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Top 5 things to do and see in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland

Hafnarfjörður is a port city and municipality located on the southwest coast of Iceland, about 10 km south of Reykjavik.


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Hafnarfjörður is a port city and municipality located on the southwest coast of Iceland, about 10 km south of Reykjavik. It is the third most populous city in Iceland, after Reykjavik and Copavogur. Hafnarfjörður has created a local industry and a variety of urban activities, with annual events, end festivals.


1. Kleifarvatn

Kleifarvatn, Iceland
Kleifarvatn, Iceland

Kleifarvatn is the largest lake on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, situated in the southern part of the peninsula. It is located in the fissure zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The lake has no visible water coming in or going out as most of its water comes and leaves underground. The lake can be reached via a track, and there are two areas with high temperatures that can be found not far from it: Seltún/Krýsuvík and another to the east. The lake’s greatest depth is 97 m. After the 2000 Iceland earthquakes, the lake began to diminish, and 20% of its surface has since disappeared.


2. Thrihnukagigur

Thrihnukagigur, Iceland
Thrihnukagigur, Iceland

Þríhnúkagígur is a dormant volcano near Reykjavík, Iceland. Covering a 3,270 square meters area and a depth of 213 meters, it has not erupted in the past 4000 years. It was discovered in 1974 by cave explorer Árni B Stefánsson and opened for tourism in 2012. It is the only volcano in the world where visitors can take an elevator and safely descend into the magma chamber. The magma that would normally fill the chamber and become sealed is believed to have drained away, to the bewilderment of most scientists, revealing the rift beneath the surface.


3. Heiðmörk

Heiðmörk, Iceland
Heiðmörk, Iceland

Heiðmörk was proclaimed a municipal conservation area of Reykjavík in 1950. It is located southeast of Elliðavatn, Iceland, and is about 6 miles from the city of Reykjavík. Its name is derived from its namesake in Norway, Hedmark, an area with deep forests. The total area of the conservation area is 3,200 hectares. It is a popular recreational area in Iceland. Heiðmörk is where Reykjavík’s water reservoirs and drinking water wells are located. Rauðhólar is a notable natural formation of Heiðmörk, a cluster of red-colored pseudocraters.


4. Hafnarborg

Hafnarborg, Iceland
Hafnarborg, Iceland

Hafnarborg, The Hafnarfjördur Centre of Culture and Fine Art, is a public art museum located in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland. It was opened in May 1988 but the foundation for the institution was laid in 1983 when Dr. Sverrir Magnússon and his wife, Ingibjörg Sigurjónsdóttir donated their house along with a substantial collection of art and books to Hafnarfjörður on the seventy-fifth anniversary of the incorporation of the town. Hafnarborg exhibits works by leading Icelandic and international artists and the exhibition program displays both contemporary and established artists from the 20th century.


5. Bessastaðir

Bessastaðir, Iceland
Bessastaðir, Iceland

Bessastaðir is today the official residence of the President of Iceland and is situated in Álftanes, not far from the capital city, Reykjavík.