With incredible natural beauty, geothermal activity, and remarkable wildlife, North Iceland is one of our favorite parts of the country, and Akureyri is one of our favorite cities.
North Iceland is spectacular. From the beauty of the coastal fjords to the rolling scenery around Mývatn, the scenery is gorgeous. There are also plenty of fantastic outdoor activities to do, like horseback riding and whale watching. Akureyri is a charming city with lots to do and great food.
Itineraries
Eat & Drink
Rub23
A fantastic restaurant in Akureyri. Asian fusion cuisine, offering fantastic seafood and sushi and meat dishes. Famous for its unique spice blends.
Einstök Brewer’s Lounge
A cool brewpub showing off the best that the local Einstök brewery has to offer.
Gamli Baukur
Located right above Húsavík harbor, Gamli Baukur is a great stop before or after your whale watching trip. This cozy restaurant with driftwood décor serves fresh food from local sources, along with a full bar and varied beer and wine lists.
Brynja Ice Cream Shop
Located in Akureryi, this ice cream shop is the perfect place to get dessert or a mid-afternoon ice cream cone.
Vogafjós Cowshed Café
When you’re exploring Myvatn take a break at Vogafjós restaurant. It’s located inside of a cowshed (you can choose to sit at a table with a window overlooking them) with sweeping views of the lake.
Húsavík öl
Set in the small town of Húsavík, this restaurant serves up good pizza, light meals, snacks, and local beers on tap.
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Áskaffi Tea Room
This quaint restaurant on the site of the Glaumbaer Farm and Museum boasts homemade local cakes, breads, and sandwiches. The dishes are decently priced and quite good.
See
Dettifoss
Europe’s most powerful waterfall is beautiful, but it can be tricky to get to and may be out of your way (it’s sort of on the way from the East Fjords to Husavik). Once you get to the waterfall itself, you can walk directly up to the edge and get a terrifying, yet amazing view.
Akureyri Botanical Garden
A short walk from downtown Akureyri, this garden is one of the most northern botanical gardens in the world. It’s a beautiful display of thousands of different types of plants, well organized by region.
Goðafoss
On the way between Laugar and Akureyri, this is a beautiful horseshoe-shaped waterfall in north Iceland. It’s also where Christianity became Iceland’s official religion (pick up a guide book to learn more). Walk the paths to check out the various viewpoints.
Glaumbær Farm & Museum
A farmhouse has stood on this site since around 900 CE. It currently hosts the preserved historical farm, a large complex of turf-roofed rooms, the oldest of which date to the 18th century and the most recent of which were built in the late 19th century. The museum is a fascinating look at how Icelanders lived between 100 and 300 years ago.
Krafla Volcano
Krafla volcano is a mountain in north Iceland which has been intermittently errupting for the past 3,000 years. The Viti crater is filled with a beautiful, clear lake. You can drive there to check out the lake, and there’s a hiking trail around the crater if you want even more scenic views.
Krafla Power Plant
Geothermal energy provides about a quarter of Iceland’s energy. Krafla power plant is a living, working power plant in north Iceland. It’s free to visit, and it has a quick and neat exhibit on geothermal power.
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Námafjall Hverir Viewpoint
Hverir is a large geothermal area near Myvatn. A wasteland full of pools of boiling water and mud and smoking fumaroles, it’s surrounded by red soil. It also has a heavy scent of sulphur, but gives a decent understanding of what powers the whole country: geothermal energy from volcanoes and springs. Evidently, it’s the closest you can get to the feel of Mars on Earth.
Grjótagjá Cave
A beautiful cave near Myvatn containing a hot spring. You can’t swim in the water, but the cobalt pool is picturesque, and a scene from Game of Thrones was filmed here if you’re a fan.
Akureyrarkirkja
A church on Iceland’s north coast in the city of Akureyri.
Do
Húsavík Whale Watching
A fantastic whale watching tour in a bay on Iceland’s northern shore; we recommend you go with North Sailing. You’re likely to see more humpback whales than you can count. North Sailing also offers a whale and puffin tour.
Horseback Riding with Lava Horses
Run by a family who has lived in the area for more than 200 years, Lava Horses provided a fantastic horseback adventure in northern Iceland through diverse landscapes of lava, a birch forest, along a riverbank and back. Ride the iconic Icelandic horses and try out their famous gait, the tölt.
Stay
Einishús Cottages
Beautiful, modern cottages in northern Iceland. Each cottage has a hot tub and a loft.