Visiting Heimaey: The Best Things to See and How Long to Plan Your Stay
Just a short ferry ride off Iceland’s South Coast is the small island of Heimaey, itself one of 15 islands that make up the Vestmannaeyjar islands. Relatively unknown compared to much of the rest of Iceland’s visitors, Heimaey is definitely a spot you should visit during your time here.
Despite its small size, Heimaey packs a punch for both day trippers and overnighters. The top attractions are the Eldheimar Museum, Eldfell Volcano and the largest puffin colony in the world, but you’re sure to have a good time even if you just wander around the island taking in the sights.
In this post, I’ll describe all the highlights and, perhaps more importantly, help you decide whether to stay a night here or keep your visit to a single day.
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Highlights of Heimaey
Hike Up Eldfell Volcano
What better way to get acquainted with Heimaey than with a hike up its biggest claim to fame: Eldfell, the volcano that erupted in 1973. This hike is one that everyone who is physically capable of doing so should do during their time in Heimaey.
It’s fortunately a relatively easy hike but that doesn’t make it any less interesting. As you make your way up Eldfell, you’ll be treated to some of the best views of town and some of the other Vestmannaeyjar islands. Look out for the sign showing what Heimaey looked like just days before the 1973 eruption so you can identify how much the island changed as a result.
The actual crater isn’t as dramatic as some more well-known volcanos, but it’s still neat to see. All those rich red colors are due to iron oxides in the soil from the eruption. You used to be able to dig holes to boil an egg and bake bread here because the ground was still so hot from the eruption, but this is no longer possible due to the soil continuing to cool.
While it’s not a particularly steep climb, much of the terrain is loose and shifts around underfoot. The crater rim is also somewhat narrow, which combined with the loose ground can make for some slightly tense moments depending on your comfort level hiking. I wouldn’t recommend this hike to anyone with significant mobility difficulties. Further, hiking poles may be helpful for anyone feeling a bit uneasy on uneven ground or with heights.
Helgafell, Eldfell’s older and nearby sibling on Heimaey, can also be hiked up. The hike up Helgafell may be worth doing if Eldfell is too crowded or you just want a different experience than what most people get. While Eldfell was crowded when we were there, it did seem like Helgafell was much less crowded from what I could tell.
Eldheimar Museum
| Hours: | May – September Daily 11:00 – 5:00 October – March Daily 1:30 – 4:30 |
| Length of Visit: | About an hour |
| Cost: | 3,200 ISK |
| Highlights: | Ruined home from the eruption, interactive timeline of Eldfell eruption |
After you’re done with your one-on-one with Eldfell, take an hour or so to learn more about this volcano and its iconic eruption in 1973 at the Eldheimar Museum. You’ll also learn about the Surtsey eruption of 1963 to 1967 that formed the same-named island in the Vestmannaeyjar island chain.
The first thing you’ll notice in the museum is the one-story house in the central room. This exhibit also happens to be the best part of the Eldheimar Museum.
The museum was built up around this family home that was destroyed during the eruption. Joysticks outside of the house allow you to control cameras to focus in on parts of the house that have been left as they were found during excavations – the way the family left them when they evacuated.
Another highlight of the museum is in an adjacent room where an interactive exhibit illustrates the exact timeline of Eldfell’s eruption. The included audio guide fills in the details of what is happening at each moment as you progress through the exhibit.
The second floor is largely dedicated to exhibits on Surtsey and providing more technical information on volcanic eruptions. It’s all interesting but is a bit dense. I recommend checking it out but don’t waste too much time here when there are other parts of Heimaey to see.
I actually recommend doing the Eldfell hike after visiting the museum if possible. Seeing the museum first gives your hike a bit more context so you can better visualize how the lava flow during the eruption shaped the Heimaey we see today.
Walking Tour of Town
While the hike up Eldfell and visiting the museum are two things worth doing, the real highlight of Heimaey is walking through town to see firsthand how the volcano changed things around here.
