Life at the harbour
Festival of the Sea
Seamen’s Day Each Year
Seamen’s Day has become one of the cornerstones of positive events in city life and draws attention to port operations in a positive way.
The preparations for the celebrations involve considerable effort from many participants, and Seamen’s Day has been organized in cooperation with the Seamen’s Day Council and Brim. It is one of the larger annual festivals in Reykjavík, with tens of thousands of visitors typically making their way to the harbour area around the Old Harbour and Grandagarður each year.
Life in the Old Fishermen’s Huts
For many years, the Ports of Faxaflói have leased out the fishermen’s huts at Grandagarður and Geirsgata. There has been strong demand for these spaces, partly due to their prime location in the city.
Planning for these areas allows for retail and service activities, and from the outset the goal has been to encourage businesses that attract people and contribute to vibrant harbour life.
The Hamburg Tree at the Harbour
There is a long-standing tradition of lighting the Hamburg Tree during a festive ceremony at Miðbakki. Visitors are typically offered fish soup, and Icelandic Yule Lads along with musicians entertain guests with Christmas music.
The Story of the Hamburg Tree
After the Second World War, Icelandic fishermen who docked in Hamburg would cook fish soup for hungry locals while unloading their trawlers. As a token of gratitude, the Hamburg port authorities began sending a Christmas tree to Reykjavík Harbour in 1965, and the Hamburg Tree has since stood at the harbour during the holiday season.
Due to environmental considerations, the tree is no longer transported from Germany. In recent years, the Ports of Faxaflói have instead sourced the tree from the Icelandic Forest Service.