The Icelandic Vikings - a List of Viking Activities and Viking Museums in Iceland

Our foreign visitors often ask me where they can find Viking "stuff" in Iceland, and what Viking activities they can take part in during their stay in my country.

So I decided to write a travel-blog with a list of the Viking activities, Viking exhibitions, and museums, that I know about and have taken part in here in Iceland. 

Top photo: The Viking club Rimmugýgur in Iceland

The Viking festival in Hafnarfjörður

The Norwegian Vikings arrived in Iceland in open Viking ships in the 9th century and settled on this cold volcanic island in the north. Here they had to fight the elements and each other.

They persevered through unexpected volcanic eruptions, drift ice, and harsh winters, and the Icelanders, who inhabit Iceland now, are direct descendants of the Vikings.

Dressed up as our ancestors at Þjóðveldisbærinn museum

Our ancestors, the Vikings, were looking for a safer place to live and to raise their families, but feuds and battles were to take place on this former peaceful island, where only a few Irish monks had lived before the Vikings arrived.

Nowadays we remember and celebrate our Viking roots and ancestry by offering several Viking-related activities.

Inside a replica of Þjóðveldisbærinn, a Viking age longhouse

Our biggest Viking club, Rimmugýgur, celebrated its 26th anniversary in 2023, but this fierce group of Vikings can be seen in action on several occasions down-town Reykjavík and in other places around Iceland. 

The Viking Market at Víðistaðatún Park

The Viking festival in Hafnarfjörður

In August 2017 Iceland's oldest and biggest Viking club Rimmugýgur, held a Viking feast at Víðistaðatún park in Hafnarfjörður town.

Rimmugýgur Viking club celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017 with many feasts and I ran into them in many places. The main feast for their 20th anniversary was held at Víðistaðatún park.

I attended the feast and watched their Viking reenactment, which started with a Viking funeral that turned into a fierce Viking battle.

Víðistaðatún park is a great location as the audience can sit on the slope and watch the Viking reenactment from above.

The Viking festival in Hafnarfjörður

In the beginning - some 20 years ago - Rimmugýgur was a Viking fight club, but through the years their goals have changed and escalated.

Now, apart from martial arts, they teach archery and educate people on the ways of the Vikings, they make their own clothes, some out of leather - and sell all kinds of hand-made leather-ware and artifacts made out of bones, etc., which they sell at the Viking market.

This beautiful valkyrie, Elín Reynisdóttir, is the first woman to be accepted into the Rimmugýgur Viking club back in 1997 - Guðrún völva is in the background

I also visited the Viking market, where some fine Viking objects and handmade woven goods, and leatherware can be found. 

It is wonderful to wander around the tents at the market learning about the ways of the Vikings. Here archery is taught and children can attend the Viking School for kids.

In my photo below you will see leather rings made by Guðmann at Mink Photography.

The Viking market at the Viking festival in Hafnarfjörður

Hafsteinn Kúld Pétursson was the appointed Earl of Rimmugýgur Viking Club, but Hafsteinn is one of the 8 friends who were the founder members of Rimmugýgur back in 1997. Now Jökull Tandri is the Earl, but you can see him in many of my photos.

It was small back then but has grown to a great extent, with the members being around 200 now, with some 60 of them taking part in the sword fighting.

The name Rimmugýgur comes from the crown jewel of the Icelandic Sagas - the Saga of Njáll - the axe Rimmugýgur in the Saga belonged to Skarphéðinn Njálsson and means bardagatröll - a fighting troll.

The Viking festival in Hafnarfjörður

Rimmugýgur is a very active Viking Club, which takes part in all kinds of Viking festivities around Iceland. They can even be booked for private affairs, wherever Vikings are needed :)

They train twice a week for 2 hours at a time, from 20:00-22:00, in the basement parking lot of the shopping centre Fjörður in Hafnarfjörður.

Participants must be 16 years old and only 18 and older are able to participate in the Rimmugýgur Viking reenactment battles/shows.

Guðrún and I at the Viking village in 2017 in Ribe, Denmark

In the summertime, Rimmugýgur travels to other Viking festivals in our neighbouring Northern countries, and other Vikings come to visit the Icelandic festivals. 

I checked out the Viking scene in Denmark, where you will find a great deal of Viking activity, and was amazed when I met a woman, Guðrún, at the Viking village in Ribe, Jylland, who spoke Icelandic and we found out that we have mutual friends!

Guðrún and I at the Viking festival of 2019 in Víðistaðatún in Iceland

Guðrún is Danish but has visited the Viking festival many, many times in Iceland, and learnt my language. A lovely Viking woman :)

The annual Viking Festival was customarily held at the Viking Village, but the market and Viking battles moved in 2018 to Víðistaðatún park in Hafnarfjörður, which is a much bigger venue and more convenient for this kind of Viking activity.

