An Ode to Flateyri

The town across the tunnel from Ísafjörður is full of character, coffee, and culture

There are many a “Population: 200” town in Iceland. But I’d venture to say that Flateyri is particular in how often that point pops up in conversation. Whether via the authors that live there (learn about them on p. 18), the Flateyri Folk School, or the bird murals that adorn the town, this town near Ísafjörður continues to allure. Travelling northwestward to attend the Flateyri Literature Festival, there was too much to say than just one article could hold. Hence, our guide to Flateyri.

Lulled out of that certain toughness one is forced to don in dark, long winters by the capital area’s recently consistently 5° temperatures, “spring” as I knew it had not yet reached the Westfjords. Despite my attempts at mental preparation, these late March days were still cold. The skin on my hands was once again chapped and I had to adjust back into a winter-driving mentality.

We embarked from Reykjavík before 11:00 and reached Flateyri at 17:00, even with incredibly economic pitstops. Within pitstops lies my first point of interest: the Westfjords are notoriously bathroom-sparse, and I have too much reverence for Icelandic nature to even think about sullying it. Nevertheless, we found two places along the way willing to offer us some relief. We at the Grapevine offer our sincerest thanks to Hotel Flókalundur and the people of Djúpidalur for their gracious hospitality.

Two coffee shops, both alike in dignity

For its small size, Flateyri offers multiple food options to hungry visitors and residents. The coffeehouse/bar/restaurant/shop/”Dolls Of The World” museum Gunnukaffi slings tasty burgers that we enjoyed twice during our stay! Wait, did something I say not fit with the rest? This was no typo — truly, in the back of this shop, were an impressive assortment of dolls brought to Iceland from everywhere from Germany to Pakistan.

The other eatery of note is Bryggjukaffi, who offered filter coffee with a smattering of mismatched mugs and delicious bagels. They also offered a beer on tap from the East, which I regret not trying. In the back of the coffee/bar/restaurant (you’re seeing a theme here?) were racks of local goods — knitwear, ceramics, secondhand clothing. In the opening speech to the literary festival we were in town for, the organiser reminded us to “kaupa, kaupa, kaupa!” and especially in a shop like this, one can find oneself heeding the advice with ease.

For those looking for nightlife, fear not and seek out Vagninn. Impressive in size, this is the most proper dive bar I’ve seen in Iceland. Vagninn hosts events, food pop-ups, concerts — Bríet and Inspector Spacetime are playing there over Aldrei weekend — and is generally the place to be on a night in Flateyri. The bar is decorated with photos of patrons past and present, while the ceiling is papered in discontinued krónur notes. Nicotine addicts will enjoy the smoking area that rivals the size of the bar itself.

After a couple of glasses of whatever has been consumed at Vagninn, one must retire to bed. Well, if you’re lucky like we were, you are just a minute away from your bed and are staying above Flateyri’s famous Gamla Bókabúðin. Gorgeous and cosy, this accommodation is absolutely idyllic. Bright yellow walls in the kitchen, a cabinet of games, a deep bathtub, and even a properly tuned guitar awaited us in our temporary abode. They offer two single rooms and one double room, with a shared kitchen between the three. We were genuinely upset to leave on our final day.

The folks of Flateyri

When visiting a new town in Iceland, it’s a given that one must investigate the pool. Flateyri offers an indoor and outdoor hot tub, an indoor lap pool, and a sauna. Plants adorn the pool deck, and there’s always hot coffee in the pot. Sitting in the hot tub and sipping coffee, we spoke to a man who had relocated from Keflavík with his girlfriend to work at a factory nearby turning sheep horns into dog bones. Hey, everyone’s got a story.

Especially being there for a festival, I got the feeling that I had seen almost everyone in the town by the end of our stay. Within a few days, we helped a resident catch his loose dog, bought gloves from an honour-system box outside someone’s house, attended an art exhibition at an old fire station, and enjoyed the comedic stylings of Sindri “Sparkle” Freyr and a literary open mic at Vagninn.

Our time under the watchful gaze of Mount Þorfinnur left us wanting more. Despite the fact that you can cover the whole town in just minutes, there’s so much lurking in every corner, waiting to be found.

If you’re not already convinced, you should visit: acclaimed Icelandic artist Shoplifter has a giant installation hiding somewhere in Flateyri. Can you find it?

Thanks to GO Car Rental for the wheels.