Seydisfjordur Cruise Port is East Iceland’s picture-perfect harbour town! While home to only 700 people (!), Seydisfjordur is known for its incredibly well-preserved colour wooden buildings, its vibrant arts community and its setting at the head of one of Iceland’s most beautiful fjords!
The best part? Many attractions walkable right from the cruise pier! Even a walk to nearby Gufufoss is a do-able walk away. However, how much you can see independently around Seydisfjordur Cruise Port depends on how much walking (some uphill) you’d like to do.
So I’ll split my Seydisfjordur Cruise Port guide into two halves: the (a) Top Things to Do in Seydisfjordur Cruise Port that you can easily see independently nearby and (b) Top excursions from Seydisfjordur Cruise port – fantastic attractions that worth a trip but either needs a bit of effort to get there or need to book a tour for.
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Seydisfjordur Cruise Port: Is a DIY Excursion Easy? 😎😎😎 Do-able, Needs Hustle
Thinking of doing a DIY shore excursion in Seydisfjordur Cruise Port? Then you’ll need a bit of hustle 😎😎😎! While there’s certainly things to see and do nearby Seydisfjordur Cruise Port, seeing the famous attractions in this part of East Iceland is difficult independently. Here are the details:
- Walkable Town Centre: Seydisfjordur can be explored on foot easily from the cruise pier. I’ll point out the top things to see and do but whether it’s enough to keep you occupied depends on your interest
- Easy Hikes from Seydisfjordur Town: There’s some easy walks and hikes around Seydisfjordur, including Gufufoss Waterfall. But other walks, while rewarding, are more challenging.
- Limited Transport Options beyond Seydisfjordur Town: There’s limited transport options if you’d like to see some famous sites such as the Stuðlagil Canyon, the puffin colonies at Borgarfjörður Eystri, etc. Taxis are very limited in Seydisfjordur and there’s no rental cars available (unless you want to take a taxi to Egilsstaðir Airport to pick one up.)
Seydisfjordur Cruise Port Essentials: All You Need to Know
1. Seydisfjordur Cruise Port – Where Your Ship Docks
Smaller ships will dock at Bjolfsbakki Cruise Pier, known locally as the North Pier – see this marked on my Seydisfjordur Cruise Port map below. This cruise pier can only accommodate ships up to ~170m (~550 feet), so if your ship is larger / longer, then you will need to get ashore via tenders.
Tenders will typically drop you off on the south side of the Harbour, closer to the ferry terminal. See this marked on my Seydisfjordur Cruise Port map below. (Almost all cruise lines will mark tender points on your cruise itinerary – if you’re a first timer visiting a tender port, then check out my Tendering 101 guide, so you know what to expect.)
Navigating from Seydisfjordur Cruise Port
Both the North Pier and the Tender Pier is an easy, flat walk of about 0.4km (0.2 miles) to Seydisfjordur’s town centre. Seydisfjordur is small, so no worries about getting lost! (Your ship will be visible at all times!)
2. Seydisfjordur Cruise Port: Useful Tidbits
- Currency: Icelandic Krona (ISK)
- Language: Icelandic. English is widely spoken. Even in small towns like Seydisfjordur, you’ll encounter many who will speak some English
- Official Tourism Website is Visit Austurland
- eSim for Iceland: For a great data connection without the huge roaming fees, use an eSim data pack from Airalo. I always recommend having a smartphone with a valid plan when you’re at port touring. Get US$3 off your first eSIM data pack from Airalo when you use ROXANN1666 when you sign up or apply it at checkout
- Note on Icelandic prices: Iceland IS expensive! So if you’re planning a cruise to Iceland, be sure to factor into the cost of shore excursions! Excursions from Seydisfjordur is more expensive than from larger Icelandic ports such as Reykjavik as Seydisfjordur is more remote and less competition!
Seydisfjordur Cruise Port Map
- On Desktop | Laptop? Use buttons on bottom left to zoom in/out. Click on the upper right hand corner to see a bigger version.
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- If map is not loading correctly, click here to see it directly on Google Maps
Seydisfjordur Cruise Port: Top Things to Do Nearby
I have listed the top things to see in Seydisfjordur “in order of difficulty”, with the hike to Tvísöngur and the walk to Gufufoss more suitable for cruisers looking for an active excursion at Seydisfjordur:
1. Visit the Blue Church & Rainbow Street
The Blue Church (Seyðisfjarðarkirkja / Bláa Kirkjan) is arguably the most photographed building in Seydisfjordur and made even more famous after it was featured in the 2013 movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty“. (See Ben Stiller skateboard into Seydisfjordur!)
Its distinct, charming light blue / pastel blue wooden structure stands out beautifully against the dramatic backdrop of the surrounding mountains, which are often snow-capped even in summer.
Leading up to the Blue Church is a rainbow path, which runs right through the heart of the small town centre. It’s only a few minutes walk from either cruise pier at Seydisfjordur.
2. Wander Around Norwegian-Style Kit Houses
While you’re around the Blue Church, have a stroll around the streets nearby. For example, Ránargata is lined with prime examples of colourful historic buildings.
