The Westfjords
The Westfjords region has sometimes been dubbed "the most famous unknown place in Iceland". Well, throw in the fact that Lonely Planet named the area among its "Top 10 list of Regions in the World to Visit" in 2011, and you will see that the Westfjords are becoming increasingly famous – or perhaps less unknown.
This “oddly shaped” peninsula is “as isolated as it is spectacular”, according to Lonely Planet. Luckily, “isolated” does not mean inaccessible. With only around 7,000 inhabitants in the area, each person has around 1.2 square kilometres of personal space, so there is ample room for visitors as well.
With such sparse habitation, nature is by far the number one attraction here. The cliffs and valleys are packed with birds and the Arctic fox roams free among the mountains and inlets. The waterfalls are high and the streams are pure. The fjords are as deep as they are numerous. And there are places with no roads at all!
Of course, the small communities of the Westfjords also have much to offer. Most of the villages here are rooted in fishing, and the proud martime heritage is clearly visible in many exhibitions, such as the Ósvör Museum in Bolungarvík and the folk museum in Ísafjörður, the region's largest town. This area also has its share of offbeat attractions, such as the Witchcraft Museum and Sorcerer's Cottage in Hólmavík, the Sea Monster Museum in Bíldudalur and the colourful, peculiar statues of Naivist artist Samúel Jónsson in Selárdalur.
As for activities, this region is a great place to experience the midnight sun in the summer, and it is a paradise for fishing, hiking, boat trips to the island of Vigur, wildlife walks at the Hornstrandir nature reserve or bird watching at the Látrabjarg cliffs.
source: http://www.westfjords.is and http://www.visiticeland.com/
