Hrisey

Hrisey Hrísey is known for its beautiful nature, diverse bird life and many pleasant hiking trails.

In Hrísey, old tractors are the main ride — no need for long drives on this charming island! 🚜Locals take great pride in...
06/08/2025

In Hrísey, old tractors are the main ride — no need for long drives on this charming island! 🚜Locals take great pride in keeping them in great shape, adding to the island’s unique character.

Photo by Hlynur Hreiðarsson and text based on a story from one of Iceland’s leading online news outlets visir.
See the Icelandic version of the article in the comments.

Angelica Harvest in Full Swing in Hrísey! 🌿It’s peak season for harvesting angelica (hvönn)—a traditional Icelandic herb...
24/07/2025

Angelica Harvest in Full Swing in Hrísey! 🌿
It’s peak season for harvesting angelica (hvönn)—a traditional Icelandic herb with a long history of use in teas, supplements, and natural remedies.

Workers come to Hrísey each summer to take part in the harvest. Angelica has been valued for centuries in the Nordic region for its medicinal properties, and in Iceland, it still grows wild in clean, unspoiled nature.

Photos: Kristín Björk Ingólfsdóttir

23/07/2025

Welcome to Hrísey Island!

The stunning west coast of Hrísey — where sandy beaches meet rugged coastline, rich birdlife thrives, and you might even...
27/06/2025

The stunning west coast of Hrísey — where sandy beaches meet rugged coastline, rich birdlife thrives, and you might even spot a seal or a passing whale!

Photo: Christiane Stadler

A new walking path has been opened along the western shoreline of Hrísey Island. Along this route stands an old, abandon...
24/06/2025

A new walking path has been opened along the western shoreline of Hrísey Island.
Along this route stands an old, abandoned concrete mixing station, which has now been transformed into a rest stop. The structure resembles a kind of house frame – though not a house in the traditional sense.
By repurposing the old station in this way, it both visually connects with historical remains in the area and improves the site’s appearance. It also creates a fun photo opportunity and enhances safety by reducing the risk of falling. A picnic bench will be installed, where visitors can sit, rest, and enjoy the beautiful views.
The installation was designed by Einar Sigþórsson, architect at Akureyri’s Planning Department, and built by Stálsmiðjan Útrás ehf.

The rest stop is part of a new 4.5 km circular route that winds through the western part of Hrísey. It includes a newly built coastal path combined with older trails and existing road segments. It is currently the only formal walking path in this area and offers rich experiences of local nature.

Along the way, visitors can discover a beautiful sandy beach perfect for sea bathing, and it’s not uncommon to spot seals and a variety of birdlife. The trail also crosses the island’s small airstrip (rarely used) and leads to the birdwatching area by Lambhagatjörn.
The trail is accessible and relatively easy, with little elevation change, making it suitable for a wide range of users — from walkers and cyclists to sea swimmers and bird enthusiasts.

The project is funded by a grant from the Tourist Site Protection Fund (Framkvæmdasjóður ferðamannastaða).

Photos by Guðný Pálína Sæmundsdóttir

Celebrating Diversity at Hrísey Pride "Hinsegin Hrísey 2025" for the Third TimeJoin us as we celebrate diversity at Hrís...
19/06/2025

Celebrating Diversity at Hrísey Pride "Hinsegin Hrísey 2025" for the Third Time
Join us as we celebrate diversity at Hrísey Pride for the third consecutive year! For more information and program see comments.

June 17 – Iceland’s National Day 🇮🇸Today, Iceland celebrates its independence and the birth of a republic! On this day i...
17/06/2025

June 17 – Iceland’s National Day 🇮🇸
Today, Iceland celebrates its independence and the birth of a republic! On this day in 1944, Iceland officially became a fully independent nation, breaking away from Denmark after centuries of foreign rule.

We celebrate freedom, self-determination, and national pride — and honor Jón Sigurðsson, a key leader in Iceland’s independence movement, whose birthday is also today. His legacy lives on in the hearts of all Icelanders.

Hrísey is putting on a stunning show! Nature is in full bloom with lush greenery and vibrant flowers, while the mainland...
12/06/2025

Hrísey is putting on a stunning show! Nature is in full bloom with lush greenery and vibrant flowers, while the mainland mountains still wear a light dusting of snow — a beautiful contrast after the cool start to the month.
Photos Laimonas Rimkus

Hrísey is putting on a stunning show! Nature is in full bloom with lush greenery and vibrant flowers, while the mainland...
12/06/2025

Hrísey is putting on a stunning show! Nature is in full bloom with lush greenery and vibrant flowers, while the mainland mountains still wear a light dusting of snow — a beautiful contrast after the cool start to the month.

Photos Laimonas Rimkus

This hardy little bird is well adapted to life in the North and can be seen year-round in Hrísey. What’s especially fasc...
19/05/2025

This hardy little bird is well adapted to life in the North and can be seen year-round in Hrísey. What’s especially fascinating is its changing plumage with the seasons — in winter, the snow bunting is mostly white with dark wingtips, blending beautifully into the snow-covered landscape. In summer, it takes on more brown and rusty tones.

In Iceland, it is known as snjótittlingur (snow bunting) in winter, but in summer it’s often called sólskríkja — a name that reflects both its seasonal color change and its cheerful summer song.

Keep an eye out as you walk around Hrísey — you might spot these lovely birds singing or foraging along the shoreline. A true seasonal shape-shifter of the bird world!

Photo .lokadottir

It has been snowing quite a lot over the past few days, which is appreciated, as the winter until now has not brought mu...
21/01/2025

It has been snowing quite a lot over the past few days, which is appreciated, as the winter until now has not brought much of this fluffy white substance that is such a big part of our winter scenery. Ásrún Ýr Gestsdóttir, one of the island residents, captured these images on her walk yesterday.

Wishing you all a happy new year!The beautiful soft winter light is embracing us these days with daylight hours slowly g...
03/01/2025

Wishing you all a happy new year!

The beautiful soft winter light is embracing us these days with daylight hours slowly getting longer.

Photo: Guðný Pálína Sæmundsdóttir

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Norðurvegur 3
Akureyri
630

Telephone

+354 6950077

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The Pearl / Perlan

Hrísey, the pearl of Eyjafjörður, is known for its beautiful nature, diverse bird life and many pleasant walking trails. It is particularly famous as a bird watching haven. Since there are no natural predators of birds on the island it forms a natural bird sanctuary, making it ideal for its 40 native species of birds, including ptarmigan, arctic tern and eider duck.

To get to Hrísey, there’s a regular ferry which takes 15 min on sea, from Ársskógssandur harbor (25 min drive from Akureyri).

Hrísey er hluti Akureyrarkaupstaðar en eyjan er í utanverðum Eyjafirði og er önnur stærsta eyjan við Ísland. Heimsókn út í Hrísey er ógleymanlegt ævintýri enda er eyjan ekki kölluð "Perla Eyjafjarðar" að ástæðulausu. Hrísey er um 7,5 km að lengd og 2,5 km að breidd þar sem hún er breiðust að sunnanverðu. Eyjan mjókkar til norðurs og þar rís hún hæst í um 110 m.y.s. Þar sem stendur viti sem reistur var á svonefndum Bratta árið 1920. Vitinn er einn af sjö friðuðum vitum á Íslandi. Hrísey er griðland rjúpunnar á Íslandi.