Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [124]
Bjarg ( 437 1925; bjarg@simnet.is; sb/s/d Ikr2000/5500/9800) One of the nicer places to stay in the area, this attractive farmhouse overlooking the fjord has warm, cosy rooms with tasteful wood panelling and crisp white linens. There’s a shared guest kitchen, a BBQ, spotless bathrooms and an additional self-catering studio apartment sleeping four. Bjarg is about 1km north of the centre, just off Rte 1.
Venus Guesthouse ( 437 2345; motel@centrum.is; 311 Borgarnes; sites per tent Ikr1500, sb Ikr2700, s/d without bathroom Ikr5150/8300, d with bathroom Ikr10,800) Like something out of the American Midwest, this rather forlorn-looking motel (think Bates) on the far side of the fjord bridge has faded and dated rooms, but excellent views to the distant Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The on-site restaurant serves the usual assortment of pub grub (mains Ikr680 to Ikr1700). Room rates drop about 30% in winter.
Borgarnes B&B ( 842 5866; www.borgarnesbb.is; Skúlagata 21; s/d incl breakfast Ikr8900/11,400; ) Antique wooden doors, modern fixtures and generous coats of white paint put this charming guest house near the top of our list. Go for one of the two rooms on the ground floor (the rest are in the basement) – they have fab views of the bay out back. Included in the price is a gut-busting buffet-style breakfast of Icelandic faves.
Hótel Borgarnes ( 437 1117; www.hotelborgarnes.is; Egilsgata 12-14; s/d incl breakfast Ikr14,500/16,500; May-Sep; ) Large and characterless, Hótel Borgarnes has boring business-style rooms sprouting off the tired carpeted hallways.
Hotel Hamar ( 433 6600; www.icehotels.is; Golfvöllurinn; s/d incl breakfast Ikr16,700/21,100 May-Sep, Ikr11,000/14,700 Oct-Apr; ) We found the prefab exterior to be slightly off-putting, but surprisingly sleek decor and a cache of mod cons hide within. Hamar sits on a well-maintained golf course flanked by snowy peaks in the distance.
Eating
Búðarklettur ( 437 1600; Brákarbraut 13; mains Ikr1100-2200; 10am-9pm) After reliving Egil’s adventures, continue the sensorial journey back through time at the Settlement Centre’s restaurant – Borgarnes’ best bet for food. The large windows, stripped wood floors and modern furniture give it a wonderfully stylish vibe. Choose from an assortment of traditional Icelandic eats (lamb, fish stew etc) then flip to the back of the menu and read up on the history of the town’s oldest buildings (including the one you’re sitting in!).
Café des Amis (Vinakaffi; 437 1010; Hrafnakletti 1b; mains Ikr1450-2590; lunch & dinner) Perfect for a quick fish soup or roadside coffee break, Café des Amis sits in a small house on the Ring Road, just north of the old town.
For the usual array of burgers, fried chicken and doughy pizza, try the grill bar at the N1 petrol station. The puppet museum has healthier choices if you’re looking for a light snack. Self-caterers should head to the Bónus supermarket (Borgarbraut 57) at the edge of the fjord bridge coming into town. There’s a branch of Vín Búð (Hyrnu Torg centre) on the main road.
Getting There & Away
All buses between Reykjavík and Akureyri, Snæfellsnes and the Westfjords stop near the cluster of petrol stations at the fjord bridge. In winter, high winds rolling in off the Atlantic can close the southern approach to town. Borgarnes is one hour from Reykjavík.
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UPPER BORGARFJÖRÐUR
Bifröst
Heading north from Borgarnes along Rte 1 you’ll pass through a large lava field belched out by the 3000-year-old cinder cones of Grábrók and Grábrókarfell near the college complex at Bifröst. There are plenty of walking trails criss-crossing the area, and a well-worn track leads up through the moss, lichen and dwarf birch to the lip of Grábrók (173m), which offers great views over the surrounding lava flow but can be extremely windy.
Bifröst is a stop on the main Reykjavík–Akureyri bus route (bus 60/60a). Buses from Reykjavík and Akureyri leave