Matkaopas: Dalvík

Dalvík is a village within the municipality of Dalvíkurbyggð in North Iceland, with a population of approximately 1,400 people. 

Photo above from Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by Hansueli Krapf. No edits made.

The municipality of Dalvíkurbyggð is located on the Tröllaskagi Peninsula and west of fjord Eyjafjörður. Dalvík is the precinct’s main village, but the municipality is also made up of the rural districts Svarfaðardalur and Árskógar.  

Explore this town while on a self drive tour in Iceland.

History & Culture

Dalvík, as a village, only came into existence a little over a century ago. Before that, the area consisted of scattered farmsteads and a few buildings dedicated to the fishing which the farmers practised alongside general agriculture.

When Norwegian fishers started flocking to the area for its bountiful herring population around the turn of the 20th Century, the village grew rapidly and soon became the third-largest herring-port of the country. The festival Fiskidagurinn mikli, or ‘The Great Fish Day’, is still held annually to celebrate these golden days.

Central to the festivities, which include live music and fireworks, is a free-of-charge seafood buffet, where local fish producers supply the ingredients while the residents communally contribute their resources and cooking skills.

In 1934, the area’s most powerful earthquake in recorded history destroyed a great deal of the village and left approximately 200 people without a home. The quake is known as Dalvíkurskjálftinn and was reportedly felt throughout North Iceland. 

The village is home to the museum Byggðasafnið Hvoll, which has a segment dedicated to the historical earthquake and its effects on the town. 

Activities & Environment

Skiing is a popular sport in Dalvík and the skiing area of Böggvisstaðafjall is favoured across the country. The village has birthed a series of accomplished skiers, some of which have represented Iceland in the Winter Olympics and other large international competitions such as World Cups and World Championships. 

Just off the coast of Dalvík is the island Grímsey, the northernmost inhabited area of Iceland. The ferry Sæfari makes port in the town’s harbour Dalvíkurhöfn, connecting the inhabitants of Grímsey to the rest of Iceland.