The annual Viking Festival in Hafnarfjörður

The Viking festival in Hafnarfjörður - Jón Gestur from Rimmugýgur

The Viking festival is held annually on the 2nd weekend in June, around the time of Iceland's national holiday on the 17th of June.

So be aware, Hafnarfjörður, which belongs to the Great-Reykjavík Area, will be flooded with Icelandic Vikings and Vikings from all over the world.

Here you will literally see hundreds of Vikings dressed up in Viking-style clothes feasting, fighting each other in combat, demonstrating Viking-style fighting arts like axe throwing and archery, and selling their wares - ranging from leather goods, swords, silver jewelry, and fur to everyday necessities made of bones.

The Viking festival in Hafnarfjörður - children being taught how to handle Viking weapons

The Viking Festival has from 2018 been held at Víðistaðatún park. 

Twice during the days of the festival, the guests at the Viking Festival will be able to watch reenacted Viking combats, which are quite scary and realistic at times, to be honest.

There is great comradeship at the Viking Festival and the Vikings are friendly and cheerful, so there is nothing to worry about :)

At the annual Viking festival, the Earl Jökull Tandri is holding the large drinking horn

At night the Vikings have gathered at Fjörukráin Viking restaurant for a continuation of their feast. Or at least so they did when the Viking Festival was held at the Viking Village.

I have written a special travel-blog The Annual Viking Festival in Hafnarfjörður about my many visits to the Viking Festival.

You can also check them out at Víkingahátíð í Hafnarfirði - Viking Market in Hafnarfjörður on Facebook.

The Viking Festival Ingólfshátíð in Reykjavík - Einherjar

Vikings at the Viking club Einherjar in Reykjavík - the Viking to the left is Helgi Hamrammi

Now, Rimmugýgur is the Viking club of Hafnarfjörður town, but we also have the Viking club of the capital city Reykjavík, called Einherjar, founded in 2008.

Einherjar has held the Reykjavík Viking festival both in Hljómskálagarður park and in Austurvöllur park in Reykjavík.

At the Viking festival in Reykjavík

The Reykjavík Viking festival is called Ingólfshátíð, named after Ingólfur Arnarson, Iceland's first settler, and Ingólfur Júlíusson photographer, who came up with the idea of the Viking festival. Sadly he died of leukemia in 2013, at the age of 42, before the first Viking festival was held in Reykjavík.

The Reykjavík Viking festival was held for the first time that year in his memory.

Einherjar celebrated its 10th anniversary at the Ingólfshátíð Viking festival, which was held on the 14th of July 2018, but I was out of the country at that time so I didn't get the chance to visit it. Here are some photos from the Viking festival in 2015.

Surrounded by Vikings - Helgi Hamrammi to the right and the Viking Tómas to the left

I visited the Ingólfshátíð Viking festival for the first time in 2019 when it was held on the 13th of July at Hljómskálagarður park by Reykjavík pond in the centre of Reykjavík.

These photos were taken on that occasion when the Vikings were about to kidnap me for the day ;) Helgi Hamrammi (in red) is the leader of Einherjar.

Members of the Einherjar Viking club at Nauthólsvík in 2023

The Einherjar Vikings also appeared on the 17th of June and on Culture Night on the 24th of August. These 3 activities were sponsored by the City of Reykjavík and were called Landnámsmenning 2019.

Einherjar Viking club has moved their festival to Nauthólsvík in Reykjavík.

Read more about it and see a photo of their former leader, the late Gunnar Víking, on Grapevine and on Reykjavik.com. You can also follow them on Facebook to see the dates for the next Ingólfshátíð festival.

Culture Night in Hljómskálagarður Park

The Viking Helgi from Rimmugýgur looking fierce

Reykjavík's annual Culture Night is held on the 3rd weekend of August with a lot of festivities. Last year Rimmugýgur Viking club set up camp by Tjörnin, Reykjavík's pond in a corner by Hljómskálagarður park.

There they sold their Viking goods, horns, and leatherware in tents in the park. And Viking battles were fought.

I walked around in the marketplace taking photos and greeting the Vikings, as by now I have come to know some of them.

The Viking Guðmann from Rimmugýgur

Here I found Guðmann, the owner of Mink Viking Portrait, who took awesome Viking photos of me recently, which you can see further down in my travel-blog.

Apart from taking awesome Viking portraits, he makes some beautiful handcrafted Viking goods. 

The beautiful horns are made by the talented Viking Sigurbogi at Ratatöskur. Aren't they pretty?

Beautiful Viking horns

I decided then that it was about time to write a travel-blog on the Viking activities in Iceland so that I could introduce you to the Vikings and where you might run into them.

As I am sure that many people, who would love to see a Viking battle and visit a Viking market, never knew that there was a Viking market by the Pond downtown Reykjavík on Culture night

With Hafsteinn from Rimmugýgur

So I asked to be introduced to the president of the Rimmugýgur Viking club, Hafsteinn "the mighty".

