Across the water from Reykjavik lies Videy Island. Once the main harbor until Reykjavik took over in 1943, the first settlement on the island dates from the 10th century. These days birds are the main inhabitants of the island with around 30 species coming to breed there. For humans, there is a restaurant, located in Videyjarstofa house, the first stone and cement building in Iceland, which dates from 1755. The island was once home to Augustine monks until 1539 when the reformation began in Iceland. There are also walking tracks and horse-riding.
Videy Island has another unusual function - it houses the Peace Tower memorial erected for John Lennon by Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon. First lit in 2007, the memorial is a huge laser which beams into the sky from the 9th of October (Lennon's birthday) until December 8th (the date of his assassination) each year. Iceland was chosen as the site due to its peaceful nature and cheap, natural electricity.
Regular local ferry services run hourly between Skarfabakki - Sundahofn harbour and Videy Island daily and takes about twenty minutes. Bus number 5 takes you from Reykjavik to the Sundahofn harbor.
