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Wikimedia. Creative Commons. Credit: Kolbrún Ragna.

Flatey ('Flat Island') is just one of the thousands of islands that dot Breiðafjörður, a large bay that splits the Snæfellsnes peninsula from the Westfjords.

Visiting the island is truly a step back in time, with visitors gaining insight into the traditions and customs of Icelandic islanders.

Flatey takes its name from the fact that the island doesn't have any hills. It is roughly 2 km (1.2 mi) long and 1 km (0.6 mi) wide. It is thought that Flatey, like the surrounding islands of Breiðafjörður, was formed during the last Ice Age, carved out by an enormous ancient glacier. 

History & Present Day

The island was once a commercial and cultural centre, boasting prosperous trade routes. Today, Flatey is only inhabited during the summer months with enough people to maintain the community. This season sees Flatey highly populated again with domestic visitors, foreign guests and second homeowners. Still on the island today, guests can visit the smallest, and oldest, library in Iceland (built 1864) and a church built in 1926.