Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist information
There's a friendly but somewhat
clueless information o
ce (Mon-Fri 9am-10pm, Sat &
Sun 10am-5pm;
T
488 2555,
W
visitwestmanislands
.com) east of the port at the corner of Strandvegur and
Bárustígu, with brochures, souvenirs and a small café.
Tours
Viking Tours (
T
488 4884,
W
vikingtours.is)
organizes popular daily boat trips around the island
(4900kr), with the chance to see whales, birds, orca and
seals; they also offer on-demand whale-watching tours,
deep-sea fishing and trips to Surtsey. Ribsafari (
T
661
1810,
W
ribsafari.is) does similar speedboat trips from
about 7000kr. All are weather-dependent.
Services
Banks with ATMs are at the eastern side of
town, on or near Vestmannabraut. There are two
supermarkets: Vöruval, which looks like a domed tent, on
Vesturvegur (daily 8am-7pm); and the slightly better-
stocked Krónan two streets over on Strandvegur (Mon-
Fri 11am-7pm, Sat & Sun 11am-6pm), next door to the
state alcohol shop (Mon-Thurs noon-6pm, Fri
11am-7pm, Sat 11am-4pm). The large, indoor saltwater
pool is 15min walk southwest of the centre off Illugagata
(Mon-Fri 6.30am-9pm, Sat & Sun 9am-6pm). There's a
bike rental outlet at the ferry terminal (
T
659 6910; 4hr
2900kr, 1 day 4400kr).
2
ACCOMMODATION
With tourism to Heimaey increasing threefold since the new ferry began operation in 2011, Heimaey's accommodation is
packed from June to August; always
book ahead
. You'll be very lucky to find a room for the Þjódhátíð festival - all are
reserved up to a year in advance - so plan to camp.
Árný
Illugagata 7
T
481 2082,
W
arny.is.
Charming
guesthouse a few minutes' walk east of the centre, with
clean rooms ranging from five-person dorms and family
rooms to doubles and decent-sized suites. Facilities are
shared. There's a glassed-in
terrace
, and you
're just a s
hort
walk from the pool. Dorms
5600kr
; doubles
11,200kr
Ì
Campsite
T
864 4998.
Dramatically located site 1km
west of town beside the golf course at Herjólfsdalur - you'll
be lulled to sleep by the mutterings of thousands of fulmars
roosting above you. There are showers, toilets, laundry, a
shelter-shed for cooking and a BBQ area. Co
me a few
days
early for the August festivities to find a pitch.
1200kr
Hótel Vestmannaeyjar
Vestmannabraut 28
T
481
2900,
W
hotelvestmannaeyjar.is.
The town's sole real
hotel is comfortable, welcoming and tidy, but don't expect
stylish furnishings - though the priciest rooms have got
polished wooden floors, leather lounges and a trendy
monoch
rome colo
ur scheme, and you get access to the new
hot tub.
20,500kr
Ì
Hreiðrið
Cnr Faxastígur and Heiðarvegur
T
481
1045,
W
tourist.eyjar.is.
This long-running budget favourite
is the pick of the island's guesthouses, with the friendly,
informed owner offering pleasant themed rooms in a family
home; it's really self-catering but breakfast can be arranged.
They won't put strangers together in a double room, and
offer expert hiking i
info for t
he island's trickier t
rails. Sh
ared
bathrooms. Doubles
9900kr
; with sleeping bag
3600kr
IYHA hostel
T
481 2900,
W
hotelvestmannaeyjar.is.
Two-storey affair right behind the
Hótel Vestmannaeyjar
(which is where you check in), with plainly-furnished,
slightly cramped dorms with shared bathrooms. The
kitchen is also very small, but w
ell-equi
pped with fridge,
stove and all manner of crockery.
3600kr
Mamma
Vestmannabraut
T
481 2900,
W
hotelvest
mannaeyjar.is.
Elderly building opposite the
Hótel
Vestmannaeyjar
(where you check in), with clean but faded
furnishings and decent-sized rooms on two floors plus an
attic; all beds are made up with linens, and really it's a
budget alternative to the hotel's modern en-
suites. The
floors each have a shared bathroom and kitchen.
12,400kr
EATING
Café Kró
Tangagata 7
T
488 4884.
Good views of
harbour activity, decent coffee and probably the best grills
and pizza for the money in town. Footage from the 1973
eruption is screened while you eat.
Daily 10am-8pm.
Einsi Kaldi
Hótel Vestmannaeyjar, Vestmannabraut 28
T
481 1415.
Easily both the most expensive and smartest
restaurant in town, with coloured mood lighting and a
vaguely volcanic theme to the decor. Recommended choices
are the monkfish and smoked haddock (3950kr), lamb
shanks and glazed vegetables (5200kr) and the langoustine
and lobster soup (1990kr). The conscience-impaired could
sample their smoked pu
n and minke whale with onion
chutney (2350kr).
Daily 11am-2pm and 5-9pm.
Café Varmó
Cnr Herjolfsgata and Strandvegur
T
866 6286.
Don't be too downhearted at the frilly
tablecloths and wobbly wooden tables; the coffee's not
bad and the thick lamb and barley soup with bread costs a
bargain 1500kr. Their cakes are pretty good too, if you like
thick layers of cream.
Mon-Fri 9am-6pm.
Vinaminni ka
hús
Barustígur
T
481 2424.
Large
café and bakery with excellent coffee and just above
average meals: salmon and scrambled egg sandwiches
(1100kr), crepes with various fillings (1690kr) and the
inevitable pizzas and burgers - which are not bad (from
1400kr). Occasionally gets live bands in.
Daily
10am-10pm.