Scattered around town are various landmarks and monuments from the 1973 eruption. From ash poles showing how deep the ash was to street signs leading to nowhere, you can find all sorts of different reminders of those fateful days that changed Heimaey forever. The pictures below show just some of the highlights.
It’s not all just ruined buildings and volcanic rock, though. Heimaey has a thriving fishing industry with boats coming in and out of the harbor throughout the day for visitors to watch. As you walk through town, keep an eye out for various street murals, some of which are dedicated to Heimaey’s seafaring tradition.
Another area of Heimaey worth checking out is Herjólfsdalur on the northwest corner of the island. This valley surrounded by crater walls of an ancient volcano offers visitors a pleasant area for a stroll while they take in the views. As you walk around, you can see a reconstruction of what is believed to be Heimaey’s first human settlement. Herjólfsdalur is also the site of the island’s famous Thjodhatid festival held every August.
Visit the Southern Part of Heimaey (and Possibly See Some Puffins!)
A drive south from town along Stórhöfðavegur takes you along a rather sleepy road that offers many good views of the islands as you drive by the countryside.
At the end of the road is a small lighthouse and weather station with more views of the Vestmannaeyjar islands from a small parking area. Just before this last pull-off is another small parking area where you can take a short walk to a shelter built for birdwatching.
The nearby cliffs from this small hut are an ideal spot to try to catch some Heimaey’s most famous residents. Puffins can frequently be found here from May to August.
Also on this road is one of Iceland’s many black sand beaches. It’s nowhere near as dramatic as the more well-known beaches on the mainland, but its solitude made it just as memorable for me. We also got lucky and saw a single seal popping in and out of the water while feasting on a fish.
You may get lucky and see puffins as early as mid-April if you’re visiting a bit earlier in the year. Unfortunately, we had no such luck during our visit.
Other Things to See in Heimaey
The Sea Life Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary and Puffin Rescue Center is possibly the most popular thing on Heimaey that we missed. This attraction houses a sanctuary for two beluga whales and a center for caring for injured puffins. It also has a small aquarium with various other sea creatures. If open, the Sea Life Trust can be a good option for seeing puffins if you’re here before their nesting season. It can also be a nice way to keep kids in your group entertained.
Another popular attraction we missed due to the timing of our visit was Sagneheimar Folk Museum. Sagnheimar is the local cultural museum with exhibits on various aspects of Heimaey’s history.
Weather permitting, a kayak or boat tour is a popular way to see Heimaey and some of the surrounding islands. “Weather permitting” are the key words there, so make sure you have backup plans in case tours aren’t being offered on the day of your visit.
On the eastern part of Heimaey are a few walking trails around Eldfell and Helgafell that are worth checking out if you have some spare time. The views here aren’t as good as those found in other parts of the island, but it is a nice area for a walk away from the more crowded parts of Heimaey.
Places to Eat and Drink in Heimaey
Unfortunately, not much was open since we visited Heimaey on a Sunday in the offseason. Still, we were able to find a couple good places during our day there. There are also a few places that I wanted to visit based on recommendations and good reviews that I’d suggest trying out.
We picked Gott for lunch because it was convenient to our hotel and, importantly, one of the few places open nearby. It turned out to be a pretty good decision. Gott’s ambiance is casual with a slightly upscale vibe, but it was by no means high-end. We came in with our wet clothes that we had been wearing all day and didn’t feel out of place. The food was good. Michelle’s bao bun was delicious. My wrap was just okay, but the fries it came with were really good. They also have The Brothers Brewery on tap in case their taproom is closed and you want to try out their beer.
Similar to our experience with lunch, we had a hard time finding a place for pre-dinner drinks – and dinner, for that matter – later in the evening. We eventually settled on Tanginn because it was the only place open on the waterfront where we could get a couple drinks. Tanginn was nice inside with a more family-friendly feel with good views of the harbor. They don’t have a bar where you can sit at, but they had no problem with us taking up a table for drinks (though I wonder if that may be different when they’re crowded). That said, we did end up getting a very tasty appetizer of fried camembert with a blueberry jam.
