Rauðisandur

Raudasandur South of Patreksfjordur

Lonely Planet, one of the world’s most respected and largest travel guide publishers,
recently ranked Raudasandur beach on Bardastrond 13th among the most beautiful and
best beaches in the world. The Pass in New South Wales, Australia, took the top spot. Only one beach in Europe placed higher: West Beach on Berneray in Scotland’s Outer
Hebrides, which ranked just above Raudasandur.

Raudasandur was first settled by Armodur the Red Thorbjarnarson, and over the centuries the district has been one of the country’s most favorable for habitation —
grassy, fertile, with good weather and little snow. Saurbaer, the main farm of the area, was for centuries among the most valuable estates in Iceland, thanks to its rich resources in seal hunting and egg gathering. Nearby is Latrabjarg, one of Iceland’s largest bird cliffs, lying west of Raudasandur.

It is only 400 km (240 mi) from Reykjavik west to Raudasandur by Breidafjordur, south of Patreksfjordur.