The Settlement Center Borgarnes: Egil’s Saga Where It Happened

At the tip of the Borgarnes peninsula, where the Brákarsund strait cuts between the town and the water, two restored warehouse buildings hold the Settlement Center (Landnámssetur Íslands). It is one of the most useful stops in West Iceland, and about 15 minutes’ drive from The Hvítá Inn. The story it tells happened in the fields and river valleys you drive through to get there.

Two Exhibitions in the Old Warehouses

The Center runs two separate walk-through exhibitions, each taking roughly 30 minutes with an audio guide. The Settlement of Iceland exhibition covers the Norse voyages and the first arrivals in the late 9th century. The Egil’s Saga exhibition, set in the sunken stone cellar of the warehouse, follows Egil Skallagrímsson — poet, farmer and one of the most difficult heroes in the Icelandic sagas — through battles, feuds and verse, largely told through carved wooden artworks.

The audio guides are available in about 15 languages, including English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, the Nordic languages, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese and Dutch, plus a children’s version in Icelandic. Because both exhibitions are indoor and self-paced, this is a strong rainy-day anchor for a Borgarfjörður day.

Practical Details

• Getting there: about 15 minutes by car from The Hvítá Inn, following Route 1 into Borgarnes and continuing to the old town at the peninsula’s tip.
• Duration: allow roughly an hour for both exhibitions, longer if you stop to eat.
• Food: there is a restaurant and café on site in the old warehouse, open year-round; check current hours at landnam.is before a late visit.
• When to go: good in any weather, and a sensible choice on a wet or windy day when outdoor sites are less rewarding.
• What to bring: your own earphones if you prefer, though guides are provided; comfortable shoes for the uneven cellar floor.

The Real Saga Sites Nearby

The exhibition works best when you pair it with the landscape it describes. Just outside Borgarnes is Borg á Mýrum, the farm Egil’s father Skallagrímur settled and where a church now stands. In town, the Brákin memorial at Brákarsund marks where Egil’s nurse Þorgerður Brák is said to have died escaping his father. Skallagrímsgarður, a small park in Borgarnes, holds a burial mound traditionally linked to Skallagrímur and Egil’s son Böðvar. All three are within a few minutes of the Center, so you can read the saga inside and stand on its ground the same afternoon.

Where to Stay

The Hvítá Inn sits on the bank of the Hvítá river at Hvítárbakki, about 15 minutes from Borgarnes and roughly 75 minutes from Reykjavík — close enough to reach the Settlement Center and the saga sites in a short morning drive, then return to a quiet countryside base with private-bathroom rooms. Book direct on Ourhotels.is for the best rate.

Photo: Mofr08 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.