Einar Páll Svavarsson- Einar Páll Svavarsson
Grindavík town Reykjanes Peninsula
Grindavík, located on Reykjanes Peninsula, is one of the most interesting towns on the Icelandic coastline. Interesting from the point of view of being a typical Icelandic fishing town, and it is one of few towns in Iceland which survived the fishing quota system created by the Icelandic government in 1990. A quota system that hit many fishing towns hard. In recent decades, the fishing industry in Grindavík has grown and thrived in sharp contrast to most former fishing towns along the coastline.
One of the most active fishing towns in Iceland
Grindavík has many large and small fishing vessels and is one of the most important fishing harbors in Iceland. The harbor is one of only two harbors on the whole south coastline. Accordingly, a large portion of its residents works in the fishing industry. The town has grown steadily in recent years and has, in addition to the fishing industry, embraced the growing tourism in Iceland. The community has welcomed the enhancement of options and enterprises in the local economy. In Grindavík, one of the best camping grounds in Iceland, opened recently. As the town is not far from the Capital Region and Reykjavík, many of its residents work in Reykjavík. So overall, Grindavík has a fairly strong economic base.
Grindavík has a long history of good management
Grindavík has a long reputation of being exceptionally well managed as a town. The town offers typical service to its residents, as offered by any municipality in Iceland. The sports club is strong in both soccer and basketball, and the town provides excellent sports facilities. Schools and kindergarten are good, with an excellent swimming pool, a library, and healthcare.
As old as the Book of Settlement?
In Iceland, it is customary to brag about and enhance historical events, even small ones, connected to your town or farm or yourself as an individual. Grindavík has the advantage over many other municipals in the Reykjanes peninsula, being mentioned in the book of Settlement. So it is fair to mention that Molda-Gnúpur Hrólfsson settled in Grindavík around the year 900.
Grindavík is the "hometown" of the Blue Lagoon.
In recent years, maybe because of increasing tourism, most towns and villages in Iceland have built museums. In Grindavík, there is the Icelandic Saltfish Museum, dedicated to catching cod and processing and exporting salt fish, which is historically the bread and butter of Grindavík. Only a few kilometers from Grindavík is the jewel in the tourism crown in Iceland, the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is probably the most popular tourist destination in the country and possibly the best-known tourist attraction in Iceland.
