Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
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Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Dalvík is a small fishing village on the Tröllaskagi peninsula in North Iceland, about 45 km (around 40 minutes) north of Akureyri. It is a popular base for whale watching and the departure point for the ferry to Grímsey island on the Arctic Circle.
Dalvík is a working fishing town of around 1,500 people, set on the Eyjafjörður fjord between Akureyri and Siglufjörður. Its harbour and the surrounding fjord waters are one of the best places in Iceland to see whales, with several species regularly spotted on boat tours from the town.
Dalvík is also the mainland departure point for the ferry Sæfari to Grímsey, the Icelandic island that sits directly on the Arctic Circle. Beyond whale watching and the ferry, the town has a small ski area in winter, a swimming pool, and hiking routes into the mountains of Tröllaskagi behind it.
The village lies on the western shore of Eyjafjörður, one of Iceland's longest fjords, at the mouth of the valley Svarfaðardalur, with mountain ranges on both sides. It sits on the Tröllaskagi peninsula, a name that means "Troll Peninsula". From the shore you look straight across to Hrísey, the small island in the middle of the fjord, and the white village church stands out against the mountains behind.
Dalvík owes its existence to herring. When the fish filled the waters off the village, fishermen came from all over and Dalvík grew into one of the biggest ports in the area. Fishing and fish processing are still the main work here, alongside tourism. Two smaller villages, Hauganes and Árskógssandur, belong to the same municipality.
Dalvík is small, but there is enough here for a full day, more with a boat trip.
For more than twenty years Dalvík was known all over Iceland for Fiskidagurinn mikli, the Great Fish Day. Every August, on the Saturday after the first Monday of the month, the local fish industry served free fish dishes to everyone who came. A large stage went up above the harbour, there was music and entertainment all day and a concert in the evening, and up to 30,000 people turned up in a village of 1,500.
The festival was held from 2001 to 2023 and has not been held since. If you read about it elsewhere and want to plan a trip around it, check first whether it has been revived. The village still has local events and a lively cultural calendar for its size.
Dalvík has a swimming pool with hot tubs, shops, cafés, restaurants and fuel, making it a good stop for services on the North Iceland coast.
Dalvík has guesthouses and hotels for those basing themselves in the town, though many visitors stay in Akureyri and visit Dalvík as a day trip for whale watching or the ferry.
Yes, it is one of North Iceland's main whale-watching departure points, with tours regularly spotting several species.
By the Sæfari ferry, which takes about 3 hours each way and runs several times a week, more often in summer.
About 45 km, around 40 minutes by car.
Fishing, whale watching, and as the mainland port for the ferry to Grímsey on the Arctic Circle.
Fiskidagurinn mikli ran every August from 2001 to 2023 and has not been held since. Check locally before planning a visit around it.
Yes. Strætó route 57 runs between Reykjavík and Akureyri, and route 78 continues from Akureyri to Dalvík and Siglufjörður. Route 78 does not run every day.
Hiking in the Tröllaskagi mountains, the local museum, the swimming pool, skiing in winter, the beer spa at Árskógssandur and ferries to Grímsey and Hrísey.
About 410 km, around 5 hours by car, or a 45-minute flight to Akureyri followed by a 40-minute drive.
Tours and trips that include Dalvík, booked directly with a local travel agency in Iceland.
