⚓ Cruise Port

Isafjordur

Currency

Icelandic krona (ISK). Cards accepted in the town; carry ISK for remote stops.

Language

Icelandic; English spoken throughout the town and on tours.

Time in Port

Ships typically dock directly at Isafjordur's small quay — 8-10 hours is the norm.

Pier Location

The cruise pier is at the eastern end of the town spit, a 5-minute walk from the main street, restaurants, and the Westfjords Heritage Museum.

Best For

Remote Icelandic scenery, Dynjandi waterfall, sea kayaking, and authentic off-the-beaten-path Iceland

About Isafjordur

Isafjordur is the largest town in Iceland's remote Westfjords — a dramatically isolated peninsula of sheer-sided fjords and mountain plateaus that feels like the Iceland that tourism forgot. The town itself is a colourful cluster of corrugated-iron buildings on a narrow gravel spit at the head of Isafjardardijup fjord, backed by walls of snow-streaked basalt that block the sun for months in winter. The Westfjords' great attraction is the Dynjandi waterfall — a staircase of seven cascades dropping 100 metres into a fjord head — one of the most spectacular waterfalls in all of Iceland and reachable from the port by an exhilarating mountain road.

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Insider Tip

The Dynjandi road is narrow and single-track in places — if you want to reach it independently, hire a small car and allow 3 hours round trip. The organised ship excursion is genuinely worth taking here because the local guides know the weather windows and the exact viewpoint timing. The fan waterfall is best photographed in flat overcast light, which the Westfjords provides freely.

Highlights

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Dynjandi Waterfall
The crown jewel of the Westfjords: Dynjandi drops in a 100-metre fan-shaped cascade — wider at the base than the top — followed by six smaller falls in the same valley, each with its own name. The 30-minute walk from the parking area to the main fall base is one of Iceland's great short hikes. About 60 km from Isafjordur by mountain road.

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Westfjords Heritage Museum (Byggdasafn)
Housed in the oldest surviving buildings in Isafjordur (18th-century timber warehouses), the Heritage Museum documents the Westfjords' extraordinary maritime history — fishing boats, navigation instruments, and life in the most isolated corners of Iceland. Small, absorbing, and free with a port entry card.

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Arctic Fox Centre, Melrakkasetur
Iceland's only native land mammal is the Arctic fox, and the dedicated research and exhibition centre at Melgraseyri (2 km from town) runs live studies of the local population. The exhibit explains the fox's incredible adaptation to Westfjords winters.

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Isafjardardijup Sea Kayaking
The wide inner fjord around Isafjordur is one of Iceland's most protected and scenically intense kayaking environments — mountains rise almost vertically on all sides, and the water is usually glassy in summer mornings. Local operators run guided paddles directly from the town beach.

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Hornstrandir Nature Reserve Day Hike
The Hornstrandir peninsula north of Isafjordur — accessible only by seasonal ferry — is Iceland's most remote reserve: no roads, no permanent inhabitants, and extraordinary Arctic fox, seabird, and wildflower populations. Day hiking ferries run from Isafjordur harbour in summer.

Local Food & Drink

Westfjords langoustine — the cold, clean Westfjords waters produce some of Iceland's finest langoustine; try a langoustine soup or grilled tails at the harbour restaurant.
Hardfiskur (wind-dried fish) — strips of cod or haddock dried on outdoor racks by Arctic winds; a protein-dense Icelandic snack traditionally eaten with butter, available at the town's small supermarket.
Skyr with Icelandic crowberries — thick Icelandic cultured dairy with the sharp, blue-black Arctic berry that grows on the Westfjords hillsides in August.
Lamb stew from Westfjords farms — the Westfjords lamb, raised on mountain herbs and seaweed, has an intense flavour; slow-cooked kjotsupa lamb soup is the local winter staple, served year-round in Isafjordur.

Shore Excursion Ideas

1 Dynjandi waterfall tour — a guided half-day road trip through the fjord valleys to Iceland's most spectacular waterfall.

2 Sea kayak tour on Isafjardardijup — 2-3 hour guided paddle from the town beach with mountain reflections.

3 Hornstrandir hiking ferry — a day hike in Iceland's most remote nature reserve with expert naturalist guides.

4 Isafjordur town walk and Heritage Museum — self-guided through the colourful tin-roofed historic district and the maritime museum.

5 Arctic fox watching drive — a guided jeep tour into the surrounding uplands in search of Iceland's only wild mammal, best in late afternoon.

Sailings to Isafjordur

Upcoming Royal Caribbean & Celebrity cruises that visit Isafjordur

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Ships That Visit Isafjordur

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships with sailings to Isafjordur in our database

Celebrity Silhouette

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