Surviving Iceland

Húsavík is the largest town in Þingeyjarsýsla, a prosperous community of 2,300 people by the eastern side of Skjálfandi bay. It was here that the Swedish explorer Garðar Svavarsson spent the winter of 870, four years before Iceland's first officially recognised settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, made his home in Reykjavík. Húsavík started forming as a village in the late 19th century and from the first its main industries have been fisheries, processing of agricultural products and trade. In the past few years, however, tourism has increased considerably with a large number of visitors every year.
There are several reasons why Húsavík is such a popular place to visit; an attractive and scenic natural environment, proximity to the most highly regarded nature pearls of the district and diverse recreation options. Through a combination of optimal environment and entrepreneurship, Húsavík has become the capital of whale watching in Iceland and rates as one of the best whale watching places in Europe. In addition to offering whale watching tours, a remarkable Whale Museum is located right on the harbour front.