Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [150]
Hotel Edda ( 444 4960; www.hoteledda.is; sb/s/d without bathroom from Ikr1700/8800/11,000, d with bathroom Ikr17,600; Jun-Aug; ) No-frills summer accommodation is available at the town’s secondary school. You can choose from basic sleeping-bag accommodation in the classrooms, private rooms with shared bathrooms and doubles with private bathrooms. We actually liked the shared bathrooms more – the rooms with private facilities all had twin beds and felt a bit too like a hospital. Breakfast cots are Ikr1050. (On-site camping is available – with showers).
Hótel Ísafjörður ( 456 4111; www.hotelisafjordur.is; Silfurtorg 2; s/d incl breakfast from Ikr11,200/13,500; ) Slap bang in the centre of the town, this business-class hotel offers spacious, international-style rooms with calm, neutral decor, good bathrooms and views over the sea or town square. Go for a deluxe room; it’s only Ikr2000 more and you get a huge step up in quality.
Eating
Heitt A Prjónunum ( 456 3210; Aðalstræti; snacks Ikr200-600; noon-6pm Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm Sat; ) We weren’t quite sure where to put this little treasure – it could be categorised as shopping, entertainment or even a sight. But we think it fits best under ‘eating’ because it’s the place in town for some coffee, cake and afternoon gossip.
Thai Koon ( 456 0123; Neisti Centre, Hafnarstræti 9; mains Ikr990-1290; 11.30am-9pm Mon-Sat, 5-9pm Sun) After a few weeks of limited choice for meals, this small Thai canteen seems decidedly exotic. Although there’s no atmosphere here whatsoever, the food is excellent and served up in giant portions, making it incredible value for money.
Edinborg ( 456 8060; Aðalstræti 7; mains Ikr1290-2000; lunch & dinner) In the same building as the info centre, this social space sees lots of tourist traffic and makes a convenient spot to grab a burger. The summer saltfish feasts are held here, and it’s definitely worth trying to get a ticket (Ikr4500) and gorging on a variety of local recipes.
Poturinn ( 456 4111; Silfurtorg 2; mains Ikr1250-2650; breakfast, lunch & dinner) Although the decor feels a bit too IKEA-ish, Hótel Ísafjörður’s restaurant has an excellent selection of local cuisine. The windows offer great views over the fjord – you might even see your next meal getting hauled into the harbour. Light lunches make it a better deal at midday than in the evening.
Tjöruhisið (Tar House; 456 3293; Neðstíkaupstaður; mains Ikr1500-3000; 11am-10pm Jun-Sep) The atmospheric summer restaurant at the folk museum offers some of the best fish and seafood dishes in town at very reasonable prices.
For breakfast, lunch or a midmorning sugar fix, there’s a clutch of tempting bakeries in town. At Gamla Bakaríið ( 456 3226; Aðalstræti; 7am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat), a stampede of customers rush in at 5.30pm when the baked goods get marked down by 50%. Bakarans ( 456 4771; Hafnarstræti 14; 7.30am-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-4.30pm Sun) has a cosy seating area and a choice of savoury and sweet snacks to obliterate any diet.
There’s a Samkaup supermarket ( 9am-9pm Mon-Fri, 10am-9pm Sat, noon-9pm Sun) in the Neisti Centre on Hafnarstræti and a cheaper Bónus supermarket ( 9am-6pm) on the main road into town (expect long lines – it’s the only Bónus in the Westfjords). For alcohol, there’s a Vin Búð (Aðalstræti 20).
Shopping
If you’re heading for Hornstrandir you can buy outdoor clothing and camping equipment at Hafnarbúdin ( 456 3245; Suðurgata). Instead of buying an Icelandic sweater, why not knit your own? Stop by Heitt A Prjónunum (left) – it’s a yarn shop, cafe and popular local hangout. Rammagerð Ísafjarðar ( 456 3041; Aðalstræti 16) sells quality glassware and other crafts, and Gullauga ( 456 3460; Hafnarstræti 4) is good for gold jewellery.
Getting There & Away
AIR
Air Iceland ( 456 3000; www.airiceland.is) is based at the airport and flies to/from Reykjavík two or three times daily. The cheapest online fare from Reykjavík is