Raufarhofn (Raufarhöfn) Fishing Village
Raufarhofn (Raufarhöfn) Fishing Village
With just under 200 inhabitants Raufarhofn is one of the smallest and most remote fishing villages in Iceland. It has suffered from depopulation because of changing trends in the fishing industry and its isolation, but the sleepy settlement was once a major export port and herring processing center.
Its natural harbor is sheltered by the headland Hofdinn which stretches far out to sea. You can walk out to the lighthouse at its tip, where a narrow strait separates the headland from the lone stack called Hólmurinn.
Bird life is plentiful here and on the numerous ponds flanking the road north of the village.
Visitors will find a hotel, cafe, service station, and small grocery. Just north of the town, look for Heimskautsgerði or Arctic Henge, an artwork partly inspired by the Norse religion.