Visit Neskaupstaður

Neskaupstaður is about as far east as you can go in Iceland, and soaring mountains provide a scenic backdrop to the town (which is sometimes called Norðfjörður, after the fjord it sits on). The fjord and those surrounding mountains provide plentiful recreational opportunities, from hiking to horse-riding trails. Today the area is accessed via a new, 8km-long road tunnel, but until 50 years ago it was only accessible by sea, a fact that had a stimulating effect on the local culture. Neskaupstaður is known for an impressive music scene and it hosts one of Iceland’s eclectic summertime festivals: Eistnaflug, dedicated to metal and punk music. Other forms of cultural life are on display at Safnahúsið, a three-in-one harborfront museum that houses a natural history collection, a maritime exhibit, and the modernist artworks of local painter Tryggvi Ólafsson.