Húsavík

Village · Northeastern Region, 🇮🇸 Iceland

Húsavík is a small harbour town on Skjálfandi Bay in north Iceland. It is the country's best-known base for whale watching, because several whale species enter the bay. The town is compact and easy to walk, with a working fishing harbour and wooden houses on the hillside.

Medieval texts say the Viking Garðar Svavarsson spent a winter here around 870. In recent years the town also became known as the setting of the 2020 film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. Its song "Husavik" was nominated for an Oscar. Húsavík suits one or two nights, and it is a good base for Lake Mývatn, Ásbyrgi canyon and Dettifoss waterfall.

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When to visit

Whale watching runs in the lighter, warmer months, with long days and cool weather. Humpback, minke and blue whales are all seen in the bay, but no sighting is guaranteed, so check with tour operators about the season.

Winter is dark, cold and snowy. Fewer tours run, and some roads can be icy. Clear winter nights give a chance to see the northern lights. In July the town holds its Sweet Days (Mærudagar) festival.

Select a month

Typical weather in January

Poor

0° (feels like -5°) · extremes -12°–6°
-5° at night
18 rainy days
0 sunny days
0 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
3°C · too cold to swim
UV index 0 · low
4 hours of daylight

Typical weather in February

Poor

0° (feels like -5°) · extremes -12°–6°
-5° at night
17 rainy days
0 sunny days
1 hour of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
3°C · too cold to swim
UV index 0 · low
8 hours of daylight

Typical weather in March

Poor

1° (feels like -4°) · extremes -11°–7°
-4° at night
18 rainy days
1 sunny day
3 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
2°C · too cold to swim
UV index 1 · low
11 hours of daylight

Typical weather in April

Poor

3° (feels like -1°) · extremes -8°–9°
-2° at night
15 rainy days
3 sunny days
5 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
3°C · too cold to swim
UV index 1 · low
15 hours of daylight

Typical weather in May

Poor

7° (feels like 3°) · extremes -4°–14°
1° at night
14 rainy days
4 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
4°C · too cold to swim
UV index 2 · low
19 hours of daylight

Typical weather in June

Fair

11° (feels like 8°) · extremes 1°–18°
6° at night
13 rainy days
4 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
7°C · too cold to swim
UV index 3 · moderate
22 hours of daylight

Typical weather in July

Fair

14° (feels like 11°) · extremes 5°–19°
8° at night
15 rainy days
2 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
9°C · too cold to swim
UV index 3 · moderate
20 hours of daylight

Typical weather in August

Fair

13° (feels like 11°) · extremes 4°–19°
8° at night
16 rainy days
2 sunny days
5 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
10°C · too cold to swim
UV index 2 · low
17 hours of daylight

Typical weather in September

Poor

10° (feels like 7°) · extremes 0°–16°
5° at night
18 rainy days
2 sunny days
3 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
8°C · too cold to swim
UV index 1 · low
13 hours of daylight

Typical weather in October

Poor

5° (feels like 0°) · extremes -7°–11°
1° at night
20 rainy days
1 sunny day
1 hour of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
6°C · too cold to swim
UV index 0 · low
9 hours of daylight

Typical weather in November

Poor

1° (feels like -4°) · extremes -10°–8°
-3° at night
18 rainy days
0 sunny days
0 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
5°C · too cold to swim
UV index 0 · low
5 hours of daylight

Typical weather in December

Poor

0° (feels like -5°) · extremes -13°–7°
-5° at night
18 rainy days
0 sunny days
0 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
4°C · too cold to swim
UV index 0 · low
2 hours of daylight

Climate data: NASA POWER + Copernicus ERA5-Land and ERA5 · 1996–2025

Top sights

Gentle Giants

Geosea

Húsavík Port

The Húsavík Whale MuseumNon-profit museum in a former slaughterhouse on Skjálfandi Bay, devoted to whales of the North Atlantic, with real skeletons and interactive exhibits.

HúsavíkurkirkjaWooden Lutheran church consecrated in 1907, built in Swiss chalet style to a design by Rögnvaldur Ólafsson. White with green roofs and a 26 m steeple, it is one of the town's best-known landmarks.

North Sailing

The Exploration MuseumMuseum on the history of human exploration, from Viking voyages and polar expeditions to the Apollo programme, with a focus on astronaut training in Iceland.

Whale watching tours leave from the harbour in the town centre. Boats go out into Skjálfandi Bay, and trips usually last a few hours. Book ahead in summer.
The Húsavík Whale Museum is in a former slaughterhouse by the harbour. It shows whale skeletons and exhibits on North Atlantic whales. It is a good first stop to learn what you may see at sea.
Húsavíkurkirkja is a wooden church from 1907, built from Norwegian timber, in the town centre a short walk from the harbour.
The Exploration Museum tells the story of exploration, from Vikings to polar expeditions. It also covers the astronauts who trained in northern Iceland in the 1960s.
GeoSea geothermal sea baths overlook Skjálfandi Bay, a relaxing stop after a day at sea.

Featured Lists

Zelmira Rodriguez / CC-BY-SA

Húsavík Essentials

Húsavík, known as Iceland's whale watching capital, centers around its historic harbor where traditional wooden boats depart for Skjálfandi Bay. The town features the 1907 Húsavíkurkirkja church, a distinctive wooden structure, and the Geosea geothermal baths, which utilize heated seawater. Cultural sites include the Safnahúsið museum’s maritime and natural history exhibits, while the 417-meter Húsavíkurfjall mountain and the bright orange Húsavíkurviti lighthouse provide vantage points over the Arctic coastline.

9 places

Tours & Activities

Húsavík — Map

Getting there

By air: Most international visitors land at Keflavík (KEF) near Reykjavik. The nearest airport with scheduled passenger flights is Akureyri Airport (AEY), about 90 km away. It has domestic flights from Reykjavik.
By bus: Strætó route 79 links Akureyri and Húsavík in a little over an hour. It runs year-round with only a few departures a day, and timetables change by season, so check them on Strætó before you travel.
By car: From Akureyri, take Route 1 through the Vaðlaheiði tunnel, then Route 85 to Húsavík. The distance is about 90 km. A toll applies in the tunnel and is paid online. A car is the easiest way to reach Mývatn, Ásbyrgi and Dettifoss. In winter, check road conditions on Road conditions.