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Selfoss
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Selfoss, IcelandOpen-Meteo forecast.
Selfoss city overview
Selfoss works best as a base in Iceland when you anchor days around Olfusa river, Selfoss town centre and Golden Circle trips. Use those sights to understand the city's history, street life and visitor rhythm. Selfoss International Airport handles the main arrival flow, so hotel choice should balance the centre, transfer time and day-trip plans.
Worth seeing
Olfusa river
Olfusa river adds outdoor time to a Selfoss stay, with open space, views or waterfront breathing room between denser city sights.
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Selfoss town centre
Selfoss town centre gives Selfoss a strong culture stop for museums, exhibitions or local collections, and works best as an indoor anchor in the day's route.
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Golden Circle trips
Golden Circle trips is a named stop in Selfoss worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
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Kerid crater
Kerid crater is a named stop in Selfoss worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
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Eyrarbakki
Eyrarbakki is a named stop in Selfoss worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
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Hveragerdi hot springs
Hveragerdi hot springs is a named stop in Selfoss worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
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Start with City centre for the easiest first Selfoss stay, then compare Old Town and Waterfront when price, nightlife, quieter evenings or transfer timing matter more than being beside every major sight.
Hotels & areas
Selfoss hotel choice is mostly about repeat journeys: use City centre for sightseeing, Old Town for a different local base, and Waterfront or Airport area when views, parking, airport timing or longer stays matter.
City centre
City centre is the most practical first base in Selfoss, keeping main sights, restaurants and short local transfers close.
Best for: first visits, sightseeing, restaurantsSee hotel optionsOld Town
Old Town is the most practical first base in Selfoss, keeping main sights, restaurants and short local transfers close.
Best for: first visits, sightseeing, restaurantsSee hotel optionsWaterfront
Waterfront suits travellers who want views, evening walks and a calmer base while still keeping central Selfoss reachable.
Best for: views, quieter evenings, walksSee hotel optionsAirport area
Airport area works mainly for early departures, late arrivals or car pickup, not for a first Selfoss sightseeing base.
Best for: early flights, late arrivals, car pickupSee hotel optionsFlights & airports
Keflavik International Airport (KEF) arrival plan
- Keflavik International Airport (KEF)About 79 km from the centre
Compare airport access against hotel location, arrival time, rental car pickup, late flights and onward driving before choosing the first night base.
- Reykjavík Domestic Airport (RKV)About 51 km from the centre
Compare airport access against hotel location, arrival time, rental car pickup, late flights and onward driving before choosing the first night base.
Rental cars
Selfoss day-trip car use
Do not rent a car for central Selfoss unless parking and traffic are part of the plan; use one mainly for regional day trips.
Compare rental carsTravel tips
Best base
Choose City centre for a first stay because it keeps main sights, restaurants and practical local movement close.
Airport timing
Leave extra time for Selfoss International Airport, especially for early flights, late arrivals, traffic or unfamiliar transfer routes.
Local movement
Plan each day in clusters around Olfusa river and Selfoss town centre so transfers do not consume the best sightseeing hours.
Day trips
Keep one flexible slot for nearby routes from Selfoss, checking weather, transport and opening hours before committing.
Nearby ideas
Nature · about 20 min · car north on Route 35
Kerið crater
A 55-metre volcanic crater with red walls and a blue-green lake at the bottom.
View on mapNature · about 50 min · car east on Route 1
Seljalandsfoss
A sixty-metre fall you can walk behind; expect to get soaked.
View on mapNature · about 45 min · car north-west on Route 35 then 36
Þingvellir National Park
The continental rift and the site of the old parliament, with Silfra fissure for diving.
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City history
Overview Selfoss was settled by Þórir Ásason sometime after 1000, but the sagas of Icelanders mention that Ingólfur Arnarson was there during the winter of 873-74, under the Ingólfsfjall mountain, which is west of.
In the summer of 1891, due to the lobbying of Tryggvi Gunnarsson, a member of the Alþing, the first suspension bridge was built over the Ölfusá.
The largest building is the reconstructed 'Old Dairy' building, a dairy processing plant constructed in 1929 and demolished in 1954, now in use as a food hall.
In 1931, the dairy firm Mjólkurbú Flóamanna and general store Kaupfélag Árnesinga were established.
The current bridge was built in 1945 after the original structure collapsed.
After the construction the building was used for travellers' accommodation and dining, until 1974.
Former World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer is buried near Selfoss at Laugardælir cemetery. 2008 earthquake According to the United States Geological Survey, an earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.3 occurred near Selfoss on.
A number of sheep in the Selfoss area were killed. New town center In the summer of 2021, a new pedestrianised town center was opened.
As a result of its success, in 2022 it was decided to expand the project with 40 new houses, including two hotels.
The cabin built to house workers constructing the bridge is the oldest building in Selfoss, and was named Tryggvaskáli in honor of Tryggvi for his efforts to construct the bridge.
The two companies were the main employers in the area for several decades.
During World War II the British stationed troops at Selfoss to guard the strategic bridge. Population growth Today, with more efficient transportation, Selfoss benefits from its proximity to the Reykjavík area and is predicted.
The fete involves the selling of homemade goods on small stalls, performances by musicians and magicians on a temporary stage and in the evenings, the revelry continues with large bonfires and free fireworks display.
The earthquake was felt across southern Iceland, including in the capital Reykjavík and the airbase at Keflavik.