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Voykit pocket guide · Iceland
Skagafjörður
Use Skagafjörður as a 1–2 night stop on a North Iceland road trip: turf houses, a boat trip to Drangey island and the historic cathedral at Hólar. Not a base for the whole north.
Skagafjörður is a municipality in North Iceland centred on the town of Sauðárkrókur, with the villages of Hofsós and Varmahlíð and the historic bishop's seat at Hólar. Its sights are spread across a short coastal loop: a folk museum in a turf farmhouse, a boat trip to the bird cliff island of Drangey, and one of Iceland's oldest cathedrals. Most travellers pass through on the Ring Road and spend one night; two nights let you add a boat trip and a relaxed afternoon at Hólar.
- Country
- Iceland
- Best months
- Jun–Aug
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (short days, storms, many services closed)
- 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 kr 12,000–18,000 excl. bed · Mid kr 25,000–40,000 excl. bed · High kr 50,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EEA roaming applies: EU/EEA SIMs work at home prices.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Non-urgent medical 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 | kr 500–700 |
| Lunch (soup or sandwich) | kr 1,500–2,500 |
| Dinner main course | kr 3,500–5,500 |
| Beer (pint) | kr 1,200–1,800 |
| Petrol (1 litre) | kr 250–300 |
| Glaumbær Folk Museum entry | kr 1,500 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AEY · Akureyri Airport
- 94 km (58 mi) from Varmahlíð; bus 57 connects. Nearest airport with regular service.58 mi (94 km) from Varmahlíð; bus 57 connects. Nearest airport with regular service.
Typical fares
- Bus 57 Reykjavík → Sauðárkrókur
- about kr 6,000, about 5 h (check)
- Bus 57 Akureyri → Varmahlíð
- about kr 2,500, about 1 h 15 min (check)
- Drangey boat trip (summer)
- about kr 15,000 per person (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Bus 57 links Reykjavík with Sauðárkrókur and Varmahlíð. Between towns, a car is needed: road 75 to Sauðárkrókur, road 76 to Hofsós and Hólar. Within towns, walking is fine – the longest walk is about 3.2 km (2 mi).Bus 57 links Reykjavík with Sauðárkrókur and Varmahlíð. Between towns, a car is needed: road 75 to Sauðárkrókur, road 76 to Hofsós and Hólar. Within towns, walking is fine – the longest walk is about 2 mi (3.2 km).
See and do
Known for
- Glaumbær turf house – Folk Museum
- Drangey island boat trips
- Hólar cathedral and folk museum
- Sauðárkrókur town
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Akureyri | Bus 57 or car via Ring Road (route 1), about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Mývatn | Car via Ring Road (route 1), about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
| Húsavík | Car via road 76 and 85, about 1 h 40 min | About 2 h |
| Siglufjörður | Car via road 76 and 76, about 1 h 10 min | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Sauðárkrókur
- Main town with guesthouses, hotels and a campsite; best for access to Drangey boats and the Ring Road.
- Varmahlíð
- Smaller village at the junction of roads 75 and 76; a few guesthouses and a hostel.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Halló |
| Thank you | Takk |
| Yes / No | Já / Nei |
| How much is it? | Hvað kostar þetta? |
| Where is the toilet? | Hvar er salernið? |
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
- Drangey boat trips run only in summer (Jun–Aug) and depend on weather; book ahead.
- Hólar cathedral and museum have limited hours outside summer; check the official site.
- Last bus from Reykjavík arrives in the evening; plan a car if you arrive after 18:00.
- Gravel roads on the Hólar loop (road 767); drive slowly.
Very safe. Risks are limited to weather: sudden storms, icy roads in winter, and strong winds on the Drangey boat. Always check road.is before driving.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Skagafjörður yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Glaumbær turf house – Folk Museum
- Drangey island boat trips
- Hólar cathedral and folk museum
- Sauðárkrókur town
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Skagafjörður, revision 5296798 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5296798
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Skagafjörður
Á þetta heimilisfang, takk
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US embassy is in Reykjavík; most other countries have embassies there as well. No consulate in Skagafjörður.
Phrases are approximate; English is widely understood.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/skagafjorur). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.