He was busy, seeing that the market and Viking battle were on, but I got a photo with him to use for this travel-blog.

Jökull Tandri the president of Rimmugýgur set the Viking festival in 2022

Jökull Tandri is now (2022) the president (Earl) of Rimmugýgur. 

In 2022 the Vikings were in front of Þjóðminjasafnið - the National Museum of Iceland on Culture night, and in Aðalstræti, Reykjavík's oldest street.

Vikings at Culture Night by the National Museums

I visited them in 2023 when they were in front of the National Museum of Iceland. 

Gásir - Medieval Days

Vikings at Gásir

A 4-day Viking festival is held at Gásir in Eyjafjörður in North Iceland on the third weekend in July each year, called the Medieval Days. There the medieval trading place at Gásir is recreated.

The villagers dress up in medieval costumes and look like real people from the Middle Ages, especially in these settings.

At the Medieval Days, you will witness a sword fight and a reenactment with scenes from the old trading post at Gásir. Many members of the Viking club Rimmugýgur take part in the Medieval Days.

The market at the festival at Gásir

Here you can walk around the Viking marketplace, buy handmade crafts and food, and try out archery or chop wood with an axe. It is so much fun, don't miss it if you are travelling up north on the 3rd weekend of July.

I have written a travel-blog about my visit to Gásir, with much more information and photos.

The Viking Village and Fjörukráin Viking Restaurant

Fjörukráin at the Viking Vilage

I take all of my foreign guests to dinner at Fjörukráin Viking restaurant in the Viking village. I just love the surroundings, and always feel like I have entered a fantasy world, when I enter the Viking restaurant, no matter how often I visit it :)

Fjörukráin is located in the second oldest house in Hafnarfjörður town, dating back to 1841. My ancestor, Bjarni Sívertsen, who has been named the Father of Hafnarfjörður, built the oldest houses in this beautiful town, which is referred to as the Town in the Lava.

You will love your visit to the Viking restaurant, it is on two floors and ever so ornate - do also have a peek upstairs to see the remaining dining rooms. We always take our foreign guests on a guided tour of the premises :)

Fjörukráin at the Viking Village

The staff is dressed in Viking clothes and sometimes you will get live music when singing and playing Vikings walk from table to table. You might even be lucky enough to witness a Viking ceremony at the restaurant. I have twice witnessed that - an inauguration of some sort.

I have written a special travel-blog about the Viking Village and my many visits to the Viking restaurant.

To book a table contact booking@vikingvillage.is.

The Viking Hotel at the Viking Village

Hotel Viking at the Viking Village

I stayed for one night at Hotel Viking at the Viking Village in Hafnarfjörður town. Seeing that I take all my foreign guests to dinner at the Viking Village I have often been asked about the hotel, so I was happy when I got the chance to stay there.

We got a beautiful en-suite room with a northwest view of the harbour and the Viking Village. The furniture was rustic Viking style. Everything was perfect, the bed was so comfy with luxurious linen and a very soft duvet. 

Each floor has a special theme and all over you will see Viking furniture and decorations. The breakfast restaurant was especially decorative. You will love it if you are into Viking themes.

Hotel Viking at the Viking Village

There are 42 en-suite rooms at the Viking hotel. And seeing that it has become very popular staying there 14 Viking cottages, all of them en-suite, have been added next to the Viking restaurant.

Here you can see what my stay was like at the lovely Hotel Viking.

Do check out the Viking Village - I love it!

Ingólfsskáli Longhouse - a Viking restaurant

Ingólfsskáli Longhouse - a Viking restaurant

You will find another Viking restaurant in South Iceland, hidden away from ring-road 1 right between the towns Hveragerði and Selfoss.

It is called Ingólfsskáli and is a turf longhouse, named after Iceland's first settler Ingólfur Arnarson, who spent a winter by Mt. Ingólfsfjall on his way west where he settled land and named it Reykjavík.

Photo courtesy of Ingólfsskáli

Ingólfsskáli was built in 1998 and was rebuilt after suffering structural damages in the big doublet earthquake in 2008.

Ingólfsskáli has mainly served groups over the years but has now opened its doors to individual guests at night during the week. Just call them ahead of time to book a table.

Ingólfsskáli is a private enterprise of a farmer and his family in honour of our first settler. 

Ingólfsskáli Longhouse - a Viking restaurant

I recently dined at this lovely Viking restaurant for the first time. Well worth a visit.

You can check them out on their homepage Ingólfsskáli.

I have written another travel-blog about Ingólfur and Ingólfsskáli The Viking Settler Ingólfur Arnarson, Mt. Ingólfsfjall, and Ingólfsskáli Turf Longhouse in South-Iceland 

Mink Viking Portrait

Fierce looking as a Viking ;)

In Reykjavík city, you will find a professional studio, Mink Viking Portrait, by Laugavegur, our main shopping street downtown, where you can get awesome Viking photos of yourself.