Seydisfjordur was established by Norwegian fishermen and entrepreneurs, during a herring fish boom in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. Many of Seydisfjordur’s houses are imported from Norway as pre-fabricated kits and then assembled on-site. Yes, Ikea-like houses were built in Seydisfjordur between 1895 – 1922.
This Norwegian “chalet style” wooden architecture was popular in Norway at that time – for example, Stavanger’s Old Town is similar! The houses were painted bright blues, reds, yellows and greens, creating an iconic, cheerful aesthetic against the often grey-green backdrop of the fjord and mountains around Seydisfjordur.
3. Enjoy Icelandic Art at Skaftfell Centre for Visual Arts
The Skaftfell Centre for Visual Arts (aka Skaftfell Art Centre) is housed in a charming, historic white timber-frame building dating back to 1907. It’s just a 5-minute walk from the Blue Church. (Don’t confuse Skaftfell with Skaftafell – Skafatell is in the southern part of Iceland, famous for the ice cliffs!)
The exhibitions are rotating but typically it showcases contemporary visual art by both Icelandic and international artists. Admission to the main gallery exhibitions is generally free. There’s also a nice bistro on the first floor!
- Opening Hours: Closed Mondays. Open Tuesday – Saturday 12 noon to 5pm. The bistro is open for lunch Monday – Friday from 12 noon to 2pm. Dinner only on Thursday thru Saturday from 5pm to 11pm. The food is specialty pizzas and creative small plates.
- Current exhibitions: Check on Skaftfell’s website
4. Visit Technical Museum of East Iceland
The Technical Museum of East Iceland (Tækniminjasafn Austurlands) is operational again, after the largest landslide to hit an inhabited area in Iceland in modern times in December 2020.
Around 13-14 buildings were destroyed or severely damaged, including significant parts of the Technical Museum complex. (Fortunately, no lives were lost and no one was seriously injured.) But the museum is a lot smaller than it used to be.
The museum is housed in an historical old mechanical shop, with an exhibition about the harbour, the WWII occupation years, Seydisfjordur having the first undersea telegraph cable in Iceland in 1906 and the impact of the 2020 landslide.
- Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 5pm in July – August, Monday to Saturday 1pm – 5pm from May 15 – June 30 & Sept 1- 15. Closed during low season.
- Tickets: 1,500 ISK for adults, free for kids
5. Walk to Budareyrarfoss (Búðareyrarfoss)
Budareyrarfoss means “Búðará River Falls”, named after the river it flows on. Budareyrarfoss is fed by meltwater from the mountain Mt. Strandartindur (1010m) which looms over the eastern side of Seydisfjordur.
The cascade is about 60m (~200 feet) tall. It’s definitely not as impressive as Gufufoss – see below but this is the closest waterfall from Seydisfjordur cruise port.
How to Get There: From across the road from the tender pier, continue the walk north (ie. with the fjord on your left, away from the town centre), you’ll see signs pointing to Búðareyrarfoss. The turn-off is only about a minute or two away and there’s steps and a bridge from which to admire the waterfall but you don’t need to climb up the steps to start seeing it.
6. Hike Up to Tvísöngur Sound Sculpture
Tvísöngur (pronounced roughly ‘Tvee-sung-gur’) is a site-specific sound sculpture created by German artist Lukas Kühne.
Tvísöngur, refers to a traditional Icelandic musical style featuring five-tone harmony (also known as quintal harmony or “twin-song”). This ancient polyphonic practice involves two voices often singing in parallel fifths.
The artwork consists of five interconnected domes made of concrete (using local sand/gravel). These domes vary in size, ranging from about 2 to 4 metres (roughly 6 to 12 feet) high. From a distance, they can look like smooth, grey bubbles or igloos nestled on the hillside. Visitors can enter each dome through rounded archways.
The magic is that each of the five domes is acoustically engineered to resonate at a different frequency, corresponding to one of the tones in traditional five-tone harmony. So the domes act as natural amplifiers for their specific tone.
You can sing, or speak inside and experiment and create a unique auditory experience for yourself and others. Outside the sculpture, there’s also fantastic panoramic views of Seydisfjordur, the entire fjord and the surrounding landscape.
How to Get There: Tvísöngur is about a 15 minute uphill walk. From the tender pier, it’s about a 10-minute walk to the trailhead and a 5-minute walk from the Technical Museum. I would grade the walk as moderate due to the incline but otherwise not challenging at all. Please wear comfortable closed-toe shoes with grip.
Finding the Trailhead: Start of the trail begins between the Tvísöngur parking area and the Seydisfjordur Post Office. There’s only trail, as you can see from the satellite imagery, so just follow the path up.
7. Walk to Gufufoss Waterfall
Gufufoss translates roughly to “Steam Falls”. Standing at around 26m (~85 feet), it’s a prominent waterfall on the Fjarðará river, the river that flows down the valley alongside Route 93 and eventually into the fjord at Seydisfjordur town.
Gufufoss is often compared to the famous Skógafoss in South Iceland because it shares a similar wide, rectangular curtain-like cascade over a rocky ledge. However, Gufufoss is considerably smaller than Skógafoss.
