Perfectly positioned between the delightful Snæfellsnes Peninsula and the wild Westfjords, Flatey is located in the Breiðafjörður bay – a paradise for nature lovers and bird lovers alike. There is an abundance of wildlife on the island with dozens of species of birds, including puffins, and also many sheep.
When taking the ferry from Stykkishólmur to the western fjords in Brjánslækur, you have the opportunity to stop on the charming little island of Flatey. In winter, there is a population of only 5 inhabitants, but this multiplies in summer with many holiday makers from the locality and beyond.
Most houses on Flatey date from the early 20th century, and are inhabited only in summer. In the 12th century, Flatey became an important monastic center but was later transferred to Helgafell on the peninsula of Snæfellsnes. In the 19th century, Flatey was an important cultural and social center, but social change and lack of work forced the majority of the population to leave the island at the turn of the century.
Flatey’s book, Flateyjarbók, is one of the most important Icelandic Sagas and has been preserved since the Middle Ages. You can see a reproduction of the Book of Flatey in the island’s library, the oldest in Iceland, built in 1864.
On Flatey, there is only one road leading from the port to the “old village”, where you can admire the houses of the island – most of them dating from the beginning of the 20th century and beautifully restored and maintained by their owners . Flatey is a small island where few travelers stop to spend the night, but tourism, like everywhere in Iceland, is beginning to grow.
A new hotel with a restaurant has recently opened, and there are also two guesthouses and a campsite. Flatey is a tiny island and there are not too many things to see, but there are a few historic sites. The old library and the Flatey church can be visited; The latter was designed by the architect Guðjón Samuelsson and Baltasar Samper (father of the filmmaker Baltasar Kórmakur). Flatey is especially a place where one comes to escape a bit of the world, enjoy the endless days in summer, and the surrounding nature.
Or sleep!
* Hotel Flatey
* Guesthouse Læknihús
* Guesthouse and campsite Krákuvör
How to get there
All year round, the Baldur ferry operates from Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula or from Brjánslækur in the Westfjords. In summer, it operates twice a day. If you want to go by car in the western fjords and stop at Flatey, it is possible. The ferry staff will make arrangements to take your car to Brjánslækur.
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