Álfaborg

East Iceland


Álfaborg (Elf Rock), the small mound and nature reserve near the campsite, is the ‘borg’ that gave Borgarfjörður Eystri its name. Some locals believe that the queen of Icelandic elves lives here. From the top of the rock there’s a fabulous vista of the surrounding fields.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby East Iceland attractions

1. Bakkagerðiskirkja

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Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval (1885–1972), Iceland’s best-known artist, was brought up nearby and took much of his inspiration from Borgarfjörður Eystri and…

2. Lindarbakki

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You can’t miss the village’s hairiest and most photogenic house: bright-red Lindarbakki (1899) is completely cocooned by whiskery green grass, with only a…

3. Hafnarhólmi

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Five kilometres past the wee church is the photogenic small-boat harbour and islet of Hafnarhólmi, home to a large puffin colony. A staircase and viewing…

4. Njarðvíkurskriður

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A habitual site of accidents in ancient times, Njarðvíkurskriður is a dangerous scree slope on Rte 94 near Njarðvík on the way into Borgarfjörður Eystri…

5. Tvisöngur

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6. Tækniminjasafn Austurlands

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For insight into the town’s fishing and telecommunications history, stop by this worthwhile technical museum. It’s housed in two buildings on Hafnargata:…

7. Skaftfell – Center for Visual Art

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It's well worth a look in this gallery space above the Skaftfell Bistro. Skaftfell is a visual art centre with a focus on contemporary art, and it stages…

8. Avalanche Monument

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The monument near the church dates from the 1996 avalanche, and is made from twisted girders from the factory demolished by the event. The girders were…