I am not a fierce-looking person in reality, but just look at how fierce-looking the photographers at Mink made me ;)

I can trace my ancestry back to the first Viking settlers here in Iceland in ca 874 AD. But I haven't got much to show for my Viking ancestry other than my genes, as the Viking stuff is still buried somewhere, or kept at Þjóðminjasafnið - the National Museum of Iceland.

Having Viking photos taken with my husband

The proprietor of Mink, Guðmann Þór Bjargmundsson, and the photographer, Gustavo Marcelo Blanco, both of them professional filmmakers, opened the Viking portrait as they love meeting people and wanted to give our foreign guests the chance to meet up with locals here in Iceland and tell them about our Viking ancestry.

I have something in common with them, then ;) 

Guðmann is an active member of the Viking club Rimmugýgur, which I told you about here above, and at the studio, you can get some authentic handmade Viking stuff.

Mink Viking photography - highly recommended as a souvenir from Iceland - or just for us locals to bring out the Viking in us :)

The Viking photo session takes about an hour or so for a single person, and up to two hours if you want a family- or a group photo. Allow some time for changing into Viking-style clothes and modeling for the photographer. You then get to choose 6 photos to take home with you.

I have written a special travel-blog Unleash your Inner Viking Warrior with a Professional Viking Portrait in Reykjavík about the photo session I had with Mink.

The Icelandic Sagas - the Greatest Hits in 75 Minutes

Dressed up with the actors of the play

Seeing that I am forever looking for some Viking stuff to introduce to you, then I was very happy to hear about a new Viking Saga comedy show at our concert hall Harpa.

The show is in English and is called the Icelandic Sagas - the Greatest Hits in 75 minutes! 

The show is described on their website as being "a comedy theatre roller coaster ride through all 40 of the epic Icelandic Sagas" - and that perfectly sums up the experience.

The Icelandic Sagas - the Greatest Hits in 75 Minutes

I have seen this show twice and absolutely loved it - it is a farce and very funny and things happen really fast, so you have to have your wits about you following it.

The actors have 75 minutes to introduce the highlights of the 40 Icelandic Sagas to us, and I laughed for the entire 75 minutes ;)

The main attention though was put on the best-known Sagas, the Saga of Egill, the Saga of Grettir, Laxdæla Saga, and the Queen of the Icelandic Sagas the Saga of Njáll.

Dressing up with the actors the second time I attended the show

I would recommend that you visit the Saga Museum before you see the show to get acquainted with the characters of the Icelandic Sagas.

I have written a special travel-blog - a Hilarious Comedy Show on the Icelandic Sagas in Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík about my visit to this show. Unfortunately, the show is no longer running.

Sail like a Viking

The Viking ship

One of the Viking activities in Iceland is to go sailing on a Viking ship around the fjord at Þingeyri in the Westfjords of Iceland.

This Viking ship is a replica of the authentic Viking ship, Gokstad ship, which was built ca 890 AD and is on display in Bygdö in Oslo, Norway.

As was customary in the olden days a horn was blown upon leaving the harbour. The Viking guide told us about the Vikings and their ships - how they sailed to Iceland and what sailing techniques they used for these long journeys - and the different types of Viking ships - knarr and longship.

Blowing the horn at the Viking ship

Our guide also told us some stories from the old Viking Sagas - it was all in all a very informative tour.

The Viking ship can accommodate 12 and the crew, which consists of 2 Vikings.

I wrote a special travel-blog about my tour on the Viking ship when it used to sail from the old harbour. But they, unfortunately, stopped sailing from Reykjavík harbour now.

From the summer of 2018, the Viking ship will sail from Þingeyri in the Westfjords instead of Reykjavík harbour.

Viking stuff at Þjóðminjasafnið - the National Museum of Iceland

Real Viking swords at the National Museum

At Þjóðminjasafn Íslands - the National Museum of Iceland you will see some of Iceland's Viking treasures, amongst them the Viking swords in my photos.

Owning a Viking sword was something only wealthy and powerful Vikings could do - it was a status symbol.

21 Viking swords have been found in Iceland through the years compared to 3,000 Viking swords in Norway!

An old Viking sword at the National Museum - it is called Kaldárhöfðasverð

14 of the Viking swords were discovered in pagan graves (kuml) and the majority of the Icelandic Viking swords date back to the 9th-10th century.

The photo above is of Kaldárhöfðasverð sword, which dates back to 900-1000 (Sarpur).

One Viking sword was discovered by chance in 2016 by two goose-hunters in South-East Iceland.

And another Viking sword was found in June 2017 at Dysnes in Eyjafjörður in North Iceland.

Have a look at the video when the archaeologists dug out the very fragile Viking sword.

