A Guide to Iceland’s Fjords
Iceland’s fjords hold some of the most beautiful nature in all of Europe. With over a hundred fjords throughout the country, there’s always a beautiful site to see as you travel across the natural paradise of Iceland.
So what are fjords exactly? A fjord is an inlet created by a glacier. Unfortunately, there is no fresh water connected to fjords as they’re connected directly to the ocean. This also means that Iceland’s southern coast does not have any fjords as it is very smooth terrain, whereas fjords are generally very rugged in their terrain.
One other note about fjords is that usually there are mountains surrounding the sides of a fjord. There are also many other fjords around the world, not just in Iceland, however many parts of Europe, New Zealand and Arctic territories. If we wanted to divide the total amount of fjords and Iceland we could break them up into 4 regions: the westfjords of Iceland, the eastfjords of Iceland, the northern fjords of Iceland and the fjords surrounding Reykjavik.
If you start in the west fjords, then you will experience some of the most remote locations in all of Iceland. This is a very difficult area to travel to during the winter, hence many travelers visit here in the summer and do not regret it. It is not part of Iceland’s Ring Road due to the gravel roads and the difficulty of the terrain, it offers some of the most unique beauty of the country. You could start by visiting the stunning Arnarfjörður (Eagle Fjord) bypassing the Dynjandi waterfall. There’s also the amazing Latrabyarg , home to a massive population of puffins.You can also visit Ísafjarðardjúp (Ice Fjord’s Deep), which is the largest fjord of the westfjords and home to Ísafjörður,the largest settlement in the west fjords home to nearly 4,000 people.
Somewhat of a contrast to the Western fjords of Iceland are the Eastern fjords with hiking paths and very beautiful blue water as well as horseback riding. You can hike in Borgarfjörður Eystri, which is located in the Bay Paths. Another cool spot to visit is Stórurð, which has some of the most unique settings and all of Iceland with it’s uniquely coloured waters. The beautiful henna gloss waterfall is located in this region as well as many more beautiful fjords such as Mjóifjörður, Eskifjörður, Fáskrúðsfjörður and Berufjörður, along with Iceland’s famous swimming pool, Vopnafjörður, near some beautiful horseback riding spots.
In the Northern fjords of Iceland, which is much less explored, it is very beautiful. The capital of the north of Iceland, Akureyri is located here which is seen by many cruise ships. There are two main ports in this region, the Skagafjörður, which means spit fjord, and Eyjafjörður (island fjord). If you travel through this region you may also notice many peninsula islands and Villages such as the sailing fjord village.
Finally we travel to the fjords just outside the capital and largest city of Reykjavik. Similar to the northern fjords there are two main pyramids in this region, the Hvalfjörður (whale fjord) and Borgarfjörður (fortress fjord). You can also find many other natural wonders nearby, such as the Glymur waterfall, known for sea-kayaking, and Borgarfjörður which is close to the town Borgarnes, a cute town between Iceland’s two big cities.
Overall, Iceland fjords capture some of the most beautiful sites in all of Europe and possibly the world so it is recommended to travel during the summer to experience the 24-hour sunshine, but in the winter the fjords are just as stunning and there are many activities to partake in either way.
Enjoy your journey!
One Comment
Lara ❤️
ahhh i’ve always wanted to visit europe…this is good to know ^^