Ólafsfjörður is a town in the northeast of Iceland located at the mouth of the fjord Eyjafjörður.
The town is connected to Dalvík on Eyjafjörður by the 3.5 km one-lane Múli tunnel (the Múlagöng) and to Siglufjörður by the 11 km Héðinsfjörður Tunnels, opened in 2010.
The municipalities of Ólafsfjörður and Siglufjörður merged in 2006 to form the municipality of Fjallabyggð, which literally means Mountain Settlement.
The still waters of Ólafsfjörður Lake often mirror Ólafsfjörður town, its surrounding mountains and the sky above. Occasionally a trout breaks the surface, as a reminder of what is up and what is down in this mysterious mountain retreat. The lake has a long-lived reputation for mystery, not least because both fresh-water and salt-water fish are caught in it.
For the general tourist, as well as those who are keen on outdoor activities, Ólafsfjörður town has many interesting and enjoyable pursuits on offer.
During the winter months it is a skier's paradise and an outdoor enthusiast's dream come true. There is a choice of cross-country skiing, slalom, skating, zooming around on a snowmobile or hand line fishing in the waters of Ólafsfjarðarvatn.
During the summer, it is the mountains, the lake and the black sandy shores which beckon us, and there is a wide selection of walks and hikes in both mountain and valley to tempt the visitor. A few hours walking through the area's rugged landscape gives one the chance to savour the peace and tranquillity which emanates from these natural elements.
The diversity of leisure activities is almost endless and in Ólafsfjörður it is possible to go sea angling or angling in the waters of Ólafsfjarðará river or Ólafsfjarðarvatn lake. And we must not forget the fishing from the end of the pier can also be fun. There is a 9-hole golf course, a swimming pool, and an excellent natural history museum containing many stuffed birds.
Map of Ólafsfjörður