Authentic Viking swords at the National Museum in Reykjavík from the 13-14th century

The Viking sword to the left was discovered at Skjaldbreiður and dates back to 1250-1300 (Sarpur). 

The Viking sword to the right was discovered at Skógar in Fnjóskadalur and dates back to 1300-1400 (Sarpur).

It seems like spears were the main weapons of Icelanders back then. So we cherish all the Viking swords we find here in Iceland. 

Viking brooches at the National Museum of Iceland

At the National Museum of Iceland, you will also be able to have a look at Viking brooches and necklaces and many other Viking stuff discovered in archaeological digs.

Check them out at Þjóðminjasafnið - the National Museum of Iceland. Also check out the Reykjavík City Card, which gives you access to many museums and galleries, including the National Museum.

The Saga Museum

Hallveig and Ingólfur - the first settlers in Iceland

The Saga Museum is a must-visit if you fancy learning more about the Vikings.

Here the Vikings are brought to life - you will encounter full-size, very realistic-looking silicone figures fully dressed in Viking clothes, hand-dyed according to the old tradition.

The historically correct settings show the most famous settlers of Iceland and well-known historical figures in defining moments of their life. The weapons the "Vikings" are carrying were constructed using traditional methods.

Melkorka with Ólafur pá - from the Laxdæla Saga

At the museum, you will see a recreation of the history of the Vikings from the Settlement of Iceland.

Here you will meet Iceland's first settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, and his wife Hallveig Fróðadóttir, who settled Iceland in around the year 874, Leif the Lucky, who discovered America, and Skalla-Grímur Kveldúlfsson, who settled Borgarnes, and many more historical figures.

In my photo above you will see the Irish princess Melkorka with her son, but she was brought as a slave to Iceland and pretended to be mute. You can read about her in Laxdæla Saga.

Leif the Lucky at the Saga Museum

Here you will meet Snorri Sturluson, the great Chieftain and historian, get to know about the effects of the horrible Black Death on the Icelandic nation, and see the most disturbing sight of one of the nuns from Kirkjubæjarklaustur being burnt at the stake.

After your visit to the Saga Museum, you can watch a short documentary on the making of the "Vikings" at the Saga Museum. Very informative.

With my husband and Skarphéðinn Njálsson at the Saga Museum

And do try on the Viking clothes and weapons - it makes for a good photo. The chain armour my husband is wearing weighs a tonne, it is beyond me how the Vikings were able to go into battle wearing such armour.

Check them out at Saga Museum in Reykjavík.

The Settlement Exhibition Reykjavík 871±2

The Settlement Exhibition Reykjavík 871±2

Back in 2001 remains of a longhouse from the Viking Settlement age were unearthed during building work at the south end corner of Aðalstræti, the oldest street in Reykjavík.

These are some of the oldest remains to be discovered in Reykjavík and a museum has been built around the remains.

They were actually building a hotel here and had to stop the work due to this extraordinary longhouse. A decision was made to build a museum around the longhouse and the hotel on top of it.

The Settlement Exhibition Reykjavík 871±2

At the museum, you will see the open excavations of the longhouse and find artifacts on display, which were unearthed on this site. Here you will f.ex. see the oldest fragment of a glass drinking vessel found from the Viking Age in Iceland!

The museum uses interactive technology - and kudos to them for the idea of adding lit-up images all around the longhouse of what Reykjavík was like at the time the settlers arrived - and at the same time they show the view from the longhouse.

If you look at the images then you will see that from time to time white figures of people pop up. I love this idea.

The Settlement Exhibition Reykjavík 871±2

The name of the museum stems from the belief that Ingólfur Arnarson, the first settler, arrived in 874 in Iceland.

Now it has been discovered that he might have arrived a couple of years earlier, so the Settlement Exhibition 871 +/-2 means to give or take a few years.

Check them out at Settlement Exhibition 871 +/-2.

Herjólfstown - Herjólfur's Viking House in the Westman Islands

Herjólfsbær Viking exhibition

In the spring of 2023, a new Viking exhibition opened in Herjólfsbær - Herjólfstown in the Westman Islands. I checked it out and talked to the proprietor.

Herjólfsbærinn - Herjólfur's old farmstead is a hypothetical lava rock house of what is believed to be the first rock house in Iceland. The ruins were discovered back in 1924.

Inside Herjólfsbær 

The Viking exhibition is a conjectural exhibition and shows the family life of Herjólfur, the first settler of Westman Island - and his slaves and friends, who came for a visit.

More and more wax figures will be added to Herjólfsbær with time, and in my photo below you will see the latest additions.

With the guests and the Irish slave at Herjólfsbær

I have written a travel-blog about my visit to Herjólfsbær, where you can see the inhabitants and guests and find out how and when to visit them: A Visit to Herjólfsbær - Herjólfur's Viking House in the Westman Islands.

