Brákarey is the small island just off the Borgarnes peninsula, joined to town by a short bridge. The name comes from Þorgerður Brák, Egill Skallagrímsson's nurse, who in the saga jumps into the strait to escape Skallagrímur's murderous rage and is killed by a stone he throws after her. The narrow channel between island and mainland is still called Brákarsund.
It is a five-minute detour from the harbour to walk across the bridge and around the island, which holds a few low-slung warehouses, a couple of fishing boats, and an excellent view back across the fjord toward Hafnarfjall mountain. Sunset here can be exceptional.