“Stykkisholmur's harbour played Greenland in a Hollywood film, and the town's Library of Water displays glass columns filled with meltwater from Iceland's vanishing glaciers.”
About Stykkishólmur
Stykkisholmur grew as a trading and fishing port serving the islands of Breidafjordur, and it retains one of the best-preserved old harbour areas in the region. Its photogenic streets featured as Nuuk in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and the Library of Water, opened in 2007, turned an old building into an art space dedicated to Iceland's ice.
Stykkisholmur is a colourful harbour town on the north coast of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, looking out over the island-strewn bay of Breidafjordur. With its tidy timber houses, a striking modern church and an old harbour topped by a basalt islet, it is one of the most photogenic small towns in west Iceland and the main base for exploring the bay.
Stykkisholmur is a colourful harbour town on the north coast of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, looking out over the island-strewn bay of Breidafjordur.
Greenland on Screen, Water on Shelves
The town's neat harbour stood in for Nuuk, Greenland, in the film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and its looks have drawn filmmakers and photographers ever since. Stykkisholmur is also home to the Library of Water, an art installation by Roni Horn in which tall glass columns are filled with meltwater collected from glaciers around Iceland, a quiet monument to the country's vanishing ice.
The Experience
The climb takes you up the basalt islet of Sugandisey above the harbour for a panorama over the painted houses and the thousands of low islands scattered across Breidafjordur. The town itself is a pleasure to walk, with cafes, the modernist church and the Library of Water. Boat trips run out among the islands to see birds, seals and the bay's rich birdlife.
Why It Matters
Stykkisholmur is the gateway to Breidafjordur and one of the most charming towns on Snaefellsnes, blending old harbour heritage with film fame and contemporary art. It captures the appeal of west Iceland's coast: photogenic, low-key and rich in both nature and culture.
Stykkisholmur is the gateway to Breidafjordur and one of the most charming towns on Snaefellsnes, blending old harbour heritage with film fame and contemporary art.
Why Visit
A postcard harbour town, the island-dotted Breidafjordur bay, the unusual Library of Water and easy boat trips, all an easy drive from Reykjavik.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Climb the Sugandisey islet by the harbour for the best view over town and bay.
- 2
Visit the Library of Water, filled with meltwater from Iceland's glaciers.
- 3
Take a Breidafjordur boat trip in summer for birds, seals and the islands.
- 4
It is an easy day trip or overnight from Reykjavik on the way around Snaefellsnes.
