What's Grimsey?:

Grímsey is a small island 40 km (25 mi) north of Iceland. On Grímsey, the only town is Sandvík, with about 150 friendly inhabitants. It's Iceland's northernmost settlement. Grímsey offers serene beauty with colorful marshlands, high cliffs, and countless birds. When visiting Grimsey, your best option for accommodation are the hotels in Akureyri.

Nature on Grimsey:

Although Grímsey is located on the Arctic Circle, the North Atlantic Current brings warmth from the Gulf of Mexico, creating mild Icelandic weather on Grimsey.


The shoreline is made up of steep cliffs (except on the southern side of the island) and the biggest attraction on Grimsey are the number of bird colonies. Grimsey is a paradise for birdwatchers. Sometimes, polar bears from Greenland come ashore on drift ice here.

How to Get to Grimsey:

To get to Grímsey, you'll first have to fly to Akureyri (or fly to Reykjavik, and go to Akureyri from there). Air and ferry connections link Grimsey to Akureyri on Iceland's mainland.

The 3-hour Sæfari Ferry leaves from Dalvík (connected to Akureyri by bus) at 9:00 am on Mon/WedFri. Departure from Grímsey is at 4:00 pm the same day.

Flights from Akureyri to Grímsey (approx. ISK 7000) are available three times a week in the winter (Tue/Thu/Sun) at 1:00 pm, and from June through August daily in the evening.

Things to Do on Grimsey:

Grimsey offers lots of beautifully lonely scenery...if there is such a thing as lonely among so many birds. Birdwatching, photography, and hiking are popular things to do on Grimsey.

If you'd like, you can receive a certificate for crossing the Arctic Circle on Grimsey.

North Sailing offers a sailing tour from Iceland's mainland to Grimsey and back.