For keen walkers & hikers only: Start your walk from the Route 93 turnoff, about 5 minutes walk from the Blue Church. As soon as you turn into southbound Route 93, you’ll notice a trail running alongside the road. (The trail very quickly ends as you head out of Seydisfjordur and you’ll need to walk on the shoulder strip of the road.)
Note that the walk is steadily uphill on the way to Gufufoss and it is roughly 6km (~4 miles) return trip. You’ll likely hear Gufufoss before you reach it. Look out for a pull-off area for vehicles and you’ll see a trail leading to the area, right in front of the Gufufoss. You can in fact see Gufufoss on the main road itself, so no need to worry that you’ll walk past the turn-off.
Not a keen walker? Then join a tour, starting from Seydisfjordur Cruise Port to Gufufoss and meet the puffins at Hafnarhólmi.
What to Bring: Bring your own water & snacks as there won’t be any shops along the way. The supermarket on the main road in Seydisfjordur, called Kjörbúðin, is your best bet if you don’t have your own filled water bottle from the ship.
Seydisfjordur Cruise Port: Top Excursions
As I mentioned earlier, unfortunately, there’s limited transport options to reach the following attractions but they are definitely worth seeing! So check out tour options below and also what your cruise line is offering.
1. Stuðlagil Canyon
Stuðlagil Canyon (pronounced STOO-lah-geel) is renowned for its incredible towering, vertical basalt columns, often hexagonal, lining the walls of a deep canyon.
Adding to the spectacle is the river, Jökulsá á Dal, which, at certain times, boasts a stunningly vivid turquoise or blue-green colour. The contrast between the dark, geometric columns and the bright water is really spectacular!
Stuðlagil Canyon hasn’t always been this visible. The powerful Jökulsá á Dal river used to flow much higher and was typically a murky grey-brown colour, heavy with glacial sediment.
But the construction of the Kárahnjúkar Hydroelectric Power Plant upstream, completed around 2009, significantly reduced and regulated the water flow. This lowered the river level by 7-8 meters, dramatically revealing the full height and extent of the basalt columns. It also allowed the water to run clear during certain periods, showing off its amazing colour.
The iconic blue-green water colour is typically only visible from late June to early/mid-August. This is because the upstream reservoir is filling, holding back the grey glacial sediment.
Stuðlagil Canyon is about a 1.5 hour drive from Seydisfjordur one-way. On a tour, you’ll typically be taken to the west side of the canyon. The west side’s viewing platform is only a few minutes’ walk from the parking area but there is a short metal staircase to the viewing platform. Join this tour designed for cruisers & will tailor the tour to your ship’s port hours; you’ll also stop at Gufufoss on the way there.
Alternatively, if you’re up for a bit more walking, it is possible to walk from the east side of the canyon. The walk is mostly flat but it’s about a 4-5km (~2.5-3 miles) round-trip. You’ll need to wear sturdy walking shoes. From the east side, you’ll see the canyon from the river level and see the Stuðlafoss waterfall (another basalt column waterfall) on the way. This tour is a full-day excursion and will stop at Vök Baths along the way too, allowing for some time to swim in the floating geothermal infinity pools that sit within the cold freshwater of Lake Urriðavatn. So don’t forget your swimsuit and towel from the ship!
2. Puffin Colonies at Borgarfjörður Eystri
Borgarfjörður Eystri is known as the Puffin Capital of Iceland! It’s earned this title, because Borgarfjörður Eystri is arguably the easiest and most reliable close-up puffin viewing experience available on mainland Iceland.
There’s also a significant puffin colony (estimated 8,000 to 10,000 pairs), so if you visit Borgarfjörður Eystri between late April/early May until mid-to-late August when the puffins come ashore to breed, then you will definitely see them!
Puffin colonies are typically on high cliffs. At Hafnarhólmi, the small rocky islet right next to the small boat harbour of Borgarfjörður Eystri, there’s well-maintained wooden boardwalks, stairs and viewing platforms, meaning it’s easier to watch them for a longer period of time. There’s also a dedicated shelter or bird hide, perfect for comfortable viewing even if the weather is less than ideal.
The drive from Seydisfjordur is about 1.5 hours each way (~75km or 45 miles). Join this half-day excursion to see the puffins at Borgarfjörður Eystri, with a stop at Gufufoss on the way back to Seydisfjordur Cruise Port.
Want to see Puffins in other Icelandic Ports? If you’re torn between different excursions at Seydisfjordur and wondered where else you can see puffins:
- Easiest (and shortest) excursion is from Reykjavik, where you’ll be whisked off to Faxaflói Bay (and back) in under an hour. In Faxaflói Bay, you’ll stay in the boat to see the puffins.
- From Isafjordur Cruise Port in West Iceland, you can visit Vigur Island (a private island) where there’s also approx 100,000 puffins visiting. You’ll leave the boat and walk up closer to them.
Featured Photo by Eugenio Felix
If you’re lucky enough to be visiting Seydisfjordur on your Icelandic cruise, then I hope that this guide has given you some ideas on what to do on a DIY excursion! I hope that you’ll also check out my guides on other Icelandic ports. Have a wonderful cruise!
