The Settlement Center

The Settlement Center in Borgarnes, Iceland, is an absolute must-visit for anyone interested in the rich history and culture of this fascinating country. Located in one of Iceland's most scenic towns, the center is dedicated to the early settlement of Iceland and the famous sagas. What really makes this place special, however, is not only the history but also the breathtaking views surrounding it. Borgarnes itself is nestled on a peninsula, offering stunning panoramic views of the mountains and the sea. It's easily one of the most picturesque towns in Iceland, with dramatic landscapes everywhere you look.

The Settlement Center is well-designed and informative, featuring interactive exhibits that make learning about Iceland's history engaging and fun. The audio guide takes you through the stories of the first settlers, their journeys, and their challenges in a new and harsh environment. It's fascinating to see how these early inhabitants adapted to Iceland’s unforgiving climate, and you leave with a deep appreciation for their resilience.

One of my favorite parts of visiting the Settlement Center was how peaceful the whole area felt. After exploring the exhibits, you can take a stroll around the town and along the waterfront, enjoying the fresh air and scenic beauty. The town itself is charming, with colorful houses and a peaceful atmosphere, making it a perfect spot to relax after learning about Iceland’s early history.

In conclusion, the Settlement Center in Borgarnes is not only a great educational stop but also a beautiful and serene place to visit. If you're exploring Iceland's west coast, don't miss this hidden gem, where culture, history, and nature all...

This is a review for the restaurant and staff, not the exhibitions. I purchased the ticket for the 2 exhibitions. I took a lunch break in between the 2 exhibitions but the lunch experience left such a sour taste in our mouth that I did not feel like seeing the other exhibition. The one I saw was really good though

We were a family of 4 who ordered 3 soups and one fish dish. The soups are allegedly famous here and come with bread. We were not provided any bread with our soup and had to ask for it. Even then we were provided 4 small slices for 3 people. When I asked if we could get more bread as it was 3 people having soup and bread, the staff rolled their eyes and we were told that they only provide a limited number and then provide more as needed. However, they never returned to check if we need more and completely ignored us. It felt like we had a beg for bread with our soup. Having traveled the world over this was the first time we faced this situation. There were 2 staff members who behaved strangely. We reported this to the manager on site who was apologetic and did bring us more bread.

Iceland is a beautiful country with beautiful people and the service was good everywhere except in this restaurant. So, if you do want a unique experience of poor service then this might be the place. Not all staff were poor so you might have a better experience...

We stopped here for the restaurant, and were disappointed by the abysmal service. My wife thought they were being passive-aggressive because they don't like tourists. I think it's just another example of why tipping culture is better than a non-tipping culture. They never came to take our order, and after a half hour, my wife went to the counter top ask if we were supposed to order there (even though people who arrived after us had their orders taken at their tables). The server girl giggled and finally came to our table to take our order. My wife and kids had the buffet and water, and I ordered meat soup and a beer. They all made multiple trips to the buffet and were finished before I received my soup, and I never got the beer.

The people in most of Iceland are very nice, and we had great experiences at most places we visited, but the further west we came, the service seemed to get worse, and some of the people were kind of rude. It could be that they get more tourists on the west side, and some of the tourists are rude, so they take it out on all of the other tourists.

If the servers depended on tips, they would probably give...