Vestmannaeyjar - Vestmannaeyjar

The place Vestmannaeyjabær on the main island Heimaey with a harbor
Vestmannaeyjar
regionSouthurland
Residents
4.292 (2017)
heightunknown
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Tourist info webwww.vestmannaeyjar.is
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location
Location map of Iceland
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Vestmannaeyjar
Map of Vestmannaeyjar

Vestmannaeyjar is a municipality and city on the Westman Islands and is located on the main island of Heimaey. Other small uninhabited islands in this archipelago south of Iceland are: Surtsey, Elliðaey, Bjarnarey, Álsey, Suðurey, Brandur, Hellisey, Súlnasker, Geldungur, Geirfuglasker, and the very small islands: Hani, Hæna and Hrauney.

Notes: All information about the entire archipelago, which is often simply called "Vestmannaeyjar", is collected in this article.

background

Bay in front of the port of Vestmannaeyjar with the cruise ship MSAlbatros in the roadstead

language

getting there

By plane

By boat

The new port has existed since 2010 1 Landeyjahöfn on the opposite mainland. Now the crossing by ship only takes 30 minutes. The one-way trip cost the equivalent of around € 8 to € 9 in September 2015. Side of the shipping company: www.herjolfur.is

mobility

The main island can be easily explored on foot on a day trip to the Eldfell volcano.

However, as a hiker, at least in the off-season, you are one of the rare pedestrians on the island. The locals usually drive by car. Even short distances in urban areas are covered by car. The island has a very well developed road network including even a traffic light crossing at the port.

If you want, you can also take your car with you to the island (costs of course in addition to the passenger ticket) That should be feasible in the off-season. However, it is not known whether the ship may be overloaded with vehicles in the high season. But exploring the island on foot is much more interesting anyway. Sturdy (hiking) shoes are useful away from the road network due to the rocky subsoil.

Tourist Attractions

  • rugged volcanic landscape of the islands with the two volcanoes
  • 2  EldfellEldfell in the Wikipedia encyclopediaEldfell in the Wikimedia Commons media directoryEldfell (Q217274) in the Wikidata database
  • and Helgafell
  • 3 Pompeii of the north : Excavation of buried houses from 1973. Opening times also article EN
  • 4 Gaujulundur gardens in the middle of the new lava fields from 1973
  • 5 Heimaey stave church
  • The 6 Southern tip of Stórhöfði with a puffin colony can be approached by car. The pretty puffins breed here. Windiest place in Europe according to Wikipedia. An approximately 1 km long circular path opens up the steep coast from the vehicle stop.
  • Eldheimar Volcano Museum: Museum of the history of the 1973 volcanic eruption
Panorama: You can scroll the picture horizontally.
360 degree view from the Helgafell volcano (5000 years old) to the city of Vestmannaeyjar and the south coast of Iceland. The Eldfell volcano, which was created in the 1970s, can be found in the right half of the picture above the view information.
Image: Pano 360 degree Vestmannaeyjar helgafell ds wmc 09 2915.jpg
360 degree view from the Helgafell volcano (5000 years old) to the city of Vestmannaeyjar and the south coast of Iceland. The Eldfell volcano, which was created in the 1970s, can be found in the right half of the picture above the view information.

activities

  • Hike to the volcanoes Eldfell and Helgafell - For the hike as a double mountain tour you should plan 3 hours from the ferry terminal. If you still want to visit the excavation and the lava garden, you should take at least 4 hours.
  • The 7 Eldfell is quite easy to climb on the normal route (only 200 m high). Normal sneakers or the like are sufficient here. The normal route is covered with fine lava sand or gravel.
  • The 8 Helgafell Sturdy shoes are particularly important on the Helgafell. Here you climb over steep, steep slopes covered with large, often loose, lava rocks. If you have telescopic hiking poles and want to climb the Helgafell, you should pack them. You will do valuable service! (227 m)
- Driving to the island by car: The is located on Helgafellringstrasse (name Fellavegur) 1 Eldfell hiking car park with information board for the ascent to the Eldfell summit. But a circular hike directly from the ferry terminal is nicer! If you want to go to the Helgafell from here, you can climb the northern slope of the Helgafell directly from the parking lot. The unmarked hiking trail can usually only be guessed at.
  • Rib safari. A trip with a rigid inflatable boat (RIB boat) is not cheap, but it is worthwhile if you want to get very close to the rocks of the small islands and the many caves. You will be put in a survival suit and will be given good advice on how to behave.


further activities

kitchen

nightlife

security

climate

literature

Web links

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