What to Do in Hofsós? A tiny & charming village in North West Iceland

What this tiny village lacks in size it certainly makes up for in interesting activities. So what does this little village in the north have to offer? What to do in Hofsós?

There are four things that I recommend to do in Hofsós and together they include wellness, beautiful nature and interesting history. That sounds like a great combination. Don’t you agree?  And then I even have a bonus tip for you at the end so keep on reading so you won’t miss a thing 🙂

Hofós really is tiny with only about 200 inhabitants. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was a rather busy trading post. But for some reason it didn’t develop into a larger village or town in the 20th century.

The village’s economy has mainly been based on the fishing industry along with services to the neighbouring farms. In recent years though, Hofsós has been building itself as a tourist attraction which has brought a little extra life to the village. Especially in summer.

So let’s see what there is to do in Hofsós.

1 Take a Swim in the Infinity Pool by the Sea

This small heated swimming pool offers a beautiful view of the ocean and the mountains on the other side of Skagafjörður fjord. A small but wonderful spot where you can relax in the warm water, have a chat with your travelling partner(s) and/or possibly other people in the hut tub while you enjoy the lovely view 🙂

You can see the pool’s Facebook page here downbelow but it looks like they only have information in Icelandic. You should at least be able to find the opening hours. If not, then you can always send them a message and ask. In June through August it’s open the whole day, from morning to evening. It’s a bit different the rest of the year so you should check beforehand if you want to visit in spring, fall or winter.

Hofsós Swimming pool’s Facebook page

2 Check out the Beautiful Basalt Columns behind the Swimming Pool

This is a gorgeous hidden gem that is tucked away behind or below (depends on how you look at it) the swimming pool. You can’t see it from the pool or the parking lot. You kind of have to know it’s there and go look for it. But don’t worry, it’s very easy to find when you know where to look. 

Just walk towards the sea from the parking lot (to the left of the pool). There you should see some stairs which you follow and voila! There are the basalt columns. You can get some great photos there of you sitting on one of the columns even though they are not as big as the ones at Reynisfjara Black Beach on the south coast.

I didn’t manage to get great photos this time around as my clothes were not in the right colour. I was wearing dark blue so I didn’t stand out in the pictures. It kinda looked like I was wearing camouflage. So the pictures turned out to be more of “Where is Waldo” pictures than anything else. My bad, I will do a better job next time around 🙂

Just remember to be careful if you walk down to the shore and climb in the columns. I don’t want you to get hurt while exploring places I recommend!

3 Visit The Icelandic Emigration Center

In my opinion, this center covers a fascinating part of Icelandic history. The story of the thousands of people who emigrated from Iceland to North America in the late 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.

It’s estimated that somewhere between 16 and 20 thousand people moved to North America in this period in search of a better life for themselves and their families. That is quite a lot or about 20-25% of the total population at the time.

The living conditions in Iceland at this time were incredibly difficult. A long period of extra harsh weather conditions and natural disasters led to economic hardship. I for one don’t have a hard time understanding why so many Icelanders went looking for a better life. At the same time, I’m incredibly thankful to those people who powered through and stayed put on this, often brutal but yet amazing, island of ours. If everybody had given up and left, I wouldn’t be living here today. So I’m forever grateful to my ancestors 🙂

The Icelandic Emigration Center

4 Explore the Village by Walking a around

Hofsós offers a beautiful ocean view to the west and a mighty mountain view to the east. Actually you´ll also have a mountain view in the west, just a bit further away on the other side of Skagafjörður fjord. 

The most charming part of the village is down by the harbour. The area around The Emigration Center. There you’ll find quite a few old and cute houses. Some of them belong to the center, one is a restaurant and the rest are people’s homes (some are a second home though).

I was so sad that the restaurant in the big blue house was closed. I had heard so good things about it and was looking forward to eating at their patio enjoying the beautiful ocean view. When I was there (summer 2021) the restaurant was closed as the staff was in a quarantine. But under normal circumstances it’s open during the summer months.

