Höfn is a fishing town on the south-eastern coast of Iceland, set on a peninsula beside the Hornafjörður lagoon. About 2,000 people live in it. Fishing and tourism are the main trades, and the town is known for lobster. Vatnajökull, the largest ice cap in Europe by volume, is visible inland, and Höfn is the main base for trips onto it. The Ring Road runs a few kilometres from the town.
Höfn
- 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 Höfn on GetYourGuide
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When to go
Shoulder
Apr – May
The glacier trip season has not started, and the summer exhibition is still shut. The road east of the town runs through the tunnel, so the old pass no longer decides whether you get through.
High season
Jun – Aug
Peak season. Operators run day trips onto Vatnajökull and flights over it, the glacier exhibition is open, and daytime highs sit around 12 °C. The Humarhátíð lobster festival takes over the town on the first weekend of July.
Shoulder
Sep – Oct
The summer tour season ends. Rain is the main constraint here: Höfn averages about 1,450 mm a year across roughly 180 days with measurable precipitation.
Low season
Nov – Mar
Daytime temperatures sit just above freezing, and in extreme cold the harbour freezes. The Almannaskarðsgöng tunnel east of the town, open since 2005, has cut the winter closures that the mountain pass used to bring.
How long to stay
One night covers the town. Höfn is small, and the museums take an afternoon between them: the Vatnajökull National Park centre at Gamlabúð by the harbour, Listasafn Svavars Guðnasonar in the town hall, and the glacier exhibition that opens for the summer. Add a second night for a glacier trip, since those run from the town and take most of a day.
Getting around
A car is the practical way to get around. Höfn itself is small enough to walk from end to end. Beyond the town the population is scattered along the Ring Road, which in places is the only road through the Hornafjörður area, and no bus serves the municipality. The only public transport in town is a single taxi. The airport is 4 km out, and driving is the only way in from it; the one car rental desk there is small, so book in advance. Höfn stands at the end of Road 99, which leaves the Ring Road a few kilometres north of the town. Tour operators run day trips to Vatnajökull, including flights over the glacier, mainly in summer.
What to see
Destinations in Höfn
Frequently asked questions
How far is Höfn from Reykjavík?
About 455 km along the south coast. Two buses a day run from the Mjódd terminal in Reykjavík; the ride takes 8–9 hours and may involve a change at Hvolsvöllur. A new bridge over the Hornafjarðafljót river, due in 2026, shortens the western route by 12 km.Is there an airport at Höfn?
Yes. Hornafjörður Airport lies 4 km from the town, and Eagle Air flies to Reykjavík most days. Driving is the only way between the airport and the town. The single car rental desk there is a small station, so book ahead.What is Höfn known for?
Lobster. Boats work the grounds off the south-eastern coast, and the factories in town process saltfish and lobster alongside herring and capelin. The Humarhátíð lobster festival is held on the first weekend of July.Can you visit Vatnajökull from Höfn?
Yes. Tour operators run day trips onto the glacier and flights over it during the summer season. The Vatnajökull National Park information centre is in Gamlabúð, one of the oldest houses in the town, moved back to the harbour in 2012.What is the weather like?
Wet. Höfn averages about 1,450 mm of precipitation a year over roughly 180 days. Summer daytime highs are around 12 °C, and winter days sit just above freezing. The record extremes are 24.4 °C in August 2004 and −21.6 °C in March 1969.