Viðey Island — Reykjavík's Island Escape
Peaceful island 5 min offshore — walking paths, bird cliffs, and Yoko Ono peace tower.
About
About Viðey Island — Reykjavík's Island Escape
Peaceful island 5 min offshore — walking paths, bird cliffs, and Yoko Ono peace tower.
Arctic terns nest in summer (dive-bombing visitors), and on clear days views stretch across Faxaflói bay to Mount Esja and distant glaciers.
Photos
Photo Gallery
Background
History & Background
Viðey settled c. 900s. Augustinian monastery founded 1225 (dissolved at Reformation 1539). Viðeyjarstofa built 1755 as merchant/sheriff residence — Iceland's first stone building. Island farmed until 1940s, then abandoned. Imagine Peace Tower unveiled 2007 on what would have been John Lennon's 67th birthday. Island now protected nature reserve.
Viðey Island is 1.6 km² (about 1.5 km long, 1 km wide), located 700m offshore from Skarfabakki harbour northeast of Reykjavík. The island is uninhabited except for summer café staff and conservation workers. **Ferry:** Elding operates ferry from Skarfabakki (near Harpa) May–September, approximately hourly 10:15–17:00. Journey 5 minutes. Winter service reduced (weekends only). Round-trip included in Reykjavík City Card. **Viðeyjarstofa House:** Built 1755–1763, Iceland's first stone building. Originally merchant's house. Now small museum and summer café (June–August). **Imagine Peace Tower:** Yoko Ono memorial to John Lennon, unveiled 2007. Wishing well with 'Imagine Peace' in 24 languages. Light beam illuminates October 9–December 8 each year (visible from Reykjavík). **Nature:** Car-free, mostly grassland and low shrubs. Arctic terns nest May–August (aggressive toward visitors — bring a hat). Eider ducks, gulls, ravens common. Views across Faxaflói bay. **Walking:** 7 km of paths circling island. Allow 2–3 hours for full circuit. Flat terrain, easy walking.
Folklore
Story & Folklore
Viðey Island lies 700 metres offshore from Reykjavík — a peaceful 1.6 km² island reached by 5-minute ferry, offering walking paths, bird cliffs, 18th-century stone house (Iceland's oldest), and Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace Tower memorial to John Lennon. The island is car-free and largely uninhabited, making it Reykjavík's easiest escape into nature. Arctic terns nest in summer (dive-bombing visitors), and on clear days views stretch across Faxaflói bay to Mount Esja and distant glaciers.
💡 Did You Know?
The Imagine Peace Tower's light beam is powered by geothermal energy — the wishing well sits atop a shaft drilled into bedrock where geothermal water generates electricity for the lights.
Local Legend
The Island John Lennon Never Saw
Yoko Ono chose Viðey for the Imagine Peace Tower because John loved Iceland — though he never visited. The light that shines from the island each winter is visible across Reykjavík, a beam of peace over the city.
Culture
Stories & Legends
Icelandic sagas and folklore from this area
Engey
Engey is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Njáls saga", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.
Gufunes
Gufunes is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Egils saga", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Harðar saga og Hólmverja", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.
Þerneyjarsund
Þerneyjarsund is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Kjalnesinga saga", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.
Explore
Hidden Gems Nearby
✦ The East Coast Bird Cliffs
The far eastern shore has low cliffs where guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes nest — less famous than Arctic terns but more interesting to watch.
✦ The 360° Summit View
Viðey's highest point (32 metres) offers a complete panorama: Reykjavík spreading south, Esja to the north, Reykjanes peninsula west, and on clear days Snæfellsjökull glacier 120 km away.
Help
Frequently Asked Questions
Location
📍 Location
Discover
Explore Nearby
Places from our database within 1.0 km — all data from Sanity
Loading nearby places…
0 places found within 1.0 km
Plan full itinerary →Explore More
