Siglufjörður

Siglufjörður is a town and historic fishing port on the northern coast of Iceland, located at the head of the fjord of the same name on the Tröllaskagi peninsula. The sheltered harbor is surrounded by steep mountains, giving the town a dramatic, fjord-side setting.

Historically, Siglufjörður developed as a fishing settlement in the late 19th century and grew rapidly during the height of the herring fishery in the early to mid-20th century. The influx of crews from Iceland and abroad helped make it a regional center. After the herring stock collapsed in the 1960s, the town experienced population decline and a shift in its economy toward services, aquaculture, and tourism.

Today, fishing and fish processing remain part of the local economy, but tourism has become increasingly important. A centerpiece is the Herring Era Museum, housed in a former processing plant, which documents the town’s industrial heritage and the social history of the herring era. The museum, along with local cultural venues, draws visitors interested in the region’s past and Nordic fishing towns.

Siglufjörður lies in the scenic Tröllaskagi region, offering outdoor opportunities such as hiking in surrounding mountains and coastal scenery. The area’s climate is subarctic, with cool summers and cold, windy winters moderated by the sea.

The name Siglufjörður combines Sigla, a personal name, with fjörður, the Icelandic word for fjord, reflecting its origins as a named fjord community.