The capital of the Westfjords
Ísafjörður is the largest settlement in the West Fjords. It is well known for its flourishing arts and cultural scenes and many prominent musicians and composers live here. Frequent art exhibitions are held throughout the year, which is a big draw for visitors to the area. An Icelandic annual music festival, Aldrei fór ég suður (I never went South), is held in Ísafjörður each Easter and is very popular among locals and Icelanders who travel from other parts of the country to attend.
In the oldest part of town, Neðstikaupstaður, there are four of the oldest houses in all of Iceland. Most of the houses in this area are now protected and date from 1757-1784, the oldest of which is Krambúðin (“The Shop”), built in 1757. This part of town also houses the Westfjord Heritage Museum, a folk and maritime exhibition, which is well worth a visit for its remarkable collection of traditional tools and relics.
View The Westfjords