Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The whole island is crisscrossed with walking paths. Some you can bicycle, others are
more precarious. A good map at the harbour shows which are which. You can hire a
bike
(2/5hr rental Ikr2500/3500; Jun-Aug)
, bring your own or come with a
Bike Company
tour.
The island is great for
birdwatching
(30 species breed here) and
botany
(over one-third
of all Icelandic plants grow on the island). In late August, some Reykjavikers come to pick
wild caraway, which was originally planted here by Skúli Magnússon.
From the harbour, trails to the southeast lead past the natural sheep fold
Réttin
, the tiny
grotto
Paradíshellir
(Paradise Cave), and then to the
abandoned fishing village
at Sund-
bakki. Most of the south coast is a protected area for birds and is closed to visitors from
May to June.
Trails leading to the northwest take you past low ponds, monuments to several ship-
wrecks, and the low
cliffs
of Eiðisbjarg, to Vesturey at the northern tip of the island.
Richard Serra's
Áfangar
(Milestones; 1990) sculptures, made from huge pairs of basalt
pillars, dot this part of the island.
Getting There & Away
Viðey Ferry
FERRY
10.15am-5.15pm mid-May-Sep, reduced services Oct-mid-May)
Viðey ferry takes five minutes from Skarfabakki, 4.5km east of the centre. During sum-
mer, two boats a day start from Elding at the Old Harbour and the Harpa concert hall. Bus
5 stops closest to Skarfabakki, and it's a point on the Reykjavík hop-on-hop-off tour bus.
Kópavogur
Pop 32,300
Kópavogur, the first suburb south of Reykjavík, is just a short bus ride away but feels far
from the tourist trail. There are a few sights in the cultural complex
Menningarmiðstoð
ping mall.
