Látrabjarg

Europe's westernmost point, with 14km of sea cliffs hosting Iceland's largest seabird colonies

Látrabjarg is the westernmost point in Europe — a 14-kilometre stretch of sea cliffs rising to 440 metres above the North Atlantic. The cliffs face due west and are the breeding site for millions of seabirds: razorbills, guillemots, kittiwakes, and Iceland's largest concentration of puffins. In July, puffins nest within arm's reach of the cliff path — they are so densely packed and so accustomed to visitors that you can photograph them from metres away.

Getting to Látrabjarg requires either a long drive around the southern Westfjords or a seasonal ferry from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur, which cuts hours off the journey. The road to the headland is unpaved for the last section. The views from the clifftop on a clear day extend to the Snæfellsjökull glacier on the far side of the Breiðafjörður bay. The westerly exposure means this is one of the best places in Iceland to watch Atlantic sunsets in midsummer.

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A story
In June 1947, a British trawler ran aground on rocks off Látrabjarg and the crew were trapped on the cliff face for days in mid-winter conditions. Farmers from nearby farms rescued them by lowering ropes from the clifftop — a remarkable feat of local initiative in appalling weather. The story became widely known and helped establish Iceland's reputation for seafaring rescue. A monument on the headland commemorates the rescue.