Heimaey might best be known for the time, fifty-ish years ago, that this Icelandic island actually grew. The land expanded by just over two square kilometers thanks to the local Eldfell volcano, whose lava cooled into fresh new land. Today, you can cruise to Heimaey and visit the Eldheimar museum, which is focused on this destructive, and creative, event. But long before even the 1970s — about a thousand-ish years prior — Heimaey was already populated, say the archaeologists. That might be where the story of humans on Heimaey begins, but you really need to consider the real local population of this... Read More

Heimaey might best be known for the time, fifty-ish years ago, that this Icelandic island actually grew. The land expanded by just over two square kilometers thanks to the local Eldfell volcano, whose lava cooled into fresh new land. Today, you can cruise to Heimaey and visit the Eldheimar museum, which is focused on this destructive, and creative, event. But long before even the 1970s — about a thousand-ish years prior — Heimaey was already populated, say the archaeologists. That might be where the story of humans on Heimaey begins, but you really need to consider the real local population of this island ringed by imposing cliffs. Greatly outnumbering the 4,500 people here are over eight million Atlantic puffins, who are something of a symbol of the island, and can sometimes even be found on the streets. Read Less