The Settlement Centre in Borgarnes Town

The Settlement Centre in Borgarnes Town

You will find an excellent exhibition in Borgarnes town, called Landnámssetrið - Settlement Centre - where you will get to know all about Egill Skallagrímsson (910-990), the hero of Egilssaga - the Saga of Egill.

Egil's father, Skalla-Grímur Kveldúlfsson was the settler of this area and around Borgarnes and in Borgarfjörður, you will see 9 cairns, which the proprietor of the Settlement Centre has erected in several historic locations of the Saga of Egill.

The Settlement Centre in Borgarnes Town

There are two exhibitions at the Settlement Centre - the Exhibition on the Viking Egill and an exhibition on the Settlement of Iceland in ca 874 until the Vikings established the old Viking Parliament Alþingi in 930 at Þingvellir.

I have written a special travel-blog about the Saga of the Viking Egill Skallagrímsson, the Settlement Centre & the 9 Cairns in West Iceland with information on how to find the 9 cairns.

Check them out at Landnámssetrið - Settlement Centre.

Snorrastofa at Reykholt - an Exhibition on Snorri Sturluson

Reykholtskirkjur churches

At Reykholt in West Iceland, you will find the former home of what I like to call the most influential Icelander, the great Chieftain and historian, Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241).

An exhibition on Snorri has been opened at Reykholt, called Snorrastofa, where you can get to know all about this great man in Iceland's history. 

Snorri was our best-known Saga writer - he was the author of the history of the Norwegian Kings, Heimskringla and Snorra-Edda, where he wrote about Nordic mythology and poetry.

Snorri Sturluson as depicted at the Saga Museum

He is also most likely the writer of the Saga of Egill Skallagrímsson, which I told you about here above.

Snorri was the most powerful man in Iceland during the Sturlung Age in Iceland and one of the richest men in Iceland.

You can get an excellent guided tour of the Snorrastofa exhibition by the very knowledgeable Sigrún Þormar, the project leader of Snorrastofa. She is a co-blogger here on Guide to Iceland and has written many a good blog on Reykholt and Snorri.

With Sigrún Þormar at Snorrastofa exhibition

I have written a special travel-blog about Reykholt and Snorri: The Historical Reykholt in West-Iceland & Snorri Sturluson - the most influential Icelander.

Sigrún was gracious enough to allow me to stay for 2 days at the old school building at Reykholt and gave me access to Snorrastofa so that I could write my travel-blog :)

Check them out at Snorrastofa at Reykholt.

Saga Musica - the Icelandic Viking Sagas portrayed in Songs 

Saga Musica - the Icelandic Viking Sagas portrayed in Songs 

In Reykjavík city and Eyrarbakki village, you can attend the Saga Musica, where you can listen to a beautiful concert on the Icelandic Viking Sagas performed by very talented musicians.

I have attended this concert twice and absolutely adore it. The show is available for pre-booked groups.

The Icelandic Sagas, which were written back in around the 13th century, give us an insight into the Saga Age in the 9th -11th century and what the Vikings were up to back then. They are stories of the lust for power, honour and revenge, love, and betrayal amongst the Vikings.

The very talented Valgeir Guðjónsson

Valgeir Guðjónsson, who is a household name in Iceland, and his wife, Ásta Kristrún Ragnarsdóttir, are the auteur and producers of this excellent show. Valgeir is well-known for being a member of the popular band Stuðmenn.

I have written a special travel-blog about my visit to the Saga Musica show, where I tell you a lot more about the show and Valgeir and Ásta.

Víkingaheimar - Viking World in Reykjanesbær & the Viking Ship Icelander

The huge Viking sword

An enlarged replica (7 m high) of the Viking sword Kaldárhöfðasverð, which was found by Lake Úlfljótsvatn in 1946. It is believed to date back to the 10th century.

In Reykjanesbær in SW Iceland, we have a Viking museum called Víkingaheimar - the Viking World. At the museum, you will find an exact replica of a Viking ship, but these kinds of Viking ships were really popular back in 900 +/-.

Photo taken back in 2008 when the Viking ship Íslendingur was located outside by Stekkjarkot turf house

The Viking ship is called Íslendingur - Icelander and was built in 1994-1996 by Gunnar Marel Eggertsson, who built it as close to how the real Vikings built their ships as he possibly could, and even used the same tools as our ancestors used.

In 1982 the Norwegians discovered a Viking ship in Gokstad, Norway, and the Icelander is an exact replica of that ship, so it is pretty accurate.

Íslendingur - the Viking Ship Icelander

The Icelander is 23 meters long and 5.25 meters wide and weighs some 18 tonnes of wood! Just imagine how many trees it took to build a ship like this! 

These ships were very expensive and only the very rich could afford to build a Viking ship. When the rich Vikings died it was common for them to be buried with their ship.

