Why Your Next Trip Should Be to This Sleepy Icelandic Town That Was Nominated for an Oscar

The best place to experience some of the magic of the Oscars isn't in Hollywood –– it's in Iceland.

The town of Húsavik, Iceland is getting a little Oscar buzz after the town was featured in Netflix's "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga." A song named after the town by Óskar Óskarsson (played by Sigurður Illugason) is featured in the film and it just got nominated for an Academy Award, according to Vulture.

To help secure the nomination, the town launched an Oscars campaign that's charming, hilarious, and hopefully will win the town its first award. The buzz from the film is especially good for the people in Húsavik, since most of the town relies on tourism.

"For this reason, the town has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic," it says in a statement from the Óskar for Húsavík website. "But the release of the Netflix film and the song 'Húsavik' has lifted the spirit of the people of Húsavík. When we learned that the song, that has become a sort of an anthem for our people, had a chance of an Oscar nomination, we sprung into action."

Recently, Iceland has eased some of its border restrictions for vaccinated tourists from the U.S. and UK, and with that, there are plenty of reasons to start planning a trip to Iceland, and Húsavik in particular.

As noted in its campaign, Húsavik is a great place for whale watching (or "dancing whales" as it's mentioned in the campaign). It's known as the whale watching capital of Europe, so nature-loving tourists will certainly get their fill of seeing these majestic creatures in action.

Húsavik may also have a reputation for being a sleepy port town, but there are also lots of opportunities to shop and enjoy a delicious Icelandic meal. Locals recommend Salka Restaurant, Gamli Baukur at the Harbour, or Naustid for Icelandic seafood, and a new microbrewery, Húsavík Öl, for grabbing a drink.

And no matter when you go, there is always something to do. In the summer, Lake Botnsvatn is a popular place to enjoy nature by hiking or mountain biking the three-mile path around the lake. In winter, the town's local ski areas are particularly popular, with options for cross country skiing, challenging snowboarding courses, and opportunities for beginners and children.

Beyond Húsavík, Iceland is full of things to do and places to see. The country's Fagradalsfjall volcano also made headlines recently after it began to erupt for the first time in 6,000 years on March 19. Although it's about seven hours from Húsavík, it's still an excellent stop for travelers who are looking to explore the entire country on a longer trip. It's possible that this fissure could last anywhere between weeks and years, and you can watch a livestream on the Visit Iceland website.

For more information about what to see and do in Húsavík, check out the Visit Húsavík website or Visit Iceland website.

Andrea Romano is a freelance writer in New York City. Follow her on Twitter @theandrearomano.