Suðureyri: A Fishing Village and Its Fresh-Catch Food Trail

A Village Built on Fresh Fish

Suðureyri sits at the mouth of Súgandafjörður, a narrow fjord on the western side of the Westfjords peninsula, with the mountain Góltur rising behind the harbour. It’s a working fishing village of roughly 300 people, and unlike many small Icelandic ports it has turned its fishing economy into something visitors can actually see and taste. The local seafood operation runs a guided “Fisherman” seafood trail that walks small groups through the harbour and fish-processing facility, then serves the catch as a home-cooked meal, with a running explanation of how the boats and the plant keep the fishery sustainable. It’s a rare chance to connect the boat you see docked at the pier with the plate in front of you, on the same afternoon.

Getting There Through the Tunnel

From Ísafjörður, Suðureyri is reached through the Vestfjarðagöng, a tunnel system with three separate arms meeting at a junction inside the mountain — one of the few three-way tunnel junctions in the world. The Ísafjörður arm (Tungudalur) runs about 2.1 km and the Suðureyri arm (Botnsdalur) about 2.9 km, so the drive from town to town is roughly 20 km and takes about 20 minutes door to door. Large sections of the tunnel are single-lane with passing bays (marked “M” on the road), so oncoming traffic has to yield in turn. It’s a normal way of driving in the Westfjords, but worth knowing before you go if you’re not used to single-lane tunnels — slow down, watch for headlights ahead, and pull into a bay early rather than late.

What’s in the Village

Suðureyri is small enough to see on foot in under an hour: a working harbour with fishing boats tied up most days, a guesthouse and café run under the Fisherman name, and an outdoor geothermal pool (Sundlaugin á Suðureyri) with hot tubs and a children’s pool, open through the summer. In August the village also hosts the Act Alone theatre festival, a separate multi-day event worth its own trip. Check current opening hours and which specific tours or restaurants are running before you go, since small-village operators can change with the season.

Trip Details

• Getting there: Route 60/61 from Ísafjörður through the Vestfjarðagöng tunnel, about 20 km / 20 minutes each way
• Duration: A half-day round trip — 2 to 3 hours including a harbour walk and lunch, longer if you book the seafood trail tour
• Driving notes: Single-lane sections inside the tunnel with passing bays; dip your headlights and give way as marked
• What to bring: A swimsuit if you plan to use the pool, and cash or a card for the harbour café
• Timing: Late morning departure gets you to Suðureyri in time for a seafood lunch before the drive back

Where to Stay

The Ísafjörður Inn puts you at the near end of the Vestfjarðagöng tunnel, so Suðureyri’s harbour and food trail are a straightforward half-day loop rather than a full day of driving — you can be back in town, showered, and out for dinner by evening. Book direct on Ourhotels.is for the best rate.

Photo: Christian Bickel (fingalo) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 de.