Day tour to Vestmannaeyjar Islands
Tour Operator: Your Day Tours
Join a day tour from Reykjavík to Vestmannaeyjar Islands. This tour is filled with beautiful scenery, sea cliffs and volcanoes. You will have the opportunity to view puffins from up close, hike a volcano that erupted back in 1973 and view the lava field that destroyed parts of the town on the islands. You will be able to dig deeper into the history and the affects of the eruption to the Eldheimar Museum, often referred as the Pompeii of the North. You will be able to wander around town and stop by the Viking Church by the harbor.
This is the place from where the ferry will take us to Heimaey Island. The only inhabited island in the Westman archipelago.
The ferry ride will take about 35 minutes.
On board you can choose to enjoy the fresh breeze outside on the deck, or spend time in the inner area, where it is possible to purchase drinks, snacks and hot meals in the cafeteria.
Restrooms available on the ferry.
This is our first stop on the island.
A beautiful valley that is surrounded by Mt. Dalfjall, creating a unique, natural amphitheater. It makes a great impression on anyone who gets here.
Every summer, residents from all over Iceland come here to Þjóhátið, the largest music festival of the country which was first held in 1874.
Here you can catch a glimpse of how the first settlers used to live. A reconstitution of a turf farm lies in the valley, inspired by the house of the first settler Herjólfur Bárðarson and named after him - Herjólfsbær.
Herjólfsdalur is rich in history and you gonna learn many interesting things about it. You will be surprised what was done to the horses on the island during the 16th century. There are many legends associated with this valley, one of them has it that a ghost lives in the mountains nearby. You will hear different stories and legends on an entertaining walk through the valley.
The walk will take about 30 minutes.
A short stop to capture the majesty of Elephant Rock, one of the most famous view on the island. This rock formation looks like a giant elephant with its trunk half submerged in the ocean.
This stop usually takes about 5 minutes.
Stórhöfði is the southern point of Heimaey and is known for being the windiest place in Europe.
It's the best place to peek at the life of puffins. People from all over the world come here to watch them.
Every summer puffins that live at sea for all other seasons come to the island, forming here the largest colony in Iceland. They dig small nests in the cliffs in which they lay their eggs.
They can be easily seen on the walk, also there is a great lookout point from where we can watch those and others sea birds.
We are very proud that they have chosen our country as their home. And we are happy to share this great view with you.
This walk will take about 25 minutes.
The Eldheimar Museum is definitely a place worth visiting. Here, you can learn everything about the eruptions in the Wetsman Islands.
The first was an underwater eruption that began in 1963 formed a new island – Surtsey, where only scientists who study its ecosystem have access to it. But you can get to know it in the museum.
Another eruptions was in 1973, which destroyed about 400 houses. People had to evacuate themselves in the middle of the night to escape the lava and ash, leaving behind all their possessions.
Inside you can find the excavated house around which this museum was built. That's why this place is called "Pompeii of the North"
You can use the restrooms here.
The visit usually takes about 35 minutes.
Our last stop is pleasant 15 minute hike to the top of Eldfell Volcano, whose last eruption was 50 years ago. You will be delighted with its red color and lava formation there. In some spots on the peak you can still feel the heat from the ground.
There is a great view of whole island from the top of volcano.
This little hike will takes us about 55 minuets.