Víkingaheimar - Viking World & the Viking Ship Icelander

In 2000 Gunnar and his crew (9) sailed the Icelander to Greenland and from there to North America, the same route as Leifur Eiríksson, the Viking who discovered America, sailed back then.

Their voyage took 110 days and they stopped in 25 ports where the ship was greeted with a ceremony in each port!

Until 2009 the Viking ship Icelander stood outside by the old workingman's turf cottage Stekkjarkot, which you will notice on your way to the museum. 

A statue of Hrafna-Flóki by the museum Víkingaheimar

When in Njarðvík (5 km from the international airport) turn left by the huge Viking sword and left again when you reach the sea. The name of the street is Víkingabraut 1 - Viking Street no. 1.

Check them out at Víkingaheimar - Viking World.

Kakalaskáli in Skagafjörður and the Stone Army - the biggest Viking battles 

We had a chat with Sigurður Hansen on our visit to the Viking exhibition at Kakalaskáli

In Skagafjörður you will find an excellent Viking exhibition at Kakalaskáli, with works of art by 14 artists from around the world, and learn about important events which happened here in the Sturlung age.

I visited Kakalaskáli and had a chat with Sigurður Hansen, the proprietor of the Viking exhibition and the creator of the Stone Army.

Work of art at the Kakalaskáli exhibition

Back in 1246, the bloodiest Viking battle took place next to Kakalaskáli - Haugsnesbardagi battle, in which 111 Vikings lost their lives.

Here the Clan of Ásbirningar arrived with some 720 men and the Clan of Sturlungar arrived with some 600 men.

Sigurður Hansen has recreated the battleground and put up a Stone Army with more than 1,300 stones, which represent the combating armies.

By the Battle of Haugsnes Stone Army

When you visit the Stone Army you will see iron crosses on top of the stones, which represent a fallen Viking. It is heartbreaking visiting this battleground and thinking about the atrocities that took place here.

I have written another travel-blog about the biggest Viking battles in Iceland in the Sturlung age.

You can visit the website of Kakalaskáli for more information.

Skálinn at Þingeyri Village - a Journey to the Past

At Skálinn in Þingeyri Village 

A family-run Viking activity opened in the summer of 2017 at Þingeyri in the Westfjords of Iceland. It is called Skálinn referring to the old Viking habitations.

At Skálinn you will be invited on a journey to the past, where you will experience the settlement period and get to know from the proprietors Borgný and Þórir Örn how the Vikings lived, dressed, and what they ate.

 Step inside and try out the old Viking table weaving and needle binding.

Dressed up in Viking clothes at Skálinn

Here you can bake Viking bread over an open fire, dress up in handmade Viking clothes, and even try out the Viking weapons, which makes for a good photo to take back home :)

Þingeyri has strong ties to their Viking heritage and a Viking club has been active for around 20 years in this location, Víkingar Vestfjarða or the Westfjord Vikings.

With Borgný in the summer of 2024 at Skálinn in Þingeyri 

The Viking ship, which sailed from the old Reykjavík harbour, belongs to Þingeyri and sails from time to time in Dýrafjörður fjord up in the Westfjords of Iceland.

The Viking club built a Viking area at Oddinn by the seashore in Þingeyri, where Viking activities can take place.

Skálinn víkingasetur is open for groups by appointment. Check them out on Facebook.

Grundarfjörður - fighting Vikings

Vikings from the Viking club Glæsir

On several occasions have I seen fighting Vikings in Grundarfjörður - or should I say a re-enactment of a Viking fight.

A small Viking village has been built right by the main road opposite the information centre and during festivals and other festive occasions you might catch a glimpse of the Vikings fighting.

They belong to the Viking group Glæsir, which is a sister club of Rymmugýgur.

Vikings from the Viking club Glæsir 

I usually visit Grundarfjörður during their town festival Á góðri stundu, which is held on the last weekend in July, so I have been lucky enough to see the local Vikings of my grandfather's village fighting in the street.

Grundarfjörður is best known for Mt. Kirkjufell, the most photographed mountain in Iceland, and Kirkjufellsfossar waterfalls.

The reconstructed Saga-Age Farm in Þjórsárdalur

The reconstructed Þjóðveldisbærinn - Commonwealth Farm

In Þjórsárdalur valley upcountry in South Iceland, you will find the ruins of a Viking settler's farmhouse Stöng.

In another location close by a very interesting reconstruction of the medieval farmhouse is to be found, called, Þjóðveldisbærinn - Commonwealth Farm.

At Þjóðveldisbærinn, which was erected in 1974-1977, on the 1100-year anniversary of Icelandic settlement, you will feel like you have stepped back in time for a visit to the Viking age.

Dressing up for a photo at Þjóðveldisbærinn

In the middle of the main hall, a longfire burns. Here the Vikings ate, told stories, worked, and rested.

Last time I visited the longhouse I got to dress up in Viking clothes and have my photo taken, as the reconstructed Saga-age farm is giving their visitors the opportunity to be more interactive.

