Region
Westfjords
1 day tour · 12 attractions · 5.5 h from Reykjavík
The road less ringed: sheer bird cliffs at Látrabjarg, the golden cascade of Dynjandi, red-sand beaches and hot pots at the end of gravel roads. Iceland at its wildest — earn it with a few extra hours behind the wheel.
- 1 day tour
- 12 attractions
- 5.5 h from Reykjavík
Don’t miss
All Iceland attractions →
Dynjandi
Waterfalls
Rauðisandur
Beaches
Hornstrandir
Cliffs
Heydalur
Iceland Hot Springs
Hellulaug
Iceland Hot Springs
Þingeyri Swimming Pool
Swimming Pools
Suðureyri Swimming Pool
Swimming Pools
Photo credit: "SundhollinIsafirði" by Gylfiolafsson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Sundhöll Ísafjarðar
Swimming Pools
Explore other regions:
Towns & places in the Westfjords
All 13 places →
Ísafjörður
Ísafjörður is a Westfjords hub for harbour history, neighbouring villages and organised outdoor trips. Hornstrandir requires a separate travel plan.
Hólmavík
Hólmavík is a Strandir base on Steingrímsfjörður, with the Sorcery and Witchcraft Museum and services for a wider coastal itinerary.
Súðavík
Súðavík combines the Arctic Fox Centre with Raggagarður, a family playground. It is a distinct village stop outside Ísafjörður.
Bíldudalur
Bíldudalur sits on Arnarfjörður in the southern Westfjords. Plan a village stop around sea-monster folklore and the fjord landscape.
Bolungarvík
Bolungarvík pairs fishing heritage at Ósvör with the Bolafjall viewpoint. Mountain-road access needs a separate check from visiting the town.
Drangsnes
Drangsnes is a fishing village in Strandir with shoreline hot pots and boat excursions to the nearby Grímsey island.
Flateyri
Flateyri is an Önundarfjörður village with an old bookshop, fishing heritage and fjord activities. Plan town time separately from a boat outing.
Patreksfjörður
Patreksfjörður is a southern Westfjords base for town services and onward visits towards Rauðasandur and Látrabjarg.
Reykhólar
Reykhólar overlooks the shallows and wetlands of Breiðafjörður. Birdwatching and the Boat and Gift-of-Nature Museum shape a quieter Westfjords stop.
Tálknafjörður
Tálknafjörður is a southern Westfjords fishing village with a swimming pool and Pollurinn hot pots outside town.
Þingeyri
Þingeyri sits on Dýrafjörður, with fishing heritage, an old blacksmith’s workshop and nearby walking viewpoints.
Hnífsdalur
Hnífsdalur lies between Ísafjörður and Bolungarvík. Its valley and coastal surroundings suit a quieter stop in a northern Westfjords route.
From the team’s own list
Where locals eat in the Westfjords
Westfjords — frequently asked questions
How long do you need in the Westfjords?
Three days as an absolute minimum, four or five to do it properly. It is five and a half hours from Reykjavík before you have seen anything, and the distances inside the region are longer than the map suggests because the road follows every fjord.
Are the roads paved?
Partly. The main routes to Ísafjörður are, but a lot of the south and west — including the road to Látrabjarg and Rauðasandur — is gravel, with mountain passes that close in winter. Take it slowly and check road.is each morning.
When are the Westfjords open?
Realistically June to September. Outside that, passes close, daylight is short and several of the best roads are unmaintained. Ísafjörður itself stays reachable year-round by air.
What should you not miss?
Dynjandi, the tiered waterfall that fans a hundred metres down the cliff; Látrabjarg, Europe's westernmost point and a bird cliff you can lie down at the edge of; and Rauðasandur, a red-sand beach that changes colour with the light.
When can you see puffins at Látrabjarg?
Roughly late April to early August. They leave for the open sea once the chicks fledge, and by mid-August the cliff is largely empty.
Can you day-trip the Westfjords from Reykjavík?
No. Eleven hours of driving before any stops makes it a trip in its own right — or a flight to Ísafjörður and a hire car from there.
Trip planning — free, no commitment
Put the Westfjords on your route
Tell us your dates, pace and can’t-miss list — a local planner builds the route, stays and tours around it, and stays a text away while you travel.