The Viking Festival in Hafnarfjordur, Iceland, is a four-day event held annually in mid-June and attracts visitors from around the world to witness storytellers, artists, musicians, artisans, blacksmiths, and “Viking warriors” ready to display their strength or aim, ‘according to the Viking Village website.
The Viking Village is a family-owned restaurant and hotel business located in Hafnarfjörður, sponsoring the event that honors the Vikings – Scandinavian farmers, fishermen, shepherds, and pirates who raided and invaded countries from Russia to North America between 800 and 1000 AD. .
The lineup changes somewhat each year, but the event includes daily Viking sword fighting, storytelling and lectures, a performance by a Viking jester, archery and ax throwing, performances by Viking bands, a market, and of course. , a Viking party. It is one of the most popular annual events in Iceland.
History and getting to the festival
According to Regína Hrönn Ragnarsdóttir in her Guide to Iceland, the Viking Festival in Hafnarfjordur was first held in 1995 and is one of the oldest and largest festivals of its kind in Iceland. During the event, “Vikings sell handmade things, furs, roast a lamb, fight, dance, tell stories and show us the ways of life of the ancient Vikings,” says Ragnarsdóttir, a resident of the area.
In addition, he points out that during the festival the Vikings teach visitors how to throw spears and axes and shoot with bows and arrows, as well as demonstrate wood carving and count fortunes in a tent in the market. In the past, there have even been Viking christenings and Viking weddings at the event, says Ragnarsdóttir, adding that there is also a lot of partying after the daily market closes at 8pm.
Buses travel back and forth regularly between Hafnarfjordur and Reykjavik, which is just a 10-minute drive away, and the Hafnarfjördur bus station is very close to Viking Village. If you want to drive from Reykjavik to the festival, go approximately six miles southwest on Highway 42, towards Keflavik Airport.
Dine like a viking
If you need a break from the festivities, you can eat at the Fjörugarðurinn restaurant, a large restaurant with capacity for 350 guests. You can even request a “Viking kidnapping,” according to the Viking Village website. During this fun activity, a Viking will abduct a guest from his bus outside the restaurant and then take them to The Cave, where Vikings will sing Icelandic songs and serve mead.
Menu items for the main course include smoked salmon, herring, carpaccio, Christmas ham, smoked lamb, and two types of pate, as well as traditional Viking sides like red cabbage and fried vegetables. Dining at the Fjörugarðurinn restaurant is all-inclusive for one low fee, making it one of the best places to grab a bite to eat while taking a break from the festivities.
Plus, you can even rent capes for groups to have during Viking dinner and kidnapping parties at an additional cost. If you really want to learn about the traditions of the Vikings, be sure to add this famous restaurant to your itinerary on your trip to Iceland this June.
