Day Surtsey Island / Heimaey IslandArrives 12:00 AM Departs 12:00 AM / Arrives 10:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM Surtsey Island is a volcanic island off the southern coast of Iceland. Named after the Norse fire god Surtur, Surtsey (Surtur's island) is one of the world's newest islands.
At just four miles in length, Heimaey Island is the largest of all the 16 islands and 30 tiny islets that comprise the Westman Islands archipelago. The islands' inhabitants are rugged and independent, traits passed down from generations of isolation, natural disasters and brutal living conditions. Today Heimaey is the largest fishing center in all of Iceland, and the islanders prosper from extensive fish processing.
Day Seydisfjordur, IcelandArrives 06:00 PM Iceland's eastern coast was the first area to be settled, and the very ancient site of Thorrarinstadr is the earliest community yet discovered. Your Ventures team archaeologist will escort an optional tour to the site. The pretty, multicolored houses of Seydusfjordur are gathered on a narrow alluvial shelf at the base of a jaw-dropping mountain wall beside the fjord that gives it its name. Today it is a magnet for artists, musicians and other creative types inspired by the Icelandic grandeur. The Blue Church is a local icon, an early wooden structure that has been moved three times in its checkered history. There are a number of old wooden buildings dating from the immigration of Norwegian fishermen who settled here in 1848 to exploit the vast seasonal populations of herring.
Day Seydisfjordur, IcelandDeparts 01:30 PM Iceland's eastern coast was the first area to be settled, and the very ancient site of Thorrarinstadr is the earliest community yet discovered. Your Ventures team archaeologist will escort an optional tour to the site. The pretty, multicolored houses of Seydusfjordur are gathered on a narrow alluvial shelf at the base of a jaw-dropping mountain wall beside the fjord that gives it its name. Today it is a magnet for artists, musicians and other creative types inspired by the Icelandic grandeur. The Blue Church is a local icon, an early wooden structure that has been moved three times in its checkered history. There are a number of old wooden buildings dating from the immigration of Norwegian fishermen who settled here in 1848 to exploit the vast seasonal populations of herring.
Day Isafjordur, IcelandArrives 12:00 PM Departs 08:30 PM "Although it is the largest town in and the capital of the Westfjords region of Iceland, Ãsafjörður has a mere 2,600 inhabitants and is only connected to the mainland by a narrow nine-meter-wide (30-foot-wide) isthmus. Local lore has it that the isthmus, and the town itself, were formed by a group of trolls who wanted to live apart from humans. Despite its small population, Ãsafjörður has earned a reputation as a cultured and urbane town thanks to its excellent choral and theatrical groups, a nationally known theater festival called Act Alone and the popular music festival Aldrei Fór Ãg Suður (âI Never Went Southâ) held each Easter.
Ãsafjörður and its outlying regions stretch over 2,300 square kilometers (900 square miles) from the stunning waterfall of Dynjandi in the south to the vast Hornstrandir Nature Reserve in the north where, on the cliff of Hornbjarg, visitors can see the largest colony of seabirds in the North Atlantic. Along Iceland's spectacular coastline, glacier-carved green mountains stand in contrast against the deep blue sea."
Day Grundarfjordur, IcelandArrives 09:00 AM Departs 06:00 PM The Icelandic port of Grundarfjorour is characterized by a unique climate and unusually beautiful surroundings, and it's no surprise that this area has long attracted visitors who enjoy the beauty of the fjord in peaceful surroundings. Around 1800, French merchants came to Iceland and many settled in Grundarfjorour. Over time, the town became rich through the fishing industry, and this wealth shows in the style of the original, luxurious houses that were built, many of which are still visible today. Nearby, there is a large lava field called Berserkjahraun that is naturally warm year-round. The townspeople are proud to say that Grundarfjorour is probably the only city in the world where the building authorities have provided allotments for the "hidden people" or elves.