Ísafjörður

Travel Advice for Seniors: Ísafjörður.

The first stop in Iceland after a full day’s sail from Greenland was Ísafjörður. Most of the cities in Iceland, with the exception of Reykjavik, are pretty small and while some have nice sights, keep in mind that it will not be like visiting Boston or Paris. However, they do offer something that can only be found in this part of the world…spectacular fjords!

Fjords are deep, narrow bodies of water that reach inland and are typically surrounded by very steep walls of rock. Ísafjörður is a prime example, well known for its dramatic landscapes.

Ísafjörður is a town of about 3000. Considered the Capital of the Westfjords, it is a center for trade, fishing and tourism. Located a mere 30 nautical miles south of the Arctic circle, it was previously one of the largest fisheries in Iceland, however, due to a variety of factors, this is no longer the case.

While we traveled on to Bolungarvík and the Ósvör museum, there are several things to do in Ísafjörður. The old town has 18th century wooden houses with corrugated tin roofs built by fishing merchants and the Westfjords Heritage Museum has exhibits on the town’s maritime history, including a collection of old fishing boats.

The Ósvör museum in Bolungarvík, is a replica of an old fishing outpost. We met the museum curator at the entrance, who was dressed as a fisherman would’ve been in the 19th century (Mom thought he was cute!). He walked us through the open-air museum and did a very nice tour of the grounds, providing plenty of history.

The Open-Air Museum was not very accessible for wheelchairs, but a couple of walking sticks may help for those with mobility issues. Most of the walk was on grass or pebbled surfaces on uneven ground.

While the fishing village and town were interesting, the really stellar part of this stop was the beauty of the Fjords.

Where we stayed: On board the Ship.

How we got there: Sailed from Greenland to Isafjörður. This was part of a 15-day ocean cruise tour beginning in New York City and ending in Reykjavik, with stops in Canada, Greenland and Iceland.

General Accessibility Information: See notes above. Iceland is overall pretty accessible. Tour operators like Iceland Unlimited offer accessible day and multi-day tours. Sjálfsbjörg, The National Association of People with Disabilities surveys museums and public spaces for accessibility. TravAble is a free app that shows accessible places and services. FIA Guide for the Disabled Traveler is a website with information about using a disability parking permit or placard in Iceland. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements. See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.

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