Two places that were closed that I was pretty disappointed about were Ísey Skyr Bar and The Brothers Brewery. Ísey Skyr Bar is a yogurt bar featuring Icelandic yogurt. Even if you don’t like yogurt, you have to try skyr yogurt when in Iceland. It’s rich, delicious, and worth at least one taste. Ísey Skyr Bar is right in the heart of Heimaey and has good reviews.
The Brothers Brewery is another popular spot in Heimaey. This local craft brewery serves up well-reviewed beers to visitors and locals alike and is the only brewery on the island. I was impressed with all the craft beers I had in Iceland, so I was pretty disappointed to see that The Brothers Brewery was closed. I was looking forward to checking out their taproom.
Ísey Skyr Bar is a franchise with several locations across Iceland. If you miss it in Heimaey, you may want to keep an eye out for it in other parts of the country.
Where to Stay in Heimaey
We stayed at Lava Guesthouse for our one night in Heimaey. We chose this small hotel because of its central location and relatively cheap price considering how expensive Iceland can be. As an added bonus, Lave Guesthouse is right next to three of my food and drink recommendations: Gott, The Brothers Brewery and Ísey Skyr Bar.
The lodgings here are relatively basic but functional. Our room had two small beds, a dresser and a TV. Guests can take advantage of a shared kitchen with a fridge and microwave. The only downside is all the rooms utilize shared bathrooms. We didn’t have any issues with this feature, but it’s something to consider, especially if you’re visiting in the main tourist season.
Heimaey: Day Trip or Overnight?
Whether you stay for an overnight depends on the time of year you’re visiting Heimaey. We visited in April, a time of year considered the off-season throughout Iceland. As a result, not everything in Heimaey was open while we were there. There was also virtually nothing to do after about 6:00 p.m. Just finding a place to eat on a Sunday was difficult.
It was nice to have the island mostly to ourselves, but I’m not sure it was worth staying overnight when we could have spent more time somewhere else in Iceland.
On the other hand, if you’ll be in Heimaey during the main tourist season (roughly May to October), you may want to consider an overnight stay, especially if you’ll be doing a kayak or boat tour. Heimaey has just enough to see that an overnight visit is worth it so you can take your time traversing the island.
Frequently Asked Questions About Heimaey
Can I see puffins on Heimaey?
Yes! Heimaey is well regarded as one of the best places to see puffins in Iceland because of the large colony that frequents its shores in the summer months. If you want the best chance to see them, plan your visit between May and August.
When is the best time to visit Heimaey?
It depends on what you’re looking for. For the best weather, visit during the summer months (May to August), but you can also expect the biggest crowds during that time. If you’re looking to avoid crowds and don’t mind very cold weather, come during winter.
We visited in mid-April and had a bit of both worlds. The weather wasn’t great, but it wasn’t freezing. Moreover, it was still before the tourist season, so Heimaey wasn’t especially crowded. The biggest drawback to visiting before the main tourist season is that restaurants and attractions typically close early, if they’re open at all.
How do I get to Heimaey?
Visitors to Heimaey have two options for getting here: plane or ferry. Ferries can be boarded at Landeyjahöfn, about two hours east of Reykjavík on the South Coast. Several ferries go back and forth from Heimaey throughout the day, and you can take your rental car on the ferry if you have one.
On the other hand, flights travel from Reykjavík only three times per week and cost much more than the ferry. It’s an alternative to the ferry, but it’s really only for those who don’t mind spending a bit of cash for the convenience of leaving directly from Reykjavík. Heimaey’s airport is also 1.5 miles from town. This means once you arrive, you still have to find a way into town.
Do I need a car in Heimaey?
Not necessarily but having one makes it much easier to see Heimaey, especially if you’re only visiting for a day. Ferries to the island can transport cars if you’ve already rented one on the mainland.
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