What to do in Borgarnes
Iceland‘s Ring Road leads straight through the town center of Borgarnes, past supermarkets, roadhouses, and service stations. While most travelers make use of exactly those and then continue with their journey, they are missing out on great lunch opportunities, activities for kids, and museums, just a sideroad away!
For knowledge seekers: Landnámssetrið - The Settlement Center
Listening, touching, participating - the exhibition about the settlement of Iceland is an interactive one
This popular museum offers two half-hour audio-guided exhibitions: the first brings visitors back to the settlement of Iceland and the other illustrates the life of Iceland's most (in)famous Saga protagonist Egill Skallagrímsson. But instead of just reading annual figures on signs, the interactive multimedia displays make learning about the history of Iceland a fun experience!
For foodies
The vegetarian lunch buffet at the Settlement Center is equally popular with locals and tourists
Borgarnes offers food options for every craving: roadhouse burgers, pizza, ice cream, or hotdogs are served downtown. But there are more options available:
While in the settlement center, one might as well fill up on their voluminous vegetarian buffet in the adjacent restaurant or try some of the typical Icelandic comfort foods on the menu such as Plokkfiskur (fish stew) or Kjötsúpa (Icelandic meat soup).
For a coffee- and cake break afterward the charming Blómasetrið coffeehouse overlooks the bay. Its colorful interior is stuffed with flowers, gifts, plush couches, gifts, and coziness.
Nearby the settlement center a path along the beach leads to the historical merchant houses of Englendingavík. Where goods were once traded, but coffee and cake are now served on a veranda overlooking the calm skerry coast.
For kids
Belonging to Englendingavik is Sofia‘s toy museum, a lovingly curated collection of dolls, playthings and knickknacks from the past century.
By following the beach path past Englendingavik, Bjössarólo playground offers its little visitors an adventurous variety of playground equipment, built with recycled materials by the idealist Björn Guðmundsson.
Not tired yet? No matter what the weather, Borgarnes Swimming Pool has entertainment for the whole family covered: indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs in different temperatures, and – waterslides for the young ones!
For movie buffs
Also Walter Mitty, aka Ben Stiller stopped at Borgarnes - in a pizza place that's really a bakery
Back to Road 1 and into the buzzing city center: Geirabakari (Geir‘s bakery) is a must for film buffs who always wanted to enjoy the same view as Ben Stiller in the „Secret Life of Walter Mitty“. While the shooting of the movie didn‘t impress the owner of the bakery and he used the opportunity to go on holiday, the dramatic mountain-ocean-scenery that unfolds in front of the bakery windows certainly impresses everyone, who drops by for a delicious cinnamon bun for the road.
