Viðey is the largest island in Kollafjörður, just off Reykjavík, and it covers 1.7 square kilometres. Nobody has lived there since 1943, and a ferry from the city is the only way across. On the island are Viðeyjarstofa, built in 1753–1755 and now holding a restaurant, a church, two hiking trails and the ruins of Sundbakki village. Richard Serra's Áfangar, nine pairs of basalt columns, follows the northwest headland, and Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace Tower stands here as a memorial to John Lennon.
Viðey Island
Local name: Viðey
Two million years ago Viðey was an active volcano, and its caldera was far larger than the island — most of it now lies under Kollafjörður.
- Entrance
- The ferry fare is the cost of the visit; the Reykjavík City Card includes the transfer both ways.
- Difficulty
- Two hiking trails start behind Viðeyjarstofa. Easy walking: the island is 1.7 square kilometres and rises to 32 metres.
- Transport
- Ferry from Skarfabakki; in summer also from Harpa and Ægisgarður pier. In winter from Skarfabakki only, at weekends.
- Hours
- Access follows the ferry timetable: sailings daily in summer, weekends only in winter.
- Address
- Viðey, Reykjavík
What makes it special
Three things sit on Viðey and have nothing to do with one another. On Vesturey, the northwest part of the island, Richard Serra placed nine pairs of basalt columns in 1990, a work called Áfangar. The stones stand at 9 and 10 metres above sea level and their tops are level, so each pair measures the rise and fall of the ground. At the southeastern end are the ruins of Sundbakki village, left when the last inhabitants moved out in 1943: a schoolhouse holding the village history, black pebble beaches, information panels and a swing set. Between the two stands Viðeyjarstofa, built in 1753–1755 to a design by the Danish architect Nicolai Eigtved. About 30 bird species breed along the coast, among them puffins, guillemots and fulmars.
Good to know
- Ferry only. The ferry is the only way on and off the island, so check the return sailing before you set out.
- Winter service is thin. In winter the ferry runs from Skarfabakki alone, and only at weekends.
- The City Card covers the crossing. The Reykjavík City Card includes the ferry transfer to the island and back.
- One café. Viðeyjarstofa holds the only café on the island, and food there is expensive. Bring your own if you want a choice.
- If the weather turns. The community building among the Sundbakki ruins is open, with photos and panels on the village.
Getting there
Everyone arrives by ferry, and the crossing takes about ten minutes. Viðeyjarstofa stands near the landing stage, and the island's two hiking trails start behind the building. From there it is all on foot. Richard Serra's basalt columns are on Vesturey, the northwest part of the island; the Sundbakki ruins are at the southeastern end. The walking is easy — the island covers 1.7 square kilometres and its highest point is 32 metres.
Best time to visit
Better: summer, when the ferry sails daily and horse rental and a riding school operate on the island.
Avoid: winter weekdays, when no ferry runs at all.
The Imagine Peace Tower is lit each year between 9 October and 8 December, the dates of John Lennon's birth and death. Outside that window it is a wishing well bearing the words "imagine peace" in 24 languages, and nothing rises from it.
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Viðey Island on the map
Ferries are few outside summer and the island is open to every wind — note the last departure before you wander off, and pack a windproof layer even in July.
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Frequently asked questions
Does anyone live on Viðey?
No. The last inhabitants left in 1943 and the population is zero. Their village, Sundbakki, stands in ruins at the southeastern end of the island, with a schoolhouse that holds the village history and information panels on the site.What is the Imagine Peace Tower?
A memorial to John Lennon, conceived and built by Yoko Ono. A beam of light rises from a wishing well inscribed with the words "imagine peace" in 24 languages. It is lit each year between 9 October, his birthday, and 8 December, the day he died.How far back does settlement on the island go?
There are archaeological remains from the early 10th century. An Augustinian monastery stood here from 1225 to 1539, and Skúli Magnússon, called the father of Reykjavík, built his home and a church on the island.What does the name Viðey mean?
It is read as Wood Island. The name is thought to record that the island was forested when the first settlers arrived, though it may refer instead to driftwood on its shores.Is there anything to do besides walking?
Not much, and that is the point. Two hiking trails, the Serra columns, the Imagine Peace Tower, the Sundbakki ruins and the café at Viðeyjarstofa. In summer there is also horse rental and a riding school. The views back across the water to Reykjavík are part of it.