The top things to do in Hafnarfjordur include visiting elf-filled lava gardens, feasting at a Viking village, and soaking in geothermal pools, all in a compact town just 15 minutes from Reykjavik. Read on to find out more about the best activities.
Hafnarfjordur is Iceland's third-largest town and one of the easiest day trips from Reykjavik, just 6 miles (10 km) south of the capital. Built on a moss-covered lava field and steeped in stories of the huldufolk, it rewards travelers who want local culture and folklore at a slower pace.
Reaching the town is simple. You can rent a car and drive south from Reykjavik in about 15 minutes, or take Straeto Bus 1 from the downtown city center. Travelers arriving in Iceland can reach the town straight from Keflavik Airport, with airport transfers and the public Straeto bus 55 all stopping in town.
Here are the 12 best things to do in Hafnarfjordur. Keep reading to plan your visit.
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What To Know About Things To Do in Hafnarfjordur
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The town is famous for its folklore, with Hellisgerdi Park and the old-town streets said to be home to elves and Hidden People.
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Viking heritage is a highlight, from the year-round Viking Village restaurant to the annual June Viking Festival.
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Hafnarfjordur calls itself Iceland’s Christmas Town, with a popular Christmas Village market each December.
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Cultural stops like the Hafnarfjordur Museum and Hafnarborg Art Center are free or low-cost and ideal in any weather.
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The old town center rewards browsing, with independent bakeries, cafes, restaurants, and design boutiques clustered around Strandgata Street.
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Outdoor options include three geothermal swimming pools, the Helgafell hike, horse riding, and winter northern lights viewing.
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The nearby Reykjanes Peninsula and the Krysuvik Geothermal Area make for a natural add-on if you have a car.
13. Take a Drive to the Krysuvik Geothermal Area
The Krysuvik Geothermal Area is a geothermal field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, a short drive south of Hafnarfjordur, with steaming vents, bubbling mud pots, and mineral deposits. Its most visited part is Seltun, whose short boardwalk loop keeps you safely above the hot springs.
Krysuvik sits on the wider Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark of lava fields, sea cliffs, and volcanic eruption sites. After exploring, you can purchase a Blue Lagoon ticket for a milky-blue geothermal soak with a drink and a silica mask. If you have a full day, browse our roundup of things to do on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
12. Soak Up the Festive Mood at the Christmas Village
Each winter, downtown Hafnarfjordur hosts a festive Christmas Village, with small wooden huts selling crafts, hot chocolate, and seasonal treats. Strings of lights, carol singers, and weekend visits from the Icelandic Yule Lads make it a popular December stop near the capital.
To plan around the season, read more about Iceland's Christmas markets and the country's Christmas traditions before you go.
11. Go Horse Riding on an Icelandic Horse
Hafnarfjordur is home to Íshestar, a riding center that has run tours on the Icelandic horse since 1982. The lava fields and low hills around town suit both beginners and experienced riders, and guided horse-riding tours run year-round. If you want to book ahead, this riding tour in Hafnarfjordur is an easy place to start.
10. Catch the Northern Lights at Aurora Basecamp
Aurora Basecamp is a northern lights observatory just outside Hafnarfjordur, built for aurora viewing with three heated domes, outdoor fire pits, and guides who explain the science behind the lights. From roughly September to April, the darkness at the edge of town gives you a good chance of seeing the display.
If you want to understand what causes the aurora, our guide to the northern lights is a good primer. And if you want an easier time on your aurora hunt, plenty of guided northern lights tours monitor the weather across the region and take you to remote viewing spots for better odds.
9. Hike Helgafell for Panoramic Views
Helgafell is a 1,108-foot (338-meter) mountain just outside of Hafnarfjordur and one of the most popular hikes in the capital area. The trail starts at the Kaldarsel Parking Area, reached by driving up Kaldarselsvegur Road off the Reykjanesbraut Highway, about 18 minutes from the town center.
From the parking area, it is a straightforward climb of roughly 1.5 to 2 hours round trip. The trail rises through lava and moss to a summit with sweeping views over Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik, and the Atlantic.
8. Soak in a Geothermal Swimming Pool
Hafnarfjordur has three public geothermal pools, all with hot tubs and open year-round. Sudurbaejarlaug is a local favorite, with indoor and outdoor pools, a steam bath, and waterslides for kids.
Asvallalaug is a large indoor complex built around a 164-foot (50-meter) pool, with a shallow children's pool that suits families and less-mobile visitors. The oldest of the three, Sundholl Hafnarfjardar, sits near the harbor and dates to 1943, making it the most central if you are exploring on foot.
For something more upscale, book a ticket to the stylish Sky Lagoon, a short drive away in neighboring Kopavogur. You can compare more options in our guide to the best geothermal swimming pools.
7. See Icelandic Art at the Hafnarborg Art Center
The Hafnarborg Art Center is Hafnarfjordur's public museum of culture and fine art, set in a light-filled building on Strandgata Street. Its galleries show rotating exhibitions of contemporary and modern Icelandic art, and the main hall hosts regular concerts and recitals. Best of all, admission is free.
The calm galleries are a welcome retreat when the weather turns, and the small shop is a reliable spot for design-led souvenirs. Exhibitions change through the year, so check the current program before you go.
