People of Stykkishólmur

On our recent trip to the picturesque fishing town of Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, we met plenty of interesting locals going about their business. The town is, like much of Iceland, riding the wave of increased off-season tourism, which benefits everything from local restaurants and bars to artists, craftsmen, and, of course, tour operators.

Look out for a full account of the two days we spent there next week.

Arnór, Volcano Museum Guide & breakbeat DJ
“My parents actually met on this very stage, before moving to West Berlin. I was brought up there, which explains my accent. But now, I’m back, working here of all places… it’s come full circle. I was also a part of breakbeat.is—I have actually DJed right here in the museum.”

Bryndís, Seatours “Viking Sushi” worker
“The captain tells us when to push the net off, then we trawl for shellfish, and he tells us when to pull it up again. We get a lot of sea urchins, crabs, starfish, and scallops, and open them up right here on the deck. The net always comes up full. People go crazy for how fresh it is, but I don’t actually eat it myself.”

Unnar, Seatours Ship Captain
“We saw a white-tailed eagle out on the trip today. They have a 2.5m wing span. There are only 200 of them in Iceland, but we have two nests here in Briedafjörður so we see them often.´

Sæþór, chef and owner of Narfeyrarstofa
“I bought the place back in 2001. The previous owner lived on the top floor, but we’ve converted it into another dining room. We used to be quiet in the winter, but tonight we were full on both floors—it’s been very busy this year. I’m planning to renovate the basement next.”

Lára, craftswoman
“We have our shop here, and also our workshop, so people can see the things being made. I’m working on making these angels—people buy a lot of them around easter, and for christenings. but a lot of tourists buy them too.”