Welcome to Fjarðabyggð!
Deep fjords and spectacular mountain peaks greet the visitors to Fjarðabyggð, og Icelnad's east
coast. The rugged slopes and fjords were created by Ice Age glaciers, and now have streams rushing in white waterfalls down to the coast. Spreading along six such fjords, each distinctive through its natural features and village centre, the municipality of Fjarðabyggð offers a wealth of opportunities for the traveller.
A host of options are thus open to the cruise ship passenger arriving at Eskifjörður. This town in the middle of our large municipality is typical of Icelandic seaside villages, through its assortment of traditional and modern houses rising up from the sea. Passengers can, for instance, walk around town, head up the mountain slopes or stroll along the endless shores. Two museums will introduce you to the history of employment or the world of rocks. At a former fishing shed known as Randulfssjóhús, you can experience an atmosphere preserved since early in the twentieth century. If you want to go fishing in the fjord, small boats are available for hire, but even fishing from shore can yield a pretty good catch. The outdoor swimming pool, geothermally heated, has hot tubs as well. Swimming in warm water is part of the Icelandic lifestyle, whether summer or winter, and becomes a cherished memory of Iceland for the foreign visitors who try it.
Bus trips are also on offer to nearby towns. Going north towards Neskaupstaður will take you over a high mountain road, with superb views. The bay is surrounded by mountains, while in the grassy green valley inland from Neskaupstaður you can go riding on a really good horse. Among the numerous sights, the impressive avalanche barriers remind one of the devastating power of nature in these parts, whether through avalanches or mud slides.
If you decide to travel south from Eskifjörður, the first place you reach will be Reyðarfjörður, home to Iceland's only wartime museum. The preserved barrack housing and military hospital area recall how the occupation by foreign troops, first British and then American, raised the village population tenfold, from over 300 people to over 3,000.
The next fjord south is the location of Iceland's "French town", Fáskrúðsfjörður. In past centuries, a large fleet of French sailing vessels used the town as a base for fishing in Icelandic waters. Courage and determination were needed for such a journey to far-away fishing grounds, and many Frenchmen drowned while fishing. The French cemetery just outside town is a solemn reminder of this. The French also erected a number of buildings which can still be seen: a hospital, a chapel and a doctor's residence, each one of them an admirable structure for its time. The museum about the French fishermen is a wealth of information, and street names appear in Icelandic and French.
Slightly farther south, Stöðvarfjörður harbours a unique, magnificent rock collection where an elderly lady, Petra, exhibits thousands of colourful, beautifully formed rocks she has found locally over many years and keeps displayed in her house and garden. Nearby rich fishing grounds are an oasis for those who try sea angling.
Fjarðabyggð residents will do their best to provide cruise ship travellers with a pleasant visit. The harbour facilities are outstanding, with a deep approach, while the fjords en route are sheltered and free of reefs. Feel heartily welcome to Fjarðabyggð!
Helga Jónsdóttir, Mayor