The nice thing about exploring a place like Hofsós is how uncrowded it is. As it’s located far from other busy tourist locations, the atmosphere is so nice and relaxed. But at the same time, the relatively small number of people visiting this tiny village also means that good restaurants like the one in the old blue house have a hard time surviving and are therefore only open during high season.

A Bonus Tip when Visiting Hofsós

This one is not in the village itself but very close by. The oldest church in Iceland. A little turf church called Grafarkirkja which is located about 5 km/3 mi from Hofsós. This church is beautifully located in the middle of a field with big mountains in the background. It  also has a circular turf wall around it which frames it in so beautifully. You can’t enter the church as it’s now closed to the public for preservatory reasons. Even though you can only see it from the outside, I still think it’s well worth the short walk from the parking lot. 

Other things to Do in the Area

As you can see, a visit to Hofsós is certainly something you should consider. And when you’re in the area, there are plenty of other things to do and places to see.

Hofsós is located in an area in North West Iceland that is called Skagafjörður after the fjord it surrounds. I guess I am a bit biased as I grew up in Skagafjörður, but you have to believe me when I say this is a beautiful area 🙂 An area that sadly is overlooked by many tourists. I guess the main reason for that is the distance from the ring road. At least it can’t be lack of activities as you can see on the list here down below.

This is a non-exhaustive list of activities but it should give you an idea of what Skagafjörður has to offer. To get even more ideas, click the last link on this list.

Grettislaug Hot Spring

Get soaked in a nice hot spring close to the sea.

Grettislaug Hot Spring’s Facebook Page

Go Horseback Riding

Skagafjörður is famous for its horses and there are many horse rentals in Skagafjörður to choose from. To see a list of them, click the link below and choose the “Icelandic Horse” category.

Horse Rentals in Skagafjörður

River Rafting

Are you an adventurous person? Then this is definitely something for you. 

There are two companies in Skagafjörður that sell river rafting tours and you can choose if you want to do the gentle and family friendly version or one that is more exciting and challenging. I tried the latter years ago and loved it! Have been planning on going back soon.

Bakkflöt – River Rafting Company Viking Rafting – River Rafting Company

A Sailing Tour to Drangey island

Drangey is a beautiful bird watching paradise where you can see puffins up close. A trip to the island is a unique experience which combines sightseeing, birdwatching, sailing and hiking. I have been on this tour and truly recommend it. The island is amazing and the guides are excellent, fun and knowledgeable.

Drangey Tours

Learn History through Virtual Reality

1238 The Battle of Iceland goes a step beyond the regular history museum. It offers its guests to see and take part in history through virtual reality. It doesn’t really matter if you’re interested in history or not. The activity in itself is fun and great for people of all ages.

1238 The Battle of Iceland

Visit Sauðárkrókur, the “Capital” of Skagafjörður

Sauðárkókur is the biggest town in Skagafjörður with a population of about 2,600. Or should we say the only town as the other two, Hofsós and Varmahlíð, are small villages. Sauðárkrókur stands very close to my heart as this is where I grew up and where all my grandparents lived. My parents still live in my childhood home so I go there for a visit on a regular basis.

While in Sauðárkrókur you can take a nice walk on the town’s black beach. A walk that never disappoints. You could also walk up the hill above the town called “Nafir” where you get a very good view over the town, the surrounding mountains and the fjord. Then you should stop by at one of the best bakeries in Iceland, Sauðárkróksbakarí, for lunch or a cup of coffee and something sweet. Stroll around the old town where you’ll find a handful of cute old houses and then stop by at the modern Battle of Iceland museum (see more above).

More Ideas

For even more ideas for what to do in Skagafjörður, click the link below.

Visit Skagafjörður

So there you have it, not just a really nice village to visit but a whole area you probably haven’t explored before. An area you perhaps were hearing about for the first time in this blog post. Packed with activities and interesting places to visit. How exciting!

If you decide to go there I would absolutely love it if you tagged me @siggadottir in one or more of your photos on Instagram or on Facebook. Tell me what your favourite thing about Hofsós or Skagafjörður in general was. Can’t wait to see! 🙂

If you liked this post and think some of your friends might be interested in reading it too, please help me spread the word. I’d really appreciate it if you’d share it on social media by using one of the small icons here down below.

Until next time!