Borgarnes stands on a peninsula in Borgarfjörður in West Iceland, 69 km north of Reykjavík. It is the largest town in the Borgarbyggð municipality, with just over 2,000 residents, and a junction on the ring road where the road out to Snæfellsnes splits off. The surrounding region is the setting of Egil's Saga, and the Settlement Center covers the town's ties to Egill Skallagrímsson. Most people come for a stop on the drive north, or for a base close to Reykholt and Deildartunguhver.
Borgarnes
- Currency
- Icelandic króna (ISK)
- Language
- Icelandic; nearly all speak English
- Power plug
- Europlug and Schuko sockets, 230 V
- Visa
- Schengen; outside the EU
- Time zone
- UTC±00:00 (Atlantic/Reykjavik)
- Tap water
- Safe; hot water smells of sulphur
- Tipping
- Not customary
- Emergency
- 112
Things to do
All tours in Borgarnes on GetYourGuide
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When to go
High season
Jun – Aug
Daylight runs almost around the clock at this latitude. The roads inland to Reykholt, Deildartunguhver and the birch forests are all open, and the whole of Borgarfjörður works as a day trip from the town.
Shoulder
Sep – Oct
Daylight shortens quickly after the equinox. The drive from Reykjavík still takes about an hour, and the roads to Reykholt and Snæfellsnes are straightforward.
Low season
Nov – Mar
A few hours of usable light around midday. The town stays walkable in any weather, but the inland roads to the forests and hot springs are slower going.
Shoulder
Apr – May
Light returns fast through April and May. Borgarfjörður is farming country, and the inland roads to Reykholt and Deildartunguhver are easy driving again.
How long to stay
Half a day covers the town itself: the Settlement Center, Skallagrímsgarður park and the peninsula. Many travellers see Borgarnes only as a stop on the drive between Reykjavík and the north, and an hour is enough for that. Give it one or two nights if you want it as a base for Borgarfjörður — Reykholt, Deildartunguhver and the forests inland — or as a first stop before Snæfellsnes.
Getting around
Borgarnes is small enough to cross on foot, and walking is the only way to get around inside it. There are no local buses and no taxi company. Everything beyond the town needs a car. Reykholt, where Snorri Sturluson lived, and Deildartunguhver, the largest hot spring in Europe, are both short drives inland, as are the national forests about 40 km from the centre. The town sits on the ring road, close to the junction where the road out to Snæfellsnes splits off; Stykkishólmur is just over an hour away. Long-distance buses link Borgarnes with Reykjavík, Akureyri, Hólmavík and the towns on the north coast of Snæfellsnes. They will not get you to the sights around Borgarfjörður.
What to see
Destinations in Borgarnes
Frequently asked questions
How far is Borgarnes from Reykjavík?
69 km from the centre of Reykjavík, about an hour by car on the ring road. The approach crosses Borgarfjarðarbrú, the second largest bridge in Iceland. The shorter route uses the toll tunnel under Hvalfjörður; driving around the fjord instead adds just under an hour.Can you get to Borgarnes without a car?
Yes. Several buses a day leave the BSÍ terminal in Reykjavík for Borgarnes, and any northbound bus from Reykjavík stops there. Buses also connect the town with Akureyri, Hólmavík and the towns on the north coast of Snæfellsnes.Do you need a car once you are in Borgarnes?
Not for the town, which is small and easily walked. There are no local buses and no taxi company, so a car is needed for Reykholt, Deildartunguhver and the forests inland.What is Borgarnes known for?
The region is the setting of Egil's Saga. The town takes its name from Borg á Mýrum, the farm of the saga's poet-hero Egill Skallagrímsson, and the Settlement Center in town is devoted to those ties. A hill in Skallagrímsgarður park is said to be the grave of the viking Skallagrímur Kveldúlfsson.Was The Secret Life of Walter Mitty filmed here?
Partly. Borgarnes is one of the Hollywood film's locations, and the bakery and café Geirabakari Kaffihus appears in it, dressed as a Papa John's for the shoot. It is an ordinary working bakery the rest of the time.