6. Explore the Hafnarfjordur Museum
The Hafnarfjordur Museum is free and spread across several historic buildings near the harbor. Its main building, Pakkhusid, holds two permanent exhibitions, one on local history and one on antique toys that kids love.
Nearby, period houses like Sivertsen's House give you a look inside an early 19th-century Icelandic home. They keep regular hours in summer but cut back in winter, so check before you go.
The museum also runs an open-air photo exhibition along Strandstigur, the shoreline walking path, showing the daily lives of the people who built the town. The path is a lovely walk in its own right, and lucky visitors sometimes spot seals resting near the shore.
5. Stroll the Harbor and Old Town
Hafnarfjordur's working harbor and the streets around Strandgata form the town's social center, lined with colorful houses and independent shops. It is a pleasant, walkable area where fishing boats, local life, and history sit side by side.
By the south harbor, look for the stone arch by German sculptor Hartmut Wolf. It was unveiled in 2003 to mark the site of Iceland's first Lutheran Church, built in 1533 for German seafarers.
The old town is also the best place to pick up gifts that don't come from a chain store. Along Strandgata, Strand49 stocks homeware and Icelandic design, Litla Honnunar Budin sells quirky local gifts, and TIRA sells designer Alice Olivia Clarke's wool accessories with reflective details.
Just off the main street, Prjonahornid on Laekjargata covers knitting supplies and handmade pieces by local makers. For edible souvenirs, Nandin is a plastic-free food store with teas, jams, local farm products, fresh pastries, vegan options, and ice cream.
4. Taste Hafnarfjordur's Local Food Scene
Hafnarfjordur has one of the best small-town food scenes in the capital area, with standout bakeries, cafes, and harbor restaurants packed into the walkable old town.
Start with coffee and baked goods. Brikk is a sourdough bakery and kitchen that locals cross town for, and Pallett pairs award-winning specialty coffee with a nostalgic, book-lined interior. Barbara serves coffee and simple comfort food in the town's oldest concrete house.
For a proper meal, Von Mathus serves seasonal Icelandic cooking by the harbor. Secure a spot at Sydhavn, which combines Scandinavian smorrebrod with Italian sourdough pizza. Tilveran, one of the town's longest-running restaurants, is the local pick for lobster soup.
For a special night out, book a table at Sol Restaurant for a contemporary, farm-to-table take on Icelandic cooking, served above a living greenhouse. Then end the night with a craft beer at Aegir 220 Taproom, set in a converted stockfish house right on the harbor.
3. Experience the Annual Viking Festival
The Hafnarfjordur Viking Festival is the oldest and largest event of its kind in Iceland, held each June in Vidistadatun Park. Hosted by the reenactment group Rimmugygur, it turns the park into a Viking market of craftspeople, blacksmiths, and traders in costume.
Warriors clash in staged battles, kids train at a Viking school, the smell of grilled meat drifts through the stalls, and vendors lay out goods to browse and buy. Best of all, admission is free.
Vidistadatun Park is worth a visit outside festival season, too. It doubles as the town's outdoor sculpture garden, with works by Icelandic and international artists. The playground can keep kids busy while you look at the art.
2. Dine at the Viking Village
The Viking Village, known in Icelandic as Fjörukráin, is a Viking-themed hotel and restaurant in Hafnarfjordur that has become an attraction in its own right. Long wooden tables and costumed staff set the scene for hearty feasts built on Iceland's Viking and Norse heritage.
The evening banquets are the draw, often with live music, mead, and boisterous entertainment. They fill up fast, so reserve a table at the Viking Village ahead of your visit.
Even outside mealtimes, the carved wooden buildings are worth a look. You can also make a night of it by staying at Hotel Viking, the Viking-styled rooms and cottages attached to the complex.
1. Wander Hellisgerdi Park and Look for Hidden People
Hellisgerdi Park is a public lava garden in the center of Hafnarfjordur and the town's signature green space. Winding paths thread between moss-covered rocks, small caves, and quiet clearings, and over the holidays, the lava cliffs glow with Christmas lights.
The park is famous as the home of huldufolk, the elves and Hidden People of Icelandic folklore, and the town is said to shelter one of the largest such populations in the country. To dig deeper before you visit, read these tales of the Hidden People, then watch for the little stone dwellings tucked among the rocks.
Plan Your Visit to Hafnarfjordur
Hafnarfjordur packs a lot into a compact, walkable town: folklore and Viking heritage, geothermal pools and lava gardens, and a food and shopping scene that punches above the town's size, all a short trip from Reykjavik. Half a day covers the highlights, while a full day leaves room for a hike, a swim, or a drive out to Krysuvik.
Read our full Hafnarfjordur travel guide for more on the area, and if you want to stay close, browse hotels in Hafnarfjordur for a quieter base than central Reykjavik.
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Have you explored Hafnarfjordur, or spotted one of its famous Hidden People? Which local restaurant or cafe would you add to this list? And is there a shop or sculpture we missed? Share your experience in the comments below.
I was born on the west side of Reykjavík and grew up downtown, so Iceland has been my back yard for most of my life. I'm a father of two, I've traveled on five continents, and I still haven't found a country that holds my attention the way this one does.
That's why I co-founded Guide to Iceland. We connect travelers directly with Icelandic operators, guides and hosts, so the advice and the services both come from people who actually live here.
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