Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Pastel de nata
Portugal • 8 days, 7 nights
Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon
from
Italy • 9 days, 8 nights
Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The wall commemorating 11,908 Jewish victims of the Shoah from Frankfurt.
Börneplatz Memorial
Entrance to the munitions area of the lower part of the bunker
Simserhof
Carlos Calderón Yruegas calls the villa his personal playground.
Villa Tabaiba
Apples and pears, Spitalfields Market.
Brick Lane Roundels
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The exterior of the Hall of Records.
Atlas Obscura Mailbag: Urban Exploration, Illegal Carvings, and Repeat Vacations
Biosphere 2 campus (2016)
Biosphere 2: How Volunteers Survived for 2 Years in an Airtight Habitat
Places like Forest Grove linger on the edge of wilderness and civilization.
Listening for Echoes of the Forest Grove Sound
Longwood House, where Napoleon Bonaparte spent his final years.
The Longwood House: Napoleon Bonaparte’s Beautiful Prison

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Iceland Rif The Freezer

The Freezer

A world-class theater sits hidden in this remote town in West Iceland.

Rif, Iceland

Added By
Erin Culley
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
A cultural gem in the otherwise empty town of Ríf in West Iceland.   erinculley / Atlas Obscura User
  erinculley / Atlas Obscura User
  erinculley / Atlas Obscura User
  erinculley / Atlas Obscura User
Cozy bar and hang at The Freezer   erinculley / Atlas Obscura User
  erinculley / Atlas Obscura User
  rudimarnitz / Atlas Obscura User
  rudimarnitz / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Just three hours from Reykjavik in the tiny Icelandic town of Rif, sits a world-class theater known simply as The Freezer. So named because it is housed in an old fish factory freezer, this cultural gem is the brainchild of Kári Viðarsson. 

Launched in 2010, The Freezer is a cozy bar, hangout spot, theater, performance space, and a hostel. When it comes to programming the entertainment, Viðarsson is no slouch. During the summer months, there is an event taking place every single evening.  

The Freezer, which shows performances in English, runs shows three to four nights a week. A fan favorite is the 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' musical, which takes places in the shadow of the Snæfellsjökull glacier (where the Jules Verne novel’s protagonists began their journey inward). 

On other nights, the Freezer hosts movie nights, and music nights, often playing host to some of Iceland's biggest artists. While wintertime is quieter for this remote theater, The Freezer still features music on Friday nights, movie night on Sundays, and happy hour from 6 to 8 pm, daily.

Viðarsson is also the mastermind/artist-curator behind the murals that adorn The Freezer's facade, and the old fish factory in the tiny town of Hellissandur just a few miles down the highway from Ríf.  His dream is to someday host a street festival that will feature theater, music, and art. 

 “Growing up here, I would have liked to be exposed to so much more creativity,” Viðarsson says, “this will hopefully inspire local kids to become artists themselves.”

Related Tags

Theater Iceland

Know Before You Go

The Freezer is located in Ríf, which is about a 3 hour drive from Reykjavík.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Iceland in Summer: Journey through the South Coast & the Westman Islands

Explore Iceland's Myths, Wonders, & Landscapes.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

erinculley

Edited By

rudimarnitz

  • rudimarnitz

Published

October 24, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
The Freezer
Hafnargata 16
Rif
Iceland
64.922592, -23.818985
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Murals of Hellissandur

Hellissandur, Iceland

miles away

Snæfellsjökull

Iceland

miles away

Svörtuloft Lighthouse

Iceland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Iceland

Iceland

Europe

Places 149
Stories 41

Nearby Places

Murals of Hellissandur

Hellissandur, Iceland

miles away

Snæfellsjökull

Iceland

miles away

Svörtuloft Lighthouse

Iceland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Iceland

Iceland

Europe

Places 149
Stories 41

Related Places

  • Iceland

    Glymur

    A rugged hike leads to a breathtaking waterfall, once thought to be the tallest in Iceland.

  • The statue of Nell Gwynn sits in this courtyard.

    London, England

    Statue of Nell Gwynn

    The only statue of a royal mistress in all of London.

  • Stratford, Connecticut

    The American Shakespeare Festival Theatre Site

    Markets and festivals take place at this former home of a 1,500-seat theater, which burned to the ground in 2019.

  • Outside view of the Shakespeare Society of America.

    Moss Landing, California

    Shakespeare Society of America

    An archive and museum with a mind-boggling collection of Shakespeare-related objects.

  • Meridian, Mississippi

    Jimmie Rodgers Museum

    This small museum showcases the Singing Brakeman's yodeling prowess, railroad roots, and country music stardom.

  • Relief panel No. 1: Antony.

    England

    St. James’s Theatre Reliefs

    Stone carvings celebrate the legacy of a now-defunct theatre.

  • Front view of the Tennessee Williams Home and Welcome Center.

    Columbus, Mississippi

    Tennessee Williams’ Home

    The birthplace and original home of the legendary American playwright.

  • Jacksonville, Florida

    The Alhambra Theatre & Dining

    The oldest continuously-running professional dinner theater in the United States.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.