Iceland’s Westman Islands, Heimaey on Vestmannaeyjar: I keep getting asked where you can still experience the lonely, unspoiled Iceland. Far away from the tourist crowds — a hidden gem, please.
First the bad news: I don’t think there are any hidden gems left in Iceland. A few have been suggested to me over the years, and I was able to find every single one of them on Google. Most of them even have an entry on Google Maps. That makes them anything but secret.
The good news: It doesn’t matter. There are still great tips that help you find something unique. That can even be one of the most famous sights in Iceland — just seen from a different angle. Or at an unusual time of day. Or simply a tiny bit off the beaten path.
The Westman Islands off the coast of Iceland
They are easy to find, on Google and Tripadvisor. They are of course no secret and you can read about them in the Lonely Planet. But that doesn’t make Vestmannaeyjar any less interesting — or any less remote.
Just south of the mainland lies this cluster of small islands, home to barely more than 1% of Iceland’s population.
Heimaey is the capital of Vestmannaeyjar in Iceland
With a good 4,000 inhabitants, Heimaey is the largest of the islands and, thanks to its geographic location, probably also the most interesting one. It is believed that the island sits on top of a magma pocket — a theory that several volcanic eruptions throughout history have made ever more plausible.
In 1973, one of the largest volcanic eruptions in Iceland’s history happened right here. By a lucky coincidence nobody was hurt: a storm the day before had kept the entire fishing fleet in the harbour, so the island could be evacuated quickly. Eldfell, the fire mountain, erupted on January 23rd and rapidly buried the nearby town under a thick layer of volcanic ash. Lava flows flattened everything that stood in their way. Many houses are still buried under the black rock today, and some serve as a sobering reminder. The magma also threatened to cut the town’s harbour off from its residents — which would have meant the certain end of Heimaey as an inhabitable town, because fishing is the livelihood of its people.
Eldfell the fire mountain — taming a volcano
As the masses of lava pushed seemingly unstoppably towards civilisation, the decision was made not to simply let it happen. Using enormous amounts of seawater, sprayed onto the molten rock even from ships, the lava was cooled down far enough that there was a realistic chance of saving the harbour.
The helpers quite literally performed a dance on the volcano: to distribute up to 1,000 litres of water per second across the solidified lava, pipes had to be laid and even makeshift paths had to be built. The immense heat quickly destroyed many of the structures made of wood and aluminium, but the water pipes mostly stayed intact because they were constantly cooled by the seawater flowing through them. Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of salt cover the lava field — the residue left behind by the seawater.
When the eruption ended, the rebuilding started soon after: the cleared rocks were dumped into the sea to create new, habitable land and, for example, to extend the airport’s runway. The Westman Islanders wouldn’t be Icelanders if they hadn’t looked for an opportunity in all that geothermal activity — several power plants were built on the still-hot lava field, and today they supply energy to the island’s households.
Things to see on Vestmannaeyjar / Iceland’s Westman Islands
The island(s) have plenty to offer. Not only, but of course quite a lot, around volcanology. You can see traces of the 1973 eruption on every corner. The best starting point is probably the Eldheimar volcano museum, where you can learn everything about the eruption. Its main exhibits are houses that were engulfed by the lava. In the surrounding area you can still find scattered remains of houses that you can explore on your own.
Another highlight is Elephant Rock, a rock formation at the westernmost edge of the island. If you’re here without a rental car in Iceland, plan for a few minutes on foot.
If you don’t mind a short hike, you can also head south to the puffin viewpoint. There are plenty of the small, colourful birds here: up to ten million of them live on the island. With such a huge population it’s no surprise that the little rascals end up on a plate here and there — puffin is considered a delicacy around here.
A hike up the Eldfell volcano is rewarded with breathtaking views over the island and the sea. Since the crater sits only 200 metres above sea level, this hike is perfectly doable even if you’re not the sporty type. From town you reach the volcano in a good half hour, and from there it’s another 20 minutes to the top.
The waters around the Westman Islands are teeming with fish. The most impressive ones are probably the orcas (killer whales). Yes, I know, they aren’t fish at all… They are beautiful to look at in any case. These fascinating animals gather here especially in July. A boat tour makes sense for the rest of the year too, because besides orcas there are also caves in the surrounding small islands and other whales to marvel at. There are one- and two-hour boat tours starting at around 100€.
Besides the museum about the volcanic eruption there is also a natural history museum with an aquarium. The folk museum is worth a visit too — it tells you about the life of the islanders beyond the volcanic eruption.
Getting to Heimaey
There are two ways to reach the Westman Islands: by sea or by air.
The most popular way to get here is probably by ship. The ferry from Landeyjahöfn to Vestmannaeyjar costs about 10€ per person, plus 20€ for a car. The crossing takes a good half hour and is a little highlight in itself. It’s best to book the crossing in advance.
You can also come by plane. Flights from Reykjavik take a good hour and start at around 150€ each way. Here too, the flight itself is a little tour of its own: because of the short distance the plane doesn’t climb very high, so you get fantastic views of the country almost the entire way. You can book flights here.
Hotels, hostels, camping and other places to stay on Vestmannaeyjar / the Westman Islands
There is no shortage of lovely accommodation in Heimaey. You’ll find everything from luxury apartments to a campsite. I just want to show you a few places that readers and friends have recommended to me:
The Hotel Vestmannaeyjar is one of the best hotels on the island and scores with great amenities, a restaurant and hot tubs. A bit cheaper is the Guesthouse Hamar, and a special highlight here: the capsule hostel.
If you prefer something more spacious and private, AirBNB (sign up here and get 35€ credit!) has you covered: the Lava Center Apartment sleeps 4 people. This luxury apartment even has enough room for 8!
Map of the sights in Heimaey on Vestmannaeyjar
Conclusion: A visit to Heimaey on Vestmannaeyjar is a hidden gem after all!
Not so hidden that you couldn’t find everything about this pretty little archipelago on Google, but hidden enough that you’ll only have a fraction of the tourist crowds of the not-so-distant waterfall Seljalandsfoss around you.
Heimaey has an incredibly rich history and practically begs for a jam-packed day trip. There is a lot to discover, and here Iceland is still the way you want to experience it: natural, rough, simmering and lonely.
Have fun in Iceland!
No Comments Yet