This European Island Has Only 20 Residents And Over 1 Million Birds – News18

Last Updated:December 18, 2024, 10:41 IST

Grímsey Island is home to one of the most remote settlements in Europe and a thriving seabird population.

You have probably heard about many of the world’s stunning

island

s, but here’s a story about one with a thriving bird population and one of Europe’s most isolated communities. Grimsey is a small

island

located 40 km off the main Icelandic

island

’s north coast when the Arctic Circle is crossed.The

island

, roughly 5 square kilometres in size, has a small community of approximately 20 residents. It is Iceland’s only habitable region inside the Arctic Circle, according to the BBC. To cross the Arctic Circle, tourists from all continents travel to this special location and return home with a certificate as a keepsake of their adventure.Before 1931, the only way to get to Grimsey was by tiny boat, only used twice a year for postal delivery. Today’s intrepid travellers can reach this isolated

island

by taking a 20-minute flight from Akureyri or a 3-hour ferry ride from Dalvík. With its colourful display of different seabirds and species, it’s a haven for adventurers wishing to venture deeply into one of Europe’s most remote villages.The fact that the

island

is traversed by the Arctic Circle is among the most fascinating features that draw tourists there. It is also the only place in Iceland reachable from that far north.“People think I moved here for love, but I fell in love with the

island

. There’s magic, and I fell in love with how people lived here, the

island

ers and nature. Nature is very powerful here; it’s a different natural force in the winter, and with the darkness comes the Northern Lights, the stars, and the storms. In spring comes the light, and the birds; every season is special,” said a local tour guide and owner of Arctic Trip, Halla Ingolfsdottir, as quoted by BBC. In addition, Ingolfsdottir became a full-time resident in 2019.Furthermore, birdwatching and the Arctic Circle crossing are the

island

’s two main attractions. Even though Grimsey is small, it offers breathtaking vistas of the Northern Lights and stunning sunsets. It has all the amenities of today, like a school for the kids, a swimming pool for entertainment, a grocery store for everyday requirements, a harbour, internet access, and even an airport. Every three weeks, a doctor takes a plane to the

island

to treat patients.