Seydisfjordur: The Rainbow Town of the East Fjords

Seydisfjordur is one of Iceland's most distinctive towns — a 19th-century Norwegian trading settlement at the head of a long fjord, accessible only via the Fjarðarheiðarvegur mountain pass (Route 93) which climbs to 621 metres before descending in a series of sharp bends to the town below. The approach is one of the most dramatic road descents in Iceland — the town appears below as a scatter of colourful buildings beside the fjord, the pass road winding down through waterfalls and late-season snow. The town itself is known for the rainbow-painted street (Regnbogagatan) leading to the blue Seydisfjardarkirkja church, which has become one of Iceland's most-photographed compositions.

The Rainbow Street and Church

The rainbow path runs from the main town area toward the blue church — approximately 200 metres of stone sets painted in the full spectrum. The church itself, dating from 1922, was relocated piece by piece from Norway as a flat-pack structure. The blue exterior and white trim are distinct from any other Icelandic church. The combination of the rainbow path and church in a single composition, framed by the fjord behind, works particularly well in the early morning before visitors arrive.

The Norröna Ferry

Seydisfjordur is Iceland's ferry terminal — the Norröna car ferry runs weekly between Seydisfjordur, the Faroe Islands, and Hirtshals in Denmark. For travellers who prefer not to fly, or who want to bring a vehicle to Iceland, this is the only option. The crossing takes approximately 2 days from Denmark to Iceland. Arrival by ferry into Seydisfjordur at dawn, with the fjord mountains emerging from morning mist, is one of Iceland's more cinematic arrival experiences.

Arts and Culture

Seydisfjordur has a disproportionate arts presence for a town of 700 people. The LungA Art Academy hosts an annual summer school each July that brings students and artists from across Europe, and the associated festival creates a period of exceptional creative activity in the town. The Technical Museum of East Iceland (Tækniminjasafn Austurlands) documents the town's history as the first place in Iceland with electricity, telephone lines, and submarine telegraph cable connections to Europe — the town's Norwegian commercial heritage is thoroughly documented. The textile workshop Skaftfell (also an art centre) occupies a heritage building and is a genuinely excellent small contemporary art institution in an unexpected location.

Practical Details

Seydisfjordur has two guesthouses, one hotel, and several self-catering apartments. The Norröna Hostel near the ferry terminal handles the high demand on ferry arrival days. One supermarket, one or two restaurants (the El Grillo kitchen in the Skaftfell arts centre building is consistently good), and a petrol station cover all basic needs. The town is quiet from September to May when the ferry is not operating — in summer (June to August), ferry day arrivals create a brief rush of activity that quickly disperses as visitors continue inland.

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