped in saga lore and crowded with thousands of nesting guillemots and puffins.
Alpine ski slopes overlooking the fjord
One of Iceland's finest ski areas, offering steep slopes with direct panoramic views over Siglufjörður.
