Discover Vestmannaeyjar

The Eldfell volcano erupted unexpectedly in the middle of the night in 1973, forcing the entire population to evacuate; the lava buried about a third of the town but also formed a natural breakwater that still protects the harbor today.

Known as Pompeii of the North, the Eldheimar museum was built directly over a house buried under volcanic ash in 1973 that was excavated true to its original state, offering a striking view into the disaster of the time.

The cliffs of Heimaey are home to an estimated over one million breeding pairs, the world's largest puffin colony, which can be observed up close on guided walks from late April through August.

Newly formed in 1963 by an undersea volcanic eruption, the island of Surtsey is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and cannot be entered for research reasons, but can be admired from a distance on boat tours.

From Landeyjahöfn on the south coast, a roughly 30-minute ferry runs several times a day to the main island of Heimaey. Alternatively, a short domestic flight from Reykjavik connects the archipelago in about 25 minutes.

The Eldfell volcano erupted unexpectedly in the middle of the night in 1973, forcing the entire population to evacuate; the lava buried about a third of the town but also formed a natural breakwater that still protects the harbor today.

Known as Pompeii of the North, the Eldheimar museum was built directly over a house buried under volcanic ash in 1973 that was excavated true to its original state, offering a striking view into the disaster of the time.

The cliffs of Heimaey are home to an estimated over one million breeding pairs, the world's largest puffin colony, which can be observed up close on guided walks from late April through August.