The Westfjords

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Iceland

$29.99

Shop Book

LONELY PLANET’S RECOMMENDED eSIM

Stay connected in The Westfjords

with

Saily is an affordable eSIM service that helps you stay connected and secure, anywhere in the world.

Get your eSIM

Overview

The Westfjords is where Iceland’s dramatic landscapes come to a riveting climax and where mass tourism disappears – only about 10% of Iceland's visitors ever see the region. Jagged bird cliffs and broad multihued dream beaches flank the south. Rutted dirt roads snake north along jaw-dropping coastal fjords and over immense central mountains, revealing tiny fishing villages embracing traditional ways of life. In the far north, the Hornstrandir hiking reserve crowns the quiet region, and is home to cairn-marked walking paths revealing bird life, Arctic foxes and ocean vistas. The Strandir coast is less visited still, with an end-of-the-line, mystical feel, geothermal springs and minuscule oceanside hamlets.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

The Westfjords

Craggy mountains, precarious sea cliffs and plunging waterfalls make up Hornstrandir, one of Europe’s last true wilderness areas, covering some of the…

Dynjandi

The Westfjords

Tumbling in a broad sweep over a 100m-rocky scarp at the head of Dynjandivogur bay, Dynjandi is the most dramatic waterfall in the Westfjords. The bumpy…

Westfjords Heritage Museum

Ísafjörður

Part of a cluster of historic wooden buildings by the harbour, this museum is in the Turnhús (1784), which was originally a warehouse. It's crammed with…

Ósvör Maritime Museum

The Westfjords

The old turf-and-stone fishing shacks of the Ósvör Maritime Museum powerfully evoke a past age. A guide in a typical lambskin fisher’s outfit shows you…

Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft

The Westfjords

The multilingual displays at this award-winning museum brilliantly convey dark, dramatic tales. Unlike the witches of New England's Salem trials, most of…

Samúel Jónsson's Art Museum

The Westfjords

At the tip of the Arnarfjörður, local artist Samúel Jónsson lived out his remaining years at a remote farm in Selárdalur, and filled his days by creating…

Rauðasandur

The Westfjords

Stunning Rauðasandur beach stretches out in shades of pink and red sands on the southern edge of the peninsula. Pounded by surf and backed by a huge azure…

The Factory

The Westfjords

Crumbling plaster, towering chimneys and vast water tanks ensure Reykjarfjörður's old herring factory is an atmospheric place. The trappings of old…

View more attractions

Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

Explore the wilderness of Iceland's Westfjords with our guide to the region's best things to do.

Read article

Best Time to Visit

If you’re looking for Iceland at its rawest, wildest and emptiest, the Westfjords is most definitely where you’ll find it. Here are the best times to come.

Read article

Plan with a local