Seyðisfjörður Community Guidelines

A place of singing waterfalls and peculiar characters

Seyðisfjörður is a welcoming town booming with creativity and rich in history. Inhabited by about 700
people, the town acts as one big family, and a friendly one at that. Everybody is welcome to our little
paradise and we want to share the goodness with you.

Seyðisfjörður is regarded by many as one of Iceland‘s most picturesque towns, not only due to its impressive natural environment, but also because of its renowned collection of well-preserved old wooden buildings. The community owes its origins to foreign merchants, mainly Danes, who started trading in the fjord in the mid 19th century. The crucial factor in the evolution of the village was the establishment of the Icelandic herring fisheries by Norwegians in 1870-1900. The Norwegians built up a number of herring fishing facilities, and in a matter of years the little community grew into a bustling town.

The local economy has long been based on the fisheries, but today tourism plays a growing role. Our town may look like out of a fairy tale, yet it‘s a real place with real people. Please help us keep tourism sustainable by conserving nature and respecting local culture.

Public Art in Seyðisfjörður
  • Tvísöngur Sound Sculpture is located on a mountainside above town and can be reached by walking up a gravel path for 15-20 minutes. Don‘t be shy to sing a song inside the sculpture. Each dome has its own resonance that corresponds to a tone in the Icelandic musical tradition of five-tone harmony.
  • Close by there is a phone booth, a sculpture made by the artist Guðjón Ketilsson, in memory of the first telegraph connection to Iceland from the outside world through Seyðisfjörður established in 1906.
Services in Seyðisfjörður
  • You can find information about services in Seyðisfjörður and our town map at the Tourist Information Center or online at visitseydisfjordur.com.
Suggestions for ships
  • The port is in the center of town and the townspeople can hear sounds from ships very clearly. Please avoid using the onboard loud speaker system when in port, especially in the morning or late at night.

Seyðisfjörður Community Guidelines

Seyðisfjörður is known for its old, colorful houses. People do live in these houses so please be respectful of their privacy by not going into the houses or private gardens, even though the doors may be open. You can of course take pictures of these buildings but please don‘t take pictures through windows of people´s homes.

  • Seyðisfjörður is known for its old, colorful houses. People do live in these houses so please be respectful of their privacy by not going into the houses or private gardens, even though the doors may be open. You can of course take pictures of these buildings but please don‘t take pictures through windows of people´s homes.
  • Our children play in the playground, around our schools and in many areas in town. Please do not take pictures of the children without permission from an adult.
  • Enjoy a stroll around town, or take a small hike surrounded by our beautiful nature. Please leave native flora, animals and heritage untouched. Leave no trace and pick up your trash.
  • Public toilets can be found at Herðubreið Community Center, the Tourist Information Center and at the Camp
  • During summertime the church is open during the day and you are welcome to visit.
  • There are several waterfalls with walking trails that lead up to them. Tread carefully and with caution as slopes can be slippery. Get a detailed hiking map at the Tourist Information
  • Vestdalur and Vestdalseyri are part of a nature reserve with registered cultural heritage and unique vegetation. Please treat these areas with the utmost care and

If you want to learn more about Seyðisfjörður please visit www.visitseydisfjordur.com