Hjalteyri (population 43) was once a major herring harbour, and its old fish factory was Iceland's largest herring-processing plant when it was built in 1937. The herring disappeared in the 1960s and the factory was closed. These days, it's a cool place to wander around, with a few surprises; summertime art exhibitions, craftspeople, diver operator Stryten Divecentre, and whale-watching outfit North Sailing. It's 20km north of Akureyri.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.89 MILES
Lovingly created over 16 years, this award-winning museum does a stunning job of recreating Siglufjörður’s boom days between 1903 and 1968, when it was…
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21.89 MILES
Goðafoss (Waterfall of the Gods) rips straight through the Bárðardalur lava field along Rte 1. Although smaller and less powerful than some of Iceland’s…
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12.46 MILES
The most northerly botanical garden in the world makes a delightful spot for a fragrant wander on sunny days. The wealth of plant life on display is truly…
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27.71 MILES
This excellent museum provides all you need to know about the impressive creatures that visit Skjálfandi bay. Housed in an old harbourside slaughterhouse,…
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27.74 MILES
Húsavík’s beloved church is quite different from anything else seen in Iceland. Constructed in 1907 from Norwegian timber, the delicately proportioned red…
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Icelandic Folk & Outsider Art Museum
8.24 MILES
This excellent, eclectic museum 12km from Akureyri on Rte 1 (look for the sculpture of a tall blue man out the front) is a beautiful space filled with…
12.17 MILES
Dominating the town from high on a hill, Akureyri’s landmark church was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, the architect responsible for Reykjavík’s…
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23.89 MILES
Flatey (pronounced Flat–eh) is a serene 2.5km-long island 9km from Húsavík, on the northwest edge of Skjálfandi Bay. The name simply means flat island …
Nearby North Iceland attractions
4.21 MILES
North of Akureyri, on the road to Grenivík you'll find the beautifully photogenic turf houses at Laufás, a preserved manor farm dating from the 1860s…
2. Icelandic Folk & Outsider Art Museum
8.24 MILES
This excellent, eclectic museum 12km from Akureyri on Rte 1 (look for the sculpture of a tall blue man out the front) is a beautiful space filled with…
11.86 MILES
Akureyri's newest entry on the exhibition scene, Into the Arctic displays cover the great north's wildlife, settlement, explorers and culture, from dog…
12.13 MILES
Stimulate your senses at the Akureyri Art Museum, which hosts eclectic, innovative exhibitions – from graphic design to portraiture – and is surrounded by…
12.17 MILES
Dominating the town from high on a hill, Akureyri’s landmark church was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, the architect responsible for Reykjavík’s…
12.31 MILES
The Catholic church is an attractive old red-and-white house built in 1912 and acquired by the church in 1952. On the nearby roundabout is Einar Jónsson’s…
12.46 MILES
The most northerly botanical garden in the world makes a delightful spot for a fragrant wander on sunny days. The wealth of plant life on display is truly…
12.8 MILES
Dalvík’s quality folk museum is high on oddball factor. Skip the usual taxidermic characters (yes, another polar bear) and find the rooms dedicated to the…