In the year 2000, a small Viking-age church was erected next to Þjóðveldisbærinn. The turf stave church is a replica of the church excavated by the farm at Stöng. 

The replica of a turf church at Þjóðveldisbærinn

The turf house and turf church blend in perfectly with nature and are even hard to spot from above, and you might even miss them if you didn't know what to look for.

On the location of Þjóðveldisbærinn Game of Thrones shot one of their scenes. If you have watched this series you will remember the Wildlings killing all the inhabitants of the farm, apart from a small boy, which they used as a messenger.

Þjóðveldisbærinn

The Saga-age farm is open daily in the summertime from June 1st until August 31st. Just follow the sign Þjóðveldisbærinn ;)

I have written a travel-blog about Stöng and Þjóðveldisbærinn farm Stöng - Ruins of a Real Viking Settlement Manor and the Reconstructed Saga-Age Farm in Iceland

Eiríksstaðir Viking Long House

Eiríksstaðir

One of the places in Iceland which makes me feel like I have stepped back to the Settlement age is Eiríksstaðir, where a reconstruction of Eirík the Red's Viking longhouse has been built. 

Here Leifur heppni - Leif the Lucky (approx. 980 - 1020), the son of Eirík the Red and his wife Þjóðhildur, was born. Leif is best known for being the first European to discover America. 

I also got to dress up for a photo at Eiríksstaðir

Eiríksstaðir is a museum where you can see what the Viking houses looked like. This cute little Viking longhouse was built with the remake of old Viking tools, so it is quite authentic.

You can sit by the longfire and listen to the guide tell stories about the lives of the Vikings, who lived at Eiríksstaðir in the old times when Iceland was being settled. And try out some cool Viking stuff!

I have written a travel-blog about Eiríksstaðir Long House in West Iceland with much more information and photos.

Check them out at Eiríksstaðir.

Þórdís the Prophetess at Skagaströnd

At Spákonuhof

There is one more interesting exhibition - about Þórdís the Prophetess in Skagaströnd in North Iceland. It is an interesting exhibition on a prophetess in Iceland in the 10th century.

Here you can get acquainted with Þórdís, but her story is told in Þjóðsögur Jóns Árnasonar- the Collection of Folklore of Jón Árnason, which I refer to often in my travel-blog. Jón Árnason was born close to Skagaströnd.

At the exhibition, Spákonuhof, you will see all kinds of prophecy methods used in Iceland at that time - runes, reading of guts, palm reading, fortune-telling, the reading in coffee mugs, palms, cards, etc. And here you can get your own reading.

At Spákonuhof

I have written a travel-blog about my visit to Spákonuhof, where I also got a very accurate reading.

Check them out at Spákonuhof Skagaströnd.

You can also join the Guided 12-Hour Cultural Tour through the History of Vikings & the Sagas which is the only Viking tour I have been able to find. I joined it and wrote a travel-blog about my experience: The Vikings and the Sagas – a fun and educational tour of South Iceland,

On a guided Viking tour in Iceland

In this travel-blog, I only add Viking activities, museums, and exhibitions, but there are many Viking locations and ruins, which you can visit on your travels in my country.

I have written travel-blogs about some of them:

Hofsstaðir in Garðabær Town - a Viking Settlement Age Farm in South-West Iceland

The Historical Hjörleifshöfði Promontory in South Iceland - Part I - the Blood Brothers Ingólfur and Hjörleifur

Borgarvirki Fortress in North-West Iceland - was it a Viking Fortress?

Stöng - Ruins of a Real Viking Settlement Manor

The Lair of the Viking Grettir the Strong in Öxarnúpur in North-East Iceland

I have also written another travel-blog about Viking Ruins and Burial Mounds I have visited on my Travels in Iceland - which is a list of all the archaeological sites and burial mounds, I have visited in Iceland.

The Viking market at the Viking Village

Also visit the most important Viking site in Iceland - Þingvellir national park, where the Vikings established a parliament back in 930.

Lest I forget the Viking Clap, which you can see in the video below, which I borrowed from YouTube. I am somewhere in the crowd of Icelanders participating in the Viking Clap.

I hope that this list of Viking activities, museums, and exhibitions makes it easier for you to travel in Iceland Viking style. What is lacking on this list is Ásatrú - the belief in the old Nordic gods, but you can see the initiation of the Viking Festival further up in this travel-blog of mine.

And I have been a guest at one Ásatrú initiation, the equivalent of confirmation in Christianity in Hrafn Gunnlaugsson's home, but he is my husband's second cousin.

If I find any more Viking "stuff" to do in my country I will add it to this list. Or if you find more Viking "stuff" please let me know :)

The Drunken Viking at the Viking Village

You can read more about the Vikings in the article Vikings and Norse Gods in Iceland.

Have a lovely time in Iceland :)