Flights to the Westman Islands

The Westman Islands lie off the south coast of Iceland, and in many ways a visit here takes you to an older Iceland, to a relaxed yet hard-working and creative community. The friendly, welcoming islanders will happily tell you about their home island and its captivating history.

The archipelago's main island is called Heimaey (literally, 'Home Island') and it's home to the population of around 4300. Heimaey is surrounded by 14 uninhabited islands and around 30 rock stacks and skerries, making the area rich in sea life and bird life.

The January 1973 eruption of the Eldfell volcano is one of the largest natural disasters in Iceland's recent history. It forced all the Westman Island inhabitants to evacuate to the mainland of Iceland.

By the end of the eruption, which lasted more than five months, around one-third of homes on Heimaey were covered in lava and ash, and the island had grown by 2 sq km. Today, the Westman Islands are sometimes called the 'Pompeii of the North', where visitors can witness Icelandic nature's mighty powers. A great museum on Heimaey documents the event.