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Voykit pocket guide · Iceland
Borgarnes
Stop for one night on the Ring Road, or use it as a base for two: the town itself is 2 hours, the saga sites and hot springs fill a day.
Borgarnes is a small fjord town of about 2,000 people on the Ring Road, roughly an hour north of Reykjavík. Almost everyone driving between the capital and the north passes through it, but few stop. Those who do get the Settlement Centre, a good swimming pool, and a base for Reykholt, Deildartunguhver and the waterfalls at Hraunfossar — all within an hour's drive. It is also the junction where the road to the Snæfellsnes peninsula splits off from Route 1.
- Country
- Iceland
- Best months
- Jun–Aug for long daylight and open mountain roads; May and Sep are quieter but some highland access closes
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb for long drives unless you are set up for winter roads; storms can close Route 1
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- ISK
- Money
- Currency is the Icelandic króna (ISK, kr). Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including remote petrol stations and toilets. About 145 ISK to €1 — check.
- Daily spend
- Budget 8,000–14,000 kr excl. bed · Mid 14,000–24,000 kr excl. bed · High 24,000 kr+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EEA roaming applies: EU/EEA SIMs work at home prices.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance, coast guard 112 · Non-urgent medical advice 1700
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Not expected.; Tour guide: Optional; ISK 1,000–3,000 for an excellent guide.; Taxi: Nothing.
- Water
- Cold tap water is excellent; hot tap water is geothermal and smells of sulphur — do not drink it.
- Toilets
- Few on long drives; petrol stations and paid toilets (ISK 200–500) at sites.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | 500–800 kr |
| Soup or a simple lunch main | 2,000–3,500 kr |
| Petrol, per litre | about 300 kr |
| Beer, 0.5 l in a bar / at the state liquor store | 1,200–1,600 kr / 400–600 kr |
| Swimming pool entry | about 1,200 kr |
| Settlement Centre admission | about 3,000 kr |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | 2,000–4,000 kr |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KEF · Keflavík International
- About 2 h 15 min by car to Borgarnes via Reykjavík; no direct bus, change at BSÍ in Reykjavík
Typical fares
- Hvalfjörður tunnel toll, normal car
- about 1,000 kr each way (check)
- Bus Reykjavík BSÍ → Borgarnes
- about 1 h 15 min; any northbound bus stops here (check timetable and fare)
- Drive Borgarnes → Reykjavík
- about 1 h via the tunnel, about 1 h 50 min around the fjord
Get around
The town is small enough to walk end to end in about 20 minutes. There are no local buses and no taxi company based in town. A hire car is the practical way to reach the saga sites, hot springs and waterfalls; without one you are limited to the town and whatever tours stop here.
See and do
Known for
- Settlement Centre (Landnámssetrið)
- Egil's saga and Snorri Sturluson country
- Deildartunguhver hot spring
- Hraunfossar waterfalls
- Ring Road junction for Snæfellsnes
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reykholt | Drive Route 50 then Route 518, about 30 kmDrive Route 50 then Route 518, about 19 mi | About 40 min |
| Deildartunguhver | Drive via Reykholt, about 34 km from BorgarnesDrive via Reykholt, about 21 mi from Borgarnes | About 45 min |
| Hraunfossar and Barnafoss | Drive past Reykholt towards Langjökull, about 20 km beyondDrive past Reykholt towards Langjökull, about 12 mi beyond | About 1 h |
| Stykkishólmur | Drive Route 54 onto the Snæfellsnes peninsula | About 1 h 15 min |
| Surtshellir cave | Drive towards the interior, about 60 km; last stretch is roughDrive towards the interior, about 37 mi; last stretch is rough | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Town centre (Brákarbraut / Skúlagata)
- Walkable to the Settlement Centre, pool and shops; most guesthouses and the hostel sit here.
- Hafnarskógur / harbour side
- Quieter, a few minutes' walk from the centre; a couple of hotels and guesthouses.
- Camping and hostel grounds (Borgarbraut)
- Cheapest option; the hostel also runs the campsite, so book beds early in summer.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hallóha-LO |
| Thank you | Þakka þérTHAH-ka thyer |
| Excuse me | FyrirgefðuFI-rir-gev-thu |
| How much is it? | Hvað kostar þetta?kvath KOS-tar THEH-ta |
| Can I pay by card? | Get ég borgað með korti?get yeh BOR-gath meth KOR-ti |
| Where is the toilet? | Hvar er baðherbergið?kvar er BATH-her-ber-gith |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, first names; avoid: Using titles or surnames — there usually is no family name
- Pools: Shower naked first, keep the hot pot conversational; avoid: Swimwear in the showers
- Driving: Pull into lay-bys for photos, dip lights on single-lane bridges; avoid: Stopping on the road
- Nature: Stay on paths, carry litter out; avoid: Stone stacks, walking on moss
- Conversation: Ask about books, music, weather and the elves with good humour; avoid: Lecturing on whaling
Scams and watch-outs
- The Hvalfjörður tunnel on the way from Reykjavík is tolled at about 1,000 kr each way for a normal car; driving around the fjord instead adds just under an hour.
- Fuel up here before heading into the Westfjords or the Snæfellsnes interior — stations get sparse.
- Some gravel and mountain roads in the region close in winter; check road.is and vedur.is before setting out.
- Restaurant kitchens in a town this size can close early outside July and August; eat before 21:00 or check ahead.
- The pool has weekday early-morning and weekend hours that differ; confirm before you go.
Borgarnes is a very safe small town; the real risks are on the road — winter storms, single-lane bridges and gravel, plus geothermal water at Deildartunguhver that is far too hot to touch.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Borgarnes yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Settlement Centre (Landnámssetrið)
- Egil's saga and Snorri Sturluson country
- Deildartunguhver hot spring
- Hraunfossar waterfalls
- Ring Road junction for Snæfellsnes
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Iceland — West Iceland: www.visiticeland.com/
- Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration — road conditions: www.road.is/
- Icelandic Met Office — weather: en.vedur.is/
- Wikivoyage: Borgarnes, revision 5327479 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5327479
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Borgarnes
Að þessu heimilisfangi, takk
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Borgarnes; most are in Reykjavík. US, UK, Canadian and other consular help is in the capital.
English is spoken almost everywhere; Icelandic phrases are a courtesy, not a necessity.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/borgarnes). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.