Skogar

Inside a traditional Icelandic house

After our ferry returned from Vestmannaeyjar, we had an unexpectedly free afternoon. We were hungry, so we headed towards the cafe at Skógafoss. As we pulled in, we noticed a sign for another restaurant, Freya Café, down a short lane by the Skógar Museum. We had never been to either, so we headed there. 

The cafe and part of the Museum

Freya Café

Located in the inside the Skógar Museum, Freya Café is a massive tearoom. 

We took lots of pix because one of the girls Caty watches is named Freya

It is decorated with a mishmash of Victorian furniture, including settees and wing chairs, which look pretty but are somewhat difficult as dining chairs. 

Oh, and there's an airplane hanging from the ceiling

The china and cutlery is a collection of mismatched china and silver that looks like it came from a flea market or your grandmother’s house. 

Scott ordering his lunch

Freya Café specializes in homemade food including burgers, fish and chips, salads, hot meals and vegan dishes. In addition, it serves tea, which arrives on a platter laid out with vintage pots, saucers and cups.

Earl Grey was heavenly on a day that had devolved from sunny to gloomy and drippy

Scott had the fish and chips and I had a caprese salad. It was delicious and the whole vibe was lots of fun.

Skógar Museum

The Skógar Museum (Skógarsafn in Icelandic) is a cultural heritage museum next to the Skógafoss waterfall, which I talked about in an earlier blog. 

Dedicated to the folk history of the region, the Skógar Museum's collections explain the country's way of life and the history of the surrounding area. 

Typical Icelandic turf house (torfbæir), built between 1830 and 1896

The Museum comprises three sections, each telling a different story of Iceland's past. The Folk Museum showcases historic artifacts, tools and everyday items, giving a glimpse into daily life in Iceland. 

Traditional Icelandic dress

The Open-Air Museum displays a variety of Icelandic buildings. 

Left: Open-Air Museum; Right: Embroidery on display in the Folk Museum

The Technical Museum has exhibits on the development of transport, communication and technologies in Iceland. 

I don't think I ever saw this many telecom artifacts when I worked in telecom!

They even had a lineman and a switch!

Among the Museums’ over 18,000 artifacts are household items, furniture, handicrafts, agricultural equipment and fishing gear. 

Tools and farm equipment

A key artifact is the eight-oared fishing boat Pétursey, which was in use between 1855 and 1946. 

The Pétursey served fishermen for 90 years

The Pétursey represents a crucial piece of fishing history from Iceland's shallow sandy, harborless South Coast. It was specially designed to be launched directly from the beach into North Atlantic waves. 

Maybe these words carved on the side in 1855 pray for a safe launch

While not as large as an actual boat, another display caught my eye. The wall of rúmfjalir fascinated me. 

What's a rúmfjalir? Well, in old Icelandic homes, beds were built into the eaves, with one side open to a center aisle. Family members and farm workers often slept in a communal room, making the bed the whole of a person's personal space. Each bed had a board that could be slipped into the side frame of the bed as a kind of guardrail (see the left picture below). This rúmfjalir was also a multitool, used to stuff the bed covers under the mattress when making the bed, used as a lap tray for meals and serving as a desk. 

The rúmfjalir display is on the right; you can see one against the bed on the left

For poor farm workers, the rúmfjalir was a prized possession. Over time, they evolved from functional use to something more ornamental. Flowing designs were carved into the boards -- either curved lines or floral patterns reminiscent of Celtic and Viking traditions -- but the woodcarvers left one side flat to keep it functional. A well-made rúmfjalir was meant to last a lifetime.

Outside are buildings that give a real feel for the lives of Icelanders. They include ...

The torfbæir

Top: house, occupied 1878-1974; Bottom: tiny fairy house at the edge of the woods

The Litli-Hvammur School, built in 1901

The Skógar Church, with a 1998 exterior, 1879-1898 interior and 1600-1742 bells

Icelandic torfbæir served as the primary housing for Icelanders from the 9th-century settlement until the mid-20th century. Built from turf, stone and wood, torfbæir were well-insulated and eco-friendly. 

An underground workshop (note the ram's horns)

These partially underground structures were designed to withstand harsh Nordic climates, using thick turf walls and roofs for insulation. 

Torfbæir had small rooms with individual entrances, many added on over many years

I wrote about another torfbæir back in 2021, when we visited Bustarfell in northern Iceland.

They are dark and damp

The more modern wooden house was much lighter and drier ...

Kitchen and dining room

Sleeping quarters

Skógar Museum was founded by Þórður Tómasson (1921-2022), a devoted local with a lifelong passion for Icelandic folklore and cultural heritage. 

Schoolhouse

Tómasson served as curator from the Museums’ opening in 1949 to 2013, often personally guiding visitors through the exhibits and sharing the stories behind each artifact. 

Þórður Tómasson; Photo: God Reports

Tómasson's dedication was recognized in 1997 when he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Iceland. 

The Museum has a folksy, hometown feel, but actually has a pretty impressive collection.

Simple kitchen goods

I enjoyed walking around the outdoor exhibits, even though it was starting to rain. 

It was full-on raining by the time we left, so we didn’t even go back to the waterfall.

The weather wasn't as good as the day we went

Dinner and Sleep

We drove the short distance to our lodgings for the night. We were staying one night at a "chalet" at Amma Jóna in Ásólfsskáli. A cute little A-frame house, it was the only chalet among a number of other types of rooms and cabins literally next door to the Ásólfsskálakirkja and the cemetery.

A cute little place; Left: Scott Stevens

It looked brand new

We decided that we wanted a nice dinner that night, so we made reservations at the nearby (and highly recommended) Country Hotel Anna Restaurant that features typical Icelandic food (including horse and puffin) in a rustic, converted farm setting. 

I am not sure we really needed reservations; Photo: Scott Stevens

But, despite the farm setting, it is presented as fine dining.

We had some outrageously expensive wine and a dinner I don't really recall. I think Scott had lamb and I believe I had some kind of pasta. 

The wine was delicious; Left: Scott Stevens

We were told by several people to get the "famous" (also pricey) rhubarb pie, but, because we were too full for dessert, we ordered two pieces to go. It wasn't until later that evening when we opened the box that we discovered the rhubarb "pie" was actually an ultra-sweet cookie bar with more chocolate than rhubarb. 

Not pie

I was so looking forward to tangy rhubarb. What a disappointment. We carried it around for a few days before tossing it.

The plan was to explore a little more after dinner.

This was right next door; Photos: Scott Stevens

But, by the time we got back to our room, it was pouring. I mean a biblical deluge. No exploring. No northern lights. And, for a while as the storm intensified, I thought we were going to have no roof. It was quite a storm. Watch here.

Maybe Scott was onto something by booking an earlier ferry. We might have gotten stranded on Vestmannaeyjar.

There are worse places to be stuck

So, it was a somewhat uneasy -- but cozy -- night before we headed west. 

But, that's the next blog. 

On to Scott's happy place

Trip dates: September 5 - 28, 2025