Cruising the Westfjords

While most visitors visit the Westfjords on a road trip, there is something to be said for the timelessness of ocean travel.

Visitors arriving by sea have arguably the most historically accurate vision of Iceland, where long journeys in centuries past were often taken by sea rather than by land. Some roads now considered essential simply did not exist as recently as the mid-20th century. Iceland is a country meant to be explored by sea, which gives a different angle on the majesty of the glaciers, fjords, and volcanoes.

Cruise ships love the Westfjords region. There are at least five ports (and probably more) there that welcome more than one ship a year. Ísafjörður, the largest harbour in the Westfjords, is the third busiest in Iceland for cruise ships, provide an insight into the town’s maritime history. Pride of place would go to the Maritime Museum, the numerous places to eat and drink and a chance to experience fjord life.

The municipality of Vesturbyggð with its two ports, Patreksfjörður and Bíldudalur, makes for an excellent starting point for a day tour in the isolated Westfjords. Don’t miss out on the majestic Dynjandi waterfall—one of the prettiest in Iceland.

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