The tiny village Hofsós in the Northern Region in Iceland was a rather busy trading post in the 17th  and 18th century, but despite the merchant activities, this small village did not develop into a larger village or a town in the 20th century.  Located at the wesern side of the large Tröllaskagi (Troll Peninsula) Hofsós had all the historical prerequisites to become a large town.  It was a trading post for the Danish Trade Monopoly, it was not far away from the fishing grounds, it was central in the region, and it had a relatively good landing spot for boats.  Somehow in the late 19th century and the first two decades of the 20th century, most of the activity in the region moved to Sauðárkrókur, the town on the other side of the fjord, Skagafjörður. Although there are not many attractions near Hofsós, the town has an interesting neighbor Hólar í Hjaltadal which has a great historical importance in Iceland.

Here you can see one of the oldest houses in Iceland

Because of its early history as a trading post, Hofsós has one of the oldest houses in Iceland, Pakkhúsið, built in the late 18th century. The house is now a museum owned by the National Museum of Iceland. A very enjoyable spot for anyone traveling in Iceland.  The village also has a cluster of impressive old houses by the small bay where we find the old landing spot by the harbor.  Most of the other houses and buildings in the village are from the middle of the 20th century, from the time most of the development originated in fishing and fish processing. 

Today, a part of a larger municipal

Today Hofsós is a part of a larger municipal, Skagafjörður. The municipal includes many former rural and agricultural municipals in the region and Sauðárkrókur, the town on the other side of Skagafjörður. The municipal provides service to the residents at Hofsós, and the village has a small preschool, a primary and secondary school and a swimming pool. Other services are part of the Skagafjörður municipal and not necessarily located in the village.

Fishing is still the main source of income

In recent years, the main source of income has been shifting from fishing towards tourism although fishing and fish processing is still the main base of the town's economy.  Evan though the village is quite small it has two museums. The Pakkhúsið mentioned above and Icelandic Emigration Center, dedicated to commemorate Icelandic emigrants to North America and to promote connections between their descendants and the people of Iceland.  It also offers a few options in accommodation, a café and one of the nicest swimming pools in all the small towns and villages in the country.

If you are going to visit the Northern Region in Iceland you might be looking for a places to stay. Here you can book from a selection of accommodationin the Hofsós region.

Below is the location of Hofsos on the map of Iceland