# The Eastfjords - From Fjord to Fjord

- URL: https://www.visiticeland.com/article/the-eastfjords/
- Published: 2021-10-19
- Last updated: 2026-10-05

> The Eastfjords are the Iceland you see in the movies. Harbor towns with colorful houses made with corrugated metal and mountain passes where a single snowstorm can feel like the beginning of “Trapped”.

**Distance:**             200 - 400 km  

**Travel Days:**       2 - 5 days   

**Combinations:**  The Ring Road    

**Best travel time:** All year round  

**4x4 required?**     No

##   
**What is the Eastfjord drive?** 

  
The fjord-shaped coastal drive from Djúpivogur to Borgarfjörður Eystri. Road trips can easily be tailored to time and length; each town is its own detour and some fjords are connected by a tunnel.

### A hidden gem not to be missed

The Eastfjords are home to well-known attractions like Stuðlagil Canyon, Hengifoss waterfall, and the colorful landscape of Stórurð—but the region also hides countless lesser-known natural gems that many travelers have yet to discover.

The route is accessible year-round, though it’s always important to stay updated on weather and road conditions during the winter months. The website [**Safe Travel**](https://www.safetravel.is) has a travel conditions map for road icing, snow and weather alerts. **[More about driving in Iceland.](https://www.visiticeland.com/article/driving-in-iceland/)** 

*Image: The town of Seyðisfjörður, where Iceland's only international ferry arrives.*

### **The Eastern Towns and Villages** 

If Icelandic villages were ranked based on the beauty of their harbors **[Djúpivogur](https://austurland.is/en/town/djupivogur/)** would make a winning seat. The village was once a regional trade hub and the 18th century wooden houses overlook the natural cove where small fishing vessels come and go. 

Officially the population of **[Breiðdalsvík](https://austurland.is/en/town/breiddalsvik/)** is 139 people. But they all appear to spend their time outside! Over summer this is a lively village with a popular brewery and a public pool with a single hot pot. 

Among the many pleasant parts of the Ring Road is the drive down **[Stöðvarfjörður](https://austurland.is/en/town/stodvarfjordur/)** Fjord, passing a village with a matching name. The place is known for museums and art, including [Petra’s Stone Collection](https://www.steinapetra.is/), located in a private house.

The only town in Iceland where speaking French is appropriate is the town of [**Fáskrúðsfjörður**](https://austurland.is/en/town/faskrudsfjordur/), once a hub for French sailors. They are long gone, but the appetite for croissants and Francophone pride remains.

Need a car mechanic? A dry cleaner? **[Reyðarfjörður](https://en.visitfjardabyggd.is/fjardabyggd/reydarfjordur)** is a cross-road town and a regional hub with a population of 1300 people. Above town are barracks from the Second World War and a museum dedicated to this historic British outpost. 

**[Eskifjörður](https://austurland.is/en/town/eskifjordur/)** is a fishing town with a view towards Mt. Hólmatindur. On the outskirts, is the Helgustadir Mine where the once-precious Iceland spar crystals used to be mined and exported. 

*Image: The calm charm of Stöðvafjörður on a summer day.*

The town of [**Neskaupstaður**](https://austurland.is/en/town/nordfjordur-2/) is a favorite among Eastfjord visitors. Main Street is seaside, as the town itself is built on a hill. The public pool has two (!) waterslides and the nearby local bakery is also a knit-shop. The **[Páskahellir Cave](https://www.east.is/en/place/hiking-to-cave-paskahellir)** is nearby. 

The drive to **[Seyðisfjörður](https://austurland.is/en/town/seydisfjordur/)** is via a mountain pass with a wonderful view. But some people arrive via ship: the only passenger ferry connecting Iceland with Europe docks here. Known for art festivals and residencies, Seyðisfjörður is a town that has reinvented itself as a place where bohems and tourists meet at the bar.

As of 2021, the road to [**Borgarfjörður Eystri**](https://www.borgarfjordureystri.is/en) is entirely paved. Over summer, from June to August, visitors come for the puffins at [Hafnarhólmi](https://www.east.is/en/destinations/popular-destinations/hafnarholmi) and the excellent hiking paths around the landmark [Stórurð](https://www.east.is/en/place/storurd). Winter is calm and dark -- the time of Northern Lights.   

### [See more on Visit East Iceland](https://www.east.is/is)