Towns & Villages

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There is a great variety of towns and villages in West Iceland.  Some of them are mainly fishing ports, some rely on farming, industry, schools and education, while others are mainly service or tourist centres.

In West Iceland there are 9 towns and villages with more than 50 inhabitants. The biggest one is Akranes with a population of 6400, while Rif has only 135 inhabitants. Most of the villages are by the seaside, but Hvanneyri and Bifrost in Borgarfjordur are inland and both are University campuses.

		Akranes			Bifrost		Borgarnes		Budardalur
		The biggest community in West Iceland and formerly one of the biggest fishing towns in Iceland.			Bifrost is a university village with a population of 260 but during the winter months 600 - 700 people live there.		The main service centre of West Iceland, Borgarnes is steeped in history and culture and is also home to the biggest Coca Cola can in Iceland.		Budardalur is a strong farming community in the Dalir county.  It is located on the east shore of Hvammsfjordur and the Breidafjordur Bay with its splendid array of islands.
		Grundarfjordur			Hellissandur & Rif		Hvanneyri		Olafsvik
		Ideally-situated on the north coast of Snaefellsnes, this fishing village is surrounded by an impressive mountain range with Mt. Kirkjufell being its well-known landmark..			The Arctic Terns have chosen to have their breeding ground in the vicinity of these two villages, so driving a convertible through this area is not a good idea.		For centuries Hvanneyri has been a chuch centre and a small comunity of 300 inhabitants has formed around  agricultural organizations.		An impressive waterfall provides the backdrop to the town closest to the Glacier.  A beautiful stream runs through the town, providing a unique feature to the area.
		Stykkisholmur
		A quaint village providing the link to the West Fjords. Stykkisholmur is the largest community on Snaefellsnes and has a rich cultural heritage.