Borgarnes

A charming town in the west

One of the few coastal towns in Iceland not dependent on fishing, Borgarnes is a charming municipality along the Ring Road. In addition to having a well-situated service centre for travellers, the town also boasts many activities, from golf to sea angling.

In the surrounding countryside you’ll find hot springs, lakes, rivers and beautiful waterfalls.

The area where Borgarnes is today was mentioned in Egil’s Saga and an island just west of the town centre, Brákarey island, is named after Egil’s slave Þorgerður Brák.

Borgarnes’ Settlement Centre is housed in two of the oldest buildings in town, Pakkhúsið and Búðarklettur. The Centre provides a fascinating insight into Iceland’s early history and important contributions to the literary world through two exhibits: the Settlement Exhibition, dedicated to the discovery of the island and the Viking settlers; and the Egil's Saga Exhibition, which tells the centuriesold tale of the rebellious (and often vengeful) Egill Skallagrímsson, a farmer, poet and all-around feisty Viking.