Sagas and Saddles in Borgarnes

A unique way to learn about Icelandic sagas (epic stories) is visiting the Settlement Center in Borgarnes in West Iceland. Tucked into two of the town’s oldest buildings, the museum recreates Iceland’s earliest days and introduces visitors to Egil Skalla-Grimsson, one of the best-known heroes of the Icelandic sagas. The complex also houses a cozy restaurant that serves alcohol as well as a café and souvenir shop.

“The Icelandic sagas are the most important part of a cultural heritage,” says museum manager and co-founder Sigríður “Sirrý” Guðmundsdóttir. “Written in the 12th and 13th centuries, they tell wild tales of families — stories about love, hate, revenge, money. All the same things we like to hear about today!”

Afterwards, explore the local landscape on a horseback ride through one of the local equestrian centers. First brought to the island by Vikings in the 9th century, purebred Icelandic ponies are another expression of the island’s unique culture.

Meanwhile, Iceland Academy has produced a video on Sirrý’s ancient sagas and their relationship (both spiritual and geographical) local horses — Sagas & Horses.