Iceland’s capital of the north
You needn’t venture far beyond the town itself to discover some of Iceland’s most beguiling landscapes, ranging from hilly pastures and barren swathes of uninhabited tundra to snow-capped mountains and lunar-like geothermal fields blistered with belching mud pots and hissing fumaroles. When you’re not out and about exploring Akureyri’s spectacular natural surroundings, you may be tempted to go for a dip in the town’s geothermally-heated swimming pool, check out the hilltop Lutheran church, or take a wander through the world’s northernmost botanical garden.
In the height of summer, the sun barely dips below the horizon, bathing Akureyri in 24-hour daylight, so the days can be stretched out as long as you like. In the winter, it’s one of the best places in Iceland to see the Northern Lights and embark on thrilling outdoor adventures in the snow-blanketed wilderness.
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The Diamond Circle is one of the best ways to cover several of the region’s highlights in one go: Godafoss waterfall, Husavik (the best whale watching destination in Iceland), Ásbyrgi Canyon, Dettifoss waterfall and Lake Myvatn. If you start and finish in Akureyri, it’s just over 300 kilometres in total and can be completed in one day – but you may wish to spend longer at each of the sights, and perhaps spend a night or two along the route. To see traditional Icelandic turf-roofed houses, take a trip to the Laufas Heritage Site, around 25 minutes’ drive away on the opposite side of the fjord.
Heading north from Akureyri, the Tröllaskagi Peninsula contains some of the region’s most majestic scenery and picturesque villages, such as Siglufjordur. From the port of Dalvik, you can take a ferry to Grimsey island – the only part of Iceland that crosses into the Arctic Circle. Enticed by the idea of a beer spa? Nearby Árskógssandur is the place to go.