The Westman Islands — Vestmannaeyjar — sit about 10 km off Iceland’s south coast, close enough to see from the Ring Road on a clear day, and yet most visitors drive straight past the ferry terminal at Landeyjahöfn without a second thought. That’s a genuine mistake. This small archipelago packs in an active volcano, one of the world’s largest Atlantic puffin colonies, a fascinating disaster story, and one of Iceland’s best folk festivals, all on an island you can walk across in a morning.
Getting to Vestmannaeyjar: Ferry or Fly
There are two ways in. The ferry from Landeyjahöfn takes about 35 minutes and runs multiple times daily in summer. Herjólfur is the vessel — it’s a proper car ferry, so you can bring your vehicle, which is useful if you want to drive up to Eldfell or explore the quieter southern end of the island. A passenger ticket costs around 2,000 ISK (roughly €13 or $14) each way; a car plus two passengers runs closer to 7,000–8,000 ISK (€46–52). Book ahead in summer — it fills up on weekends.
The alternative is a short flight from Reykjavík’s domestic airport, Reykjavíkurflugvöllur, operated by Ernir Air. The flight takes about 20 minutes and tickets start around 8,000–12,000 ISK (€52–78) depending on when you book. Flying makes sense if you’re short on time or if the weather has turned the ferry crossing rough — which does happen, especially in spring and autumn.
From Reykjavík, getting to Landeyjahöfn takes about 2 hours by car along Route 1, then south on Route 254. Check the Herjólfur ferry schedule before you go, because departures shift seasonally and cancellations do happen in bad weather.
Vestmannaeyjar and the 1973 Eruption
The eruption changed everything. In January 1973, a volcanic fissure opened up without warning on the eastern edge of Heimaey — the only inhabited island in the archipelago — and within hours, lava was advancing toward the town and the harbour. The entire population of around 5,000 people was evacuated overnight by fishing boat. That part alone is remarkable. But what followed was even more extraordinary.
Firefighters and volunteers pumped millions of tonnes of seawater onto the advancing lava flow for months, cooling it and slowing its progress just enough to save the harbour. It worked. The harbour is why Vestmannaeyjar mattered economically — and still matters, as one of Iceland’s most productive fishing ports. The eruption eventually buried around 400 homes under lava and ash, but the town survived.
Today you can walk to the top of Eldfell, the volcano that formed during that eruption. The trail starts from the edge of town and takes about 30–40 minutes up. The ground near the summit is still warm in places. You can actually feel it through your boots if you press your palm to the earth near a steam vent. The views from up there — out over Heimaklettur cliff, back down to the colourful rooftops of the town, and across to the mainland — are genuinely worth every step.
Eldheimar Museum
Before or after Eldfell, spend an hour at Eldheimar. The museum was built around a house that was excavated from the 1973 lava field — you can see the actual structure, partially destroyed, with objects still inside. The presentation is thoughtful and moving without being melodramatic. Entry is around 2,900 ISK (€19 or $20). It’s one of the better small museums in Iceland, and I’d put it ahead of a lot of bigger institutions in Reykjavík for sheer impact.
Puffins, Gannets, and the Birdlife That Makes This Place Extraordinary
Vestmannaeyjar is home to the world’s largest colony of Atlantic puffins. Somewhere between 8 and 10 million puffins nest in the islands during summer — the exact count shifts year to year — and in July and August, they are everywhere. You’ll see them flying low over the harbour, sitting on clifftops, and tumbling around the slopes of Stórhöfði headland at the southern tip of Heimaey.
Stórhöfði is where you want to go. Walk or drive out to the headland in the evening, find a flat rock, sit quietly, and wait. Puffins will land within a few metres of you. They’re oddly unbothered by people. The cliffs below are full of nesting pairs, and the gannet colony at Brandur rocks offshore is visible from several viewpoints around the island.
Every August, local children have a tradition called puffling patrol — young puffins that are learning to fly get disoriented by the town’s lights and land in the streets. Locals collect them and release them at the shore. If you’re visiting in late August, you might get involved. Guesthouses in town will tell you how.
