Vopnafjorour, Iceland

The bay of Vopnafjörður was first settled by Vikings in the late 9th century. The first record of it is in the Vopnfirðinga saga, one of the classic Family Sagas, a series of epic family histories written in the 13th century. Little is known about the history of Vopnafjörður after Iceland lost its independence to Norway in 1264.

This is an area of truly rugged, natural beauty. Devoid of trees and carpeted in thick mosses, the landscape surrounding Vopnafjörður is typical of the extreme east coast of Iceland. Gljúfursárfoss, a graceful, cascading waterfall plunges into a very dramatic gorge. It is one of the best known waterfalls in this part of the country. A highlight of Icelandic culture and lifestyle is the Bustarfell Folk Museum. Bustarfell is a quaint group of six houses, many centuries old, constructed in the traditional Icelandic farm style. The brown wooden houses, gabled in red with grass-grown roofs, is one of the oldest and best preserved farms of its kind in Iceland.