Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [183]
There’s a tiny tourist information point ( 466 3233; www.dalvik.is) at the sparkling modern swimming pool ( 466 3233; adult/under 16yr Ikr450/free; 6am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat & Sun Jun-Aug, 6am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat & Sun Sep-May) on Svarfaðarbraut. Hot pots and waterslides abound, and there’s 15 minutes’ free internet access for visitors. Grab the useful Dalvíkbyggð fold-out map for details on local hiking routes, or ask Ferðafélag Akureyrar in Akureyri for additional hut and map info.
There are a bunch of oddball museums around Eyjafjörður and Byggðasafnið Hvoll ( 466 1497; www.dalvik.is/byggdasafn; Karlsbraut; adult/under 16yr Ikr500/100; 11am-6pm daily Jun-Aug) definitely qualifies as one of the strangest. Skip the usual taxidermic characters and find the room dedicated to local giant Jóhan Pétursson who, at 2.34m (almost 7ft 7in), was Iceland’s tallest man. There are photos and personal effects, many from his days as a circus act. Another room is dedicated to another local, Kristjárn Eldjárn, who became president of Iceland.
Horse riding and hire can be organised through Tvistur ( 466 1679, 861 9631; ebu@ismennt.is; 1hr/2hr tours Ikr3000/4500), a farm about 3km from town along Rte 805 in the Svarfaðardalur valley.
Surely there can’t be good rooms behind the hideous facade at Foss Hótel ( 466 3395; www.fosshotel.com; Skíðabraut 18; s/d without bathroom Ikr9500/11,500, with bathroom Ikr20,900/22,900), but there actually are! After a recent renovation, Dalvík’s only hotel offers comfy accommodation in simple but tasteful rooms. There’s a free campsite just behind.
There’s a supermarket and several small restaurants in the small shopping complex between the main road and the harbour.
Dalvík is the jumping-off point for ferries to Grímsey – see opposite for details. The ferry-focused bus to/from Akureyri (one way Ikr400) is also available to travellers who aren’t making the trip to the Arctic Circle. Two additional buses link Akureyri and Ólafsfjörður daily.
Ólafsfjörður
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Beautifully situated beneath snowcapped peaks, the fishing town of Ólafsfjörður makes a pleasant day trip from Akureyri. Locked in between the sheer mountain slopes and the dark waters of the fjord, the place has a real sense of rural isolation. You have to pass through a thin 3km tunnel just to make your way into town.
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
If you’re looking for something indoors, try Nátúrrugripsafnið ( 466 2651; Aðalgata; admission Ikr500; 2-5pm Jun-Aug), a small bird-oriented museum above the post office, and Ólafsfjörður’s only formal sight.
Ólafsfjörður receives good snow coverage in winter, when the downhill ski slopes above town lurch into action. Ask at Brimnes about organising snowmobiling and ice-fishing excursions in winter, or check out www.sporttours.is.
Ólafsfjörður competes with Siglufjörður for the title of Iceland’s northernmost golf course. The nine-hole course is in a lush geothermal area just north of town.
SLEEPING & EATING
There’s a basic campsite ( 466 2363) at the swimming pool.
Brimnes Hotel & Cabins ( 466 2400; www.brimnes.is; Bylgjubyggð 2; s/d/cabins incl breakfast Ikr12,000/16,000/15,000) This is the main place to stay in town. The real draws here are the cosy Scandinavian-style log cabins on the lake shore, with hot tubs built into the verandah and views over the water. The hotel restaurant (mains Ikr1520 to Ikr3000) is a bright, cheery place with good service and a decent menu of fish and lamb dishes as well as pizza and some superb homemade Icelandic desserts. The hotel can help organise such activities as horse rental, lake and sea fishing, rowing boats and winter snowmobile excursions.
Höllin ( 466 4000; Hafnargötu 16; pizzas Ikr800-2500; 11.30am-10pm Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat) Apart from Brimnes, your only other option for food is the local pizza joint that plays movies on the plasma and shows English football as frequently as possible.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
During our visit, the finishing