Þjóðhátíð: The Festival You Probably Haven’t Heard Of
Every year in early August, Vestmannaeyjar hosts Þjóðhátíð, a national festival that dates back to 1874. Around 15,000–18,000 people come to an island that normally has a population of about 4,000. They camp in Herjólfsdalur valley, which is a natural amphitheatre west of town, and the whole thing — bonfires, live music, fireworks, communal singing — runs for several days.
It’s genuinely one of Iceland’s most distinctive events. It’s also chaotic if you don’t prepare. Accommodation on the island sells out completely. People arrive by ferry in enormous queues. But if you plan ahead, camp in the valley, and lean into it, Þjóðhátíð is an experience that feels completely unlike anything else in the country. Check the festival’s official calendar because the exact August dates shift slightly each year.
What to Do on Heimaey: Walking, Caves, and the Aquarium
Heimaey is small enough to cover a lot of ground in a day, but big enough that you’ll wish you had two. Here’s how I’d prioritise it.
The walk around Heimaklettur, the volcanic cliff on the northwest side of the island, is excellent. The path traces the cliff edge and gives you views down to sea caves and back over the town. Allow 2–3 hours for a relaxed circuit. Wear proper shoes — the terrain is uneven and the wind can be significant.
Hraunið lava field, the hardened flow from 1973, is worth a slow wander. The lava has cooled into strange shapes and a few newer houses have been built right at its edge. Some of the buried houses are marked so you know what’s underneath you. It’s a strange, contemplative walk.
The Sæheimar aquarium is small but good, particularly if you’re visiting with children. They sometimes have puffins in rehabilitation — birds that have been injured or got lost — and you can watch them being fed. Entry is modest, around 1,500 ISK (€10).
Sea Caves and Boat Tours
Several operators run boat tours around the island’s sea caves and cliffs. The caves along the west coast, particularly Klettshellir, are dramatic at low tide. Tours typically run 1.5–2 hours and cost around 8,000–10,000 ISK (€52–65) per person. The boats get close to the cliffs, which means you’re eye-level with nesting birds in summer — genuinely one of the best ways to see the puffin colonies from below.
Where to Eat and Sleep in Vestmannaeyjar
The town, also called Vestmannaeyjar, is compact enough that you don’t need to think too hard about location. Most things are within a 10-minute walk of the harbour.
For food, Einsi Kaldi on Bárubyggð is the spot for fish and local dishes — the langoustine soup is reliably good, and the kitchen uses locally caught fish as a matter of course, not as a selling point. Prices are mid-range by Icelandic standards: expect to pay 2,500–4,000 ISK (€16–26) for a main. There’s also a solid bakery near the main street, Þorvaldseyri, which does excellent pastries and sandwiches at lunch.
For accommodation, the Hótel Vestmannaeyjar on Vestmannabraut is the most comfortable option — doubles start around 30,000–38,000 ISK (€195–247) in high season. If you’d rather self-cater, there are guesthouses and apartments scattered through town that work out considerably cheaper. Book well ahead for July and August.
How Long Do You Actually Need
Two nights is the sweet spot. A single day doesn’t do the island justice — you’ll rush Eldfell, skip Eldheimar, and leave without ever sitting long enough at Stórhöfði to have a puffin land near you. Two nights gives you time to do the volcano, the museum, the cliffs, a boat tour, and still have an evening to eat properly and walk the harbour in the late light.
Three nights works well if you’re a keen birdwatcher or walker, or if you’re coming for Þjóðhátíð. In that case, just accept that the festival nights will not involve much sleep.
Vestmannaeyjar is accessible year-round, but May through September is when everything is open and the puffins are present. Winter visits are quieter and the weather is rougher, but the ferry still runs and the island has a different, emptier character that some people prefer. Either way, this is one of the most genuinely rewarding detours you can make from the Ring Road, and the drive past on Route 1 without turning off is one I’d encourage you to stop making.
