West Iceland

West IcElanD

Sagaland Hvalfjรถrรฐur akranes borgarfjรถrรฐur snรฆfellsnes

www.westiceland.is

dalir

www.visithvalfjordur.is

hvalfjORÐur

Glymur The highest waterfall in Iceland Hiking trails

Family friendly

Laxá River in Kjós

The pagan and Christian past and present

Sagaland

Hallgrímur Pétursson (16161674) was a priest at Saur­ bæ­r by Hvalfjörður. One of Iceland’­s most important poet­s, he is best known for his Passion Hymns.

Riding over the old Bláskeggsá River bridge

Experience the wonders of winter in West Iceland Taste

Smell

www.visitakranes.is

akranes

Akrafjall Mountain

History of sailing and fishing

Find your direction

Perfect for a swim

Sagaland

Irish or Scottish monks are said to have settled in Iceland in the 9th century, before the Norsemen arrived. Iceland’s Celtic herit­ ag­e is still celebrated in Akranes with an annual Irish festival.

Breiðin

Living by the sea

Langisandur

Iceland’s sports capital

www.visitborgarnes.is

borgarfjOrður

Sagaland

Egill Skalla-Grímsson was the Nordic countries’ greatest preChristia­n poet. His father, SkallaGrímur (Bald Grímur), was the first settler in Borgarfjörður. Egill was wise, but also raving mad, a killer who committed his first murder at the age of seven.

Wool colored by nature

Folktales and trolls

Borgarnes

Find your muse at Húsafell

Sagaland Snorri Sturluson (1178-1241) is the best known Icelandic poet of any era. He was born in Dalir and lived at Borg and Reykholt.

You can still see his outdoor bath (and the ancient tunnel leading to it) at Reykholt.

Skorradalur A forestry center

Cultural heritage at Reykholt

And more love

www.visitsnaefellsnes.is

snæfellsnes

Sagaland

Snæfellsjökull glacier A national park Orcas off Grundarfjörður

Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir was the first European woman to give birth to a child in America, just around the year 1000. One of the most widely-travelled woman of her times, she was born on Snæfells­ nes. Guðríður was a Christian and made a pilgrimage to Rome.

Lava fields and West Iceland’s largest caves

Djúpalónssandur

Icelandic men lift heavy rocks to test their strength

The geology of Snæfellsnes is a microcosm of Iceland as a whole and it´s environmental policy is now certified by EarthCheck Volcanologist Haraldur Sigurðsson at the Volcano Museum

Sanctuary for sea eagles

See and taste shark

Catch of the day in Stykkishólmur

Sagaland

Leifsbúð in Búðardalur

dalir

www.visitdalir.is

Leifur Eiríksson (Leif the Lucky, 9701020) was the son of Eiríkur rauði (Erik the Red) from Haukadalur. Leifur founded the first colony in Greenland.

This Nordic explorer is thought to have been the first European to reach North America, nearly 500 years befor­e Christopher Columbus.

The bloom of youth

Rounding up sheep from the hills around Búðardalur

Guðrúnarlaug.

Krosshólaborg

Eiríksstaðir in Haukadalur West Iceland the (Aud Auður – Djúpúðga Minded) led a group cradle of the Sagaland.

the Deepthat sailed from Scotland to settle the Dalir region around 890 AD. Auður was a Christia­n. She put up crosses on her land and prayed regularly at the hill called Krosshólaborg, where there is now a monument to Auður.

Eiríksstaðir in Haukadalur

Farm-fresh produce

Guðrúnarlaug A natural pool in Sælingsdalur

West Iceland is the cradle of Iceland’s sagas

Hraunfossar A lava field turned waterfall All senses awaken in West Iceland SMELL the fresh sea breeze TASTE freshly-caught scallops SEE colourful sunsets TOUCH the soft, ancient moss LISTEN to the sound of silence

Published by: West Iceland Marketing Office Design: Ólafur J. Engilbertsson / Sögumiðlun Editor and photography director: Rósa Björk Halldórsdóttir Photographers: Ragnar Th. Sigurðsson, Snævarr Guðmundsson, Friðþjófur Helgason, Pálmi Einarsson, Þórdís Björnsdóttir, Brynjar Ágústsson, Þorkell Þorkelsson, Gígja Einarsdóttir, Björn Anton Einarsson, Olgeir Andrésson, Margrét Halldórsdóttir Saga paintings: Sigurjón Jóhannsson Printing: Litróf-Hagprent Proofreading: Olga Johannesson, Ian Watson

West Iceland Marketing Office www.westiceland.is