Breidavik
A wide golden beach at the western end of Iceland, at a farm that was once a boys' reformatory.
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Breidavik is a broad bay on the way out to Latrabjarg with a beach of pale golden sand and turquoise shallows that look implausible for this latitude and are exactly as cold as they should be. A guesthouse and campsite operate at the farm behind it. That farm has a difficult history: from 1953 to 1979 it housed a state institution for boys considered delinquent, and testimony that emerged in the 2000s about abuse there led to a national inquiry and formal apologies, one of the cases that changed how Iceland deals with historical abuse in institutions.
What you actually see
- Golden sand and turquoise water - unexpected at this latitude.
- A guesthouse and campsite - at the farm behind the bay.
- A former boys' institution - run here between 1953 and 1979.
- A case that led to a national inquiry - after testimony in the 2000s.
When to go
June to August, while the road and the guesthouse are open. Half a day.
Honest expectations
The water is cold enough that swimming is brief. Road 612 is rough gravel and slow. Accommodation is limited and books out. There is no shop; supplies come from Patreksfjordur.
Nearby
Latrabjarg is west; Raudisandur is south along the coast.
What to pack for Breidavik
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
