Seyðisfjörður is a fjord village in East Iceland, 17 miles (27 km) from Egilsstaðir and around 30 minutes by car. It suits travelers who want a small town with a painted street, a blue church, art spaces and mountains right above the harbor, and who don’t mind a long drive to reach it.
The only road in is Route 93 over the Fjarðarheiði pass, which tops out around 2,030 feet (620 meters). Drivers should go carefully and check the weather forecast, especially in winter.
At a glance
- Location: East Iceland, 17 miles (27 km) from Egilsstaðir by Route 93
- Drive from Reykjavík: around 400 to 435 miles (650-700 km), 8.5 to 9 hours
- Nearest airport: Egilsstaðir, with regular flights to Reykjavík
- Ferry: Norröna docks at the harbor
- Best month: June, with a high of 48°F (9°C) and nine rainy days
- Main draws: Rainbow Street, the Blue Church, Tvísöngur, Skaftfell art center
Where is Seyðisfjörður and what is it like?
Egilsstaðir, the closest town, is 17 miles (27 km) away. Reykjavík is around 400 to 435 miles (650-700 km) by road, Akureyri 175 miles (280 km), and the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon around 168 miles (270 km), roughly five hours by car.
The village is compact. Rainbow Street, Regnbogagatan, runs through the center on Norðurgata and ends at the Blue Church. Mount Bjólfur rises 3,560 feet (1,085 meters) above the fjord, and the waterfall Gufufoss lies 2.5 miles (4 km) southwest of the port. The pace is that of a small harbor town with a ferry dock.
The old hospital and the harbor building have both been turned into places to stay. Hafaldan Harbour Hostel dates from 1975, and the old post office from the sixties is now a hostel too.
What is there to do in Seyðisfjörður?
Rainbow Street and the Blue Church
Rainbow Street is painted in bands of color and runs through the heart of the village. At its end stands the Blue Church, Seyðisfjarðarkirkja. The walk from one to the other is short and fits easily into an arrival day.
The church also hosts the Blue Church Concert Series. It is held on Wednesday nights in July, so a July visit can include an evening there.
Walk the street in daylight, then plan any concert around the Wednesday date.
Tvísöngur, Skaftfell and the museums
Tvísöngur is a sound sculpture on a mountainside above town. It consists of five interconnected concrete domes. A phone booth sculpture by Guðjón Ketilsson stands close by.
Skaftfell Center for Visual Art is at Austurvegur 42. Skaftfell Bistró is on its first floor, a cozy artistic restaurant and bar serving seasonal bistro cuisine. The Technical Museum of East Iceland is at Hafnargata 38b.
Boat tours, hiking and wildlife
Exploring Seyðisfjörður runs boat tours, and whales and seals may be spotted. Eastfjords Adventure offers e-bike tours, hiking, snowshoeing and jeep adventures. Wild reindeer may be seen, and East Iceland is the only region in Iceland where they live.
Puffins are not typically found right in Seyðisfjörður. The best-known colony is at Hafnarhólmi in Borgarfjörður Eystri, about a two-hour drive north. Count a full day for that trip.
On shorter walks, the Brimnes lighthouse area offers coastal views, and Dvergasteinn is a legendary rock formation nearby. The local indoor swimming pool has hot tubs, a good stop after a cold hike.
Festivals through the year
List í ljósi is held in Seyðisfjörður in February every year. The Midsummer Street Festival is held on June 20, and Klifurhátíð á Seyðisfirði, a climbing festival, is held July 9-12.
The village suits travelers who like art, short walks and quiet harbor evenings, and those who come by ferry. For wildlife, add the drive to Borgarfjörður Eystri. It suits less well anyone who wants a long list of sights, since the village is small and the nearest town is a mountain pass away.
Where to stay in Seyðisfjörður
In the town center, Steinholt is a renovated apartment in the old music school, and Hafaldan HI hostel is in the historic old hospital. Lónsleira has 4 apartments in 2 new buildings by the lagoon in the old part of town. Báran is a studio by the sea, a 7 minute walk from the center. Undiraldan offers rooms in three houses in the village.
Near the harbor, Media Luna Guesthouse has single, double, triple and quadruple rooms and is close to where the Norröna ferry docks. Post-Hostel is in the old post office building, also near the harbor. Both suit anyone arriving or leaving by ferry.
Móðir Jörð is an organic farm guesthouse in Vallanes, 16 miles (26 km) away. Heiðmörk has two apartments for up to four people in Stöðvarfjörður, 30 miles (48 km) away. These need a car.
How do you get to Seyðisfjörður and get around?
Egilsstaðir airport has regular flights to Reykjavík, the capital. From Egilsstaðir, the road to Seyðisfjörður is the scenic mountain road Fjarðarheiði, 17 miles (27 km) and about 30 minutes by car. The Norröna ferry also docks at the harbor in Seyðisfjörður.
The car is the most common mode of transport in Iceland, and rental agencies can be found in most major towns.
An extensive bus service serves most parts of the country. Reservations are not necessary, and tickets can be bought at the bus station or from the driver. Schedules are on sba.is, straeto.is and east.is/en/travel/travel-information, and local bus information is also posted online for Seyðisfjörður.
In winter, drive carefully and monitor the weather forecast before crossing Fjarðarheiði.
When should you go to Seyðisfjörður?
Early summer is the best fit. June has a high of 48°F (9°C), a low of 41°F (5°C) and about nine rainy days. May is cooler, with a high of 44°F (7°C) and 11 rainy days. June also brings the Midsummer Street Festival on June 20, and July adds the climbing festival and the Wednesday concerts.
January is the hardest month on the list, with a high of 39°F (4°C), a low of 31°F (-1°C) and 16 rainy days. February to April stay near 39-40°F (4°C) for highs, with 13 to 14 rainy days in February and March and 13 in April. Winter suits travelers who want snowshoeing and quiet streets and who are comfortable driving the pass in poor weather.
What to know before visiting Seyðisfjörður
According to travel.state.gov, no visa is needed for up to 90 days for tourism or business. A few other points from the State Department:
- Passports must have 3 months’ validity beyond your date of departure from the Iceland/Schengen Area. Six months is recommended.
- Iceland does not accept the 12-page U.S. emergency passport for visa-free entry unless it has 3 months beyond your planned date of departure.
- No vaccinations are required.
- Iceland is generally a safe destination for travelers.
Booking Seyðisfjörður for November: what to know
For a November stay, the lodging facts are limited to one tip. Undiraldan recommends booking directly for the best price with flexible terms.
Sources
- ncei.noaa.gov (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/wmo-climate-normals), checked 2026-10-30
- east.is (https://www.east.is/en/blog/seydisfjordur-travel-guide-a-colourful-haven-of-art-and-adventure), checked 2026-10-30
- visiticeland.com (https://www.visiticeland.com/things-to-do/undiraldan-a-bed-in-paradise/), checked 2026-10-30
- smyrilline.com (https://www.smyrilline.com/getting-to-and-from-seydisfjordur/), checked 2026-10-30
- east.is (https://www.east.is/en/blog/seydisfjordur-iceland-things-to-do), checked 2026-10-30
- travel.state.gov (https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/iceland.html), checked 2026-10-31
- visiticeland.com (https://www.visiticeland.com/things-to-do/media-luna-guesthouse/), checked 2026-10-30
- east.is (https://www.east.is/en/blog/culture-summer-in-austurland), checked 2026-10-30