Vestmannaeyjar Day Tour
12 hours and 5 minutes · From Reykjavík
4.8(23)
From 32.990 ISK
South Iceland
Vestmannaeyjar
In the early hours of 23 January 1973, a crack opened in the ground on the edge of the town of Heimaey and started spitting lava. By morning almost the entire population had been evacuated by the island's fishing fleet, which happened to be in harbour because of a storm the day before. Lucky. The eruption went on for months. When it stopped, there was a brand-new mountain, Eldfell, where there had been a field.
Vestmannaeyjar, the Westman Islands, is a small archipelago just off the south coast of Iceland. Heimaey is the only inhabited island, a fishing town of a few thousand people with a harbour protected by the lava that nearly destroyed it. Surtsey, one of the other islands, rose out of the sea in an eruption in the 1960s and is closed to visitors.
Tours that visit Vestmannaeyjar
What to see in Vestmannaeyjar
Start with Eldheimar, the eruption museum, built around a house dug out of the ash. It's a good place to understand what happened, and it's hard to leave without a lump in your throat. Then walk up Eldfell itself: a short, steep climb on loose red gravel, with a view over the town and the lava field that swallowed part of it.
The islands have one of the largest puffin colonies in the world, and in summer you'll see them on the cliffs around Heimaey, roughly May to August. Boat tours circle the island past sea caves and bird cliffs. In late August and September, the young pufflings leave their burrows, get confused by the town lights and end up on the streets; local kids collect them in cardboard boxes and release them over the sea the next day.
How to get to Vestmannaeyjar from Reykjavík
The Herjólfur ferry sails from Landeyjahöfn on the south coast, about a two-hour drive from Reykjavík. The crossing takes around 35 minutes. In rough weather, most often in winter, the ferry switches to Þorlákshöfn, closer to Reykjavík, and the crossing takes nearly three hours. Book ahead at herjolfur.is in summer, especially if you're bringing a car.
Pro tip: you don't need your car on Heimaey. The town is walkable, and tours and bike rental cover the rest. Park at Landeyjahöfn, cross as a foot passenger and save both money and the stress of getting a car space in summer.
Best time to visit the Westman Islands
Summer, for the puffins, the calmer sea and the ferry running reliably from Landeyjahöfn. Early August is Þjóðhátíð, the islands' huge outdoor festival: great if you want a party, not if you want quiet, and the ferry and accommodation book out months ahead. Outside summer the islands are quiet and moody, and the ferry schedule is more at the mercy of the weather.
A day trip works, but an overnight stay lets you catch the island after the ferry leaves in the evening, which is when it feels most like the fishing town it is.
Most of the tours on this page are day trips to the Westman Islands from Reykjavík, many of them private. Tours that include Vestmannaeyjar are below.
More tours that visit Vestmannaeyjar
Private SuperJeep tour to the Westman Islands: History and Natural Wonders
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Private Minivan tour to the Westman Islands: History and Natural Wonders
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Iceland: Private Westman Islands - Volcano, Wildlife & Scenic Views
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