Sauðárkrókur is the largest town in Northwest Iceland and the second-largest on the north coast, with a population of 2,672. It stands on Skagafjörður and is the seat of both the Skagafjörður municipality and the Northwestern Region. Fisheries, dairy production, light industry and services carry the economy, and the town is the commercial centre for the surrounding district. The name comes from the creek Sauðá and translates as 'sheep-river-hook'. Reykjavík is about 300 km away by road.
Sauðárkrókur
- 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 Sauðárkrókur on GetYourGuide
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When to go
Shoulder
Apr – May
Spring and early summer are the driest part of the year here, out of roughly 460 mm of annual precipitation spread fairly evenly. Daylight lengthens quickly at this latitude.
High season
Jun – Aug
The town lies just south of the Arctic Circle and gets four to five days of midnight sun around the solstice, an effect of atmospheric refraction. Early summer stays dry.
Shoulder
Sep – Oct
Daylight shortens fast and temperatures fall back towards the annual average of 3.2 °C. The coast is windy, averaging 6.7 m/s, though severe storms are unusual.
Low season
Nov – Mar
January and February are the coldest months, with average lows around −5 °C. At the winter solstice the day gives 3 hours 1 minute of light, and the Blönduós approach on roads 744 and 74 is only usable when conditions allow.
How long to stay
One night covers the town itself; the longest walk inside it is 3.2 km. Add a second day for the rest of Skagafjörður — Hofsós on road 76, Hólar on roads 76 and 767, and the natural hot pool 15 km north. Without a car that second day is hard to fill, because only Varmahlíð shares the bus route with Sauðárkrókur.
Getting around
The town is small enough to cross on foot: the longest walk inside it is 3.2 km.
Road 75 links Sauðárkrókur to Route 1 at Varmahlíð. A second approach runs from Blönduós on roads 744 and 74, but only when road conditions allow. Reykjavík is about 300 km away by road.
Bus 57 runs between Sauðárkrókur and Reykjavík and calls at Varmahlíð. The rest of the municipality has no bus service, so reaching Hofsós on road 76 or Hólar on roads 76 and 767 needs a car.
Sauðárkrókur Airport serves the town but has no scheduled flights. The nearest airport with scheduled service is Akureyri, about 120 km away by road.
What to see
Destinations in Sauðárkrókur
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Sauðárkrókur from Reykjavík?
About 300 km by road. Leave Route 1 at Varmahlíð and take road 75 north. Bus 57 also runs between Reykjavík and Sauðárkrókur, calling at Varmahlíð.Is there an airport?
Sauðárkrókur Airport serves the town and the surrounding area, but it has no scheduled flights. The nearest airport with scheduled service is Akureyri, about 120 km away by road.Does Sauðárkrókur have midnight sun?
For four to five days around the summer solstice. The town sits just south of the Arctic Circle, so the effect comes from atmospheric refraction. There is no polar night: the shortest day still gives 3 hours 1 minute of daylight.How cold does it get?
The annual average temperature is about 3.2 °C. January and February are the coldest months, with average lows near −5 °C. Annual precipitation is about 460 mm, spread fairly evenly through the year.Is there a hot spring near the town?
A natural hot pool lies 15 km north of Sauðárkrókur. It is mentioned in Grettis saga.