Education is more than coursework. It's pub quizzes at the local brewery organized by students, the local coffee place that acts as a student hub, the language club at the library, movie nights, singing in the local choir, volunteering - etc. Ísafjörður is a small town but it is hard to run out of things to do. Leisure activities may include soaking in one of the many pools in the area, cross country or downhill skiing, ice skating, cardio at the gym, yoga, kayaking outside your door, ocean swimming all year round, exploring the many hiking or mountain bike trails, putting on the golf course, climbing (indoor or outdoor), riding a cold wave on a surfboard, exploring the underwater world (bring your own diving gear), camping, chasing the northern lights and more.
On a bad weather day you can enjoy the cozy library, hanging out in one of the cafés or restaurants, enjoying popcorn during a blockbuster in the local movie theater, and passing time while knitting an Icelandic wool jumper or cheering on a local sports team.
Ísafjörður's cultural life is known for being especially vibrant, and the highlights are several annual cultural festivals. The music festivals Aldrei fór ég suður, which is held at Easter, and has become integral to the Icelandic music scene. Then there is the theatre festival Act Alone, which takes place in August, and has also become a regular part of the cultural life of the town and focuses exclusively on monologue and one-man-shows.
In the video below, you can get to know three former UW students, Nina, Robert and Charlotte, and see their choise of recreation outside the classroom. Nina from Croatia, is an avid mountain biker and found great oportunities for that in Ísafjörður. Robert loves to fish and found that he only needs to go out to the harbour to catch cod. Charlotte did a lot of kyaking back home in British Columbia in Canada, and was happy to find the local kyaking club in Ísafjörður.