Svalbarðseyri
Svalbarðsströnd is the coast below Vaðlaheiði Mountains, about 14 km from north to south and the innermost part of Eyjafjörður fjord. The first settlement was at Sigluvík where the Norwegian Skagi Skoptason settled at Helgi the Leans advice, probably around the year 900. Today the inhabitants are around 330.
Tourism is the fastest growing industry in Svalbarðsströnd. There is a hotel, a few guesthouses and one of Icelands best equipped campground. There is a lot to see and do for the tourist. The Safnasafnið museum is the only Art museum in rural Iceland, and there are many interesting hiking routes for the nature enthusiast. A drive through the old Vaðlaheiði Mountain pass is quite an adventure, the road is passable for all cars during the summer and the view is breathtaking.
The district's centre is Svalbarðseyri village with a population of 180; there is a new school, kindergarten and swimming pool.
In the local history "Svalbarðsstrandarbók" published in 1964, it's considered probable that there has bean a church at Svalbarð from the middle of the 12th century. A wooden church was erected in 1846 and the old church of 94 years torn down. The new church was the first local wooden building. It served the community well for a long time and is still in full use because it was later moved to Akureyri and is now known as the Folk Museum Church in Akureyri. The church now in use on Svalbarð was built in 1952-57.
The close proximity to Akureyri naturally has a lot of influence on the community and Akureyri and Svalbarðsströnd cooperate in a lot of ways. The drive from Svalbarðsströnd to Akureyri is no farther than from the suburbs of Akureyri to the centre and many locals work in Akureyri.