Eskifjörður

Eskifjörður occupies a long, sheltered inlet on the East Fjords coast, flanked by steep mountains that rise almost directly from the water. The town grew around the fishing and fish-processing industries of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and its older streets retain a pleasingly original character.

The East Iceland Maritime Museum (Sjóminjasafn Austurlands) occupies a historic warehouse on the harbour and tells the story of local fishing traditions from rowing-boat days to modern trawlers. Just outside town, the ruins of Hólmur medieval church add a sense of deep history to the landscape.

Eskifjörður lies about fifteen kilometres off Route 1 on Route 92 and is most easily visited in combination with the nearby Reyðarfjörður. It is a pleasant detour for travellers wanting to experience a genuine, unpolished East Fjords community.