Relax
in hot pots and enjoy a genuine steam bath with water
from the largest hot spring in Europe - Deildartunguhver.
Welcome to Borgarnes!
Borgarnes is only about 70 km from Reykjavík,
an ideal destination for travelers looking for a short
ride to where they can experience country life in
a classic agricultural district. Just 40 minutes from
the capital, the route to Borgarnes passes through
the Hvalfjarðargöng Tunnel on Route 1 going
north. The town is the crossroads where the routes
to west and north Iceland meet.
About 1,800 people reside in Borgarnes, while a total
of 2,520 live in the surrounding Borgarbyggð municipality.
The Borgarfjarðarhérað district has
an overall population of about 3,400.
Borgarnes is the center for transportation, trade
and services. There is a health care center, shops,
hotel, restaurant and service companies.
The municipality has good elementary and nursery schools,
a robust social life and excellent services for residents.
The local district has two colleges: Bifröst
School of Business and the Hvanneyri Agricultural
University.
Just above Borgarnes is a good 9-hole golf course
and excellent facilities for horsemen.
Borgarnes
Sport Center!
This is Water Paradise of West Iceland, with
marvelous fitness and bathing facilities.
Facilities include swimming pools, water slides, hot
pots, steam bath and a sports hall with a workout
room and tanning benches. There is also a modern football
field as well as an athletic field with 6 running
lanes and a practice field.
The swimming facilities are very popular, in particular
since they are carefully set in an area of exceptionally
beautiful landscapes.
The steam bath is special in that the steam is pumped
direct from the largest hot spring in Europe, Deildartunguhver.
Varmaland at Stafholtstungum, 20 km above Borgarnes,
also has a swimming pool with hot spring water, a
steam bath, athletic hall and camping site.
The
history and nature
The Borgarfjörður Regional Museum is in Borgarnes,
and houses a Library, Archives, a Natural History
Collection, an Art Collection and a Museum of Local
History.
Skallagrímsgarður is the Borgarnes botanical
garden. It is there where Skallagrímur Kveldúlfsson,
one of Iceland’s original settlers and father
of Egill Skallagrímsson, is laid to rest. He
lived at Borg á Mýrum, where scholar
and historian Snorri Sturluson lived before he moved
to Reykholt.
There are numerous interesting sites in the vicinity
of Borgarnes, including Grábrók in Norðurárdalur
Valley, the largest eruption crater of three along
that volcanic fissure. Good hiking trails are in the
area. Baula, a rhyolite mountain, towers 934 m above
Norðurárdalur Valley, and nearby is Norðurá
River, one of the country’s best salmon fishing
rivers.
Hítardalur Valley is a notable historic site,
and a trading post was once in Straumfjörður
fjord. The Snorrastofa Cultural Center is about 50
km from Borgarnes, and the beautiful Húsafell
outdoor recreation area is a stone’s throw from
the Eiríksjökull and Langjökull glaciers.
Websites, links and leisure opportunities
in the area:
www.borgarbyggd.is
- Borgarbyggð municipality.
www.safnahus.is
- museum, natural history museum and local
museum
www.borgarfjordur.is
-Borgarfjörður municipality.
www.vesturland.is
- West Iceland
www.gbborgarnes.net
- Borgarnes golf club
www.hvanneyri.is
- cultural center, agricultural university
www.reykholt.is
- cradle of West Iceland culture
www.snorrastofa.is
- cultural and research institute
www.husafell.is
- outdoor paradise, hiking trails, swimming
pools, golf, outdoor activities
www.centrumnatura.is
- adventure trips, glacier trips and waterfall
climbing, etc.
www.fljotstunga.is
- cave exploring
www.bjartey.is
hiking trips with guidance in beautiful Hvalfjörður
Fjord
